Tour The Pollinator Runway

Tour The Pollinator Runway

Welcome to the "Tour The Pollinator Runway" section of the Tour of Mezzacello. This area of the farm is specifically designed to attract and entice all array of pollinators and their natural predators. Attracting both the pollinators and predators is a sustainable way to enrich and diversify our biome and fauna.

A Dense Landscape

There is a lot packed into this tiny space, so let's unpack it. The Pollinator Garden of The Wilderness is located at the southeastern edge of the property (see map) and is situated there with intention. To the southeast of Mezzacello is Franklin Park Conservatory and it is a powerful and fabulous source of bees, butterflies, dragonflies and birds that are naturally attracted to Mezzacello.

1. The Pollinator Runway is called this as it was designed with an aerial view in mind

2. This aerial view is what insects and birds see as they approach Mezzacello

3. The path is planted with 28 species of plants that serve as a source of food and refuge for a wide variety of pollinators

4. There is a logic behind the undulating path of The Pollinator Runway, insects are more attracted to wavy lines pf plants than they are to straight edges

5. The pathway also serves as a fun secret path for children to play in

6. The Pollinator Runway is intentionally placed between the Friendship Gardens, The Hornbeam Allee and the Pond Ecosystem

7. This gives all pollinators and predators a near constand resource of food, foliage, protection and water at all times and during most of the seasons, with the exception of winter

8. In the winter, several of the plants serve as attractive egg sites for predators and some not so beneficial insects, but you can't have diversity without some adversity

9. Many of the plants in the Pollinator Runway were selected specifically for their UV projection aspects so they are a beacon to insects and some birds that see in that frequency

10. Rick uses some of the species as a source of cut flowers, but we try to reserve this space for the pollinators

11. Some of the useful species of plants are bee balm, Jo Pie Weed, Peonies, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Lilac, Euonymus, Butterfly bushes, Dahlias, Daisies, Hibiscus, Lilies, Pachysandra, Grasses, Roses, Hostas, and Irises