Following the success of Amherst Bee Week this past spring, Grow Food Amherst sponsored an effort to “leave 10% for the bees”!  An earlier post explains it all…. please see:

The Ten Percent Campaign

Based on conversations with friends and neighbors, it seems that lots of folks “get it” and are happy to not mow part of their lawn for the bees.  Here is an example!

Since I have a relatively big back yard, my 10% was substantial.  I tilled up a part of the yard that was nothing but lawn and seeded a wildflower seed mix.

After about 6 weeks it has filled in nicely with meadow grass and lots of flowers!

There is milkweed for the Monarchs too!  In the fall, I intend to mow it all (setting the mower blade high) to scatter the seeds and continue to reseed the wildflowers.

Here are a few pictures from the “other 90%” of my garden….