Pollinator Gardening Bootcamp
Get empowered and equipped to transform outdoor spaces into pollinator habitat havens with Butterfly Pavilion's Pollinator Gardening Bootcamp workshop series! Workshops include educational lectures, interactive participation, hands-on outdoor activities, and personalized instruction. Join other curious and passionate pollinator supporters and gardening enthusiasts through the planning, design, implementation, and upkeep involved in gardening for pollinators.
Who should participate?
Adults (18+) who:
- Are interested in learning about pollinators and habitat.
- Want to express their creativity through outdoor spaces.
- Have an interest in sustainability and conservation.
Why join?
LEARN:
- How to plant and maintain pollinator-friendly landscapes to attract invertebrates like bees, beetles, butterflies and flies.
- Garden design principles from a pollinator perspective.
- Course content covers all four seasons of pollinator gardening
- With experienced Butterfly Pavilion horticulturists, and fellow pollinator protectors
FEEL:
- Empowered to transform your home landscapes into a haven for pollinators and other wildlife.
- Make a positive impact on your home, neighborhood, community, and environment.
BECOME:
- Attend all courses of the workshop series and become a Pollinator Awareness through Conservation and Education (PACE) Certified Habitat Gardener!
- Put your learning into practice and certify your own garden space as a PACE Certified Habitat Garden!
2024 Workshop Dates and Topics
February – June
Sunday February 25– Pollinator Gardening 101 - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Why should we garden with the natural world in mind? Gain a comprehensive understanding of pollinators—exploring their necessities, their crucial role in planetary well-being, and ways we can actively support them in our gardens through deliberate choices and actions.
Sunday March 10– Plants for Pollinators - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- While flowers are appealing, identifying plants that genuinely cater to the requirements of pollinators is key. Meet some plant powerhouses, how to choose the right ones for the right spaces, and how to get your hands on the best material.
Sunday April 21– Pollinator Garden Design - Two Sessions: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- What looks good to human and insect eyes? Design your own pollinator habitat garden! Explore principles of aesthetic design, tool use, and what a truly pollinator-friendly design should include.
Sunday May 5– Pollinator Garden Preparation & Planting - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- So, you want a pollinator garden... but how do you make it a reality? Crafting a thriving garden extends beyond selecting aesthetically pleasing plants and deciding where to position them Learn the practical pieces of installation and habitat-friendly practices and approaches – explore planting techniques, soil health, irrigation and groundcover choices and more.
Sunday May 19– Patio/Small Space Gardening - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- No yard? No Problem! Everyone has the potential to cultivate and relish a stunning garden, while even the smallest outdoor spaces can become havens for pollinators!! Meet some small-space plant powerhouses, learn about providing pollinator food and shelter in container gardens, and get inspired to make big changes in little areas.
Sunday June 30– Pollinator Garden Maintenance & Care - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- What does it take to maintain a garden space that is truly pollinator-friendly? Discover methods and strategies to foster your garden into a self-sustaining mini-ecosystem, reaping the rewards of reduced expenses, time, and resources invested in maintaining your space. Learn the dos and don’ts of watering, weeding, and pruning, how to manage pests and encourage beneficial insects, and the magic in embracing a little bit of “mess.”
Pricing
Member: $35 per workshop
Non-member: $40 per workshop
Register Now!
Meet our Habitat Expert
Ashley White - Community Habitats Manager
Ashley White is Butterfly Pavilion’s Community Habitats Manager, and a member of the BP team since 2017. Her education and background primarily focus on Horticulture and according to Ashley, “nature nerdom”, mingled with art and creative pursuits. She’s passionate about connecting people to healthy outdoor spaces and transformative experiences with wildlife. Ashley leads and supports many of Butterfly Pavilion’s habitat-building and community science projects: Urban Prairies Project, Healthy Habitats Gardening Program, and more.
Pollinators are essential for all life on earth. They:
- Play a critical role in agriculture – one out of three bites of food we eat and love -- almost a third of crops depend on insect pollinators
- Maintain native plant communities and support ecosystem function -- over 80% of flowering plants depend on insect pollinators
- Serve as ecological indicators, with implications for soil, water, and climate resilience
- Act as nature’s beautiful ambassadors
Pollinator populations are in decline worldwide, but you can help! Butterfly Pavilion works to stem their decline and educate people about ways they can contribute to this work.
