Central Virginia Garden Certification Program

 
 
 
Be sure to purchase safe native plants, shrubs and trees which will act as food for the pollinators! It is important to avoid plants grown with pesticides. Use at least four species of native trees and shrubs and at least two types of perennial flowers from each season (early, mid and late blooming) for your garden. Click on the button below (Complete Native Plant List) for a complete list and links to read more about the plant.
Water is needed by all pollinators. There are several ways to provide water sources to pollinators. A butterfly puddling area or birdbath are two easy garden additions. Be sure to have at least one for the certification program.
Pollinators need shelter to build nests and to spend the winter. Shelter could include spaces of bare ground, rock piles, or spent summer garden debris left for spring clean-up. Please provide a minimum of two.
We must safeguard the pollinators' habitats. Invasive plants threaten pollinators by spreading without control and crowding our native plants, our native pollinators main food source. We can help our native plants by not planting invasives and removing any existing invasive plants. We must also safeguard against pesticide use which can have adverse effect on pollinators. The use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control pests in your garden is the preferred method.
Once the application is completed be sure to follow the paypal link to pay the $20.00 application fee. If you are submitting a hard copy of your application through the mail, please include a $20.00 check with your application.
Verify all information is correct on the online form and submit. In an effort to be more sustainable we ask that you use the online application. If you are more comfortable with a paper method please only print what you must from the printable PDF and mail in.
 
 

Native Plants

Be sure to purchase safe native plants, shrubs and trees! It is important to avoid plants grown with pesticides. Some plants are grown from chemically altered seeds, making them toxic to pollinators. Please be sure you buy the actual variety listed and not a cultivar or “nativar” as they do not provide the same benefit to pollinators. Download the list of plants and click on the links to learn more about the native plants.

 
 
 
 
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Lynchburg’s Garden Certification Program was developed through Blue Ridge Conservation and their mission to education the community about pollinators. The program begins at home with each person contributing through their own yards. The results can not only be community changing but world changing.

 
 

Gratitude goes to pollinator programs throughout the continent that have inspired our program, with special thanks to Asheville Greenworks.