Wild at Heart Niagara

09/27/2025

Seeing these real roots up close, rather than just a flat image, leaves an unforgettable impression of the vital role native plants play in our ecosystems.

The Tallgrass Prairie Center, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, grow native prairie plants in deep 10-foot pots so their roots can fully develop. After a few years, the plants are harvested and preserved for educational displays that can be ordered via their website.

These remarkable deep-rooted native plants (ie. Switchgrass, Pale Purple Coneflower, Compassplant, Purple Prairie Clover, Butterflyweed, Big Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, Leadplant) are essential for stabilizing soil, preventing erosion, and filtering stormwater to reduce pollutants.

This inspiring project showcases the amazing, science-backed benefits of native plants!

09/27/2025

From The Xerces Society:

How can you make sure the plants you buy are safe for pollinators? And what can nursery growers do to grow plants that won’t harm wildlife? 🌱🌼🐝

Many nursery plants, even plants labeled as pollinator-friendly, can be treated with pesticides that remain in or on the plant and can cause harm to pollinators after you bring them home.

In our new video, we are featuring stories and practices from several innovative plant nurseries to help you make the right choices! ⤵️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcdvTNM5acw

Many nursery plants, even plants labeled as pollinator-friendly, can be treated with pesticides that remain in or on the plant and can cause harm to pollinat...

09/26/2025

Think goldenrod is making your allergies worse?
Think again. 🤯

Goldenrod often gets the blame because it blooms so brightly in late summer and fall, but the real culprit is ragweed, whose lightweight pollen travels easily through the air. Planting native goldenrod not only keeps your garden glowing, it also provides essential late-season nectar for pollinators. 🐝🦋

09/26/2025

Are you ready for our Native Plant Fair on Saturday October 4th? We are! ✨

Our amazing vendors - Bee Sweet Nature Co, In Our Nature, Prairie Song Nursery and Restoration, and South Coast Gardens - will have LOTS of native plants available to purchase.

There will be educational booths from local environmental organizations, live music, and a cash café to check out at your leisure. And don't miss the presentation by Sean James at 12:30 PM, titled "Life Management: Creating a Layered Native Garden for Biodiversity."

📅 Saturday October 4, 2025 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
📍 First Unitarian Church of Hamilton (170 Dundurn St S, Hamilton)
🤝 In partnership with the Climate Action Team at the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton

09/24/2025

Curious about bumble bees? Join this webinar to uncover the hidden world of these incredible pollinators and why they matter so much to our ecosystems.

Join us to learn all about bumble bees, their nests, and how you can help them!

Where do bumble bees build their homes? Where do they spend the winter? And how do you protect bumble bees if their nests and overwintering sites are almost impossible to find?

Our bumble bee experts have all the answers to get you ready to provide your local bumble bees what they need to survive the upcoming winter.

OCT 2
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PT
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM MT
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CT
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET

The event is free! You can register now at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4USdVKxeSVSbCVajbL4L-Q

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

09/23/2025

Leave the leaves! They feed the soil, protect roots and seedlings, retain moisture, keep weeds down, and are shelter for wildlife. Help your native plants and backyard biodiversity thrive.

09/23/2025

This sounds like an informative webinar. Join Uli Lorimer on Oct 15, 6:30 PM for Pollinator Pathway’s Fall Webinar on native plants, cultivars, and garden biodiversity.

Here's the link to register:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/YmvOzQBPS5aH-k_vz64cFw #/registration

🌸🌱Do straight native species provide more for insects than cultivars? Is genetic diversity crucially important in ecological horticulture? Uli will explore both the promise and complexity of gardening for ecological health—examining the assumptions, challenges, and opportunities that shape this field (Read more…) See link in bio or below!

🔗https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/pollinator-pathway-newsletter 🔗

📖About Uli Lorimer: Uli Lorimer, a member of the Pollinator Pathway Advisory Board, serves as the Director of Horticulture for the Native Plant Trust, a leading non-profit dedicated to preserving the native flora of the Northeastern United States. In this role, he oversees the acclaimed Garden in the Woods in Framingham and Nasami Farm in Western Massachusetts, which focuses on native plant propagation and research. Uli’s impressive career includes positions at the National Arboretum, Wave Hill, and as the Curator of Native Plants at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A lifelong enthusiast of plants and biodiversity, Uli continues to study the region’s ecosystems, collect seeds from the wild, and introduce new plants to gardens. He is also a prolific author and speaker, well-known to audiences across the horticultural community. His publications include Tough Natives for Tough Places and A Native Plant Reader. His latest work, The Northeast Native Plant Primer, reflects his deep commitment to (Read more…) See link above or in bio!

09/21/2025

This is such a great initiative by Blooming Boulevards in Mississauga!
They have partnered with the City of Mississauga to make boulevard gardens legal and easy to maintain. Residents can become garden stewards for $20. per year, which waives the city permit fee and provides up to 50 native plants, a planting plan, site visits, and ongoing guidance. Stewards are only responsible for preparing the site by clearing grass and adding compost and mulch.

This collaborative, low-cost approach should serve as a model for all municipalities, making native plant gardens accessible and supported nationwide.

09/19/2025

A very informative video from Wild Ones about the effects of climate change and how we can help fight the climate crisis using native plants and landscaping strategies.

Environmental horticulturist and ecological landscape designer Kim Eierman turns climate anxiety into practical action. Learn how to design and maintain resi...

09/18/2025

Meet White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra). This is a late-summer Ontario native that thrives in wetlands and woodland edges. When in bloom in late August and September, the flowers look like little turtle heads and always stay tightly closed. So, how do they get pollinated?

That’s where bumble bees come in! Watch as this one forces its way inside to reach the nectar, brushing against the pollen as it goes. Turtlehead has really evolved for bumble bees. But not every insect it attracts plays fair, some smaller bees, like leafcutter bees, will chew a hole at the base of the flower to “rob” the nectar without helping with pollination.

White Turtlehead is also the host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly, whose caterpillars depend on its leaves. A small but mighty plant supporting big biodiversity!