Wild at Heart Niagara

09/16/2026

It’s seed-harvesting time now that it’s September in Ontario.

If you want to grow more native plants, gathering your own seed is one of the most affordable and easiest ways to do it. And winter sowing makes it even easier. That’s another post coming soon!

In the meantime, check out these great tips for collecting native seeds. And btw, save some of those seeds for the birds!

09/08/2026

09/06/2026

It’s that time of year again when Canadian goldenrod lights up our roadsides and fields with a beautiful glow of yellow!

It’s a vigorous spreader, so it may not be the best choice for every garden. But there are many better-behaved native goldenrods you can plant that support an incredible diversity of insects and wildlife.

09/06/2026

Native Plants for Sale!

I have a limited number of winter-sown native plants available for sale. Unfortunately, there are fewer plants than usual due to the very wet spring and poor germination this season.

Available plants:

• Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
• Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
• Gray-headed Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

If you are interested, comment “INTERESTED” and tell me which plant(s) you would like. I will message you with availability and arrange a pickup time.

Pickup in Grimsby only. $3. each. Cash payment at pickup.

09/04/2026

08/28/2026

Sharing a little video of my own garden because I thought you might enjoy seeing how I’m putting some of what I share into practice. It’s about 95% native, with just two non-native plants, globe thistle and purple coneflower, which the bees absolutely love.

My garden is far from perfect, and I made mistakes along the way like everyone else. I’d love to see your gardens too, but unfortunately Facebook doesn’t allow followers to upload photos in comments on this Page. I really wish it did.

Perhaps just tell me what’s doing well in your garden, what pollinators have visited and what you might do differently next season, so we can all learn from each other. Don’t forget to tell me where you are located.

08/28/2026

How Do We Know What Plants Belong in Our Gardens?

The land around us is divided into different ecological areas, each with its own climate, soils, plants and wildlife. These include ecozones, ecoregions and ecodistricts, which help us understand the natural characteristics of the places where we live.

So why should we care?

Because where we live matters. The plants and wildlife that naturally occur here have adapted to the climate, soils and conditions of our particular area.

Knowing where we fit within these ecological areas can help us choose native plants that truly belong here, provide better habitat for local wildlife, and protect the biodiversity that is unique to our part of the world.