GARDENING TIPS TO MAKE HOME YOUR HAPPY PLACE
Let's Celebrate Pollinators!
International Pollinator Week is June 21 -27, 2021.
There is so much to cover about these invaluable garden friends
we’ve decided to devote May and June to the topic.
What is Pollination?
When a pollen grain moves from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma (female part), pollination happens. This is the first step in a process that produces seeds, fruits, and the next generation of plants. This can happen through self-pollination, wind and water pollination, or through the work of vectors that move pollen within the flower and from bloom to bloom.
Why do we need pollinators?
Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce.
Pollinating animals travel from plant to plant carrying pollen on their bodies in a vital interaction that allows the transfer of genetic material critical to the reproductive system of most flowering plants – the very plants that
  • bring us countless fruits, vegetables, and nuts,
  • ½ of the world’s oils, fibers, and raw materials;
  • prevent soil erosion,
  • and increase carbon sequestration
This nearly invisible ecosystem service is a precious resource that requires attention and support - - and in disturbing evidence found around the globe, is increasingly in jeopardy. 

Pollinator Partnership, 2021. "Pollinators need you. You need Pollinators." Published by Pollinator Partnership, San Francisco, USA. pollinators.org
Or post on instagram earth.works #ewpollinatorphotocontest #pollinatorhealth #pollinatorweek #pollinatorgarden

Be sure to check out June's newsletter
to learn how to support hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees in your garden
Join the Buzz!
Share your love of pollinators on our page and spread the word!

Click here and share the favorite POLLINATOR PHOTO you have taken in the comment section. Post by June 20, 2021 for a chance to win this fun Earth Works' Pollinator Kit.
SKIP THE GREEN - Mix it up with these colorful hedge options
Abelia Margarita
   A medium-sized variegated variety with bright yellow and lime green leaves,and red stems. Their white trumpet-shaped flowers bloom summer through fall. Both drought and heat tolerant. Best in full sun. Attracts butterflies. Matures around 4′ high and wide. 
Loropetalum Plum
A midsized shrub with distinctive purple foliage and pink fringy flowers. Grows best in full sun to partial shade. It needs the sun to maintain its dark foliage, a full and dense shape, and to bloom well.
Deer, pest, and mildew resistent.
Grows 4'-6' tall and wide.
Sunshine Ligustrum
Sunshine Ligustrum offers year-round golden foliage that flourishes in full sun. Perfect for hedges. They have no bloom, so a great choice for allergy suffers. Desease and pest resistent as well as drought tolerant.
Grows 3'-6' tall and 3'-4' wide.
Keeping Koi and Pond Fish: 3 Basic Rules
aquascapeinc.com / January 8, 2021
If you’ve never owned a pond, or you know next to nothing about keeping koi and pond fish, three basic rules will help you create and maintain a healthy habitat for your new finned friends. We want fish to be happy and your water gardening experience to be as enjoyable as possible. Once you become familiar with your fish and their basic needs, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying the full benefits of Living the Aquascape Lifestyle®
1. Fish Need Clean Water
Your pond water should always be clean-smelling and have good clarity. On occasion, the water might be green due to suspended algae, or slightly brown due to tannins. Algae is expected in the spring when the plants haven’t yet reached maturity for the season. Once the plants grow, they consume more nutrients from the water thereby starving algae of food to survive. Ponds in sunny locations experience higher algae growth, but this can be alleviated by shading the pond surface with waterlilies or floating plants like water lettuce and water hyacinth.
Keep in mind, algae isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Your pond fish will eat algae off the rocks in your pond so it’s good to have a little of the green stuff. Too much algae can become unsightly but can be controlled with various water treatments. READ ON
LAWN MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR MAY
Owner Mark Fechtel covers the pros and cons of commonly used sod varieties here in Northeast Florida
Turf Grass Options for Northeast Florida

People ask "what kind of grass I should have? What is the best type of grass?" The truth is there is no best grass. Certain grasses are better for specific situations. We are here today on our Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass is the most wear tolerant grass you are going to find. Bermuda is also, one of the most drought-tolerant grasses you are going to find. That’s why you see it on athletic fields and golf courses. You can put a lot of traffic on it, and it bounces back and doesn’t wear out. St Augustine would be the exact opposite. It’s the least wear tolerant. There are benefits to St Augustine, and it’s probably the most common grass we use. READ ON
LANDSCAPE PROJECT OF THE MONTH
A naturally beautiful way to finish off a backyard pool lanai.
Phase 2: Backyard Paradise

With phase 1, the front yard landscape complete and growing nicely. Homeowner Greg Whitnell provides an overview of water garden construction, landscaping, and drainage contracted with Earth Works for his home in the Cimarrone Golf Club community of St. Johns, Florida. Michael Quatromoni & Chris Cooprider discuss technical & practical aspects of the design, construction, and implementation.
We would like to thank you all for your continued support!
Earth Works Gardens | earthworksjax.com |996-0712 | 12501 Beach Blvd.