In 2017 some members of the Lakefield Horticultural Society, established, with the permission of Selwyn Township, a pollinator garden in the southwest corner of Isabel Morris Park. A pollinator garden is one which provides food and nesting sites for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, birds and bats.
The area is surrounded by shrubbery with a pathway leading to the centre, where a “bee house” is situated. This is an 18”x11” box, filled with blocks of wood, logs, stems and cones, all drilled with holes. Solitary bees lay their eggs in the tunnels or holes, and then seal the entrance. On a warm day many small bees can be seen going in and out of the tunnels.
The bee garden in Isabel Morris Park provides a number of plants that are attractive to native bees throughout the growing season. Below the plants are listed by their bloom time. Most are perennials unless otherwise indicated.
Early Spring: anemone, amsonia, bloodroot, crocus, daffodils, moss phlox, serviceberry (S)
Late spring–Early summer: Bowmans root, campanula, bleeding heart, lamb’s ear, centaura, alium, nine bark (S), lilac (Bloomerang (S), Dogwood (S)
Mid–summer: agastache, bee balm, butterfly weed, heliopsis, ground sedum, coreopsis, swamp milkweed, liatris, clematis (vine), hummingbird mint ( a type of agastache) , lavender, veronica, salvia, honeysuckle bush (S), gaillardia, globe thistle,. nepeta, culvers root, phlox, echinacea, milkweed
Late summer–early Fall: black eyed Susan, rudbeckia (annual), prairie coneflower, butterfly bush (S), ironweed, queen anne’s lace, sedum, goldenrod, caryopteris (S), lobelia siphilitica, verbena bonariensis (A), Tithonia (A), Joe-Pyeweed, helenium, Japanese anemone
October– Fall aster
A=Annual S=Shrub
Township of Selwyn. Over the last few years we have been pleased to receive substantial donations from merchants and the local Chamber of Commerce to help pay for beautifying the village.