Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators (SAP)

The Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators is kicking off a summer of garden tours beginning during Pollinator Week.

Join us for any or all of the tours of public and private gardens. Gardeners at the site can answer questions about plant material and challenges in designing the home landscape. These tours are free and open to the public. Spread the word on social media and invite neighbors, colleagues and friends. Here are the details regarding start time and sites. Other locations will be provided at the first destination.

Thursday, June 20, 9am-12pm

WESTHAMPTON

The tour begins at the Quogue Library

Rain date: June 25, same time

Contact: Master Gardener Alicia Whitaker awhitaker196@gmail.com

Tuesday, June 25, 10am-1pm

SOUTHAMPTON WATER MILL

Tour begins at 11 Lake Drive, Southampton.

Four private native gardens and two public gardens are featured on this tour. A Monarch Way Station at the Halsey House and a native plant garden honoring Veterans at the Southampton Fire station are included.

Rain date: June 27, same time

Contact: Master Gardener Joan Dimonda Jadimonda5@gmail.com

Saturday, June 29, 10am - 1 pm

YAPHANK & MEDFORD

Begin at any of the three public gardens: the Medford Train Station at the Medford Memorial Park on Railroad Avenue; the Children’s Garden at the Suffolk County Farm & Education Center, 350 Yaphank Road, Yaphank; and the Hawkins House Garden at 4 Yaphank Road (Route 21), Yaphank.

Rain date: June 30, same time

For more information, contact Master Gardener Kathy Dhundale (631) 721-5676 or kvdnp50@hotmail.com

Saturday, July 13, 9am-12pm

NORTH FORK

Begin at any of these gardens: 1489 Sound Ave., Baiting Hollow; Custer Institute, 1115 Main Bayview Rd., Southold; or North Fork Audubon, 65275 County Rd. Rt.48, Greenport.

Our gardens in various stages of transformation to eliminate invasive species, incorporate more natives and provide habitats for wildlife

Rain date: July 14, same time

Contact- NF SAP at northforksap@gmail.com

For information and updates, follow us on IG-northforksap and Facebook- North Fork SAP

Tuesday, July 30, 10am-1pm

BAY SHORE BRIGHTWATERS

Start at Bay Shore-Brightwaters Public Library’s Pollinator Garden, Windsor Ave & Main St., Brightwaters

Explore several local pollinator-friendly habitats that promote biodiversity through good gardening practices.

Rain date: August 1, same time

Contact: Master Gardener Nancy Hoffman nancyjhoffman@gmail.com

Thursday, August 22, 10am-1pm

HUNTINGTON

The tour begins in Kubecka Community Garden, 95-99 Dunlap Rd, Huntington.

Join us as we demonstrate the beauty and benefits of planting natives in public and residential gardens to increase pathways for our pollinators and foster a biodiverse environment.

Rain date: August 23, same time

Contact: Master Gardener Hope Kranidis hkranidis@gmail.com

SAP is a coalition of local groups making Suffolk County a greener pollinator corridor through good gardening practices. Our goal is to amplify the efforts of many groups helping residents, towns and communities become part of the growing regional initiative led by the Pollinator Pathway.

A similar effort on the national level was launched by Doug Tallamy. HOMEGROWN NATIONAL PARK is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks. Here's a link to the website: https://www.homegrownnationalpark.org/

Click here for a list of native plants appropriate for Long Island landscapes

Rain gardens capture stormwater from a gutter downspout or sloped area. Rain gardens have many benefits such as pollution reduction, aquifer replenishment and wildlife habitat.

(Click here to learn about the Town of North Hempstead efforts to help monarchs and here to learn about protecting all pollinators)

This website is also helpful in learning about rain gardens and provides steps to creating them:

Rain Gardens a Design Guide by UConn

Pollinator Pathway https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/is a robust resource for those starting their inquiry as well as those well along their way with their pollinator landscape. “Be Part of the Pollinator Pathway” contains specific gardening suggestions on a couple of fronts: lawns, plants, watering and the use of pesticides. Plant lists for a variety of conditions, including coastal areas and deer resistant plants, are found under the subhead ‘Plant Natives.’ Those interested in locating a property on the Pollinator Pathway map are invited to “Join Now.” Explore the website for its many contributions.

Local groups are likewise promoting good land stewardship.

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Suffolk County offers additional resources. We offer programs on pollinator gardens, native plants, best lawn practices, alternatives to lawns, and berries for birds at Suffolk libraries year-round. Check the CCE events for in person and Zoom programs. Most Suffolk libraries admit patrons from other libraries. At our Spring Gardening School event, we have workshops on native garden design, pots for pollinators, and an intro to beekeeping.Contact Community Horticulture if your group would like a program. See our website for materials for Pollinator Support https://ccesuffolk.org/gardening/pollinator-support.

If you would like more information about plants and pollinators, please contact CCE’s Horticulture Diagnostic Lab. The phone is (631) 727-4126, Monday-Friday, 9AM-noon. You may also reach Alice Raimondo aw424@cornell.edu or Sandra Vultaggio sib7@cornell.edu by email. Visitors are welcome at the 423 Griffing Avenue, Riverhead office weekdays 9AM-4PM.

Note: Groups and organizations collaborating on building a Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators are found on this webpage. To mention a few:

Rewild Long Island, with four chapters throughout Long Island, provides education, tools and an internship program to increase the biodiversity of public and private spaces. https://www.rewildlongisland.org/

ChangeHampton is a community effort to promote restorative, bio-diverse, healthy & sustainable landscaping practices and expand the Pollinator Pathways Movement on Eastern Long Island. https://www.changehampton.org/

The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is promoting civic action including identifying some local sources providing seasons of native plants as linked here. https://quoguewildliferefuge.org/go-native-for-wildlife/

If your group or organization would like to join the Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators, please contact Roxanne Zimmer, rz378@cornell.edu.

Join the buzz!