Do you want to attract more pollinators in your yard? We’ll show you how, through Turf to Pollinator Gardens. We’re working with Wilderness in the City and other partners to plant six native plant pollinator gardens in Twin Cities regional parks.
The gardens replace turf grass lawn, which offers little food for pollinators. Each garden is unique, demonstrating how native plants can thrive in various site conditions. The native plantings benefit not just pollinators but also birds and other wildlife — and they enhance soil and water quality in the parks.
Signs will offer information about the plants and where to learn more. We hope to inspire park visitors to take home ideas for using native plants in their own projects!
In 2023, we planted 15,600 total native plants at Battle Creek Regional Park, Lebanon Hills Regional Park, and the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden. The gardens replaced 19,120 square feet of turf grass. We’ll finish the project in 2024.
More than 200 amazing volunteers have invested their time in helping us plant. They include students, corporate groups, families, friends, and individuals. Thank you!
This project, in partnership with Wilderness in the City, is funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Additional funding is being provided by Lawns to Legumes, St. Paul Audubon Society, and our parks partners.
We contracted with several Blue Thumb Partners, named above, to help realize the gardens.
