Jun 11, 2017

A Month for Pollinators, Perennials and Roses By Tim Hodson

Did you know that next week is National Pollinator Week?

Did you know that June is Perennial Plant month?

And June is also National Rose Month and 2017 is the Year of the Rose!

Ten years ago the United States Senate approved a proposal that designated one week in the month of June as National Pollinator Week. This year that week is June 19-25.

National Pollinator Week marked a necessary step toward addressing the issue of declining pollinator populations. Today it has evolved “into an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.”

You can learn more about National Pollinator Week at www.pollinator.org.

In 2001, the Perennial Plant Association declared that June would be Perennial Gardening month. The organization even trademarked the phrase “June is Perennial Gardening month.” It is a nationally recognized program to help raise awareness of perennials for gardeners, growers and retailers.

Darwin Perennials will be sponsoring its annual open house next week in the Gardens at Ball Horticultural Co. in West Chicago, Illinois. More than 30 perennial suppliers are expected to be on hand for the celebration. You can learn more about the open house at www.darwinperennialsday.com.

And I know I’ve already told you that National Garden Bureau has proclaimed 2017 as the Year of the Rose. But this month is also National Rose Month.

On Nov. 20, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution making the rose the national floral emblem at a ceremony in the White House. Roses have been and continue to be used to symbolize love, beauty, war and peace. They are the subject of art, music, literature and poetry.

And during June our national flower really blossoms.

Be sure to check out the NGB Year of the Rose page for some fascinating facts, figures and fun on roses.

The month is almost half over, but there is still plenty of time to celebrate pollinators, perennials and roses!

— Tim