Church Grounds & Town Square 

Church Grounds

The grounds of faith communities are often quite large and usually have some form of green space or landscaped area that is home to many species both native and introduced. Many of the trees on the church grounds here are cherries, Prunus species, which are members of the same family as the famous Japanese blossoms. Cherry trees have multiple wildlife benefits as their fruits provide an important source of food for blackbirds and other thrushes, while the flowers are, you guessed it, an excellent source of pollen and nectar for some insects.

 

Flower Beds

Decorative flower beds can provide another opportunity to bring a bit of nature into urban spaces. This bed is currently populated with lavenders, roses and a few bulb species, such as the striking purple Spanish Iris pictured here, which blooms between January and July. Planting ornamentals around gardens and in public spaces is a great way to create pockets of colour and sometimes ecosystems services too! Blooms like snowdrops, comfrey and lavender all have flowers that are appealing to us and nourishing to pollinators.