From Mélie’s Garden
During this past year there have been many articles in the press and on line about the decrease of pollinators in our country. Birds, bees, bats, butterflies, moths and beetles are the primary pollinators of plants and they are of utmost importance in the cycle of nature. World wide over 1,000 plants depend on pollination to grow. The use of herbicides, pesticides, invasive non-native plants, diseases, loss of habitat and extreme weather has contributed to this decline. The home gardener can help by planting trees, shrubs and plants that will attract and feed these important contributors to our environment.
You can go to the Pollinator Partnership or Xerces Society websites and type in your zip code to get a complete list of plants that are suitable for your area, but here is a partial list of plants that are recommended for Fishers Island that is part of the “Eastern Broadleaf Forest – Oceanic Province”.
Trees & Shrubs
Acer spp
Amelanchier spp
Blueberry
Cercis Canadensis
Dwarf sumac
Eastern Redbud
Elderbury
Maple
Oxydendrum arboreum
Rhus Capallinum
Rusa spp
Salix spp
Sambucus spp
Serviceberry
Sourwood
Vaccinium spp
Wild rose
Willow
Perennials
Asciepias syriaca
Asciepiastuberosa
Aster spp
Asters
Baptisia australis
Bee Balm
Black Eyed Susan
Blackberry
Blazing Star
Butterfly weed
Cranesbill
Echinacea purpurea
False Indigo
Geranium
Golden Rod
Liatris spp
Lilium
Milkweed
Monardia spp
Native lilies
Phlox
Phlox spp
Purple Coneflower
Raspberry
Rudbeckia spp
Rubus spp
Salvia
Solidago spp
Rubus spp
