Native Plant Gardens
The purpose of the native plant gardens of the Spencer J. Roemer Arboretum are to improve this site’s value for native pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other insects – as well as for showing off the beauty of native plants. Native pollinators have suffered population declines because of habitat loss and fragmentation, habitat degradation through the spread of invasive species, and pesticide use. Three-quarters of flowering plants require animal pollinators to some degree to reproduce, and animal pollinators aid in production of 35% of the world’s crops. The entrance and gazebo gardens serve as a showcase for native plants that are both aesthetically pleasing and valuable to insect visitors.
