08/01/2026
Planting with a Purpose: Not Just for Beauty 🌸🐝
Following up on our last post about the new Capron Park Zoo pollinator garden, today we are diving into why this project is a major win for our community and how you can replicate its success at home. 🐝👇
Did you know that some bees are picky eaters?
While our familiar friend the Eastern bumblebee is a generalist (meaning they love snacking on all kinds of flowers), other native bees are strict specialists. For example, cellophane bees and mining bees wake up early in the spring and specifically seek out the nectar and pollen of early-blooming Serviceberry plants.
Sadly, US native bee populations are declining rapidly due to habitat loss (like large lawns, pavement, and non-native plants) and pesticides. But we can help reverse this trend right here in our community.
To support a healthy bee population, a great pollinator garden needs four things:
- Continuous Blooms: Early spring flowers feed early risers like the mining bee, while late-flowering plants support bumblebees prepping for winter.
- Different Shapes: Long-tongued bees need tubular flowers, while larger bees need wide "landing pads."
- The Right Colors: Most bees love blue, purple, and yellow, while hummingbirds are drawn to red.
- Varied Textures: Native grasses and shrubs provide vital habitat structure. Plus, since many native bees nest in the ground, leaving small patches of bare soil gives them the perfect spot to build their homes!
That is why our pollinator garden at Capron Park Zoo features over 120 plants spanning 20 different native species! And we are just getting started — we plan to expand with even more diverse plants and native grasses soon.
Why This Matters To You:
Beauty of course is important, this garden replaced green monoculture lawn and now will have blooms in multiple seasons.
Additionally, most native bees travel up to half a mile to forage. If you live near the zoo and grow a backyard garden, our busy little pollinators might just fly over to help your garden thrive, too! This pollinator garden will also attract native butterflies, birds and other insects that bridge the gaps, building a pathway to other gardens.
🌱 We will share more updates as our garden grows! Need help finding the right native species for your yard? You can explore the Go Botany Native Plant Trust database to research native plants that fit your garden's needs - https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/
If you have questions or want more details, drop a comment below and let us know!
