The Buzz in Your Backyard

Learn about the diverse community of pollinators buzzing around your city and the plants they visit.

Presenter: Stephen Humphrey is a writer, radio contributor, citizen naturalist, and author of Paths of Pollen. He has worked on audio documentaries for CBC Radio™s IDEAS, such as "Planet You," about the human microbiome, "Generation Mars," and "Dancing In The Dark: The Intelligence of Bees," which was short-listed for the prestigious New York Festival Award. His five-line bee poems, accompanied by videos and photos, are part of the living art project, Resonating Bodies.

The program participants who are Vaughan residents can claim free seed packets to create pollinator-friendly outdoor spaces at home. Native and pollinator-friendly species make a beautiful addition to any garden and can also help support busy pollinators as they do their jobs. The pollinator packets include planting instructions for best results and the following flower seeds:

Golden Tickseed
Lanceleaf Tickseed
Blazing Star
Helenium Autumnale
New England Aster
Common Milkweed
All species, except Golden Tickseed, are perennials. One packet can sow approximately 4 square metres, however, the seeds can be spread in smaller, crowded wildflower gardens/planters and still thrive.

This is a recording of a live virtual program on May 27, 2024.