ACTIONS
CONTAINER GARDENS FOR WILDLIFE
Create habitat on your front stoop or balcony for native birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife.
Help nature thrive wherever you are
Get your hands dirty and create habitat for wildlife with a container garden for your front stoop, backyard, balcony or an area of campus. Native plant container gardens help reconnect your space to surrounding natural landscapes and create healthy corridors for wildlife to move through. It may feel like a small thing, but it makes an impact: wildlife will find your garden and use it for food or shelter. And when people see your garden, they’ll know that they can make a difference, too.
Native plants help reverse biodiversity loss
Habitat creation comes in many forms, including gardening, a popular way for students to connect with nature in urban areas. However, ornamental gardens do little to support the birds, bees and butterflies that co-evolved with native plants. In fact, the imported and horticultural varieties we often plant typically have little food or habitat value for wildlife.
In contrast, when you plant native plants on your balcony or in your yard, you are reconnecting those spaces to the natural landscape and creating healthy corridors for wildlife to move through. No experience is required! And planting even one native plant will make a difference.
Help the spaces where you live and learn become part of a healthy and resilient future for wildlife and people. Whether you’re living in residence, off-campus, or at home, with “Container Gardens for Wildlife,” you can create a healthy habitat that suits you and your outdoor space.
Create healthy habitat one step at a time
Contribute to healthy Canadian habitats
Creating healthy habitat with native plants is easy. To get started, check out our Ecozones & Easy to Grow Native Plants resource to explore your region’s ecological needs. You can begin with a small container garden where you live, learn or work, or start a larger project. By growing native plants, you can restore wildlife habitat, sequester carbon and create a beautiful space to enjoy!
Plant big or small
Big or small, watch it grow
Connect with your Campus Sustainability Office to spearhead bigger projects that will convert lawn area to new native plant habitat.
Connect and share, track and celebrate
Record your impact for healthy habitat and celebrate your space as part of a healthy, resilient landscape.
Create your own container garden
Create a container garden in residence, off-campus, or at home, adding native plants to existing or new planters on your balcony or in your yard.
Up high, down low
Native plants can also be added to existing raised beds or gardens in your yard or around campus buildings.
How-to steps
1. Set goals & choose plants
Set goals for your container garden; for example, which birds, butterflies and bees do you want to help? To locate the right native plants for your area, use the Ecozones & Easy Grow Native Plants resource to find your ecozone and its popular, easy–to–grow native plants.
2. Plant small or big, one or many
No matter where you live, learn or work, you can create healthy habitat that suits your needs. Use our how-to video to bring your own container garden to life. If you’re interested in creating a larger garden, map out where you would like to start.
3. Get permission to plant
Make sure the others who share your space are on board with your project. Whether that’s your roommates, landlord or your employer, it’s a good idea to share your plans and why it’s important. For projects on campus grounds, contact your campus Sustainability Office or the Grounds & Facilities team to seek permission to start a planting project.
4. Gather materials & plant!
With potting soil, some fertilizer and a trowel, plant your seeds, seedlings and plants in your container of choice. Water your new habitat and start welcoming pollinators to your outdoor space.
5. Record your impact
Observe the changes and record your results on Living Planet @ Campus. In your community, share tips and plants and connect with others who want to create healthy habitat. You can also count your efforts towards your Living Planet Leader certification.
WHY PARTICIPATE
Roll up your sleeves for wildlife, increase your knowledge and skills and enjoy that special feeling that helping nature inspires! No matter the size, your project will literally grow before your eyes. Don’t forget to watch for the wildlife that prefer native plants!
Increase your knowledge and skills
Learn about the value of native plants to wildlife and how to create garden habitats that are healthy and more resilient to climate change.
Project planning and implementation
Gain experience in planning and bringing simple habitat projects to life. Apply this in your community or future workplace. More and more, workplaces are interested in engaging employees around environmental volunteerism and adding habitat to their spaces. This is a great activity you can introduce in the workforce and stand out.
Make connecting to nature a part of campus life
Making your space more nature-friendly is a satisfying experience and provides both physical and mental health benefits. Even if you are new to gardening, dig in and get your hands dirty. Planting even one native plant will make a difference.
Your Living Planet Leader certification
You can count your container garden for wildlife towards the Personal Application of Sustainability category.
Students who lead or join campus or community planting projects can count those efforts under the Leadership and Teamwork and Personal Application of Sustainability categories.