Events

Becky Rice, our speaker, is from Blue Thumb.  Blue Thumb is the education program of the nonprofit Metro Blooms, and a partnership of local government, landscape contractors, and native plant nurseries who are committed to the promotion of native plantings, raingardens, and shoreline plantings.

The Lawns to Legumes Pilot Program started in 2019 and has focused on building a movement to protect pollinators in Minnesota. It is the first statewide program in the nation to allow any resident with an area to plant to apply for funding and technical assistance to support pollinator populations.  The program emphasizes the establishment of habitat for the Rusty Patched Bumblebee (a federally endangered species and Minnesota’s State Bee) and other at-risk pollinators.

The presentation:  All Minnesota residents are eligible to apply for a cost reimbursement grant of $350 to plant natives in their yard. Pocket plantings, pollinator meadows, shoreline plantings, trees and shrubs, and raingardens, are encouraged. We'll look at some of the before and after shots of projects installed, recommended plant palettes, design templates and other DIY resources for coaches and gardeners.   These design tips and resources work for L2L, our Member-Sponsored Native Gardens or any other native landscape planting