Pollinator Garden Feature: Conant Street
By Brett Otis, Green Beverly Project Manager, in conversation with Bruce Lorge
Part of an ongoing series highlighting the growing network of gardens throughout Beverly, thanks to our Pollinator Project and community members’ efforts and support for local pollinators.
If you were driving by 82 Conant Street a few months ago, you probably wouldn’t have thought much about the small field along the roadside. But take that same drive today and you’ll see a growing native plant habitat for pollinators.
This new addition to Beverly’s landscape of pollinator gardens is all thanks to Bruce Lorge–a nearby neighbor investing his time and energy to transform this space. As a recipient of one of our 2025 garden rebates, we followed up with Bruce to learn more about his efforts.
Brett: A unique aspect about this garden is that it isn’t in your own yard, but across the street on a business’ property. What steps did you take to get this started?
Bruce: A small field (meadow) was across from Conant Street houses for years. I contacted the facility manager at Axcelis thinking they were the property owner. The property is owned by Broadstone Properties based in New York and the Axcelis facility manager contacted them and received permission for me to plant a pollinator garden on the land.
Brett: What inspired the creation of this new pollinator garden?
Bruce: I've always been intrigued with hummingbirds, butterflies, and bumblebees. My wife and I have a garden in our yard but haven't had many native plants. I've been hearing about the dwindling bee population, and climate change and thought now was the time to start the garden. I'm retired now and my wife says it's my new passion. I spend a lot of time in the garden. Half of the time it’s just looking at the plants and watching the bumble bees and thinking about what to plant next. Last week a monarch butterfly flew around my head a couple of times before flying off.
Brett: Tell us a bit more about the garden and what you have planted–did you do it on your own or have any helping hands?
I’ve planted about 20 different species of native plants and about 90 plants in total. Giant Hyssop has so far attracted the most bees to their purple flowers. The Utrochium has also bloomed well and attracted bees. Some of the other plants that are doing very well and currently flowering are Black Eye Susans, Fox Glove Beard Tongue, and Bee Balm.
Fortunately, I had some volunteers who helped me create the pollinator garden this past May. I contacted our City Counselor, Kathleen Feldman to inquire if the city could till the turf for me. They couldn’t but she volunteered her Boy Scout Troop 4 Beverly to assist as a community service project. They came twice to help me dig up the turf and may help again in the fall. Any others that are interested can contact Kathleen.
Stephanie Dillon, of North Shore Natives, has been a big help with the selection of various plants that attract pollinators, as well as what plants do well in the sun and shade. Stephanie also recommended mulching the garden with a hay/straw mix to help minimize weeds. In the late fall/winter she recommends spreading various milkweed seeds that will germinate next spring to help fill in the garden.
The garden now is approximately 900 square yards. The plants are growing quite a bit. I plan to expand it further. Hopefully another couple hundred square yards between now and next spring.
Brett: Very exciting to hear about the current progress and future plans for the garden! Any challenges or lessons learned during this growing season?
Bruce: The biggest challenge I've had is keeping rabbits from eating the plants they like. I put up chicken wire cages around those. Now a family of turkeys arrived and have been rearranging some of the straw for nests at night. They don’t appear to be eating any of the plants. Next year I may put chicken wire around the entire garden to keep the rabbits away.
Thanks again to Bruce for all his great work creating the Conant Street garden. People and pollinators are already taking notice! According to a message Bruce received from his mail carrier:
“When I went to your house to drop the mail off in the mailbox, there were two monarch butterflies in your garden across the street. What a wonderful habitat you created.”
Indeed, we look forward to seeing this habitat continue to grow for years to come.
