This is a work in progress. Last update: Oct. 24, 2025
If you read just one thing, make it this short but comprehensive article in Connecticut Gardener magazine, by Kim Eierman
http://monarchawardshamilton.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Becoming-An-Ecological-Gardener.pdf
Another more comprehensive read for the curious and skeptical: “The Basics of Ecological Landscaping” from the Ecological Landscape Alliance
https://www.ecolandscaping.org/10/developing-healthy-landscapes/ecological-landscaping-101/the-basics-of-ecological-landscaping/
E. O. Wilson’s classic article “Little Things that Run the World”. Still so very relevant.
https://faculty.washington.edu/timbillo/Readings%20and%20documents/ABRIDGED%20READINGS%20for%20PERU/Wilson_1987_Little_things_that_run.pdf
This free online booklet looks at species decline and what gardeners can do: “A Flower Patch for the Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee” (Sheila Colla & Lorraine Johnson)
https://foecanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/FoE_FlowerPatchForRustyPatched.pdf
The Hamilton Monarch Awards original Scoring Rubric has a detailed “how to” for ecological gardeners. Very comprehensive.
http://monarchawardshamilton.org/rubric.html
Soil
A bit of a rant but you may like this: Give Your Garden Time, Not Money
https://www.thepointhamilton.com/2019/05/07/give-your-garden-time-not-money/
What to do about compacted soil
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/what_to_do_about_compacted_soil
Why we leave organic matter on site:
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/recycling-dead
Natural and managed soil structure: On the fragile scaffolding for soil functioning – Scientific Figure on ResearchGate. Nerdy but fascinating:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/A-sketch-of-natural-and-managed-soil-structure-characteristics-a-Natural-soil_fig1_348048378
Soil texture (more nerdy but informative stuff with lots of good graphics)
http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/soilhealth_bonding_aggregation
Soil food web
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/soils/health/biology/?cid=nrcs142p2_053868
Biodiversity and Conservation
North American Native Plant Society
https://nanps.org/
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stability. By: Elsa E. Cleland (Section of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California at San Diego) © 2011 Nature Education (very technical)
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/biodiversity-and-ecosystem-stability-17059965/
A nice summary of Doug Tallamy’s work in an interview with Margaret Roach:
https://awaytogarden.com/how-conservation-starts-in-your-yard-doug-tallamy-on-natures-best-hope/
Forest Gene Conservation Association. Preserving the genetic diversity of Ontario Forests. https://fgca.net/
Native Flowering Plants for beneficial insects. This is from Michigan but there’s no equivalent in Canadian resources that I can find. Most of the plants are also native to Ontario.
https://pollinators.msu.edu/sites/_pollinators/assets/File/Native-flowering-plants-that-attract-beneficials.pdf
Watersheds Canada ‘Natural Edge’ program for restoring/planting waterfront property
watersheds.ca (Perth office 613-264-1244)
Reliable online plant databases
VASCAN (Vascular Plants of Canada database)
https://data.canadensys.net/vascan/search
Forest Gene Conservation Association tree & shrub lists by Eco-District, eastern Ontario: https://fgca.net/species-conservation/native-species-learn/east/
Keystone Plants by Eco-Region, Nat’l Wildlife Federation
https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Keystone-Plants-by-Ecoregion
Checklist of Vascular Plants of Ottawa-Hull Region
https://archive.org/details/checklistofvascu00gill/mode/2up
Inaturalist Community Science database/ community
https://inaturalist.ca/
NatureServe Explorer (rare & endangered North American Plants)
https://explorer.natureserve.org/
Natural Heritage Information Centre Comprehensive Ontario species list (maintained by Michael Oldham) scroll down to “Species Lists”
https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-natural-heritage-information
Plant Encyclopedia from Cdn. Wildlife Federation
https://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/encyclopedias/native-plant-encyclopedia/
Database / Catalogue from Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library (regional list)
https://catalogue.wildflowerseedlibrary.ca/
Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder (include “Missouri Native” in filter list and check other databases to see if the species is native to your region) https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx
BONAP (Biota of North America Program) search by genera for range maps in USA. Helpful to check the species that might be ‘near native’
https://bonap.net/NAPA/Genus/Traditional/County
Invasive Species
Invasive Species in Ontario
https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/invasive-plants/species/
Ontario-wide list from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, naming 28 plants that should not be sold or shared in Ontario, and recommending that they should be regulated under the Invasive Species Act: https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/annualreports/arreports/en22/ENV_ProvMgmtInvasiveSpecies_en22.pdf
General Gardening Topics
Conserving Water in your Yard and Garden. This is a holistic approach.
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/em9125.pdf
Benefits of Brush Piles
https://choosenatives.org/articles/brush-pile-build-wild-friends/
Leaf Composting and Leaf Mold
http://albany.cce.cornell.edu/resources/compost-leaf-composting
Calculating the value of leaving the leaves (readable summary or 2025 research)
https://awaytogarden.com/calculating-the-impact-of-leaving-the-leaves-with-max-ferlauto/
Planting to attract Seed-Eating Birds (includes plant list)
https://laidbackgardener.blog/2019/09/02/planting-to-attract-seed-eating-birds/
When you prune it, don’t paint it:
https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/when-you-prune-it-dont-paint-it/
Road salt in winter
https://greenventure.ca/lets-talk-about-road-salt/
Native plant sources in Eastern Ontario
The Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library has a good list (“Trusted Sources”) of regional nurseries. https://wildflowerseedlibrary.ca/trusted-sources/
Finding seeds of native plants
– Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library https://wildflowerseedlibrary.ca/
– North American Native Plant Society (they have a seed exchange)
– Ontario Rock Garden Society annual Seed Exchange often has native plants
– Your local Seedy Saturday event.
– join your local environmental advocacy group and make connections with native plant enthusiasts
*Always check species against a reliable regional list for native status. Source locally*
Must-Read Authors
Doug Tallamy. Any and all of his three books. Many YouTube videos as well
Benjamin Vogt: A New Garden Ethic (don’t make this your first one 🙂
E.O. Wilson: Half Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life
An Ecology Reading List for Self-Isolating Environmentalists (all the classics)
https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/an-ecology-reading-list-for-self-isolating-environmentalists/
Aldo Leopold’s classic Sand County Almanac
The Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region Rick Gray and Shaun Booth, 2024 (the best general reference on plant species, includes range maps)
A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee Lorraine Johnson and Sheila Colla 2022 Wide-ranging, well written, with sample garden plans
Heather Holm: Pollinators of Native Plants Heather Holm. Award-winning, beautiful photographs