During For Us, By Us‘ opening night, there was a “Seed Swap” and everyone was welcomed to go home with a variety of native flower and vegetable seeds. We have grOCAD and professor Sayeh Dastgheib-Beheshti to thank for their generous contributions. In conversation with the exchange that occurred on the reception evening, I thought that it would be relevant to share an educational document provided by the Toronto Green Community. This PDF is a handout from a past workshop in which you will find a myriad of information, from site assessment to seed starting a variety of native plants.
Here are some benefits of gardening with native plants:
- They are adapted and have evolved to suit the regional climate, soils and wildlife
- They are more resistant to local pests, diseases and harsh weather (require no pesticide)
- They need minimal watering
- They provide shelter and food for local wildlife (who in turn provide fertilizer enriching the soil)
- They help in the proliferations of pollinators like bees
Image from:https://www.torontogardens.com/2015/02/evergreen-canada-native-plant-database.html/