Successful Pollinator Garden with Natives

By Margaret VanPraag on Dec 12, 2009

A pollinator garden planted with native species becomes a learning laboratory and beauty to the eye.

In 2008 Megan York-Harris, Poplar Bluff District wildlife biologist, planted a pollinator garden at the Poplar Bluff District Office using a combination of 23 wildflowers and grasses native to Missouri.

It became a blooming success, with monarchs laying eggs on host plants within a week of planting.

During the summer and early fall of 2009, the garden was host to a succession of monarch butterflies and became a learning laboratory. At least ten monarchs hatched at the district office. Some of these were naturally occurring, where they pupated on the rock wall of the district office or flower garden. A few caterpillars were brought inside to a makeshift holding area where they were fed until they pupated. These caterpillars were "mobile" and served as an educational tool for school classrooms and visitors.

In 2009 Megan expanded the garden to an area approximately 550 square feet, planted with 29 additional native wildflower, grass, vine, and shrub species. Golden Alexander, a host for the black swallowtail butterfly, was planted in the new garden. It is her hope that next year there will be an additional butterfly species taking up residence in the native garden.

Megan gave a presentation to the Poplar Bluff Community Betterment Council on December 4, 2009. The topic was “Learning how to plant a Pollinator Garden with Natives" and interest was so high that the questions continued long after the time the meeting was scheduled to end.