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What has happened to this lawn?

Native Pollinator Garden — Year Three (2026 Update)

 

This once‑monoculture lawn has now grown into a fully functioning native pollinator habitat, supporting birds, butterflies, bees, and all manner of wee beasties above and below the soil. What began as a hopeful experiment has become a mature, thriving ecosystem.

 

The Leap Year — Plants Reaching Maturity

Native gardens follow a familiar rhythm:

 

• Sleep — Year 1: roots establish (2024)

• Creep — Year 2: plants settle and expand (2025)

• Leap — Year 3: full expression and ecological stability (2026)

 

Now in 2026, the garden has officially leapt.

Plants have reached maturity, forming dense, interconnected communities. Pollinators are abundant. The soil is alive. The garden is no longer “becoming” — it is.

 

Goldenrod Update

 

In fall 2025, the overly enthusiastic Canada Goldenrod was removed to prevent takeover. It has been replaced with more well‑behaved native goldenrods:

 

• Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

• Blue‑stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago caesia)

 

These species offer excellent ecological value while maintaining balance in a high‑diversity garden. Goldenrod is a critical late‑season food source for pollinators — when most flowers have faded, goldenrod is still blooming its heart out, giving bees, butterflies, and other wee beasties the nectar and pollen they rely on to survive the fall and prepare for winter.

 

Seed Library Contribution

 

This year, the garden is producing abundant, healthy seed, and we are proudly collecting seeds for the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library. Sharing native seeds helps expand biodiversity across the region and supports community‑driven ecological restoration. Many of the plants in this garden were wintersown with seeds from the Ottawa wildflower seed library. Changing the world, one garden at a time.

 

 Certified Wildlife‑Friendly Habitat

 

In 2026, the garden was officially recognized as a Certified Wildlife‑Friendly Habitat through the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

This certification reflects:

 

• Native plant diversity

• Reliable food sources for pollinators

• Shelter and nesting habitat

• Sustainable, chemical‑free gardening practices

 

It’s a small but mighty patch of restored ecosystem — and now formally acknowledged for the life it supports.

In case you did not know!

Did you know this subdivision was built on a wetland, so it is critical to bring that biodiversity back……..one garden at a time.

• * Have you read about the declining bird populations?
• * Been worried about the floods and crazy weather?
• * Did you know that it takes ~6000 – 9000 caterpillars to raise a chickadee family?
• * Are you aware that our native insects are plant specialists and only eat native plants?
• * Native plants host these insects, which in turn feed a variation of birds. Without the insects, there will be no birds.
• * Native plants will increase the biodiversity in your garden exponentially!

Please follow along on our Blog last updated June 8, 2024

Search the resource page to find great information about why we plant native and where to source them, Look for ideas about how to make your garden more pollinator friendly.

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