Supporting Pollinators in a School Garden
by Karen Miller, Master Gardener Intern
There is increasing public concern about native plants and pollination. It is widely accepted that both are on a steady decline in Canada. The issue seems widespread and individuals are often left wondering how they can help and if it will make a detectable difference. This article shares my experience, a woman who took her love for gardening a step further to help create change by encouraging future generations. And during the process, my heart was reshaped to recognize that insects deserve some serious time in the spotlight.
An overgrown and unsightly garden at Queenston Elementary School in River Heights is what kickstarted this project. During the first year, I worked alongside three very willing individuals, tackling hard, dry and nutrient-dead soil in the existing raised garden beds. Days were spent digging up roots and invasive weeds. It was backbreaking work, but my vision was used as fuel.
A monarch butterfly would frequent the garden and used a swamp milkweed plant (Asclepias incarnata) tucked in a corner to lay its eggs. I would take breaks and watch it. Aside from being fascinating creatures, caterpillars and butterflies are common teaching tools used in early education. And while the design process was taking place, I came to the realization that our garden was working desperately at maintaining its own ecosystem – the plants and insects operating together harmoniously to create a functional pollination system.
What is a pollination system?
World-renowned ecological scientist Jeff Ollerton reports that pollination is the relationship between the floral phenotype and the pollinators who transfer the pollen. The floral phenotype is the flower’s colour, shape, size, scent and other traits. The pollinator(s) are the animal(s) that transfer the pollen; bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, birds and bats (from jeffollerton.co.uk). Pollen grains are transferred from the male part (stamen) to the female part (stigma) by wind or animals to produce seeds that grow into new plants (Seeds of Diversity from seeds.ca). Surprisingly, somewhere between 75% and 95% of flowering plants need help with pollination (from Pollinator Partnership of Canada).
With native plants and pollinators on the decline, how can we encourage more of what nature is already doing?
Realizing I needed to create a habitat that could support more pollinators, I used the existing system that nature was displaying to my advantage. Through a government grant titled Education for Sustainable Development, we developed two new gardens at the school: a butterfly garden and a community vegetable garden. A community-driven passion project was born. We started with a heavy carpet of swamp milkweed seeds (Asclepias incarnata) in the butterfly garden. In later years, we dug up a lot of daylilies (Hemerocallis ‘Stella D’Oro’) and replaced them with purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), ‘Becky’ shasta daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Becky’), mother of thyme (Thymus praecox), sea thrift (Armeria) and various flowers from the sunflower tribe (Heliantheae) like zinnias. Though not native, these plants still offer lots of pollen and nectar. Last summer the vegetable garden was home to approximately 12 varieties of vegetables.
“Blue Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria)”
Before we started this project in Winnipeg, Rick Robertson (a small orchard owner in Surrey, British Columbia) started actively harvesting and sharing his blue mason bees (Osmia lignaria) to help with orchard pollination. Not only are these bees cute, friendly and non-stinging, but they are extremely efficient pollinators. According to organiccontrol.com, mason bees are “120 times more effective than honey bees or bumble bees at pollinating. They are generalist pollinators, “known to visit over 1,800 flowers a day” (from wisebeekeeping.com) and to “collect pollen on their rear and middle legs and nectar by mouth” (from westcoastseeds.com). We can only begin to imagine the work these fuzzy bees are doing! According to Jason Gibbs, entomologist at the University of Manitoba, the mason bees of British Columbia and the native bees of Manitoba already both reside in Manitoba, thanks in part to commercial suppliers that import for agricultural reasons. A mason bee program was started at the school involving grades 1-3. From spring release to fall harvest the children take part in the program and what started as 55 bee cocoons in the spring of 2022 quickly multiplied to 347 bee cocoons harvested in 2024. The program has been a huge success and an eye-opening experience for these young children.
As gardeners, our focus often leans heavily towards the aesthetic side of things, selecting engineered annuals and perennials from big box stores / garden centers for rare varieties and vibrant pops of colour. The bright colour is not necessarily what an insect is looking for. Most insects are driven to select nectar and pollen from very specific native plants. I believe this is the key where we will most impactfully make changes with our gardening habits. To see this for yourself, look which species of insects are in your garden and what plants they are attracted to. Mirror what is already there and plant more of it. Experiment with native plants and see what it does for your ecosystem. By doing this, we are most certainly increasing the likelihood of 1) pollination and 2) thriving insect and animal populations.
“Before”
We continue to expand these gardens, adding natives every season. The space we have to work with only expands as parent volunteer numbers increase and grant funding ramps up. Going forward in 2025, the plan is to add native plants such as Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense), evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata), white prairie clover (Dalea candida), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium montanum), and pussy toes (Antennaria parvifolia). I aspire to grow this into something bigger and sometimes wonder with the busy-ness of life how I could manage it, but at the end of the day I remind myself that this all started with a weed, one butterfly and a passionate heart.
“After”
About the Author: I am an avid sixth-generation Canadian gardener. Relocating from British Columbia to Manitoba in 2014, I found the change in ecosystems eye opening. While my general passion for gardening is rooted in beautiful flowers and green things, I am redirecting focus to land stewardship in hopes of cultivating future generations of intrigued and ethical gardeners – children and adults alike, who can unplug from a screen-focused world and get excited about the ecosystems within our environment. I am thrilled to see projects like the Gardens at The Leaf and Native Garden at The Forks, encouraging awareness and education.
Published: March 2025