Downtown Summerville Celebrates Pollinator Week

Pollinator Week is celebrated this year June 21-27. Pollinator Week was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. Fourteen years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. It has now grown into an international celebration, promoting the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.

Recently, a Pollinator Garden was added to Willow Spring Park in downtown Summerville. This garden was made possible through a license plate grant from the Georgia Beekeepers Association. The Chattooga Bee Keepers Association was awarded a $1,200 grant to create the “Pollinator Pit Stop  Garden In Willow Spring Park. These funds are made possible by the sales of the Save The Honeybee License Plates. The tags are available for purchase through our local tag office.

In 1975 the Honeybee was designated as Georgia’s state insect.  This garden not only serves as a nectar source for honeybees, it feeds all pollinator bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.  There are over 20 different varieties of pollinator plants, including milkweed, for the monarch migration. Summerville’s Town Branch and Willow Spring help provide a fresh flowing water source for the garden.

Planting of this pollinator garden was a joint effort between the Chattooga Beekeepers Association, The City of Summerville, The Chattooga Garden Club, and the Chattooga Master Gardeners. An A-Frame Hive has been donated by Pat Grover, and will be placed in the garden for educational purposes. The public is invited to celebrate National Pollinator Week by strolling by and enjoying the beauty of this garden.