By Jo Ann McCracken-Redding, Co-Director of Publicity & Social Media
Several years ago, the staff at the Village Branch Library in Pickens, SC, had this great idea: Let’s convert a portion of our gravel lot into a pollinator garden – a public green space that will educate library visitors, passersby, and community organizations about why pollinators and native plants are critical to our ecosystem.
That vision became a reality after they won a small grant from the Bee Cause Project Pollinator Habitat Program that equips Southeastern schools and educational organizations with tools for creating a habitat along with comprehensive teaching materials to share with students and the community.
With help from the Pickens Garden Club, the Library installed a small raised-bed pollinator garden.
Here’s where SCNPS Upstate comes in:
Last year they decided to expand the garden into three large inground garden beds covering approximately 96 square feet to form an educational working garden to support pollinators.
Pickens Garden Club members, along with a group of Friends of the Library and library staff completed the gravel excavation and relocation. This group also committed to maintaining the garden long-term.
They applied to our SCNPS Upstate Grant program and were awarded $1000 to purchase and install native plants along with hoses and garden hardscape, including trellises.
Note to members and supporters of our fundraising plant sales: Your contribution makes our grants for projects like this possible. And now the bees are buzzing at the Village Branch Library!
