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Keep Liberty Beautiful: Celebrating pollinators and our very own gardens
Karen Bell at lighthouse
Dr. Karen Bell of Keep Liberty Beautiful, left, stands with former KLB volunteer Simon Steele and his two sons, Simon and Samael, who recently visited KLB to share some gifts from their own garden. Photo provided

Dr. Karen Bell

Keep Liberty Beautiful

Keep Liberty Beautiful takes pride in our pollinator- friendly garden located at the Liberty County Community Complex in Midway. We know that our friends with wings give life to plants and trees. Their flight helps with what we eat and the beauty we enjoy. Lisa Choeun, Keep Liberty Beautiful volunteer coordinator, is working hard to share awareness about the importance of pollinators.

A couple of years ago, we had a visitor who helped in our pollinator garden, who recently came back to show us what he has going on in his own garden. Simon Steele, with his two sons, Simon and Samael, explained how he became fascinated with gardening when he and his family volunteered with Keep Liberty Beautiful. His most recent visit was like the student returning with his homework assignment, as he shared some vegetables and herbs he grew in his own garden. We tried some of his peppers on nachos, and the cucumber was delicious. During his visit, we discussed the different types of gardens he sees popping up around Liberty County and what he plans to try growing next.

Monday started National Pollinator Week, and we celebrate all that pollinators do! The following are some ideas on how you can make pollinators’ jobs a lot easier and some tips for growing a pollinator-friendly garden:

• Start by planting native plants in your garden. Some examples of plants native to Georgia include whorled milkweed, clasping milkweed, butterfly weed, gray headed coneflower, black-eyed Susan, elderberry and goldenrods.

• Pollinators love different colors. Having flowering plants in a variety of colors will help pollinators find your garden. Also, select plants that are of different shapes and sizes. This will help pollinators drink nectar with other mouthparts.

• Plant flowers that bloom at different times throughout the year.

• Location, location, location! Plant your garden in a sunny spot with at least six hours of sun a day.

• Pollinators need water. Build a bird bath, or create another water source for pollinators to stop by for a drink.

Pollinators appreciate even the smallest things we can do from this list. Remember that KLB has free pollinator planting kits to help start your garden. You can visit our local libraries in Hinesville, Midway and Fort Stewart to pick one up while they last. And our National Pollinator Week contests and other giveaways are going on through Friday!

Check out the Keep Liberty Beautiful Facebook page to learn more about National Pollinator Week. You can also contact us at (912) 880-4888 or klcb@libertycountyga. com.

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