Wild at Heart Niagara

06/11/2026

If you look closely, nature isn’t really made up of separate pieces. It’s one connected system, where everything has a role, including humans, and nothing really stands alone. This is the web of life, working all around us every day. When we trace the loop from roots to insects to wildlife, we begin to see exactly how our own local ecosystems regenerate and how our daily choices ripple through the entire loop.

06/09/2026

The Secret Language of Plants

Soil, fungi, plants, and insects are constantly communicating in ways most of us never see…

This is a free educational presentation about how soil, fungi, microbes, and native plants are all connected, and how these relationships support ecosystem health and biodiversity.

Join us at the Grimsby Public Library for a talk exploring these underground connections.

June 17th at 7pm in the Library Lounge

Please register here:
https://calendar.grimsby.ca/library/Register/2026-06-17-1900-The-Secret-Language-of-Plants-Register

If you know someone who would be interested, feel free to share.

06/09/2026

This is an incredibly helpful resource from Grow It Build It showing what many Ontario native plants look like when they first emerge in spring.

So often we’re used to identifying plants by flowers, but most of the time in the garden we’re actually seeing young shoots and it’s easy to mistake natives for weeds or invasives at that stage.

This guide includes clear photos of emerging seedlings and early growth for many native Ontario wildflowers and grasses.

If you are new to native plants and working to convert your garden areas to natives, learning to be able to identify emerging plants is…

06/09/2026

From Kayanese:

🌿Let us introduce you to the Sloat Property!
(👀We will be looking for a new name in the future)
This 40-acre ATR site is currently farmland, but not for long!

The Eco-Team is bringing it back to life 🌱
🦋 Restoring native wildlife habitat
🌳 Planting Carolinian Forests across the back section
🌾Adding a tall grass prairie, similar to what used to be at Chiefswood Park
🐝Creating pollinator zones
🍓 Along with a Fruit Forest
🦉Building Spaces for wildlife to thrive
And that's not all....
🚶‍♀️Trail systems
🫶Community gathering spaces
⛩️Pavilions

***This is a joint project with SN Wildlife and Stewardship x Kayanase
As it moves forward, community input will be a key part of shaping this space, once health and safety steps are complete.

🥹Stay tuned-this land is transforming into something truly special.

06/07/2026

With spring in full swing and many Niagara gardeners shopping for native plants, here’s a friendly reminder that “native” isn’t always native to here.

Where a plant comes from matters. Local ecotypes can make a big difference for wildlife and ecosystem health, supporting the pollinators, birds, and other species that evolved alongside them.

Not all native plants are native to here. Before you buy, it’s worth looking beyond the tag.

06/06/2026

To Chop or Not to Chop

June is the usual time for a Chelsea chop, but this year, with the cooler spring we had, many perennials are developing more slowly. That means timing is less about the calendar and more about what you see in front of you.

Before you cut, take a moment to check the plant itself. If buds are forming, leave it be. If it is still leafy and actively growing, you are likely fine to chop. And if it is small or behind this year, it is completely fine to skip it or only lightly cut back.

Height is part of the picture too this year, but it is really just another clue. Some plants are simply running small, while others are further along than they look. That is why it is best to check buds and growth together before deciding.

It is worth remembering that a Chelsea chop can delay or shift blooming a bit, which is part of how it helps stretch the season.

06/05/2026

Coming up! Another chance to purchase some more native plants!

Our 6th Pollinator Festival is only a few weeks away!

Join us for Saturday June 13. 2026
From 10am - 3pm

Vendors who will be joining us...
💐 Blooming Boulevards

🦋 Butterflyway Hamilton

🌼 Cardiff Naturescaping

🌳 Guelph Tree Trust

🦆 Hamilton Naturalists’ Club

🧤 Master Gardeners

🎤 Sean James

🐝 Pollination Guelph

🟩 Reep Green Solutions

🌱 Root Rescue

🌸 Terra Mosa Landscaping

🎓 University of Guelph Arboretum

💦 Water Farmers Guelph

🐼 WWF Canada

🪲 Xerces Society