The Butterflyway Project | Beaconsfield Garden Club

In 2021 BGC partnered with one of our members who was a “ranger” for the David Suzuki Butterflyway Project. This volunteer-led movement aims to grow more habitat for bees and butterflies in neighborhoods throughout Canada by encouraging the planting of native plants, shrubs or trees.

There is a global decline in wild pollinators which is very concerning but by planting with pollinators in mind, using native plants, we can all do our part to help them recover and thrive. This decline is due to threats such as: habitat loss, pesticide exposure and climate change…a serious problem that requires immediate action to ensure the protection of the natural environment and Canada’s food system.

We encourage all members and readers to support this project through the choices you make for your gardens.

Plant Suggestions

The Butterflyway Project’s goal is to establish habitat for local bees and butterflies in communities throughout the country.

Please consider adding more native plants to your garden. Native plants provide shelter and food for wildlife and support pollinators. Native plants attract a variety of birds, pollinators, and other wildlife by providing diverse habitats and food sources.

Three tips to support pollinators:

Growing native plants that bloom throughout the season is the most significant action you can take to support pollinators. Use the Latin name when buying plants.
Avoid using pesticides, especially insecticides.
Spread the word!

Here are some suggested perennials that support our pollinators and have been successful in our area. Buy or ask a neighbour to share. Go slowly – one plant can make a difference!

NAME	LATIN NAME	CONDITIONS
Early Blooms
Golden Alexander	Zizia aurea	Full sun – Part Sun
Butterfly Weed	Asclepias tuberosa	Full sun
Lance-leaved Coreopsis	Coreopsis lanceolata	Full sun
Western Bleeding Heart	Dicentra formosa	Filtered sun – Full shade
Jacob’s Ladder	Polemonium reptans	Shade – Filtered light
Wild Geranium	Geranium maculatum	Part shade – Sun
Mid – Late Blooms
Black-Eyed Susan	Rudbeckia hirta	Full sun – Part sun
Blazing Star	Liatris spitica	Full sun
Purple Cone Flower	Echinacea purpurea	Full sun – Part sun
Cardinal Flower	Lobelia cardinalis	Full sun – Part shade
Swamp Milkweed	Asclepias incarnata	Full sun – Part shade
Bee Balm	Monarda didyama	Part shade – Filtered sun
Late Blooms
New England Aster	Symphyotrichum novae-angliae	Full sun – Part sun
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed	Eutrochium maculatum	Full sun – Filtered sun
Zig-zag Goldenrod	Solidago flexcaulis	Shade to Part shade
Evening Primrose	Oenothera	Full sun – Part shade
False Sunflower	Heliopsis helianthoides	Full sun – Part shade
Boneset	Eupatorium perfoliatum	Full sun – Part sun

See these perennials:

Pollinator Garden Tips

Create a new garden or add native plants to an existing garden. There is no minimum or maximum size (Small space? Plant your native plants on a balcony, along a fence or in contaioners)

Plants:

Include locally sourced native plants & shrubs
Choose species that bloom at different times from spring to fall

Provide some host plants for butterflies (plants for laying eggs & feeding caterpillars)
Include plants that provide shelter from predators & the elements (e.g., big bluestem, switchgrass)

Flowers: