How a Bad Tree Day Blossomed Into a Pollinator Paradise
What to do after losing a tree
My friend Lena Coutinho had a “bad tree morning” the day an arborist told her that her Bradford pear was damaged. The only solution was to cut it.
It was the centerpiece of her front yard. Giving shade to her house and plants under the tree.
After grieving the loss, she went to Green Spring Garden Park and bought about twenty pollinator-attracting plants. She returned home with a load of black-eyes Susans, ornamental grasses, sedums, and many more.
Then, she asked herself, “Where do I plant them?”
Here is where I entered the story. Lena called me for advice.
My husband and I rushed to her house. We had fun figuring out where to put each plant. We considered the colors, heights, and what other plants were already in place.
Ultimately, we set the pots in the spots where she will plant them, as shown in the photos below.
Lena replaced her Bradford pear tree with pollinator-attracting wildflowers. She already had some bee-attracting plants. Now, she will have more in a logical design that complements existing ones.
Planting pollinator-attracting wildflowers after losing a tree, especially if it is…
