Today we’re visiting Karyn Koski’s garden in Toronto.
I would really like to share my garden adventure. I’m a Canadian environmental leader in Toronto who embarked on a mission to naturalize my city yard. I don’t have all native plants, but I’m working toward it. It’s a flurry of pollinators! And simply a joy.
Making a city yard into a rich habitat is all about adding plants. This beautiful purple bee balm (Monarda didyma, Zones 4–8) is a great nectar source.
Diversity is the name of the game. Combining different shrubs and perennials creates niches for many different insects and birds to thrive.
Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba, Zones 4–8) is native to much of the eastern half of North America and is a durable, beautiful addition to any garden.
This
Joe Pye weed (
Eutrochium purpureum, Zones 4–9) is getting ready to bloom. Notice that there are holes in some leaves. The caterpillars of several moths
feed on the leaves of this plant, and it is so vigorous it will still thrive even with some bits taken out of it.
Karyn’s natural lawn.
You can see that the garden space isn’t large, but even
small gardens can be great habitats for insects, and the tall plantings (like this plume poppy,
Macleaya cordata, Zones 4–10) can add a measure of privacy.
The side garden is so full and green you’d never guess this was right in Toronto, the most populous city in Canada.
The front garden is green, with a pop of floral color from
Hibiscus syriacus (Zones 5–8).
Looking at the front garden from the other direction, the purple leaves in front are shiso (
Perilla frutescens, annual), which is beautiful and also traditionally used as an herb in Japanese cuisine.
And there is room for a veggie garden too! I love those beautiful rusted steel planters.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
National Wildlife Federation®: Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition (Creative Homeowner) 17 Projects & Step-by-Step Instructions to Give Back to Nature
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
From the National Wildlife Federation, the largest U.S. nonprofit conservation organization, with 6 million members and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations. 17 step-by-step projects that everyone can do together make getting your family back to nature easy, educational, and fun. Over 200 color photos of backyard wildlife habitats and the wide variety of creatures they attract, plus step-by-step photos and illustrations for family projects. Learn wildlife-friendly practices for gardening, landscape design, supplemental feeders, birdbaths, nesting places, and more. Learn how to attract backyard pollinators, from bees and butterflies to beetles, bats, and hummingbirds
Get your garden certified by the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife(TM) program by following the included certification application checklist.
Wagner's 52003 Classic Blend Wild Bird Food, 6-Pound Bag
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Classic wild bird food uses the highest quality grains to attract backyard wild Birds. A high-quality mix containing Millet, milo, cracked corn and Sunflower for a wide range of wild birds to enjoy. Perfect for tube, hopper, or platform feeders. Great to feed in all seasons! Perfect for the winter, when seeds are scarce; spring and summer for hatchlings; and autumn to give energy to migrating birds. This seed will help you fill your yard with birds such as Jays, cardinals, doves, Juncos, finches, goosebeaks, any many more.
Organo Republic 16 Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix for Indoor & Outdoors
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Premium 16 Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix - Special Garden Flower Seeds Blend designed for planting indoor & outdoors across North America. With over 16 varieties and 100,000 wildflower seeds, this mix is the best solution to attract pollinators - bees, butterflies & birds are essential for garden plants health. Our Special Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix Includes White Yarrow, Columbine, New England Aster, Siberian Wallflower, Shasta Daisy, Lance-Leaf Coreopsis, Sweet William, Purple Coneflower, Blanketflower, Gayfeather, Blue Flax, Lupine, Dwarf Evening, Primrose, Mexican Hat, Prairie Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan. Easy & Fun Growing Experience with our online guides - Don’t plant disappointment - Add more colors to your wildflower garden! We send only super hearty heirloom flower seeds with the highest germination rate and fast sprout. Our detailed growing guide helps you grow seeds the garden of your dream like a PRO. Colorful Wildflower Garden from Seeds - Grow wildflowers everywhere - Indoor in window garden or Outdoors Flower garden Garden make a beautiful design for your garden borders, pathways, field or meadow and attract pollinators. Made in the USA by Small Family-Owned Business - Quality You Can Trust - Our wildflower bulk seeds variety pack are tested at the highest germination rates before being sealed to last for up to 3 years before you need to plant. Each packet of our flower seeds variety pack is resealable to make it easy to store and has its own label with a QR code for the growing instructions.
Comments
Well done! Great garden paths and the rusted steel planters rule! Nice job with the natives!
Bravo! A lovely habitat for the pollinators - and you!
Congratulations on moving to naturalize your garden area. Every bit helps.
I love the imperfection of it all. It's so refreshing to me to see people leaning toward more natural settings. IMHO it helps people with limited budgets and who can't afford expensive landscapers not feel so intimidated when they are just beginning with an interest in gardening. Thank you.
Hello from next door in Mississauga, Karyn :)
I absolutely love your garden. I'm not into perfectly manicured yards with their overabundance of Impatiens and Petunias. Yours is so natural and free looking. I love the dry creek bed and your imperfect paving stones/slabs, and the natural lawn. In fact, I love everything about your garden. Enjoy :)
I love your house and garden- so woodsy and natural which is my favorite garden style being nature/wildlife friendly.
I really love what you've done!
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in