Parade of Homes featuring the best of new homes in Manitoba, Canada
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1492837
Recent changes in global warming, animal habitat and pesticide use have resulted in a decline in pollinator species, meaning helping pollinators is more important than ever, Currie explains. "We're losing a lot of species and having a hard time maintaining the levels of pollinators we do have. Something a homeowner can do is to try and provide habitat that's suitable for those pollinators to survive on. It's a bit of an 'if you build it, they will come' scenario." So how can you make a difference — and where do you start? Consider a few tips from Bee Better Manitoba. PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER Plant a diverse garden, with plants that produce flowers with a variety of different colours, shapes and bloom periods. And provide water to keep the pollinators hydrated, in puddles or in a shallow dish with pebbles in it. As for shelter, pollinators need a nesting habitat. Leaving out a pile of leaves or mulch, small patches of bare soil or sand, or old tree stumps and logs can all help bees and other pollinators find a place to call home. CHOOSE NATIVE PLANTS Perennial plants that grow naturally in our prairie grassland region are tolerant to drought and extreme cold. They also produce the pollen and nectar our local bees rely on. And they come in endless shapes, sizes and colours, to help make your garden gorgeous too. Choosing plants that bloom at different times from spring to fall is also important. "You need to have a series of flowers and plants that are consistently in bloom, producing nectar and pollen for all these insects throughout the entire season," Currie says. POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY MANITOBANS — Cont'd from page 57 58 Parade of Homes SPRING 2023