Newsletter #8 - May/June 2021 |
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Help us protect more pollinators in Mississauga - share this newsletter with your friends and family! |
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May-flowering prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) is much loved by bees. Photo @2021 Jeanne McRight |
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Message from the President Dear BB Members and Supporters, Ok, fellow native plant and pollinator fans, I'd be willing to bet that many people reading this have garden soil under their nails, scuffed knees, sore backs – and a garden filling up with freshly-planted delights. Those of us who cheer on the native plant gardeners have already been able to enjoy the burst of early-season blooms and are anticipating what's to come in June. All is a-flutter and a-buzz in our pollinator garden world these days. We welcome new members, love our volunteers, and celebrate our garden stewards. The birds are singing - and so are our hearts. So glad you're joining us in this adventure. Be sure to stick around for all the wonders to come as we help "Green" our city! Cheers, Jeanne |
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“Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It’s about doing more good.” - Jochen Zeitz Join our efforts to provide food and nesting sites for our threatened bees, butterflies and other pollinators. |
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You are invited to our Second Annual Native Plant Sale June 19 - 20 9 am - 2 pmPlants are $3.00 - $8.00 each, depending on size and rarity. Cash or checks accepted. All plants are raised by our BB volunteers. All are native to our region and many have been grown from locally collected wild seeds, with special permission from the City of Mississauga. * Please see our plant gallery for an idea of what may be in the plant sale. Get more details here>> |
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Thanks to all of you, Blooming Boulevards is bringing more native plants into the world.Our plant propagation volunteers grew nearly 6,000 native wildflowers and grasses this spring - twice as many as last year - whew! We are in the midst of delivering them to over 75 gardens across Mississauga. Just imagine the vast numbers of native bees, beetles, tachinid flies, syrphid flies, beneficial wasps, moths and butterflies those gardens will feed and shelter! |
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Above: BB volunteer plant propagator Sheila Clarke with some of the locally native wildflowers she grew for this year's boulevard gardens. Behind her are 1500 more plants grown by this year's nine propagators. Photo © 2021 Jeanne McRight. |
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Meet a Member How Sheila Clarke turns lemons into wildflowersby Liz PrimeauYou’ve heard the expression “When life gives you lemons….”? Well, Sheila Clarke is an expert beverage maker. She also knows how to open doors, as when opportunity knocks. Last spring (due to guess what), Sheila lost her job in marketing communications specializing in websites, the internet and graphic design, and suddenly ...Read more >> |
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BB Garden BuzzNative garden to-do list for June |
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- Pull out weed seedlings before they get big - careful not to pull your native babies!
- Expand your garden with self-sown native babies, or give them to your friends and neighbours.
- Top-dress around young plants with rotted leaves or compost. Keep this away from tender stems.
- Trim plants if they overhang sidewalks or street.
- Water young plants during drought. New plants need water if lower than top inch of soil feels dry.
- Protect plants against hungry nibblers - rabbits love tender young seedlings! Long-lasting, non-toxic spray repellents can be effective, as well as wire cages around tasty favorites.
- Learn all about the pollinators in your garden: read Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm.
- Watch for bumble bees and become a citizen scientist. Record sightings here >>
- Get the iNaturalist app for your smartphone to help identify and report sightings of wild fauna and flora.
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Remember, our climate crisis remains as the largest major threat to human health and well-being. It’s not going away anytime soon. More than ever, we need to support biodiversity. |
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Why Native Plants? Part 4 Prairie smokeGeum triflorum by Pamela Sleightholm Prairie smoke brings early spring blooms and nectar for pollinators. Learn how this plant was used and what makes it special. Read more >> Left: Nodding flower heads of Prairie Smoke in May. Photo © 2021 Peeter Poldre |
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Starting out with native plants can be challenging and confusing.- If you're looking for more information about native plants in Mississauga and where to find them go here >>.
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- May 30 to June 5 is National AccessAbility Week. There are several small changes you can make in your garden to make it more inclusive for everyone to enjoy the benefits of being outdoors. Read more >>
Left: Accessibility raised garden bed at The Riverwood Conservancy. Photo © Pamela Sleightholm 2021. |
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Education & Outreach News * Covid-19 update: We will be conducting our 2021 workshops as FREE online presentations with a question period afterward. Helpful information sheets are available as handouts, and emailed to you on request. |
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Mark your calendar Our Summer Workshop- July 24, 10-11am - Design Your Own Pollinator Garden
Provide food and shelter for native pollinators in your very own natural paradise. More workshops coming up this fall, too! | | |
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More June activities – - July 24, 10-11am - Stop by and say hi to us at the Lakeview Farmers' Market
Learn more about what we do and get a FREE GIVEAWAY if you become a member. - Admire our native wildflowers at the Bradley Museum's new pollinator gardens this summer.
- Watch for our new pollinator planters along the Lakeshore in Clarkson, a collaborative project, working together with the Clarkson BIA and the City of Mississauga.
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Hate that weedy grass on your boulevard? Go native! MEMBERS ONLY may apply early for a boulevard garden for spring 2022! If your application is accepted, we will provide you with up to 50 FREE native plants so you can create a LOW MAINTENANCE boulevard pollinator garden. It's a beautiful, easy-care landscaping upgrade and great for pollinators. What’s not to love? Left: Pat and Myrna Coleman, 2021 Garden Stewards, ready to plant their new pollinator garden with plants lovingly raised from seed by Blooming Boulevards' volunteers. Photo © 2021 Jeanne McRight | | |
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Membership Annual memberships cost just $10 (single) or $15 (family). These fees provide the resources we need to do our work helping pollinators in Mississauga.
Please renew your 2021 membership today, or apply for your first membership below. Left: Scott Neil, 2021 Garden Steward, ready to plant his new pollinator garden with 50 free plants lovingly raised from seed by Blooming Boulevards' volunteers. Photo © 2021 Jeanne McRight | | |
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Donate As a volunteer-run not-for-profit, every dollar donated goes to our work of providing habitat and food sources for native pollinators and animals. We rely on the generosity of donors who care about pollinators, native plants and the environment. | | |
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Our 2020 - 2021 Board of Directors Jeanne McRight, Founding President Ramona da Cunha, Secretary Mary Jean Kucerak, Treasurer Wayne Cardinalli Angela Jordon Murray Moore Tim Oliwiak Jim Judge, Advisor Communications Jeanne McRight Murray Moore
Peeter Poldre
Liz Primeau
Pamela Sleightholm Photos: Peeter Poldre and Jeanne McRight |
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Blooming Boulevards is a proud recipient of a 2021 Community Grant from the City of Mississauga. Thank you for your support! |
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