Terri Whaley from Bertram, Texas (Zip Code 78605) is not only a great gardener, she's fast. Within 4 days of posting the 52 Bee Gardens: 52 Weeks Bee-Friendly Garden Challenge, Terri sent me these photos and a list of plants in her Bee-Friendly Garden. That made her the first to have her garden certified Bee-Friendly in Texas.
The 1st Official Certified Bee-Friendly Garden in Texas was initially planted in 2006. Terri says she's been interested in gardening for wildlife and pollinators for many years, so when she and her husband, Bob, moved into their house in Bertram, she knew she would plant a pollinator-friendly garden. She and Bob provided all the hard labor to plant the garden that extends around all sides of their home. Terri says the noise from all those buzzing bees is quite a thrill. I've posted photos of the Whaley's garden below.
I'm thrilled to have the Whaley garden be the initial Bee-Friendly garden in the 52 Bee Garden Challenge. It's a beautiful garden, especially for the native bees. It combines plants that are attractive to native bees, large patches of the same species of plant, and plants that provide blooms throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Terri does mulch areas of her garden but has left large areas of bare ground to provide nesting areas of ground-nesting solitary bees.
Congratulations to Terri and Bob Whaley, new Texas Bee Watchers, whose garden is the Texas Bee Watchers Official Certified Bee-Friendly Garden #1.
The list of Bee-friendly plants in Terri's garden is posted in the Navigation Bar above (click on 52 Gardens Plant List). This list will grow as I add plants from future Official Certified Bee-Friendly Gardens.
New gardens, established gardens, gardens that you've modified by adding plants or removing mulch are all eligible for the 52 Bee Garden Challenge. Size is not important as long as the other requirements are met. Your garden can cover an acre or be in pots on a patio in a high-rise condo. It can be your garden, your nature group's garden, or the space outside your place of business. Full requirements are listed in the Navigation Bar above (click on 52 Bee Gardens: 52 Weeks).
Texas Betony in a nice large patch
Damianita patch
A large patch of Fall Asters will be covered by native bees in the . . . fall.
Rosemary provides an early bloom source for the native bees in the spring.
Great native garden. An inspiration to her neighbors! And Terri is willing to share her expertise with us.
Posted by: Marjorie Dearmont | 03/26/2010 at 12:13 PM