Planting for Pollinators

Partnership seeks to increase awareness of incorporating native plants into local gardens

By Damian Fagan

City of Bend’s WaterWise program to see if he could support the giveaway, he matched it completely,” said Robinson.

The City of Bend takes the holistic view of not only incorporating native plants into landscape designs but also looking at it from a soil health perspective. Since native plants are adapted to the local soils, they don’t require extensive amounts of chemicals and don’t have the water needs some non-native plants might require.

“We’ve done some turf replacement projects on some of our right-of-ways with native plants that benefit pollinators,” added Denning. “We’re trying to set an example as a city to show people that these plants can be aesthetic and a smart replacement for landscapes here in Central Oregon.”

These City projects offer homeowners alternatives and examples of how to reduce their lawn coverage and increase plant diversity in their yards to benefit pollinators and other wildlife, such as caterpillars or insects, that are attracted to the native plants and become a food source for adult or nestling birds.

Sanco sees a disconnect when people go out into nature for a hike or outing and see a bunch of beautiful wildflowers but then do not grow them in their yard. “We are trying to get people to see their landscape as an actual ecosystem and ask, ‘What is the function of this plant?’”

The WaterWise program has been advocating for efficient water use in homeowner landscaping for years. It partnered with the OSU Extension Service and Central Oregon Master Gardener Association to set up a demonstration waterwise garden in Hollinshead Park. Native and xeric-loving ornamental plants are featured in that garden, along with drip irrigation to efficiently deliver water to the plants.

This year, the City coordinated the Sunday, June 4 plant pickup with its WaterWise Landscape Field Day event which will have presentations, as well as representatives from the OSU Master Gardeners, Oregon Bee Atlas, Central Oregon Lawn Center, OSU Extension, Bend Urban Gardens, Your Garden Companion, Water Whys Irrigation and Pollinator Pathway Bend to answer questions or provide resources about pollinators and plants, and their function in the high desert.

City of Bend WaterWise Landscape Field Day and Native Plant Giveaway

Sun., June 4. 9am-1pm

Hollinshead Park

1235 NE Jones Rd., Bend pollinatorpathwaybend.org

Event is free; plant giveaway already sold out