Historic White Bear Town Hall Pollinator Gardens

• Other

• Tamarack and Fish Lakes

Pollinator gardens are gardens that contain native plants that are specifically designed to create and support critical habitat and food sources for pollinators. Plants are chosen to bloom at various times from spring through fall to ensure pollinators have enough food all year. These gardens also improve soil and water quality through the use of native plants.

This project involved installing 2 pollinator gardens at the front entrance of the Historic White Bear Town Hall within Polar Lakes Park. Both gardens contain plants native to Minnesota that are consistent with the historic native plant community of the area, which is a mesic prairie. Some of the highly beneficial native plants for pollinators that you can find in the gardens include: 

• Butterfly Milkweed
• Lanceleaf Coreopsis
• Leadplant
• Rough Blazing Star
• Smooth Blue Aster

This project was a partnership between the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society, VLAWMO, and volunteers in the community. Project grant funding was provided through VLAWMO's Soil Health grant program and the Saint Paul Garden Club.

The Historic Town Hall of White Bear Lake needed new landscaping at the front entrance after a major rehabilitation project was completed, which provided an opportunity to incorporate native prairie plants that not only connect visitors with local history, but also allow for place-based environmental education. One of the project's goals is to promote the knowledge, awareness, and understanding of the importance of native plants to pollinators and the local ecosystem. 

2 pollinator gardens were installed that total about 1,070 square feet and provide pollinator habitat, water quality improvement, and environmental education opportunities for the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society. 12 native plant species were added to the gardens, along with interpretative signage highlighting some of the plants and tips to support pollinators.