[Pollinator] The Pollinator Garden at WilCo Landfill

[Ladadams at aol.com]

Posted: Wednesday, June  12, 2013 9:00 am  
_The Pollinator Garden at WilCo Landfill_ 
(http://www.thehuttonews.com/news/www.thehuttonews.com/news/article_6e915e76-d355-11e2-a01a-0019bb2963f4.html)
  Mary Ann Melton  Hutto Naturalist The Hutto News |  
 
 
 
Next week (June 17-23) is National Pollinator Week. In celebration, on June 
 20 there will be an open house at the new Pollinator Garden at the 
Williamson  County Landfill, 600 Landfill Road, Hutto. The event is from 10 a.m. to 
 noon. 
Parking is available at the Recycling Center. Refreshments and door prizes  
(plants) will welcome you as you view the remaining wildflower bloom and 
the  native plants and grasses. 
The Williamson County Native Plant Society (NPSOT) and the Good Water 
Chapter  Master Naturalists (GWMN) have partnered with Waste Management to create 
this  Pollinator Garden at the Williamson County Landfill. Planning began 
in 2012 with  Marilyn Perz (NPSOT), Diane Goodwin (NPSOT and GWMN), Sterlin 
Barton (NPSOT and  GWMN), and Jessica Engelhardt at Waste Management. 
Pollinators such as butterflies and bees are in decline because of habitat  
loss, degradation of habitat and fragmentation of habitat. Roadways, 
manicured  lawns and non-native gardens have removed food and nesting sites. Using 
 pesticides such as weed killers and insecticides improperly kills 
pollinators  and removes plants important for their survival. Planting pollinator 
plants in  gardens helps butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds survive to 
continue their  critical pollination for native plants, vegetable gardens, and 
crops. 
During the fall of 2012, wildflowers were seeded and gave a beautiful show  
this spring. Later, using plans developed by Wayne Rhoden (GWMN and NPSOT) 
other  native plants and grasses were planted by Wayne Rhoden, Sterlin 
Barton, Merrilyn  Barton, Hank, Belopavlovich and other NPSOT Members. Later 
Linda Carter, Glen  and Mary Jo Kleinert, Patty Ozga, Wayne Rhoden, Sterlin and 
Merrilyn Barton  installed the trellis for the coral honeysuckle vines. 
In planning a pollinator garden, it is important to choose plants that 
flower  throughout the year to provide nectar and pollen sources throughout the 
growing  season. Planting in clumps rather than single plants creates a 
showier display  that is better for attracting the pollinators. Choosing a wide 
variety of flower  colors and shapes also encourages a more species of 
pollinators. Native plants  not only attract native pollinators but also serve as 
larval host plants for  some pollinator species. In addition, native plants 
are better adapted for our  local climate and soil conditions. Modern 
hybrid flowers, especially doubled  flowers, have bred out the pollen, nectar and 
fragrances that attract  pollinators. 
A damp soil area with sea salt and wood ashes mixed into the mud will 
provide  a salt lick for butterflies and bees. Dead trees or a dead tree limb 
will  provide a nesting site for native bees. One of the native bee species 
will nest  in a “bee condo” of holes 3 to 5 inches deep in a piece of scrap 
lumber mounted  to a fence post or under your eaves. Butterflies will also 
appreciate overripe  bananas, oranges or other fruit. 
Plants chosen for the Williamson County Landfill Pollinator Garden are  
Barbados Cherry, Mexican Bush Sage, White Gaura, Red Gaura, Coral Honeysuckle  
Vine, Mexican Butterfly Weed, Gregg’s Mistflower, Indigo Spires Salvia, 
Henry  Duelberg Salvia, and Autumn sages in various colors. Native grasses such 
as  Mexican feather grass, side oats gramma, eastern gama grass, gulf Muhly, 
and  Lindheimer’s Muhly were also planted. A mix of native plant seeds were 
also sewn  on a wildflower mound. 
Another goal at the Williamson County Landfill was to have a place where  
children could come with their parents or on field trips to see and 
understand  the relationship between native plants and pollinators such as 
butterflies,  bees, and hummingbirds. 
Native plants and grasses are available at Old Tyme Gardens in Taylor, 
Green  ‘n Growing in Pflugerville, and McIntyre’s Nursery in  Georgetown.



 
Laurie Davies  Adams
Executive Director
Pollinator Partnership
423 Washington St.  5th Fl.
San Francisco, CA 94111
T: 415.362.1137
F: 415.362.0176

Follow up on _Twitter_ (http://twitter.com/#!/Pollinators)  and _Facebook_ 
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pollinator-Partnership/48680445464) !
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