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.

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