What is a 10 x 10 + 10 Garden?

The 10 x 10 + 10 Project is a Bay Area initiative that brings the community together through restoring habitat and promoting biodiversity with a whole lot of pollinators and native wildlife!

10 x 10 + 10

We are excited to announce we have developed a section of our Neil Cummins Garden dedicated to native plants.

The 10 x 10 + 10 Garden Concept is a project that encourages individuals and organizations to support one another in a joint effort to preserve habitat and promote biodiversity. This concept was developed in December 2016 by a group of beekeepers, researchers, pollinator organizations and concerned citizens from around the world met for a conference “Audacious Visions for the Future of Bees and Beekeeping” (Bee Audacious, for short). This collaborative working conference was designed to envision bold evidence-based ideas through which honeybees, wild bees, beekeepers, and pollination managers can prosper.

After Bee Audacious, the team continued developing ideas on ways to connect concerned citizens to restoration projects, link individual habitat contributions to large-scale environmental organizations, and create a network for people to share pollinator concerns, garden photos, questions, and guidance. The output of this conference was the 10 x 10 + 10 concept.

Why 10x10+10? Well, 10x 10 is about planting your own 10 foot by 10 foot garden, and then donating $10 to help spread the word. For that you get a fun Pollinator Sign to spread the buzz of planting in your neighborhood.

​Planting a Paradise for Pollinators

You may be asking: what should I plant for pollinators and how? 

Pollinator-friendly habitats support a diverse range of pollinators including bees, moths, birds, beetles, flies, bats, and certain species of wasps. Beneficial habitats are composed of a wide variety of plant species, combinations of early, mid, and late blooms, large clusters of flowers, and high percentages of native plants. A diverse selection of plants, with a variety of “colors, sizes, shapes, heights, and growth habits,” attract a diverse selection of pollinators. While generalists, such as common honey bees, forage from a wide variety of plants, other specialist pollinators rely on specific plants with unique colors and structures.  

Check out more 10x10+10 information on planting tips & advice, plant guides, and additional resources. 

What Should You Grow for Pollinators? 

Pollinator plants for California (commonly available at nurseries):

http://bonniebeecompany.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Plants-for-pollinators-in-Marin.pdf

Calscape.org

The California Native Plant Society has a system called calscape.

Just type in your zip code and a list of plants, specific to your area, will appear.

Pollinator Partnership: eco-regional planting guides

https://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/Guides/CalifCoastalStepperx4FINAL.pdf  The Pollinator Partnership also has a resource where you can search which flowers bloom in your region and when. 

UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab

http://www.helpabee.org/best-bee-plants-for-california.html

Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: Habitat Assessment Guide for Pollinators

https://xerces.org/publications/habitat-assessment-guides/habitat-assessment-guide-for-pollinators-in-yards-gardens

Xerces:  Milkweed seed finder

https://xerces.org/milkweed/milkweed-seed-finder

Local nurseries for native plants:

California Native Plant Nursery, Mill Valley

https://cnlnatives.com/

Mostly Natives, Pt Reyes

https://www.mostlynatives.com/

O’Donnell’s Fairfax Nursery, Fairfax

http://www.odonnellsnursery.com/ODonnells_Fairfax_Nursery/Welcome.html

Watershed Nursery, Richmond

https://www.watershednursery.com/

And more local nurseries that love bees and pollinators:

Annie’s Annuals

https://www.anniesannuals.com/

Bees N Blooms, Santa Rosa

https://beesnblooms.com/

(Buy trees by appointment only.  Totally worth the trip!!!)

Chase ACE, San Rafael

https://www.chaseacehardware.com/

Marin ACE, San Rafael

https://www.marinace.com/

Sloat Garden Center, Mill Valley, Kentfield, Novato & more bay area locations

https://www.sloatgardens.com/

Books:

Bringing Nature Home, By Doug Tallemy  

California Bees & Blooms, By Gordon Frankie, Robbin Thorp, Rollin Coville and Barbara Ertter

California Foraging, By Judith Larner Lowry

Designing California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens, By Glenn Keator, Alrie Middlebrook, Phyllis M. Faber

Reimagining the California Lawn, By Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O’Brien

The Bee-Friendly Garden, By Kate Frey and Gretchn LeBuhn

The Bees in Your Backyard, By Joseph S. Wilson & Olivia Messinger Carrill

The California Native Landscape: The Homeowner's Design Guide to Restoring Its Beauty and Balance, By Greg Rubin and Lucy Warren

The California Wildlife Habitat Garden, By Nancy Bauer

The Xerces Society Guide to Attracting Native Pollinators, By Eric Mader, Matthew Shepherdm Mace Vaughn, Scott Hoffman Black, and Gretchen LeBuhn

*Pay attention to bloom time, soil requirements, and which pollinators the flowers attract. We always recommend planting a diverse variety of flowers with a range of bloom periods!