Pollinator Pathway

Wilcox Park is owned and maintained by the Memorial and Library Association. The original parcel of land was donated in 1898 by Harriet Wilcox in memory of her husband, Stephen Wilcox. Harriet envisioned the area as a walking park to be enjoyed by the hard-working citizens of Westerly and Pawcatuck.

Today, Wilcox Park is considered a Medallion Park by the ASLA and has been a nationally significant listing on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004.

Why are Pollinator Gardens important?

The Pollinator Garden at Wilcox Park attracts many visitors, with over 50 native plants species, including pollinators: insects, birds, butterfly, moths, bees, caterpillars and other invertebrates that depend on plants for their survival.

Pollination occurs when pollen is moved from one flower to another of the same species and pollinates plants by this activity that eventually leads to the important development of fruits and seeds. Sometimes pollen moves between plants by wind but most often by pollinators: bats, bees, beetles, birds, butterflies, flies, and moths.

What attracts Pollinators?

Plants provide visual and olfactory clues to attract pollinators. They lure pollinators by offering rewards of pollen, nectar, resin, and oil. Pollen is a source of protein; nectar is a source of sugar (carbohydrates) and water; and resin is used to waterproof and line bees' nests.

Why use native plants?

The Wilcox Park Pollinator Garden showcases the best practices to support pollinators by being planted exclusively with native plants, plants that have evolved with the local geology and climate since before colonial days. Native plants attract a more diverse community of pollinators. They are in sync with the life cycles of Rhode Island’s wildlife and growing conditions. The plants in this garden were almost exclusively grown from locally collected seed. This ensures the continued genetic diversity they would have developed in the wild, making them better suited to resist pests, drought and diseases and adapt to climate changes. These plants are not cultivars, as cultivar growers manipulate the plants for color, size, pedals to satisfy the landscape business. Native wildlife prefers the truly native plants, as they have co-evolved with them.

Why is the pollinator garden attractive to wildlife?

The garden contains a variety of flower types, colors, and bloom times to support different types of pollinators. Bees have stronger immune systems and are less susceptible to pesticides and disease when they have a diversity of food sources. Bees prefer fruity, flowery sweet smells; flies are attracted to unpleasant smelling flowers; moths and butterflies prefer sweet smells. Open, composite flowers have nectar and pollen accessible to most pollinators; butterflies also like them because they have a platform to rest on while they feed. Birds use color to attract them. Red plants attract hummingbirds. Bees feed on one species per foraging trip, so groups of a plant are better for them. Pollinator decline is most acute in spring, so the Wilcox Park is a well-designed pollinator garden that includes flowers that provide nectar and pollen in April, May, and June. The Pollinator Garden is planted in large drifts, so it is easier for pollinators to find the perfect plants for their dining pleasure.

What is the structure of the Pollinator Garden?

The original garden was developed in 2019 from a grant from the Native Plant Trust. The grant was set up to provide 2 pollinator gardens in each New England state. Since then, the garden has expanded to include a shade garden, and a semi shade garden. Future plans include the addition of shrubs, the hard-working understory of forests. Additionally, a water garden will be reconstructed to collect rain runoff.

Maintaining the Pollinator Garden

No pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used in the garden, and watering is only done for new plants and in periods of drought. Plant stalks and seed heads are left for overwintering insects and birds. Native plants tend to be robust, and the garden is routinely “edited” as plants spread.

Throughout the year, a small portion of the seeds are collected and then winter sowed in December. The seedlings sprout in the spring and are ready to plant by September. New plants and plant divisions are used in Wilcox Park and exchanged with other gardeners. Collected seeds are also given to the Westerly Public Library for their seed exchange program.

The Pollinator Garden is lovingly maintained by a dedicated group of URI Master Gardeners.