Garden Inventory: Native, NonNative, Food for Pollinator?

Where are the Pollinators?

This spring I have been reminded again of the lack of pollinators in my gardens.

I have wondered what was happening: are neighbors using Roundup? Is the weather too unstable? Is my soil in need of more amendments? Is it acid rain or global warming? 

The projects at he Sawyer Free Library & Gloucester City Hall have made me realize I do not know which plants are native to this area, which provide a support system for native and non-native pollinators or which are actually harmful to them.

Armed with my cell phone, the PlantNet app, and access to the internet, I have been made aware that some of the plants I do have are native to this area and beneficial to pollinators. A few I have just because i like them are native! The most surprising thing is that plants I believed were good to have are not native, offering little nourishment to pollinators, and some of the plants I have pulled up every year I should leave for pollinator food, at least until their flowers fade. With this in mind I am embarking of a project to inventory all the plants growing here.

It is never too late to learn something new. :)