Community Pollinators

We promote plants and flowers that are good for pollination. So, apart from the development of the Dispersed Urban Orchard, we also promote the growing of fruits and flowers that promote pollination at different times of the year. In 2013, with the help of the Irish Wildlife Trust, we planted 15,000 bulbs around the town, mostly daffodils. We followed that with another 5000 last year. We plan to add 10000 tulips and alium this autumn. 
For summer we intend to move more and more towards perennials in flower beds with annuals in baskets and boxes. 


Here are some useful web sites for more information...


http://pollinators.biodiversityireland.ie/bees/irelands-bees/how-can-you-help/

http://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/plants-pollination

http://www.foxleas.com/flower_shapes.htm

http://gardening.about.com/od/attractingwildlife/a/Bee_Plants.htm

https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/wildlife/encourage-wildlife-to-your-garden/plants-for-pollinators
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Monaghan Junior Tidy Towns join the Community Pollinators

Tips for pollinators..

  1. Don’t use pesticides. Most pesticides are not selective. You are killing off the good bugs along with the pests. If you must use a pesticide, start with the least toxic one and follow the label instructions to the letter.
  2. Use local native plants. Native plants are four times more attractive to native bees than exotic flowers. They are also usually well adapted to local growing conditions and need less attention.
  3. Chose several colors of flowers. Bees have good color vision to help them find flowers and the nectar and pollen they offer. Flower colors that particularly attract bees are blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow.
  4. Plant flowers in clumps. This will attract more pollinators than individual plants scattered through the habitat patch.
  5. Have a diversity of plants flowering all season. Most bee species are generalists, feeding on a range of plants through their life cycle. By having several plant species flowering at once, and a sequence of plants flowering through spring, summer, and fall, you can support a range of bee species that fly at different times of the season.
  6. Plant where bees will visit. Bees prefer sunny spots over shade and need some shelter from strong winds.