(by Willa Coroka)

The Buds & Blooms Series held at the McLane Pollinator Garden welcomed a wonderful group of busy bees for the pilot program Beginner Botany on June 11, 2022. This one-hour program introduced participants to the mysterious world of plants as they sought to explore what goes on beyond the petals of blooming blossoms. A seed to flower yoga sequence started us off as we firstly discussed what plants need to survive. A couple laughs were had when accompanying props introduced our growing flowers to some of the challenges a plant might face, like strong winds and hungry deer!

Next, we wove through the garden paths seeking insects and hummingbirds now that we understood the concept of pollination. We found wasps on the Bachelor Buttons and larval-staged ladybugs on the Columbines and were surprised by a guest visit by a stunning male Rose-breasted Grosbeak!

We examined the inner workings of a flower by conducting a dissection the flowerhead of a handful of species and regrouped to discuss what we found. Lastly, we divided to begin our sensory scavenger hunt where we had to use our eyes, ears, fingers, and noses, to seek out the specific items on our list.

It was a busy program with a lot of movement and some truly excellent nature explorers! Our next program, scheduled for Saturday, July 16th will shift from botanicals to the buzzing, fluttering, and fuzzy pollinators that assist them in the fantastic process of pollination. Cost is free, but registration is required, and space is limited. Please use this link for further information about this interactive upcoming program.