The Waukesha County Department of Parks is hosting its annual Spring Sale and Workshop event this Saturday at the Retzer Nature Center.
On sale will be plants native to our area that experts think can help sustain pollinators, like Monarch butterflies and bees.
The populations of both insects have declined in recent years.
Pollinators cause plants to make fruit or seeds by moving pollen from one part of the flower of a plant to another part. That pollen fertilizes the plant.
“80 percent of our major food crops depend on pollinators doing their thing,” said Janet Barthel, Park Naturalist at Retzer Nature Center. “One of the reasons pollinators are declining is because we’ve had a loss of habitat.”
“So for the typical homeowner, to put native plants into your landscape is a great way to provide more habitat,” she said.
Barthel said, while plants can be purchased this weekend, it’s advisable to wait until the chances for the last frost of the year are gone.
The nature center is located at S14 W28167 Madison St. in Waukesha.
Saturday’s sale runs from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
A schedule for the day’s workshops and events is as follows:
- Rain Gardens & Rain Barrels Workshop 8:30-9 a.m.
- Home Composting Workshop 9:15-9:45 a.m.
- Native Plant Landscaping 10-10:45 a.m.
- Native Wildflower Walk 11-11:45 a.m.
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