RELEAF STRATFORD
ReLeaf Stratford Native Tree & Shrub Sale is coming soon, May 13th, 2023 9AM-1PM
The sale is at Avondale United Church, Stratford. Click the button below for descriptions of the shrubs and trees we will be selling
ReLeaf Stratford Achieved Our Goal: We Planted Over 2,022 Native Trees in the Year 2022

On March 16th we will feature the third speaker in our series Gardening in a Changing Climate. Sean James will be speaking on Fusion Gardening. This series, in cooperation with the Stratford Public Library, features a monthly speaker via Zoom.Climate change has resulted in worsening drought around the world including here in southwestern Ontario. Fusion Gardening blends LID (rainwater handling) with xeriscaping (drought-tolerant gardening) and folds in plantings to mitigate the effects of climate change and enhance biodiversity. One of the main focus of this style is beauty and Sean will address the backbone of each of these disciplines and discuss how to do each artfully.
Sean James is an entertaining and dynamic speaker and has been gardening professionally since age sixteen. He is a graduate of the prestigious Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, a Master Gardener and was named one of “20 Canadians Making a Difference” in the Canada-wide magazine GardenMaking.
Speakers will be recorded and can be viewed later on the Stratford Public Library YouTube channel. Register at splibrary.ca/gardening Registration for this event closes March 13th, so sign up now.
ReLeaf Stratford is pleased to announce our 2023 speaker series. Once again we are partnering with the Stratford Public Library in a series of webinars featuring experts in the field of native plants. This year’s theme is an important topic on the minds of all gardeners: Gardening in a Changing Climate. The webinars occur monthly January through April and you can register for one or for all.


2022 YEAR IN REVIEW



Native trees and plants help support an entire ecosystem. It begins with native plants which our native insects and pollinators have evolved to use as a food source. In turn, our birds and mammals eat the insects creating an intricate ecosystem built on native plants.
Non-native plants do not support our native insects to the same extent, resulting in a food desert for Ontario’s caterpillars, birds and mammals. Native insects have no evolutionary history with non-native plants and therefore, don’t have the ability to overcome the toxins those plants produce to deter predation. As an example, native oak trees support over 500 species of butterflies and moths, whereas the imported gingko supports a mere five Lepidoptera species.
Resources and Articles
Wondering which plants are Ontario natives? Check out our lists and helpful links.
Native plants are not always easy to find. To get you started, here are a couple of lists of Ontario native plant nurseries.
Our graphic illustrates the proper way to plant a tree to ensure it will be long-lived and healthy.
Learn how to identify trees in winter using buds, twigs and bark. This is a fun activity when walking in the woods.
Invasive plants threaten our native woodlands. Learn to identify and avoid this threat to biodiversity.
Check out our list of favourite books and articles on the ecological benefits of native plants.
Some plants are more important than others in supporting ecosystems.
See our list of native plants that provide the best food for pollinators in the caterpillar stage.