Episode 24

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Published on:

26th May 2026

Tips for Planting a Pollinator Garden

Today we’re talking about planting for pollinators! A few years ago I received a Lawns to Legumes pollinator habitat grant through a MN statewide education program called Blue Thumb which is part of the nonprofit, Metro Blooms based in Minneapolis. Metro Blooms partners with communities and folks to create outdoor spaces that’s good for the water and land like installing rain gardens that filter and clean water and native plantings the provide habitat for pollinators.

With the grant, I started my first pollinator garden which has been addictive and now has transformed a once entirely mowed backyard to about 3/4’s pollinator garden… and it’s SO much fun to see all the flowers and life back there.

I’ve invited Megan and Jennifer from Metro Blooms to talk with us about how to plant for pollinators.

Megan Reich is with the Education Team and Jennifer Ehlert is Vice President of the for-profit Metro blooms Design+Build that does residential and commercial design, installation and maintenance of native landscapes.

But, No matter where you live, this can apply to you.

Each of our little pollinator spaces, big or small are like stepping stones across the landscape to help for example, migrating monarch make their journey. And, it’s, I think, super fun.

Here are a few resources:

Metro Blooms Website: https://metroblooms.org/

Blue Thumb Website: https://bluethumb.org/

Blue Thumb Planting Templates: https://bluethumb.org/public-resources/

Lawns to Legumes Habitat at Home Sign Up: https://bluethumb.org/lawns-to-legumes/habitat-at-home/

Lawns to Legumes Garden Tour Day: https://bluethumb.org/garden-tour-day/

National Wildlife Federation - Native Plant Habitats - https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native

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About the Podcast

The Global Grit Experience
Stories of inspiring people with grit protecting nature, wildlife and the outdoor places we love.
The Global Grit Experience is a podcast featuring inspiring people with grit - passion, perseverance and an unwavering dedication in protecting, and loving, nature and wildlife. Whoop! Whoop! Host Erika Gilsdorf (that’s me!) is an international, award-winning video producer, who leaves the camera behind (for the most part) to let conversations breathe authentically in a podcast that spans diverse guests and topics. I include mental health guests, too who help us cope with all the crap and find joy amidst all the junk happening to our outdoors. Uffda…it’s a lot! (I’m a Minnesotan if you can't tell). Most importantly, this is a podcast about inspiration, hope, action, and connection. We have each other my friends!

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Erika Gilsdorf

Hi! Thanks for being here! I’m Erika, the Global Grit Experience podcast creator and host. Though the podcast format is fairly new to me, I’ve been sharing stories close to 20 years in Minnesota, the U.S. and around the world. Some of those I’ve worked with include The Minnesota Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, General Mills, United Airlines, and National Geographic. I’m an outdoor enthusiast, adventurer, and climate and nature activist. I chose ‘grit’ because everything worth pursuing takes grit - passion, perseverance, courage, curiosity, hope and an unwavering determination to protect. Nature deserves a bit of our grit. Thanks for giving some of your grit for the love of nature.