Many things needed to be considered when designing the gardens for the Pollinator Project, such as what were the local pollinators and their habitat requirements (food, shelter, and nesting space), park environment (sunlight, soil type, moisture levels, slope etc), native plant availability and a strong community interest in maintaining river views from surrounding properties.
Process for Plant Selection
A comprehensive local native pollinator plant database was created, containing information on plant height, width, growth habit, lifespan, growth requirements (sun aspect, soil type, moisture level), flowering time and colour, dependent species and if it was a host plant. We then selected plant species that were suited to each of the three pollinator garden sites. Many plants can be found in all three sites as well as in the Fort Bushland Reserve to ensure continuity of the pollinator corridors.
Design Principles
The following design principles were incorporated into the pollinator project gardens:
1. Native Plants:
Use native local plants as they are well-adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. Also ensure they are placed where they will receive their preferred sunlight and moisture levels. Ensure to include specific host plants for butterfly caterpillars (like Love Flower and Native Mulberry).
2. Flower Shape, Colour and Scent:
Pollinators are attracted to specific flower shapes, colours, and scents. For example:
· Bees prefer blue, purple, violet, white and yellow flowers with open or tubular shapes.
· Butterflies are drawn to bright colours like red, orange, yellow, pink and purple, and favour flat-topped flowers (like fan flowers and daisies), composite flowers (like everlasting daisies) and tubular flowers (like Native Jasmine). Fragrant flowers can draw butterflies from a distance (like pavetta and boronia).
· Nectar eating birds are attracted to red tubular flowers and white nectar-rich flowers (like melaleuca). Provide fruiting plants for fruit eating birds (like Dianella and Wombat Berry).
3. Seasonal Blooming:
Aim to have a diversity of plants flowering in all seasons to provide a consistent food source for pollinators.
4. Group Plantings:
Group the plants in drifts of at least two metres (or three to five of the same species in smaller gardens) rather than isolated singles. This makes flowers easier for pollinators to find (concentrated scent and colour) and more efficient to visit (less energy spent travelling between flowers).
5. Provide Shelter and Nesting Sites:
Pollinators need safe places to rest, nest and hide from predators. This can be achieved by:
· Bumblebees and many solitary bees nest in the ground and need open patches of bare soil.
· Dead wood, such as hollow logs and tree stumps, and mounds of rocks provide warmth and nesting spots for bees, wasps and beetles.
· Resin bees, Leaf-cutter bees and solitary wasps will nest in large, drilled holes in wood, which mimic the natural cavities produced by wood-boring insects.
· Installing bee hotels or nesting boxes for solitary bees.
· Planting dense shrubs provides cover for birds and insects, and windbreaks for butterflies.
6. Water Source:
· A shallow dish with water is ideal for insects and bees to drink from. Placing a large rock, some sticks or a scattering of pebbles, will reduce the risk of insects drowning and make the water more accessible.
· A bowl filled with wet mud will provide minerals and water for some butterfly species.
(NB. Water should be replaced every few days to prevent mosquito larvae and bird diseases spreading)