A few dozen midtown residents gathered at a mostly empty lot on a recent Saturday morning, armed with shovels, soil and 58 plants known to attract butterflies, bees and other native pollinators.
The hardest work had already been done for them. The swath of land previously used as a dumping site had been prepared the week before, and the pollinator garden was already mapped out by experts. So for these residents of the Palo Verde Park neighborhood, the planting party was all about fun.
They dug holes and chatted as the flora and fauna-themed songs of performer Mr. Nature (Tucsonan Anthony Aldinger) wafted through the gentle morning breeze. Mr. Nature was on hand to record his weekly podcast, singing songs that included "Pollinators Rock" and "I Love Bees."
"A year ago I told my son this won't be done in my lifetime," one neighbor said to another. "Look at us today!"
