Wellfleet Adult Community Center

The Pollinator Garden at the Wellfleet Adult Community Center is a living testament to community partnership, environmental stewardship, and the power of dedicated volunteers. Created through a collaboration between the Friends of the Wellfleet Council on Aging, AmeriCorps, Gary Bowden of the Barnstable County Master Gardeners, and the Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod, the garden reflects shared commitment to nurturing both nature and community. A very special thanks goes to Susan Sylvestre, our devoted volunteer gardener who—through persistence, knowledge, and heart—“got it done.”

Winding through the garden, visitors will find an ever‑changing tapestry of color from early spring through late fall. Spring offers the delicate red‑and‑yellow blooms of Wild Columbine, welcoming the earliest pollinators.

As summer settles in, vibrant waves of Butterfly Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Yarrow, and Black‑eyed Susan brighten the beds, joined by the soft pinks and purples of Coneflowers and the fragrant presence of Mountain Mint. By mid‑summer, the garden hums with life from plants like Red Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, and Swamp Milkweed—favorites of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds alike.

Late summer and fall transform the garden again, offering tall, dramatic accents from Herbstonne, Lemon Queen Sunflower, Joe‑Pye Weed, and Boneset. The season rounds out with the sky‑blue flowers of Aromatic Aster and the rich purple of New England Aster—an essential food source for pollinators preparing for migration or winter. With heights ranging from low, compact asters to towering sunflowers, the garden provides layered habitat and nourishment throughout the growing season.

Whether you visit in the fresh light of spring, the vibrant fullness of summer, or the golden calm of fall, the pollinator garden offers something to discover—and a reminder of how community care can help nature thrive.