| When Harold Smith was at his cottage, he became intrigued with the plants there and brought them back to his home in Toronto. Thirty years later, Smith, now an accomplished architect, has a lush front and backyard of blooming native plants, wildflowers and trees, from rare Red Trilliums to wild geraniums. It‘s worth it, says Smith, for “the excitement of seeing plants come up each year, seeing them flower, develop, go through life cycles.” He is also the co-president of the North American Native Plants Society (NANPS). Founded in 1984, the volunteer-run organization is now one of the largest NGOs of its type in North America. Miriam Henriques is the other co-president of the organization, which uses education, workshops, presentations, and plant rescues, to help reverse the degradation of our native plant populations. “Animals, insects, bees and birds need that particular balance and relationship with native plants to live” explains Smith. “An example is the larvae, which needs that particular leaf in order to survive… some plants need a certain fungus to survive, and even some plants will even grow in gravel because they’re native and have adapted to that environment.” Native plant gardening provides habitats for animals, increases biodiversity and gives a much-needed home to declining indigenous plant species. That is part of the goal of NANPS, Henriques explains - “to create some of that (missing) balance – to encourage wildlife, insects, birds.” To start a native plant garden, first consider what kind of garden you want - the choices range from aquatic (wetlands, marshes and swamps) to terrestrial (woodlands, forests, savannas, meadows, and prairie). Next, start picking plants. The plants you pick must be from within 200 km from your garden to qualify as native. What is growing along the road is also not always native either, since many “wild” plants that we think are native, like dandelions, are actually among the thousands of invasive species, introduced by European colonization. “Something like the Black Eyed Susan from Quebec,” says Smith, “will have difficulty growing in Ontario, because it has different and specific genetic basin.” Fortunately, Ontario has thousands of native plant species to choose from, more than any other province,and most plants native to Southern Ontario are appropriate for Toronto. Recommended species include: Aster Ferns, Virginia strawberry, Bleeding Heart, Canada Violets, Red trilliums, Wild Geraniums, and Woodland Sunflowers. (Evergreen has an extensive database of native plants and habitats online , and the Toronto Botanical Garden has a comprehensive list of native wildflowers.) The best source for native plants is, of course, environmental organizations. NANPS holds an annual plant sale each spring the High Park Volunteer Stewardship Program has one in the spring and the fall Ontario Native Plants in Downsview, Fiesta Gardens on Christie, Sheridan Nurseries and even Home Depot also have native plants like trilliums, shooting stars, and serviceberry. Biodegradable pots made of cardboard are also available at most garden centres, including East End Garden Centre and Canadian Tire, and of course Grassroots! Peat-based pots are not ideal because of controversies surrounding the sustainability of their harvesting method.Beware that when buying most native plants from commercial nurseries are cultivated, which have low genetic diversity because they are reproduced from cutting large amounts from one single plant. High genetic diversity is vital to prevent populations from being depleted and for them to be able to adapt to environmental change and stress. To be sure, ask staff for the plant source. Be wary of labels of White Birch, Pussy Willow, as Red Maple, Snowberry, and Highbush Cranberry – they are often substituted with invasive species. Native plants like ferns and trilliums are difficult to grow in large batches, so ensure they are not dug from the wild.Maintenance of your garden is minimal; since native plants are sturdier the only thing that you need to do is weed, water a bit, and add some organic fertilizer. Leave your fall leaves to decompose into yummy mulch, or grab some free compost from the city’s depots, open weekly in the summer. (Check http://www.toronto.ca/compost/leaf.htm for details). If you’re really still intimidated try getting your hands dirty at local community gardens and botanicals that specialize in native plants. The Toronto Green Community holds training and workshops for ecological gardening in The Eglinton Park Heritage Community Garden, as well as the butterfly gardens at the Canadian Film Centre and Champlain Place. Finally, if all this just seems like too much work, the city will plant a native tree in your front property for free. Go to http://www.toronto.ca/trees/tree_planting.htm for details. For a backyard tree, LEAF offers residents subsidized backyard native tree planting. But remember, whether you're vying for a lush meadow or a woodland park or you just want to get your hands into some good ol' mother earth, your inspiration must always come and be working with: Mother Nature. As NANPS tries to do, you're working with the natural ecosystems that native plants creates to restore and preserve our ecological diversity. |