Zoo’s Best

Plants from the Pollinator Series

This year we have partnered with The Cincinnati Zoo to supply a local garden brand called Zoo’s Best, based on the plants that have performed well in the Zoo’s trial gardens over the past years. Their first program, the Pollinator Series, focuses on plants that gardeners can use to build a supporting ecosystem for wild pollinators.

 
A supporting ecosystem attracts butterflies

As you know, the habitat for wild pollinators has been disappearing, but we can sustain it by building a part of their ecosystem into our home gardens. Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and moths need food and shelter in order to transport pollen from flower to flower, so it is important that we rally behind the people who nurture these important animals.

Zoo’s Best is a program that supports the botanical efforts at the Cincinnati Zoo, while providing gardeners the opportunity to participate in the Zoo’s efforts as well. The Pollinator Series consists of the same plants used in the Zoo’s Botanical Garden to attract the area’s pollinators. By purchasing these plants, home gardeners can become important anchors in the ecosystem, extending habitat support throughout the Cincinnati area.

Zoo’s Best plants help support community and botanical programs

In addition, a portion of the purchase price is donated to the Zoo to help fund the community and botanical programs they run. These include: preserving endangered plant species, maintaining trial gardens for the Cincinnati area, and directing volunteer programs that get teens involved in gardening. We are proud of our affiliation with this important community resource, and we think the Zoo’s Best program is a good way to extend that support into neighborhood gardens.

The Botanical Garden at the Zoo is, in short, a jewel in our community and it deserves our support. We urge you to consider offering the Pollinator Series from Zoo’s Best to your customers.

 
The Botanical Garden at the Zoo

The Cincinnati Zoo will be holding a meeting to launch the brand to trade buyers on Thursday, March 10th, from 1 to 4pm with a social hour afterwards. They will review the program in detail and explain the marketing support they will provide.

 To register for this meeting, please click here:  http://cincinnatizoo.org/horticulture/horticulture_events/ 

and select Zoo’s Best Plants for Pollinators Launch Seminar, then click on Reserve Tickets to reveal the registration information. The seminar is free to the trade.