The Garden Club of Dublin’s latest project may not be the most aesthetically-minded, but it was planted with one mission in mind: impact the world one plant at a time.
Garden Club members planted a menagerie of pollenizer plants – all designed to help bugs and animals with their pollinating duties – in front of Dublin’s Post Office
“Monarchs are the impetus of this project,” said Mary Liz Lewis, president of the Garden Club of Dublin. “The club has had an emphasis each year on propagating plants and most recently, the emphasis has been on pollinators.”
Lewis said the project began with members growing pollenizer plants at their homes, but decided to create a stand-alone garden after an excess of plants began to grow.
As Monarch butterflies are known to travel through Dublin when they are migrating, Lewis said the garden will serve two important roles: serving as a place for food for the long journey, and as a potential breeding place.
Monarch butterflies, bees, pollen wasps, ants, and other species of insects and even some animals are considered pollinators as they land on various plants, spreading pollen from the male to the female plant. This pollination process ensures that plants will continue to produce seeds and fruit.
The garden itself was planted on Oct. 1, with the help of nine garden club members. Member Sara Timmons said the club also received help from Sturdy Thomas and his company Good Digs. The club also received permission to plant on the land by owner Andy Freeman, who owns the Dublin General Store.
“The species of plants that we planted are important to a lot of species for pollinator and other purposes,” said Timmons, who said milkweed and monarda were planted at the pollinator garden.
Timmons said she hopes the garden will serve as an example for other towns and garden clubs.
“I think it is a good little experiment,” said Timmons. “I think our goal is to establish the garden and then to keep it going.”
While planted in October, Lewis said not much will be seen at the site until next year as the plants bloom in the fall. Lewis added that the garden could serve as an asset for Dublin.
“This is an important project, as it will continue to encourage pollinators and native species in town,” said Lewis. “I also think it’s an interesting addition for the Post Office.”
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @nhandyMLT.