The Pollinator Garden is located in Spruces Park along Route 2. Look near the front of the park near the pond.

Throughout the pollinator garden, plantings are deliberately “wild,” with rough borders and meadow grass pushing up around many varieties of pollinator-friendly species. Wood-chip pathways crisscross the plantings to allow close looks at the flowers and their visitors. Flowers include varieties of milkweed, echinacea, sunflower, grape, and black-eyed susan, and more. The plants target different pollinator species including native bees, butterflies, moths, and flies. The plants bloom from early spring through late fall to ensure a steady food supply.

You’ll find two picnic tables in the vicinity, including one adapted for use with a wheelchair.

Volunteers tend and enhance the garden, adding new plants and working on weed control and soil improvement.

If you are interested in helping out, please email beefriendlywilliamstown@gmail.com

Bee Friendly Williamstown was launched in 2018 with a grant from the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at UMass Lowell. The goal of the initiative was to raise awareness about the issues threatening the health and survival of local pollinator populations. After hosting a variety of talks about new ways to garden “for pollinators,” the group embarked on a garden plan of its own. In June 2018, volunteers planted more than 150 native flowers and shrubs in two areas at The Spruces Park in Williamstown.

Photo credits go to Anne O’Connor and Laura Bentz.