Pollinator Garden Coming to Piedmont Park

Staff Report

Honey bees play a critical role in pollinating the food Atlantans eat every day; however, bees are struggling to find adequate, diverse food sources due to habitat loss. Even the White House has jumped on board to help these hard-working insects, announcing the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge earlier this month to increase forage areas.

Here in Atlanta, the Bayer North American Bee Care Program is teaming up with Piedmont Park’s Education Garden as part of its Feed a Bee initiative to bring forage to the bees that migrate annually to the park’s apiary. From 10 to 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, Feed a Bee will help establish a pollinator garden in Piedmont Park to raise awareness of the importance of honey bees by installing a wildflower seed vending machine, offering complimentary Georgia-sourced plant seeds that will bloom and provide food for bees. The vending machine will provide a hands-on, outdoor activity that Atlanta families and park visitors can enjoy all summer long.

Attendees for the installation event will include Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black; Bo Warren, director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Agribusiness; children from the local community; local master gardening group members, and more.