PDF Resources and Info Sheets
Created by Halton Master Gardeners, this list was last updated in March of 2026. If you are having difficulty finding native plants in your area, this list will help. Some of the nurseries on the list do online orders. Be sure to call in advance to ensure the nursery is still active and carries the plants you are searching for.
Goldenrods are much maligned for causing hay fever (a widely circulated myth). There are some aggressive species, but many are well-behaved in the garden. They are an important late summer nectar and pollen source for a wide variety of pollinators. Read the Info Sheet from Live Green Toronto and plan to plant goldenrod in your garden this season.
An Info Sheet from Conservation Halton covering two species of periwinkle, Big-Leaf Periwinkle (Vinca major) and Small-Leaf Periwinkle (Vinca minor), which are considered invasive and destructive to habitat in Ontario.
Created by Washington State University this publication reviews the current research into black walnut allelopathy and discusses the practical significance of gardening in the presence of black walnut trees.
The Extraordinary Caterpillar
The Extraordinary Caterpillar is a 1-hour documentary that takes the audience on a playful and extraordinary visual journey into the little-known world of this tiny superhero of biodiversity. Leading scientists, environmentalists, and ordinary citizens help tell the tale of these wonders of nature. With thousands of caterpillar species in North America, stunning macro images in this film shine a microscopic spotlight to reveal their unique beauty, metamorphosis, and the essential role they play in our planet’s food web.
Nature’s Best Hope with Doug Tallamy
Douglas Tallamy discusses simple steps that each of us can take to reverse declining biodiversity and why we must change our adversarial relationship with nature to a collaborative one, drawing concepts from his book “Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard”.
Making gorgeous pollinator gardens
This 90 minute video is a presentation sponsored by the North American Native Plant Society.
| Organization | Description | Website |
| Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation | An organization devoted to changing government regulations to control the sale of invasive plants. | https://ccipr.ca |
| Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder | Search for any plant and get photos plus plant size, growing conditions and native range. | https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org |
| North American Native Plant Society | Information on growing native species, plant sales, seed exchanges, workshops | https://nanps.org |
| Carolinian Canada | A website devoted to establishing healthy ecosystems in Ontario’s Carolinian Zone. | https://caroliniancanada.ca |
| Ontario Horticultural Association | The website of the Ontario Horticultural Society. Offers advice, education, newsletters and a listing of events. | https://gardenontario.org |
| Canadian Wildlife Federation | A conservation movement to do more for wildlife before it’s too late. | https://cwf-fcf.org |
| Ontario Trees and Shrubs | An online field guide to Ontario’s trees and shrubs. | http://ontariotrees.com |
| Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre | The website contains a list of over 10,000 native plant species for North America, including images and plant lists. | https://www.wildflower.org |
| Xerces Society, Pollinator Conservation Resource Centre | Includes plant lists, conservation guides, fact sheets and pollinator information. | https://www.xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center/ |
| Bug Guide | An online resource devoted to North American insects, spiders and their kin, offering identification, images, and information. | https://www.bugguide.net |
| Pollinator Partnership | A guide to selecting the best plants for pollinators. | https://www.pollinator.org |
| Seeds of Diversity | A group of seed savers who protect Canada’s seed biodiversity by growing seeds and sharing with others. Their site has a database that lists where to source specific seeds. | https://seeds.ca |
| Ontario Invasive Plant Council | Good resources on invasive species in Canada. | https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca |
| Homegrown National Park | A website that promotes Doug Tallamy’s initiative to reduce lawn and create native plant habitat on private land. | https://homegrownnationalpark.org |
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