Gardeners’ Gathering

Thursday, August 17, 2017 “Gardening for Bees and Butterflies”

The Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City present “Gardening for Bees and Butterflies “ by our special guest, Heather Holm. She is the author of “Pollinators of Native Plants” and “ BEES: An identification and Native Plan Forage Guide”. There has been a lot of “buzz” about pollinators and native plants and as gardeners we need to become a part of the support system that will help our gardens become alive with activity. Pollinators are vital to the production of many food crops and provide a service essential to the survival of many native plants. Learn about the life cycles of bees and butterflies including where and when they nest, forage and seek shelter and food in our landscapes. Also hear about pollination and which native plants are specifically pollinated by bees or butterflies. The top native plant species for different habitats will also be highlighted for both bees and butterflies including butterfly host plants.

Heather Holm is a horticulturist and biologist, as well as a writer, designer, and publisher. In addition to taking part in native bee research projects, she informs and educates audiences nationwide, through her writing and many presentations, about the fascinating world of native bees and the native plants that support them. In her most recent research project, she assisted University of Minnesota Extension faculty in a two-year study to determine the types of native bees present in cultivated blueberry farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The study included developing customized plans to enhance and expand both forage crops and nesting sites for bees within the farms. Heather is an environmental educator and frequent presenter at conferences in the Midwest and Northeast.

Plan to attend this special event at the Kauffman Conference Center, 4801 Rockhill Road, KCMO at 6:30pm. It is free and open to the public with no registration required. Door Prizes will be copies of Heather’s books. We will have a book signing staring at 5:30 so come early and bring copies for Heather to sign. You can purchase her books on her website at http://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com. For further information call 816-665-4456 or visit our website www.mggkc.org and browse Gardeners’ Gathering.