Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Skincare is donating real Witch Hazel gardens across the U.S. during September, to support pollinator health.

The brand wants to do its part to help celebrate National Planting Day — a fall initiative of Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup, which kicked off on September 9th and has events planned through October.

How are bees and other pollinators connected to witch hazel?

They rely on the winter-blooming plant to gather and store pollen in the winter when all other flowers have withered away. That pollen is then used during the winter and early spring to feed pollinator babies.

Dickinson’s Pollinator Gardens are designed to include winter, spring and summer blooming plants, so that pollinators have a year-round source of pollen.

The Problem

The Center for Biological Diversity found that more than half of the 4,000 species of native bees in North America and Hawaii are declining. That means nearly one in four (347 native bee species) are at an increasing risk of extinction. Dickinson’s is committed to raising awareness about this crisis and helping to plant gardens around the country that are always in bloom to serve as a consistent pollen source.

Bryan Jackowitz, president of Dickinson Brands Inc. comments, “We’re proud to help beautify communities and support pollinator health through our partnership with Keep America Beautiful.”

Helen Lowman, president/CEO of Keep America Beautiful, adds, “Our friends at Dickinson’s understand the vital importance of pollinator health… “National Planting Day is a call-to-action designed to mobilize Americans to support local ecosystems by planting native species.”

Instagram Fans Are Supporting the Cause

Thanks to the support of their Instagram followers, this year Dickinson’s is donating 25 percent more American Witch Hazel Pollinator Gardens in comparison to their donation last year.

Consumers have the chance to win product and garden prizes when they share photos of their local wildflowers that support pollinator health, using the hashtag #WitchHazelFeedsBees — check out the tag on Instagram and Twitter.