Pollinator Pathway
Pollinator Food Forest Keepers: Vallejo People’s Garden
Vilma Aquino is the co-founder and pioneering spirit behind the Vallejo People’s Garden (VPG). Since 2010, the VPG has donated approximately 2,000 pounds of organic produce to those most in need and provided educational classes in organic gardening to members of the community.
Site Details
Installation Date:
February 2023
Size:
3,000 square feet
Sun Exposure:
4-6 hours
Soil:
Clay
Number of Swales:
0
Secondary Water:
Lawn Conversion
Rainwater
Total annual water impact:
129,060 gallons
Design:
Designer: John Davenport
Plant List:
Most of the plants selected for the Pollinator Pathway garden attract multiple pollinators. Each section was named after a pollinator and has at least one plant that supports their habitat. We’ve noted those plants in the lists below.
Arctostaphylos densiflora (Howard McMinn Manzanita)
Ceanothus (California Lilac-Yankee Point)
Erigeron glaucus (Seaside Daisy) *bat plant
Monardella villosa (Coyote Mint)
Diplacus aurantiacus (Sticky Monkey Flower) *hummingbird plant
Lupinus albifrons (Silver Lupine)
Monardella villosa (Coyote Mint)
Penstemon heterophyllus (Margatita BOP)
Salvia mellifera (Skylark Sage)
Vaccinium ovatum (Huckleberry)
Achillea (Yarrow-Terracotta)
Asclepias fascicularis (Narrow Leaf Milkweed)
Monardella villosa (Coyote Mint)
Salvia mellifera (Skylark Sage)
Solidago velutina (California Goldenrod) *beetle plant
Asclepias speciosa (Showy Milkweed) *butterfly plant
Erigonium rubescens (Red-flowered Buckwheat) *butterfly plant
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower-Arizona Sunset)
Lomatium californicum (Celery Weed) *butterfly plant
Lupinus albifrons (Silver Lupine) *butterfly plant
Perideridia spp. (Yampah-Wild Carrot) *butterfly plant
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow-Salmon) *bee plant
Ceanothus (Mountain Lilac-Skylark) *bee plant
Epilobium canum (California Fuschia)
Lupinus succulentus (Lupine- Arroyo) *bee plant
Aesclepias fasicularis (Narrow Leaf Milkweed)
Claytonia lanceolata (Western Spring Beauty)
Erigeron glaucus (Seaside Daisy)
Heuchera micranta (Alum Root-Palace Purple)
Lewisia longipetala (Little Raspberry)
Polypodium calirhiza (Nested Polypody)
Polystichum minutum (Pacific Sword Fern)
Slavia spathacea (Hummingbird Sage)
Symphytrichum ohilense (Pacific Aster) *fly plant
Asclepias fascicularis (Narrow Leaf Milkweed) *moth
Ceanothus (Skylark)
Lewisia longipetala (Little Raspberry)
Nemophila menziesil (Baby Blue Eyes) *moth
Oenothera californica (California Evening Primrose) *moth
Ribes sanguineum (Red Flower Currant) ) *moth
Sisyrinchium bellum (Blue-eyed grass)
Stipa Pulchra (Purple Needlegrass)
Heuchera maxima (Island Alum Root)
Heuchera micrantha (Alum Root-Palace Purple)
Lewisia longipetala (Little Raspberry)
Mahonia aquitolium (Oregon Grape) *wasp plant
Installation:
The VPG expanded its garden to include a Pollinator Pathway filled with a variety of California native plants to provide habitat for the western monarch butterfly and other pollinators. The two-day event brought together so many organizations and community members who care about the environment and the living creatures within it. The event was covered by KGO Channel 7, the Vallejo Times Herald, and NPR to further educate the community on the dwindling population of the western monarch butterfly and other pollinators. Learn more about this project here.
Community in Action:
Alana Mirror attended this installation and created this series of music videos below from the experience.
Find more of Alana’s work on YouTube here and Substack here.
Vision for the Future:
VPG’s vision for the future is to continue providing organic food for those most in need, educating the community about organic gardening and expanding California native plants into the local landscape to provide habitat and food for wildlife.