Getting native bees and pollinators in your garden
Description
This third masterclass in the ‘Understanding Nature in Your Garden’ series, will introduce you to the captivating world of native bees and their vital significance in the ecological balance of our surroundings, and why we should all care for them.
With an emerging need to increase insect biodiversity, our gardens have a significant collective role in providing food, materials, shelter, and nesting sites to build local populations. Geared towards gardeners of all levels of expertise and applicable to gardens of various sizes, this masterclass will discuss the essential role your garden has in supporting local biodiversity and the important role native bees play in pollination for plant health and reproduction. Explaining UV colours and foraging trips, this session will guide you on what is needed to create a bee attracting garden, with landscaping and plant selection tips and provide a deeper understanding of the negative impacts of pesticides and how advocating for a bee-friendly approach that may require letting go of conventional notions of a 'perfect' garden.
The masterclass will guide you on the co-evolution of bees with flowering plants, providing you with knowledge about the appearance of common native bees, comparative identification with wasps and flies, insights into their life cycles, and an exploration of the various types of pollination they facilitate.
The session will conclude discussing the role of native bee hotels, how to build one to cater for their nesting behaviours, the session will explore the need to provide suitable native bee habitat.
This session is taken by Katrina Forstner (see bio below) and is great for those who really want to turn their garden into a pollinator haven and learn about the different ones you are likely to entice. Note the session will be SE Australian based in terms of species.
It is one of four in a Masterclass Series "Understanding Nature in Your Garden Series". Other topics include – How Citizen Science Can be Used in the Garden; Introduction to Wildlife Gardening and Boom Time for Bully Birds. Book the Series Package for discount. Friends of SGA receive a 15% discount on Master Class full price tickets. You can become a Friend of SGA here. Green Garden Professionals (GGPs) receive a 30% discount.
What you will learn
- All about native Australian bees and other important pollinators and how to attract them to their garden
What you will get
- Free access to recording for 2 weeks
What to bring
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What to wear
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Appropriate for
Gardeners wanting to get more pollinators into their garden, or non gardeners interested in native bees
Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) is a not-for-profit non-government organiation dedicated to achieving a healthy biodiverse planet.
Its driving purpose is to:
- Encourage, educate and enable home and professional gardeners to adopt sustainable gardening practices to protect or enhance the natural environment;
- Provide information, education and undertake research about the natural environment;
- Reconnect people to the natural world through gardening; and
- Ensure an understanding of the impacts that gardening decisions about chemical and resource use have on the natural environment well beyond their neighbourhood.
Your Teacher
Katrina, a passionate home gardener who has created a native bee friendly garden full of fruit trees, vegetables, perennial and native flowers, will share her knowledge and skills to get you started in setting up a native bee friendly garden. Her garden has been featured in Open Gardens Victoria, Grassroots Magazine, featured in Sharewaste and filmed with Costa Georgiadis for a biosecurity segment. Katrina’s passion for native bees is featured in The Contented Bee Book (ABC Books). Buzz and Dig runs sustainable workshops adults and younger audiences which aim to reconnect individuals with nature found in their own gardens and promotes urban biodiversity at a micro level. Katrina Forstner has extensive experience in delivering workshops to suit any audience through her teaching and sustainability background. She has many years of experience delivering sustainable workshops at various community events, schools, kindergartens and libraries.
Cancellations & Refunds
If the organiser cancels the class:
You are entitled to a full refund.
If you can't attend the class:
Terms & Conditions
SGA’s Booking Conditions
- Bookings are considered final once payment is made and no refunds will be given for non-attendance.
- If there are insufficient numbers for an event it may be cancelled or postponed by SGA. If this is the case, you will be notified and given the option of either a full refund or a transfer to a different SGA event of equivalent value.
- Please arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled starting time for registration and seating