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<DIV>Posted: <SPAN class=updated title=2013-06-12T09:00:00-05:00>Wednesday, June
12, 2013 9:00 am</SPAN>
<P class=byline><!-- AP Bookmark --><SPAN class="bookmark hide"><A class="url entry-title" href="http://www.thehuttonews.com/news/www.thehuttonews.com/news/article_6e915e76-d355-11e2-a01a-0019bb2963f4.html" rel=bookmark>The Pollinator Garden at WilCo Landfill</A></SPAN> <!-- AP Byline --><SPAN class="author vcard"><SPAN class=fn>Mary Ann Melton
Hutto Naturalist</SPAN></SPAN> <SPAN class="hide source-org vcard"><SPAN class="org fn">The Hutto News </SPAN></SPAN>| <!-- AP Content --></P>
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<P>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.</P></SPAN><SPAN class=paragraph-1>
<P>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.</P></SPAN>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>Native plants and grasses are available at Old Tyme Gardens in Taylor, Green
‘n Growing in Pflugerville, and McIntyre’s Nursery in
Georgetown.</P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">Laurie Davies
Adams<BR>Executive Director<BR>Pollinator Partnership<BR>4</FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">23 Washington St.
5th Fl.<BR>San Francisco, CA 94111<BR>T: 415.362.1137<BR>F: 415.362.0176<BR><IMG SRC="cid:X.MA1.1371087693@aol.com" border=0 width=319 height=173 DATASIZE="27063" ID="MA1.1371087693" ></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><BR>Follow up on <A href="http://twitter.com/#!/Pollinators">Twitter</A> and <A href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pollinator-Partnership/48680445464">Facebook</A>!</FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>