Spring has definitely come to Pacific Science Center, with a little help from our horticulture team, Jeff Leonard and Maida Ingalls.
Jeff and Maida just finished replanting the large planter bowls in the courtyard around the ponds. Previously, the bowls were full to overflowing with ornamental grasses and perennial flowers. They looked nice, but they needed constant watering and the plants and flowers were gradually crowding themselves out, blooming less as their roots competed for limited space.
The new plants will put on quite a show. Jeff and Maida were aiming for year-round appeal, and made sure each planter had at least a few evergreen plants to anchor the display during the winter months. Then they started adding flowers. They made their choices with pollinators in mind. Honey bees, bumble bees and local butterflies will love the wide selection of colors and bloom types, and the long flowering season will keep them coming back from early spring until the hard freezes of autumn. Some of the flowers to look for are Sedum, Echinacea, Delphinium, Scabiosa, Lithodora, and Rudbeckia.
Our courtyard is also home to a hummingbird, who will no doubt enjoy the Delphinium, Salvia, and Stock.
So next time you come for a visit, take a moment to step away from the exhibits and enjoy the plantings. The courtyard is full of color, texture and scent. If you come in the next few days, you will enjoy the added bonus of viewing our crab apple trees in full bloom.
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