What? Oh no, not one of THOSE pages!

Well, yes, actually, it is one of THOSE pages. I am scared, very scared, about what this earth might look like in what should be my "golden years". One of the scary scientific predictions out there warns of the end of the honey-bee population. (p.s. Honeybees are the primary pollinator of most of the world's food!) Colony collapse disorder, if it continues at its current rate, will potentially wipe out this noble species in 30 years.

Scientists are still working on what is causing colony collapse disorder, and what, if anything, can be done to prevent or slow it down. In the meantime, I want to do everything I can to help the bees in my own garden. Here's my plan:

• Avoid fertilizers and other chemicals in my garden.
• Buy a few native and non-genetically-modified flowering plants that bees love and plant them in the flower beds, likewise unaided by fertilizers and chemicals. When we first bought the house I planted a few mint plants. That turned into an area that is now about 8 feet by 5 feet. The bees love it! Last summer we added a 4 x 8 foot raised bed for herbs, where we planted chamomile, St. John's Wort (actually it planted itself there and I left it), pennyroyal, oregano, and rosemary. Bees are also loving our lavender hedge and the 5 or 6 anise hyssop plants we have around the gardens.
• Follow other recommendations from your local Cooperative Extension Service website. This link is for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service. Toward the bottom of the page is a great listing of Maine plants that are attractive to bees.