Participants

The original plan in the spring of 2023 was to create as many Pollinator Pathway Gardens as possible in the Arivaca townsite's "main street" area.  However, from 2024-2025, the project grew to include three gardens approx. 1-2 miles outside the townsite in an area called "the Forties". In 2025, the project expanded with the  the Home Gardener Program, which now has 43 private properties (and counting) registered as pollinator-friendly gardens!

Each public pollinator garden:

• Is in a location where plants and pollinators can be observed by pedestrians;

• Contains an appropriate soil and amendment mixture for SW native plants;

• Contains native, flowering shrubs and perennials that attract and nurture pollinators, have year-round interest, and are low-water-use and low-maintenance;

• Most contain a simple and efficient drip irrigation system and timer, so that watering will be a low-cost expense for property owners and have a low-impact on Arivaca’s aquifer. The gardens at Marian's Market and Arivaca Sonz Hardware are hand-watered as needed, for the same reason;

• Features colorful and artful signage, a brochure box stocked with pamphlets about the project;

• Has been built by a team of volunteers, including its property owner or a representative who takes on the responsibility of maintaining it from then on.  

Steel stock tanks are being used as raised beds for some of the main street public pollinator gardens, for these reasons:

• These sites have very compacted soil, and/or nearby water lines or other utilities, so it's best to not create an in-ground garden;

• These sites have fences that make a raised bed much more visible from the street or sidewalk than an in-ground bed.  One other benefit of raised beds is that maintenance can be done from a standing or sitting position, making them more accessible for all ages and abilities;

From 2023 to 2026, the following 14 properties received new pollinator gardens, or major enhancements to their existing gardens: 

• Arivaca Dancehall: An in-ground pollinator garden was already growing strong in the central courtyard, more plants were added there in November 2023, and a brand new nighttime pollinator garden was added in April 2024.

• A Gathering Space: an in-ground pollinator garden was created in Nov. 2023.

• Arivaca Human Resource: a raised bed pollinator garden was created in Sept. 2024.

•  La Esquiñita de Arivaca property owner Clara Godfrey and tenant Kelly Y: 

A raised bed pollinator garden was created in Nov. 2023.

• La Gitana Cantina: A raised bed pollinator garden was created in May 2023.

• Arivaca Sonz Hardware: A raised bed pollinator garden was created in May 2023 (see photo above).

• Plaza de la Amistad Park: a large, in-ground pollinator garden is a feature of this community park, located in the heart of main street and sponsored by Arivaca Human Resource.

• Arivaca Mercantile: A raised bed pollinator garden was created in June 2023.

• Marian's Market: A raised bed pollinator garden was created in October 2024.

• Arivaca Schoolhouse Park: A raised bed pollinator garden was created in August 2024. 

• Caviglia -Arivaca Public Library: An in-ground pollinator garden was already growing strong, more plants were added in the fall of 2023, 2024, and 25, and 4 new raised bed planters were added in 2025 & 2026.

• The Monarch Cafe/Gadsden Coffee:  An in-ground pollinator garden was created in 2025 and 2026 at this coffee roaster and soon-to-be-open restaurant.

• Arivaca Community Center:  An in-ground pollinator garden was planted in May 2024 as part of the youth after-school and summer programs, and three raised bed planters were added in spring 2025.

• The Early Learning Center at the Arivaca Action Center:  New barrel planters and pollinator plants were added to the playground garden in Oct. 2024, and there is also a well-established pollinator-friendly garden surrounding the rest of the Action Center building.