Pollinator gardens are located near the meadow, they consist of 4 beds.
Bee house
The North Park Demonstration Garden’s pollinator garden is made up of four beds that each have a unique basis or purpose.
- Bee Haven – From 2012 to 2023, various areas of this garden were part of a statewide Pollinator Preference Research project, which tracked bee, butterfly, moth, and other pollinator visits to straight versus cultivated species of select native plants. Many of the research plants are still growing in the garden. This bed, along with what is now Skipper Island, was certified as a PA Pollinator Friendly Garden in August 2018.
- Skipper Island – This bed was totally revamped in 2024 to introduce pollinator-friendly native plants appealing to urbanites and suburbanites who are seeking a well-manicured look. The new bed design featured a focal point, symmetry, groupings essential for pollinators, as well as color and proportion coordination.
- Swallowtail Trail – This bed is behind Skipper Island and Bee Haven and is part of the Pollinator Friendly Garden certification. As it is between our other beds and the County-maintained meadow, many of the plants are quite tall. In 2023, it included numerous sunflowers that the birds enjoyed. One feature of this bed is a wattle fence constructed in 2024 by weaving flexible sticks and branches between upright heavier branches.
- Monarch Manor -- The intent in creating this garden was to demonstrate that you do not need a lot of land to create a certifiable pollinator garden. We also wanted this bed to be appealing to the average homeowner and be easy to maintain. We used the certification application as our primary guide and planned the bed with plants that were listed on the certification. Monarch Manor was certified as Pollinator Friendly in July 2022.
