Pollinator Pathway garden tour

Join us on a pollinator pathway garden tour on August 30th from 1 to 4 pm.

Sponsored by Tompkins County Master Gardeners and Ithaca Pollinator Pathway, the tour begins at Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, where participants pick up a map and enjoy the first of 4 open gardens in the downtown northside and Fall Creek areas. Come and see how native plants are being incorporated into gardens that serve both aesthetic and environmental interests.

Come and meet the gardeners and their gardens. Get inspired to grow more native plants--we need more plants and gardens to make this into a true pathway. Start thinking more about gardening with a purpose, creating gardens that not only surround us with beauty but also help support our native insects and birds.

What is a pollinator pathway? According to the national organization appropriately named Pollinator Pathway, a pollinator pathway is a “pesticide-free corridor of native plants that provide nutrition and habitat for pollinating insects and birds.” By creating urban corridors of native-plant-rich habitats large and small, we can support and help increase our native populations of insects and birds, key components of the ecosystem. Our urban environments -- from parks or natural lands to small spaces like backyards and flower boxes--can all be a part of a pollinator pathway.

The tour is free and will be held rain or shine. It follows a route of just over 2 miles and is walkable for the more ambitious.