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Pollinator Gardens Trail – 2024 Recap
December 17, 2024Contributed by Lee Graul, Harford County Master Gardener
The Harford County Master Gardeners, in partnership with Grow Wild Harford, launched the Pollinator Gardens Trail (PGT) in 2023. The Trail highlights and maps public-accessible pollinator gardens throughout Harford County, providing the community with an opportunity to venture outside, visit the gardens, learn about pollinators, see examples of pollinator habitats, and be inspired to create their own pollinator gardens.
In 2024, six new gardens were approved; bringing the total number of PGT gardens to 16! We are excited to see the number of pollinator habitats growing – and hope other locations will join our efforts to support pollinators. The new gardens added to the trail in 2024 are:
· Concord Point Lighthouse and Lightkeeper’s House Pollinator Gardens (Havre de Grace)
· Churchville Recreation Center Rain Garden (a Master Watershed Ambassador Program project)
· Mariner Point Park Rain Garden (Joppa; a Master Watershed Ambassador Program project)
· Todd Park Food Forest Pollinator Garden (Havre de Grace Green Team project)
· Tollgate Park Rain Garden (a Master Watershed Ambassador Program project)
· Tydings Memorial Park Pollinator Garden (Havre de Grace Green Team project)
This year was a busy year, as the committee set about arranging “official” visits to the six new applicant gardens to evaluate these sites against our established criteria. Once approved, we installed the PGT sign at each garden. In parallel, and in accordance with our operating procedures, Master Gardeners (in pairs) set about conducting “maintenance visits” to each of the original gardens, reporting on their findings — offering praise for the manner in which each garden was maintained, and suggestions for ways to enhance the gardens. In a few cases, we recommended corrections to remain in compliance with PGT criteria.
If you are interested to adding your publicly accessible pollinator garden to the Pollinator Gardens Trail, we encourage you to apply to be on our website: www.GrowWildHarford.org!
Grow Wild is a Harford Land Trust program established in 2023. Grow Wild serves all of Harford County, Maryland. Our focus is on educating and engaging urban and suburban residential communities in this region about the benefits of converting at least a portion of their yards to more natural spaces, where pollinators and other wildlife can thrive.