RELEAF STRATFORD

Pop Up Shrub Sale
September 23rd 10AM
All items $5.00
Shrub sale of natives and nativars at 104 Delamere Avenue, Stratford. It’s a great time of year to plant. Stratford Master Gardeners will be on hand to give advice and answer questions.
ReLeaf Stratford Project to Plant Native Shrubs June 3rd
Please join us to plant native shrubs along the bank of the Avon River on June 3, 2023 starting at 9:30 am. In case of heavy rain or thunderstorms we will plant on June 4th at 9:30 am. The meeting location is McLagan Park (see map link below). Bring your own shovel if possible. There will be some additional shovels available. We also need volunteers to mulch the new plantings and pails will be provided. We will plant from the railway trestle to St. Vincent Street.
This project continues the naturalization of the Avon River bank from the John St.Weir to the Thomas Orr Dam. This local environmental stewardship action is recommended in the Upper Thames River Watershed Report Card to improve surface and groundwater quality. Funding for the purchase of native shrubs is made possible with a grant from the Donald McTavish Conservation Fund held within the Stratford Perth Community Foundation.
We appreciate the many community volunteers who came out and helped plant the first phase of the project last fall. The native shrubs planted between the John St. Weir and the railway trestle are doing well. Take time to enjoy a walk along the river and see for yourself. We look forward to seeing you on June 3rd. For further information email us at releafstratford@gmail.com.

ReLeaf Stratford Native Tree & Shrub Sale
is coming this weekend,
May 13th, 2023 9AM-1PM
The sale is at Avondale United Church, Stratford. Click the button below for pricing and descriptions of the available trees and shrubs

ReLeaf Stratford Achieved Our Goal: We Planted Over 2,022 Native Trees in the Year 2022
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.