Expanding pollinator habitat, one flower at a time
Expanding pollinator habitat, one flower at a time
Nurturing Nectaries
Nurturing Nectaries is a program that is part of our new nonprofit, polum bolum
Join us as we transform yards, school gardens and public spaces into a vibrant haven for wildlife that is critical to our environment. Join us in regenerating our landscapes and building a future where nature—and all of us—can thrive!
Pollinators play a crucial role in our ecosystems. Education and engagement can help us understand their importance, which is a great way to foster environmental stewardship. Through rewilding, we can begin restoring pollinator’s habitat, enhancing biodiversity, and creating healthier environments for everyone.
Polum Bolum is dedicated to inspiring a passion for environmental stewardship in both the community and school-age children through the beauty of flowers, the power of pollinators, and the act of re-wilding.
This project educates the community about pollinators and their habitats, empowering individuals to become stewards of the environment through rewilding and habitat restoration. The initiative fosters hands-on engagement by incorporating more pollinator-friendly plants into local spaces. It also offers a variety of educational opportunities, including community planting events, festivals, and lectures.
It Starts with you
There are multiple ways to participate:
Start in Your Backyard: Purchase a flat of plants from us at a very fair price. You can choose from one of our three flats, each designed for multiple bloom times, various colors, and aspects humans love. Each flat contains eight flowers, four of each type, for 32 plants. We offer these flats at a significantly reduced rate because we understand that gardening can be expensive. We want to help you plant as many flowers as possible this season.
Volunteer: Help plant seeds and pot baby plants in the greenhouse or join a re-plant team that assists in planting school gardens and community spaces.
Bring Nurturing Nectaries into your School: We bring this program into schools. The children learn about pollinators and help create the educational zine that is part of each year. The students can sell flats to help raise money for their school and can help them build pollinator gardens at their schools and other schools.
Purchase Flats of Pollinator Plants for Your Garden
Don’t miss your chance to enhance your garden, order a flat of beautiful flowers today! You can conveniently pick up your plants at the Greenhouse on Peaceful Belly Farm starting the first week of May. Choose from three specially curated flats, each designed to offer a stunning array of bloom times and vibrant colors that both you and pollinators will love. Each flat contains eight plants, four of each type, totaling 32 thriving flowers.
Native Flat
Idaho has 707 species of native bees, many of which rely on native plants for their nectar. Planting native flowers is vital to these little friends' existence. You will receive in this flat: blue flax(B D), milkweed(P D), evening primrose(P D), goldenrod(P D), yarrow(P D), fleabane(P D), blue fescue(P D), and rocky mountain penstemon(P D).
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Annual Flowers
Annual flowers grow for one season and must be replanted each year. They grow quickly, making them ideal for filling garden beds or serving as companion plants in vegetable gardens.Key Benefits:
Rapid growth fills spaces fast.
Great for seasonal flower beds.
Produce a ton of flowers
Can be used as cut flowers to bring inside the house.
Can be used as companion plants in vegetable gardens
Care Requirements:
Require weekly watering, similar to vegetables.
You need to dead head or cut off old flowers to encourage the plant to give new flowers.
Thrive when planted directly in soil or started indoors for an early spring jump.
Can be used in pots
Pro Tip: Save seeds from annual flowers to replant in the next growing season!
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Biennial Flowers
Biennial flowers have a two-year life cycle, growing foliage in the first year and flowering in the second year. After flowering and producing seeds, they die off. These plants are great for adding structure and staggered blooms to your garden.Key Features:
Year 1: Focus on foliage and root development.
Year 2: Flowering, seed production, and completion of the life cycle.
Care Requirements:
Provide consistent watering and nutrients during the first year to ensure strong growth.
Protect plants during winter with mulch or coverings if needed.
Pro Tip: For continuous blooms, plant biennials every year so you always have some flowering while others are in their first year of growth.
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Perennial Flowers
Perennial flowers grow and bloom year after year without needing to be replanted. While they may take longer to establish than annuals, they provide long-term beauty and are a low-maintenance option for garden beds.Key Features:
Return each spring after going dormant in winter.
Develop stronger roots and larger blooms over time.
Care Requirements:
Require less frequent replanting but benefit from seasonal care, like pruning and fertilizing.
Water weekly during active growth, especially in dry weather.
Divide overgrown clumps every few years to maintain health and vigor.
Pro Tip: Combine early, mid, and late-season perennials to ensure continuous blooms throughout the growing season!
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Drought-Tolerant Flowers
Drought-tolerant flowers thrive in dry conditions, and require minimal watering once established. These resilient plants are perfect for water-wise gardens, xeriscaping, or areas with limited rainfall.Key Features:
Adapted to survive with little water.
Often have deep roots, waxy leaves, or small foliage to conserve moisture.
Perfect flowers for drip irrigation system
Care Requirements:
Water sparingly; too much can harm them.
Plant in well-drained soil and provide full sun for most varieties.
Mulch around plants to retain soil moisture.
Pro Tip: Group drought-tolerant flowers together for a stunning, low-maintenance garden while conserving water!
Bee’s Favorite
Over the years on the farm, we have observed that bees love flowers with all their hearts. This collection of flowers are some of the flowers that many types of bees love the best, from the tiny fairy bee to the big bumble bee. You will receive bread seed poppies(A), sweet alyssum(A), zinnias(A), dahlias(A), cosmos(A), lambs ear(P D), bronze fennel(P D), black-eyed Susan(P D), and hollyhock(B D).
“In some Native languages, the term for plants translates to those who take care of us.”
Medicinal Mix
Plants can be food for bees and medicine for humans. This flat of plants has flowers that the bees love. They can also be taken into the kitchen for food and plant medicine. This flat is perfect to incorporate into a vegetable garden. You will receive Chives(P D), sage(P D), borage(A), echinacea(P D), calendula(A), nasturtium(A), lavender(P D), and coreopsis(P D).
Buzzing With Excitement: A Farm Adventure!
Kids explore the farm, discovering the secret lives of pollinators—bees buzzing, butterflies fluttering, and plants thriving. They dig in the dirt, learn about soil and ecology, and see how pollinators shape our world.
This fun-filled trip leaves young eco-explorers inspired to protect nature’s tiny heroes!
Frequently Asked Questions
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You can pick up your Flowers at Peaceful Belly Farm, 20023 Hoskins Road Caldwell Idaho 83607. May 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 11, between the hours of noon and 5pm.
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Our Flats are designed so there is something for every gardener and something for every type of pollinator. If you are new to gardening, the bee’s favorite flat is a great choose. These flowers are easy to grow and will grow in one season. Many native plants grow slowly and bloom their second year, Native plants are important to grow in our gardens, but they can be slow and tricky. Each flat is designed for different gardens and different application. All the plants in the native mix are drought tolerant and are perfect in a low water garden or landscape
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Many common garden plants can be toxic to dogs if ingested, leading to symptoms ranging from mild gastrointestinal upset to severe health issues. If you have a dog that eats your garden plants, you should plant black-eyed Susan, milkweed, yarrow, and poppies in an area they cannot access. Here is a link to a great resource about all plants.
Click here to find out what plants are Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants
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Yes, many of these plants do great in pots. The mix that we would recommend for pots in the Bee’s favorite mix. Just make sure your pots are at least 2 feet by 2 feet and keep them watered.
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Several organizations in the Treasure Valley are dedicated to enhancing pollinator habitats and promoting ecological health.
Treasure Valley Pollinator Project
A community-wide effort led by the Ada Soil and Water Conservation District to increase pollinator habitats by encouraging residents to plant pollinator-friendly flowers and providing educational resources.
City of Boise's Bee Watch Program
An initiative that engages community scientists in monitoring pollinator populations across various urban and open space sites, contributing to conservation research and efforts.
Golden Eagle Audubon Society's Habitat Patch Program
Encourages community members to transform their outdoor spaces into natural habitats, supporting local wildlife and pollinators.
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Send us an email at admin@polumbolum.org, and we will tell you all about it.
or check out this page if you have not already
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Do not fret. We are here to help you on your journey. Each flat comes with a helpful zine that explains all about the plants, their planting directions and how to take care of them also we will offer a full day planting class and multiple garden classes during the season to help you out. You will receive email newsletters about all the classes after you buy your flats.
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Item description
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U.S. Government Pollinator Resources
www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/pollinate
www.fws.gov/pollinatorswww.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/BMPs
State of Idaho Pollinator Resources
agri.idaho.gov/main/plants/bees-apiary-inspection
Idaho Pollinator Protection Plan (pdf)
Idaho Bee Organizations
Treasure Valley Beekeepers Club
National Pollinator Organizations
Native Plant Finder (just enter zip code to find native plants for pollinators)
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
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Failure is a part of gardening and farming, it can be disheartening, but it’s also an opportunity to learn and improve for future seasons. We cannot tell you how many times we have had a crop or garden fail. Here’s a breakdown of what might happen and how to address it:
1. Common Causes of Garden Failures
Poor Soil Conditions: The soil might lack nutrients or have improper pH levels. Your U of I extension office can help you with a soil test.
Watering Issues: Overwatering or underwatering can stress or kill plants.
Pests and Diseases: Insects, fungi, and other diseases might damage plants.
Wrong Plants for the Environment: Planting species that aren’t suited to the local climate or season can lead to poor growth.
Weather Extremes: Unexpected frost, heatwaves, or droughts can wreak havoc on a garden.
Neglect or Improper Maintenance: Not pruning, weeding, or providing support for plants can lead to problems.
2. Emotional and Practical Impact
Emotional Impact: Gardeners may feel disappointed or frustrated, especially if they invested time and effort into the garden.
3. What to Do Next
Analyze the Problem: Identify what went wrong. Test soil, examine plants for pests or diseases, and review watering and sunlight conditions.
Start Small: If the failure was overwhelming, consider scaling back to a smaller, more manageable garden to rebuild confidence.
Try Again: Gardening often involves trial and error. Use the lessons learned to adjust your approach.
Seek Help: Reach out to local gardening clubs, extension services, or online communities for advice tailored to your region.
Resilient Plants: Choose hardy, low-maintenance plants or native species that are more likely to thrive in local conditions.
4. Turn Failures into Success
Composting: If plants died, turn them into compost to enrich the soil for the next attempt.
Seasonal Adjustments: Shift to planting at a better time of year or adjust the type of plants to match the season.
Experimentation: Gardening is like all art forms. You may need to try a different way to grow
Failures are a natural part of gardening, even for experienced gardeners. They provide valuable insights and can lead to more resilient and thriving gardens in the future.