Because we practice IPM here at Rolling Green Nursery, the crops we grow are considered ‘bee-friendly’: no pesticides applied or nothing applied within the last 2 weeks. Since the day Rick began his landscape business 40 years ago, which slowly evolved into grower/retailer, Rolling Green remains ecologically mindful of the carbon footprint we as a company leave. Our plant pharmacy is stocked with products that do the job with the least negative impact to the health and well-being of plants, animals, pollinators, humans and the environment. IPM Intergrated Pest Management is a practice of exactly that – phasing out pollinator-toxic pesticides, miticides and fungicides. Pesticides that contain neonicotinoids are lethal to bees especially.
Our Rolling Green Grown mums, perennials, annuals, vegetables, herbs and one gallon shrubs are grown with best practices in mind. This extends over to the plants that are bought in; once they land here we continue to raise them with conscientious care. ‘New England Natives’ are a group of plants indigenous to our region (and are not hybridized) we sell that wildlife thrive on. Look for a future blog decribing the scope of benefits New England Natives offer.
We consider ourselves a progressive garden center which started at the grassroots level to make a difference by focusing on how ‘we’ raise our plants and passing that education onto our customers and to the the importance of carrying out the same regime at home. We encourage planting for pollinators – hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and a myriad of beneficial insects that aren’t in the limelight ever! Pollinator habitats encompass building your gardenscape with plants that attract pollinators into your garden, provide them with the best source of nourishment possible and teaching you to prevent contaminating your garden with products likely to harm pollinators.
So why is it SO imortant to attract pollinators? Simply put, no plants means no food or oxygen for the human race. The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Services has statistics to check out. Look to the countries that are ahead of us in awareness, research on the impact pesticides have on bees and alternative measures they are taking to ensure the decline stops.
Bee Friendly Campaign
Friends of the Earth
Bees Matter Canada
Center for Food Safety
Bring Back the Bees
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Xerxes Society