Grand Boulevard Park Pollinator Gardens
The City has partnered with the David Suzuki Butterflyway Project and members of the Lynn Valley Garden Club to build two new pollinator gardens in Grand Boulevard Park to create habitat for bees, butterflies and birds. These gardens are located in the west side of the park between East 15th and 18th Streets. In 2024, the City added bee houses to the gardens to create habitat for mason bees.
Interested in the pollinator-friendly plants that were included in the garden? Here's a sample of what we planted:
- Christmas Rose (Helleborus)
- Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii)
- Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
- Douglas Aster (Symphyotrichum)
- Honeywort (Cerinthe)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
- Coastal Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis)
- Goldenrod ‘Fireworks’ (Solidago)
- Sage ‘Caradonna’ (Salvia nemorosa)
- Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus)
- Walker’s Low Catmint (Nepeta)
- Lavender Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus)
- Woolly Thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus)
- Kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)
Download a PDF of the garden planting plan for the full list of plants.
Creating pollinator meadows in our parks and public spaces is an alternative landscaping approach that the City is taking to increase resiliency and biodiversity in the community.
Pollinator meadows are designated areas of the community that have been seeded with a diversity of native wildflowers and grasses to provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for pollinators including bees, butterflies, and birds. In addition to improving biodiversity, pollinator meadows help retain moisture in the soil which can help trees during periods of drought, reduce ground temperature helping to keep our community cool, and create natural and diverse landscapes for people to interact with and enjoy.
Guided by data and successful case studies of pollinator meadows in other communities, the City launched a pollinator meadow initiative in 2023 with pilot sites in Grand Boulevard Park and the boulevard along East Keith Road. In 2024, City Council directed staff to expand the initiative to include a third location in Mahon Park. These areas have been carefully selected to balance conservation and recreation. Once seeded, the pollinator meadows are closely monitored and regularly maintained.
Residents can support creating pollinator habitats. What may seem like a small contribution, like planting a flower in a pot or letting a dandelion grow, can provide valuable habitat for pollinators.
Here are some additional ideas to attract pollinators to your home:
- Grow a mix of plants including native species that flower throughout the year and bloom all season. Native plants often feed more pollinators than non-native plants.
- Add a water element to your garden like a bird bath with rocks for bees to rest on.
- Add bird and bee houses to keep insects and birds returning to your garden. Learn more about creating mason bee habitat.
- Leave some natural debris like dead stems and dry leaves on the ground, especially over winter to provide shelter for overwintering insects and birds.
- Avoid lawn and garden chemicals. Pesticides and fertilizers can kill some pollinators and harm other beneficial insects. Please follow the City’s Cosmetic Pesticide Use Control Bylaw No. 8041, which restricts the use of pesticides for lawn and garden beautification purposes.
- Reduce nighttime outdoor lighting. Many insects and birds are highly sensitive to artificial light, which can impede their navigation, reproduction and ability to find food.
- Use containers for gardening in small spaces.