Pollinator Habitat Stories

East Field Community Garden

"The Pollinator Garden at our East Field Community Garden in Glens Falls is looking good! The plants are all healthy and despite excessive rain and little sun, several rewarded us with some blooms. We’ve spotted several pollinators checking out the plants so we’re excited to see what we attract next season when more of the plants will be in bloom. The maintenance plan has worked well. Several of us tend the beds. We didn’t need to water thanks to Mother Nature and only had a few weeds that popped up during August. We decided to mulch around the garden to keep the grass from invading the beds and to make it more inviting to visitors."

Mountain Lake PBS Pollination Station

"In June 2021, Mountain Lake PBS received a free community garden from AdkAction through the Adirondack Pollinator Project's Garden Assistance Program. Since then, our garden has flourished! Now affectionately known as the "Pollination Station," we've had staff members and visitors alike enjoy watching the plants take root and grow, seasonal blooms open up for the first time, and pollinators of all kinds—from bees and moths, to butterflies—make use of the food and shelter it provides. We've had a rotation of staff members tend to the garden; watering, weeding and giving pep talks to those plants who haven't been able to thrive (looking at you, Wild Blue Phlox!). With a few exceptions, all the new plants have become hearty and we are looking forward to passively overwintering and then resuming the garden next spring. We may even expand with more planter boxes since it's been such a hit!"

Yard Habitat

"My husband and I are members of AdkAction and a few years ago you helped us by mailing free Pollinator Project seeds and then referred us to Ernst Conservation for additional seeds of the showy northeast native wildflower mix. We did a trial garden with the seed packets and it was a success, so we decided to start installing larger pollinator gardens around our property.

This garden is in its 2nd year....it is about 30 feet long by 30 feet wide and filled to the brim with gorgeous flowers. It is beautiful when a gentle wind blows and the field of flowers blows in waves with the wind.

We want to thank you so much for sending us the free seeds a few years ago. We have become pollinator garden and wildflower enthusiasts."

View Arts Community Garden

"We planted free seeds from the Adirondack Pollinator Project and received a community garden through the Garden Assistance Program. Our experience has been pure joy! Kids and families on our new walkway experienced butterflies all summer from blooming wildflowers. Next summer our pollinator garden will add to that!"

Biggest Challenge?
"Keeping deer from eating the plants."

Advice to Others?
"Engage children in the project!"

Free Seed Garden in Queensbury

"My spouse and three kids were all home, and we created a garden bed where we used our household compost and the free seeds - it gave so many life lessons and science lessons. They even made a bug hotel!"

Biggest Challenge?
Water sources.

Advice to Others?
DO IT! Sometimes we need to stop thinking and just start small.

Ray Brook Home Garden

"I started creating a native plant garden about 12 years ago. My garden has more than 30 different types of native plants (maybe a lot more than 30 -- I haven't counted). I've got everything from Joe Pye weed (big) to twinflower (small)."

Biggest Challenge?
"Endless weeding to keep the more vigorous natives from overtaking the timid ones!"

Advice to Others?
"No pesticides or herbicides! One neighbor was a lawn nut and I noticed a significant decline in the bee population. Now that he's gone, the bees are rebounding."

Roadside Habitat Challenges

"I have been nurturing a diverse habitat to benefit birds and insects, annually the town mowed down all of the 'garden' in late September....losing so much food for the butterflies, bees and insects preparing to hibernate or migrate. EVERY YEAR. I will continue to request a postponement."

Biggest Challenge?
"Town and state officials that think only grass is good."

Advice to Others?
"Keep fighting!"