June is Pollinator Month, bringing awareness to the vital importance of pollinators for the survival of native plants and ecosystems, and their crucial role in producing so many of our food crops. Pollinating insects, birds, and bats need our protection from a broad range of threats. These threats include habitat loss, polluted environments, and toxic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides used in agriculture, landscapes, and home gardens.
Harlequin’s Gardens recently renovated our main xeriscape garden.
It now features more local and regional native plants that support native pollinators. We did this with the help of a $1,500 grant from PPAN, the People and Pollinators Action Network. The People and Pollinator’s Habitat Grant is funded through the sale of custom license plates. This grant allowed us to renew the soil and plant many new perennials and shrubs. Rabbits damaged some of the plants over the winter, but most are coming back nicely. We invite you to take a stroll in our Native Pollinator Garden on your next visit to Harlequin’s Gardens! Here is a list of native plants in the garden so far:
NATIVE PLANTS
Amsonia jonesii, Jones’ Bluestar
Antennaria parviflora, Native Pussytoes
Arctostaphylos x coloradoensis ‘Panchito’ Hardy Manzanita
Arctostaphylos x coloradoensis ‘Chieftain’ Hardy Manzanita
Prairie Winecups, courtesy Plant Select
Callirhoe involucrata, Wine Cups
Cercocarpus ledifolius, Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany
Cercocarpus intricatus, Littleleaf Mt. Mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus, True-leaf Mt. Mahogany
Clematis hirsutissima, Sugarbowls
Echinocereus reichenbachii, Lace Cactus or Purple Candles
Engelmannia peristenia, Engelmann’s Daisy
Ericameria nauseosus v nauseosus, Dwf. Blue Rabbitbrush
Eriogonum umbellatum ‘Kannah Creek’, Kannah Cr. Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum v majus, Subalpine Buckwheat
Eriogonum jamesii, Antelope Sage
Erysimum capitatum, Western Wallflower
Kannah Creek Buckwheat
Forestiera Neomexicana, New Mexico Privet
Geum triflorum, Prairie Smoke
Lithospermum multiflorum, Many-flowered Puccoon
Mahonia repens, Creeping Mahonia
Mertensia lanceolata, Prairie Bluebells
Mirabilis multiflora, Desert Four O’Clock
Monarda fistulosa, Beebalm
Pediocactus simpsonii, Mountain Ball Cactus, BoCo form
Penstemon linarioides v coloradoensis
Penstemon eatonii, Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon secundiflorus, Sidebells Penstemon
Penstemon virgatus, Wand-bloom Penstemon
Penstemon virens, Foothills Penstemon
Penstemon strictus, Rocky Mt. Penstemon
Physocarpus monogynus, Mountain Ninebark
Pinus ponderosa, dwarf, Dwf. Ponderosa Pine
Prunus besseyi ‘Pawnee Buttes’, Creeping Sand Cherry
Quercus undulata, Wavyleaf Oak
Quercus turbunella, Evergreen Oak
Ribes aureum, Golden Currant
Ribes odoratum ‘Gwen’s Buffalo’, Gwen’s Buffalo Currant
Salvia pachyphylla (Mojave Sage)
Salvia pachyphylla, Mojave Sage
Scrophularia macrantha, Red Birds in a Tree
Sphaeralcea fendleri, Orange Globemallow
Verbena wrightii