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The 20th Street Pollinator Gardens exemplify the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District’s (BID) ongoing effort to create a greener and more sustainable community.
Through collaboration with the District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry Administration, the BID oversaw the expansion of 28 tree boxes along 20th Street NW, creating 3,000 square feet of concrete into new pollinator habitat in the heart of the city. In total, the project features over 3,200 pollinator plants, including 1,200 native shrubs and perennials and over 2,000 bulbs.
As the Elle Apartments arrive on 20th Street, we look forward to this flourishing corridor becoming a beloved destination for residents, workers, and pollinators alike.
Pollinator gardens are thoughtfully designed landscapes full of native and perennial pollinator plants that attract and nourish pollinator animals such as bees, butterflies, and birds. Pollinator plants provide pollinator insects with food, shelter, nectar, and even defense from predators.
Our 20th Street Pollinator Gardens are vibrant urban sanctuaries that play a vital role in supporting local ecosystems. The native perennial plants used throughout the corridor require less watering and less fertilization than annuals, and return every year, making them a sustainable plant choice. These gardens help mitigate the impacts of urbanization by enhancing biodiversity, improving air quality, and promoting ecological resilience. By reducing paved surfaces, these new gardens also help cool the surrounding area and combat the urban heat island effect.
Not only do the 20th Street Pollinator Gardens help the environment, they also act as living classrooms; inspiring and educating our community about the importance of biodiversity and conservation.
Pollinators, such as bees, birds, butterflies, and even beetles are essential for plant pollination and reproduction. As pollinators visit plants on 20th Street, they transport pollen to other areas, aiding in the growth of fruit, seeds, and future plant generations that become food and raw materials. In fact, pollinators are required for one of every three bites of food we eat.
Beetles pollinate 88% of the world’s flowering plants. The Goldenrod Solider Beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) regularly pollinates the Goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata) wildflower, and protects itself from predators with its yellow and black striped abdomen, which mimics bees and wasps.
Native plants are central to the health of our ecosystem and can provide food, shelter and even protection for insects. Leaves from the White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) are eaten by caterpillars that allow them to become toxic to their predators. Native plants thrive because they’re perfectly adapted for the local climate, soil, and wildlife.
When pollinator plants and pollinator insects work in harmony, they create a lively and colorful environment that requires less water, energy, maintenance, and fewer harsh chemicals than a nonnative, non-pollinator-friendly alternative. Together, they are essential for creating and preserving healthy ecosystems, even in urban areas like Washington, D.C.
For plants such as Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra) to produce fruits and seeds, pollen must be transferred from the stamen of male flowers to the stigma of female flowers. As pollinator insects, such as the Spring Azure Butterfly (Celastrina ladon), travel between flowers gathering nectar, fine hairs on their bodies called scopa transfer pollen between plants.
There are many ways you can make your green space inviting for pollinators. Check out the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) guide for helpful tips.
Do your part to help the survival of pollinator populations and the preservation of healthy ecosystems by planting native plants in your green space or building a simple pollinator hotel. Fun fact: Plants of different colors attract different pollinators. Create your own personal palette and see who visits!
