Bee on Daisy

If you have not visited the Montgomery Botanical Gardens and observed the three Green Bridges Pollinator Gardens, here is another reason to do so. The National Herb Society has designated the week of June 16 through 22, 2025, as National Pollinator Week to highlight the importance of those tiny but powerful creatures for the production of our food, flowers and all of nature. Plants that attract and provide for our vital pollinators also rely on those pollinators to fulfill the plant’s need for spreading the pollen that is necessary to produce fruit, grain, flowers etc.  It has often been said “no pollinators, no food”, and that is true. Pollinators include insects, butterflies, and hummingbirds. They spread the pollen, drink the nectar and their larvae can feed on the plants. 

Green Bridges certification medallion

The National Herb Society established the Green Bridges Gardens program to encourage the creation and maintenance of gardens across America and the world that will support the needs of the vital pollinators for their sustenance and places to produce the next generation of pollinators. Montgomery Botanical Gardens with volunteers from the Capital City Master Gardener Association created three certified Green Bridges Pollinator Gardens in 2022 and they are all thriving. Some of the plants that are in these three gardens include Bronze Fennel, Turk’s Cap, Beautyberry Bush, Echinacea, Butterfly Weed, Lantana, Parsley, Aster, Yarrow, Hot Lips Salvia and many others. This year a Dutchman’s Pipe Vine was added to Pollinator Garden #3 with an arch to support it. 

Butterfly on Butterly Weed

During National Pollinator Week take your friends, children and grandchildren to the gardens and spend some time viewing the three Green Bridges Gardens to watch the bees, butterflies and others dart among the blossoms and/or see the caterpillars munching on the Fennel and Parsley. You may be inspired to create your own gardens to support these vital pollinators. 

Karin Carmichael, Nell Copeland and Fran Carpentar maintaining Pollinator Garden #3