According to the United Nations (UN), pollinators need our help and it’s a global issue, but something we can all help with at a local level. The UN highlights the problems (and solutions) through their ‘World Bee Day’ campaign held annually on the 20th May. Pollination is a pillar of our ecosystems and the UN goes on to state that: ‘Current understanding of the pollination process shows that, while specific relationships exist between plants and their pollinators, healthy pollination services are best ensured by an abundance and diversity of pollinators.” (UN website, retrieved 26th June 2022)
Here on the Maltese Islands, I was interested in discovering how two different heritage sites were taking practical steps to come up with positive solutions – by making space for nature, and so supporting bees and other vital pollinator populations.
During Commonwealth War Graves Week (also held in late May), I visited the Imtarfa Military Cemetery, which is one of 14 sites found across the Maltese Islands. Located in the shadow of the ancient walled city of Mdina, this tranquil, beautiful cemetery is steeped in history. This site, which has over 1,400 civilian and military graves, also includes 253 graves of British and Commonwealth service personnel who died during the World Wars. Some headstones still bear bullet damage dating from the Second World War, when between 1940 and 1942, the Maltese Islands were subjected to relentless bombing and air raids.
I joined a tour led by a CWGC Malta volunteer guide, who explained the history and military significance of the site and afterwards there was the opportunity to explore the site. Interestingly many of the plants growing at the cemetery were endemic (native to Malta) and suitably adapted to local conditions. Aleppo Pines provided welcome shade and, at one side of the cemetery, an area has been set aside in order to propagate a range of plants and shrubs for use within other CWGC sites across Malta.
Between the impeccably maintained rows of graves and along the cemetery boundary walls, the planting is a mixture of drought tolerant plants, mature trees, shrubs, fan-trained bougainvillea, succulents and herbs such as Lavender. This combination of Mediterranean planting and the honey coloured limestone gravestones, makes for a striking, beautiful and contemplative setting. The plants and flowers within the cemetery also attract many species of pollinating insects. Earlier this year, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) announced their Environmental Sustainability Plan, which includes enhancing biodiversity at 50 of their sites, each year, starting from 2023. Read more at https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/sustainability/
The second half of my visit took me to the walled city of Mdina, and specifically up onto the roof of the Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum. This medieval townhouse was built as a family residence by local nobility, and sections of the building date back to the 13th century. In 1927, the Palazzo was acquired by Captain Olof Frederick Gollcher OBE, a researcher, artist, philanthropist and collector of objets d’art and also other items relating to the cultural heritage of Maltese Islands. The Grade 1 scheduled building is open to the public as a house museum, with seventeen rooms of domestic and antique collections on display. Since 2001, Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti (Maltese Heritage Foundation) has managed the site.
In March 2020, a dedicated pollinator haven was established on the museum’s roof. Unlike other roof-top gardens, this site focused specifically on attracting a wide range of pollinators. In order for this to be successful, such a green roof would need to mimic the local habitat and include mainly endemic plants suited to the harsh climatic conditions typically found on the Maltese Islands. Plants were therefore selected to cope with the long, dry, hot summers and strong, desiccating winds.After just two years, the planting within the site is already looking well established. Plants are clearly thriving in their roof-top home and the overall design is that of a tapestry of differing plant shapes, textures and forms, which offer season-round colour and interest.
In the heat of an early summer’s day, simply sitting in the shade and looking over the gardens was a very pleasant experience (particularly over a coffee and cake from the adjacent Gustav Café!) It is clear to see how attractive this site is proving to a wide range of pollinators, and not just honey bees, as you may also see Mason and Carpenter bees, as well as wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies and birds. In the evening, moths and bats (also important pollinators) will no doubt be paying the site a visit.
This roof-top haven certainly packs a punch, and the pocket-sized planting is proving popular with Palazzo Falson visitors. Such projects inspire and motivate us to find ways of encouraging pollinators into our own gardens, balconies, terrace or rooftops. Even in the most difficult growing conditions or the smallest of spaces, it’s still possible for anyone to create space for nature.
The Pollinator Haven at the Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum was installed by Vivacity and supported by local e-NGO Friends of the Earth Malta with thanks to Aviation Cosmetics Malta and Good Earth who also supported the project.
Some useful links and further reading: Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Malta https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/visit-malta/ (self-guided tours are available all year round or by appointment with volunteer guides).
For visitor details to the Palazzo Falson, Historic House Museum https://www.patrimonju.org/palazzo-falson-new-website-under-construction or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/palazzo.falson
For details on World Bee Day, visit the UN website https://www.un.org/en/observances/bee-day/background
In the UK, the University of Bristol Botanic Garden host an annual bee and pollination festival in September (see video link below). The gardens also contain an excellent Mediterranean plant area and bat pollinator information https://botanic-garden.bristol.ac.uk/2020/09/05/pollinator-walk-with-steven-falk/
In the United States, National Pollinator Week takes place every year 20th- 26th June 2022); see https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week
The Malta Beekeepers Association publish a downloadable list of ‘Flowering Plants for Honey Bees in the Maltese Islands’ (with their Maltese, English and botanical names). https://www.maltabeekeepersassociation.com/
Vivacity offers a Mediterranean green roofing ecosystem service on the Maltese Islands https://viva-city.com/
Since 2015, Friends of the Earth Malta has run the Bee-Cause campaign to increase awareness and knowledge about pollinators in the Maltese Islands https://foemalta.org/green-resource-centre/bee-cause-hub/
Malta Wild Plants is an online guide to the flora of Maltese Islands. It was set up by Stephen Mifsud, a Gozo-based botanist and orchid expert https://www.maltawildplants.com/
Malta’s National Plant – the native ‘Maltese Rock Centaury’ (Cheirolophus crassifolius) has distinctive purple tufted flowers, which are highly attractive to many pollinating insects. This endangered, endemic plant has distinctive thick leaves, and is ideally suited to the long hot Maltese summers. Typically, the plant is found growing on cliff edges and the Maltese name ‘Widnet il-Baħar’ literally translates as ‘the ears of the sea’.
Simon and Mary Wallace, Gozo
26th June 2022
