Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Over 40 Years of Growing Gardens and Gardeners
At a mere ¼-inch long, Hylaeus bees do not dominate a flower like fuzzy bumble bees three to six times their size. However, if you have sharp eyes or a zoom camera lens you can appreciate their unique appearance and BEE-havior.
Imagine being a pollinator drawn to a fragrant flower that offers abundant nectar . . . It's Pollinator Week!
Enjoy another entry in a new series of short form thoughts on gardening and gardeners.
If you have something to say in 300 words or less, poem or prose, send it to us at socialmedia@mgnv.org
Pollinator Week 2020: Happy Pollinator Week!
Join the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia in observing this week, June 22–28, 2020, by learning more about some of the insects, birds, bats and other small mammals that pollinate at least 80 percent of our flowering plants and about 33 percent of our food crops as well as what you can do to sustain pollinators.
In Part I of this article, we presented alternatives to some traditional foundation shrubs that are considered invasive in Arlington County and the City of Alexandria. In Part II, we consider alternatives to other overused non-native shrubs.
Our Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic Region offers many attractive substitute shrubs to traditional foundation non-natives that can add beauty and diversity to the landscape while providing nectar, pollen, and fruit for the insect and animal species with which they have evolved. Read on to learn about the ornamental qualities and wildlife support offered by native alternatives for these popular alien shrubs.
