The Post Wild Pollinator Garden is a mix of native and non-native herbaceous perennial flowers and grasses intermingled and densely planted to encourage plant communities that are both functional and attractive. Plants were chosen based on their growth habit, water requirements, flower and foliage colors and ecosystem value. The long-term goals of this installation are to provide beauty and inspiration for visitors, to support biodiversity, to decrease synthesized chemical inputs and to lower the amount of man hours required for upkeep.

Foliage, stems, and seed heads are left in place through winter and into early spring to provide visual interest as well as wildlife forage and nesting habitat for solitary bees, ground beetles other beneficial organisms. In late spring, once most overwintering organisms have emerged, garden staff mow the plants down with a mulching mower to “clean up” the garden. New foliage quickly fills in to mask the stubble left behind. By planting vigorous plants close together weeds are shaded out and limited by a lack of growing space. Annual flowers like zinnia are included as filler plants to cover ground and provide color while young perennial plants become established.

Inspiration for this design came from contemporary American ecological garden designers Thomas Rainer, Claudia West and Roy Diblik as well as Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf.