The phrase “pollinator garden,” is a relatively new term, used to describe a garden with flowers that provide nectar for pollinating insects. The first pollinator garden was the Smithsonian Butterfly Garden, which originated in 1995. Scientists started keeping record of pollinator numbers in the late 1980s, but it wasn’t until the 2000s that we discovered their population decline. In 2006-2007, following a major Bee Colony Collapse, the negative trend became widespread knowledge. A 2016 USDA study noted a steady decline in bee populations, echoing similar observations in studies conducted worldwide. In New Hampshire, homeowners need to be concerned with regenerating pollinator numbers because they play a tangible role in food systems, in symbiotic human relationships, and in relaxing natural spaces.

A dataset created by Charles Robertson, originally from Blackburn College in Carlsville, Illinois dating 1887 to 1916, proved the missing link to identifying long-term insect loss. What was extraordinary about Blackburn’s studies was his extreme thoroughness. He studied all the ecosystems – forests, prairies, roadsides, and fallow fields – to ascertain a wholistic picture of the insects that abounded, the plants they visited, and the quality of these interactions. Students at the University of Washington recorded a 50% loss of bee species when they compared a modern dataset to Blackburn’s.

The 2013 study also found that today’s flowers neither bloom as long, nor flower as reliably. What’s more, bees visit flowers less frequently, fly fewer days, and carry less pollen than their early 20th century counterparts. Declining flower productivity and bee activity are illustrative of a weakened pollinator-plant network.

The tenuous plant-pollinator relationship holds the backbone for ecological systems – as plants need pollination to complete their reproductive lifecycle. If these interactions don’t happen successfully and abundantly, then humans and animals lose biodiverse food systems and things get very bland. As one scientist noted, if we don’t have pollination, then our diets will get very boring – relying on wind-pollinated grass species such as wheat and grain for food. People need variety and pollinators need robust plant systems.

If pollinators thrive, we all thrive. To be effective, pollinator gardens must use native plants to a fantastic degree. Leveraging the ecosystem to benefit pollinators requires us to know native plants, to identify the conditions under which they prosper, and to rebuild large ecological communities. Simply planting more pollinator gardens will not resolve pollinator decline. Instead, we need to place pollinating plants so they grow and multiply robustly.

There is a symbiotic relationship between the environment and humans. As plants and animals exist harmoniously – so do we. Last summer, I taught landscape design to UNH Sustainability Institute interns. We evaluated the site as a living, breathing thing, as well as an architectural space for people to interact with. This project allowed students to create their own garden concepts through a set process. In the Nesmith Hall garden design, for example, the students created a bloom palette of flowers visible to bees – they can only see yellow, orange, and purple – and chose interesting textures for humans to enjoy.

Pollinators are declining. They fertilize the plants we grow, improve the quality of human lives, and give our landscape meaning. Every yard needs a butterfly flitting across it. Regenerating natural systems is often a simple first step. UNH took the first steps to regenerate pollinator support networks when, following a series of budget cuts, we stopped weeding our beds. Goldenrod and Aster emerged everywhere. Planting pollinator gardens, engaging the public, and experimenting with design are other considerations. If your ideas aren’t aligning with the site – try letting things grow.

— by Chadd Hippensteel