Volunteers sow seeds for native plant gardens in Kingsville

Eager planters were out in full force at Unico Hall in Kingsville on January 27 in an attempt to create seedlings that will hit various native gardens this April. 

A joint initiative between the Kingsville Community Centre Native Plants & Pollinators Perspectives Group and the Town of Kingsville’s Communities in Bloom committee resulted in 1,500-2,000 native plant seeds of 20 different species being put in pots, with a goal of creating 340 seedlings for spring planting.

Carol Dunn, chair of Kingsville’s Communities in Bloom committee, indicated that the hard work by the volunteers will result in plant giveaways at their Get in Touch with Nature event in May and a Canada Day event in July. 

In addition, seedlings will be used for the native plant gardens at Kingsville Community Centre, a new pollinator garden that will be going in at Greenhill Cemetery and another new pollinator garden at Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School in Leamington.

Dunn was asked about the importance of having an abundance of native plants in our area.

“Native plants play an important role as host plants for our pollinators,” she said. “They produce a better quality of pollen and nectar than our annuals and invasives. These plants bloom in spring, summer and fall playing a vital role in feeding our pollinators that stay local and migrate. Low maintenance is also a wonderful feature of these plants.”