Bee-autiful Blooms planting party on Sept. 26 for new pollinator garden

In the summer of 2022, UFV’s first pollinator garden was planted behind Lá:lem te Baker. It came on the heels of the devastating heat dome in the summer of 2021, and the catastrophic flooding that came months later. Jennifer Martel, Sustainability Manager in UFV’s Office of Sustainability, says those two events killed millions of pollinators.

“Being in an agriculture region, knowing how critical they are to our economy and ecosystem, we thought we’d do our little part to support native pollinators,” Jennifer explains. “We also wanted somewhere for people to connect with nature and learn more about pollinators.”

She says they were very intentional about what they planted, working with UFV staff and faculty to consider things you might not even think of. For instance, did you know some bees can only see certain colours?

“There is one plant where the flowers start out white and turn pink once pollinated,” Jennifer offers. “The bees can’t see pink, so they go to the flowers that are still white and need pollinating.”

A new pollinator garden on the UFV Abbotsford campus will now offer a second haven for bees and other pollinators threatened by climate change while offering a relaxing outdoor educational space for the campus community to bask in.

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to visit it for the first time at the Bee-autiful Blooms planting party on Sept. 26 .

The garden is located in a highly visible and accessible spot close to the Yurt and the Labyrinth by the Student Union Building. The project is led by the Office of Sustainability (OoS), and funded by the UFV 50 Program Fund, and a TD Friends of the Environment Foundation Grant.

The new garden will feature plants of different shapes, sizes, and colours to attract a wide array of pollinators. Karima Cherifi, Sustainability Coordinator, says the list of plants numbers 31.

“With vibrant blooms like Red Columbine and Blanket Flower, the garden will attract a variety of pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds,” she says enthusiastically “We selected plants native to the Fraser Valley region, to bloom at different times throughout the year, ensuring a continuous pop of colour and providing essential resources like nectar, pollen, and shelter for pollinators across the seasons.

“This not only supports the survival of these species but also offers the campus community a beautiful, year-round space to learn about their vital role in and importance of maintaining local biodiversity.”

UFV students are contributing to the new garden, a carpentry class is building the foundation for a gazebo, and another trades class is building the rest of it. OoS staff hope to enlist the aid of biology and other students to create physical signage, or virtual signage accessed through a QR code that helps visitors identify plants and provides information. Additional signage will highlight different types of pollinators and the vital role they play.

“This garden is a teaching tool,” says Doran Hoge, Director, Energy and Environmental Sustainability. “There are nearly 500 species of bees in British Columbia alone, and that’s not including moths and butterflies and other pollinators.”

“Our campus is a living lab where we want to provide ways to support integrated teaching, and this a wonderful way to do that.”

Jennifer says her favourite moments are when students and faculty show up for maintenance or planting days. She says they’re full of energy, excited to hear the buzzing of big fuzzy bumblebees, and ready to get their hands dirty.

“It’s great seeing that youthful curiosity in their eyes,” Jennifer says with a smile. “We even have a couple snakes in the first garden that we’ve given names to, Suzy and Sally (short for Salazar). Sometimes people mistake them for garden hoses, and they go slithering away, but that’s their home.”

At the Bee-autiful Blooms planting party on Sept. 26, participants will have the chance to sign up for one (or more) time slots. During the first two (of three) (10 to 11:30 am and 11:30 am to 1 pm), they’ll enjoy a talk from the Fraser Valley Conservancy and take a tour of the existing gardens on campus.

Sign up here and for more info, email karima.cherifi@ufv.ca.