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Hello Metro,
Happy March! By now, you have confirmed your Lawns to Legumes grant, watched the Kick-Off Webinar and are starting to plan out your pollinator habitat project this spring. We're here to help! This email contains:
- Last month's webinar recordings, links to this month's optional project webinars
- Surveys to request a volunteer coach or a program accommodation
- Access to our online community space, The Hive
- New Garden Gallery resource — browse projects by past grantees!
- Important links and resources for completing a successful project
We will be sending you email newsletters every month through July with program reminders and announcements.
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Watch L2L Webinar Recordings | |
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Lawns to Legumes Kick-Off Webinar
Get an introduction and welcome to the Lawns to Legumes program! We cover everything you need to know about program requirements and how to install a successful project.
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Lawns to Legumes Q+A Session
In this follow-up to the L2L Kick-Off Webinar, we answer program-related questions from the Kick-Off Webinar.
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Looking for more in-depth guidance on your pollinator planting project? Join our optional Zoom webinars for grantees! Each session will be recorded and emailed to all program participants. | | |
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Metro Blooms Design + Build landscape designers Jennifer Ehlert and Rich Harrison will cover the fundamentals of completing a pocket planting, pollinator-friendly tree planting, and pollinator meadow. Due to limited space, registration is required.
Doing a turf alternative project? James Wolfin from Twin City Seed will talk through the steps of converting your turfgrass lawn into a flowering bee lawn. Due to limited space, registration is required.
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Request a Coach by March 16 | |
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Need some extra help planning your pollinator habitat project? Fill out our coaching survey by Sunday, March 16 to be matched with a volunteer coach.
Coaches are able to spend a couple hours of their time to advise you on project plans and conduct a virtual site visit. Because we cannot guarantee everyone can be matched with a coach, we encourage new gardeners to utilize this opportunity.
Learn more and request a coach by filling out the Coaching Survey.
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Do you have any accommodation requests to make Lawns to Legumes resources more accessible for you, such as language translation or printed materials? Please let us know by replying to this email and we will work with you to get the support you need. If you already made a request via your Confirmation Form, we will be in touch soon. | |
Important Links and Resources | |
Ready to start planning your project? Here's where to go: | |
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Our Grantee Guide page has links to everything you need! Start here.
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Our Resources page has plant lists, design templates, and more!
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Our Plan a Project page is a step-by-step guide to completing a pollinator project.
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Connect with fellow grantees and coaches on our online community forum, The Hive! This is a place for you to ask questions for coaches and staff, get program updates, and get to know other Lawns to Legumes participants. The Hive is also connected directly to our Resilient Yards Online Learning Series, so you can access it all in one place. | |
Check out our brand-new Lawns to Legumes Garden Gallery! Browse projects by previous Lawns to Legumes grant recipients for ideas and inspiration. You can search for gardens based on region, project type, and more. | |
Resource Spotlight: Spring Plant Sales | |
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In addition to shopping from native plant nurseries and retailers, spring native plant sales are a great way to find a wide variety of native plants, trees, and shrubs at these sales at a relatively low cost. Some sales offer or require you to place an order ahead of time, so now is the perfect time to make a plan!
Check out our new blog post, which lists native plant sales happening throughout Minnesota this spring!
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Special Webinar with Great River Greening: Lead and Inspire Fellow Environmental Stewards
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Thursday, March 13th, 2025 from 12-1 pm (on Zoom)
Join Great River Greening in partnership with Metro Blooms for a unique training for Lawns to Legumes grantees to engage others communities in environmental stewardship and learn best management practices for your restored space. Participants will learn:
- How Great River Greening connects communities to local restoration work and trains independent volunteers to monitor restoration site progress
- Best management practices for lawns, meadows, trees and pocket prairies
- Strategies to maintain your planting area and identify non-native/ invasive plants
Register below using the passcode Lawns2Legumes.
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Can't make it? Great River Greening is also offering a similar Volunteer Supervisor Training on February 18 (in-person) and February 20 (virtual) from 6-7:30. (These are the same trainings, you only need to register for one.) | | |
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Let's Connect
Have questions about your grant? Need an extension? Email the L2L Helpline at l2lhelp@bluethumb.org.
Follow Blue Thumb on Facebook or Instagram for seasonal tips on planting for pollinators and clean water.
Thank you for bee-ing a part of the change!
-The L2L Team
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www.bluethumb.org
social: @bluethumbmn
Blue Thumb–Planting for Clean Water manages individual support grants for Lawns to Legumes, a Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources program. Blue Thumb is a partnership of local government, landscape contractors, native plant nurseries and other entities committed to the promotion of native plantings, rain gardens, and shoreline plantings. It is the education program of Metro Blooms, a 501c3 non-profit organization.
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