Some people just think of pollen as just something that makes us sneeze, but pollen is critical to sustaining life on earth - through plant fertilization and seed production. Pollination is the process where the male pollen produced by the plant is brought to the female area of the same plant or to another plant by a pollinator. This fertilization then produces a seed and new growth is started. The pollinators include birds, bees, bats, butterflies, moths, beetles and sometimes bigger animals. Sometimes the wind helps too but it is mostly our pollinator critters who do the job. Worldwide, approximately 1,000 plants grown for foods, beverages, spices, florals and medicines rely on pollinators. Because of mostly man introduced poisons and chemicals and projects which create habitat loss, the pollinators are being decimated.
What can we do? 1. Grow native plants, especially those that provide nectar and food for the pollinators like milkweed for the Monarch butterfly whose presence is seriously dwindling 2. Supply moving water sources 3. Plant and grow without pesticides and chemicals 4. Enjoy making pollinator habitats such as bird houses and butterfly gardens 5. Sit back and enjoy what you have created knowing that you are helping contribute to a sustainable world for all.
Good News! This year's national consumer gardening report by the National Wildlife Federation found that U.S. consumers purchasing plants to help wildlife increased 26% from 2020; 1 in 4 people specifically buy native plants; 1 in 3 buy mostly organic or all organic products and 19% of people plan to convert a portion of their yard to a wildflower native gardening. Many of these projects involve multi-generational activities and are healthy for all. We are on the right path: keep it up!
Anyone who knows me knows that I am an avid environmentalist. This is our world and we need to take care of it and the creatures that share it with us. Several of my Lae Lae books are on these subjects: the animals, the flowers, the trees, the birds and all of the other little critters of nature. Now I have a chance to put it all together in a project: Hideaway Glen LLC Tiny Home Nature Retreats, a community of 8 tiny home sites .5 acres each in the Piney woods of northeast Texas. As we work on this I am envisioning a peaceful yet vibrant world of organic gardens, pollinator habitats and delightful jams and pastries made from the wonderful fruits and berries on the land. Certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a wildlife habitat, it is for me a dream come true. For more information about the project go to www.Hideawayglennatureretreats.com.
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