Questions of this nature are beyond a phone call consultation and it depends on the scale and nature of your project as to where you could go for further help. The most important consideration is the soil moisture and aspect. If your site is dry and hot you need to consider the use of xerophytic plants that love those conditions and you will not have to water such a landscape. Visit the Gosling Wildlife Gardens [1] at The Arboretum for ideas on wildlife friendly gardening.

Fill your garden with plants that you like. Visit The Arboretum at least once a season and take note of the plants that stand out for you. They are labeled and that allows you to read about the ones that draw your attention. If the site you have will support the plant you are interested in, then search out a nursery/garden centre or plant sale [2] that offers that species or variety.

School yard and community projects can make use of the resources at the Evergreen Foundation [3]. Schools in particular should consider the environmental curriculum framework designed by the Toronto District Schoolboard that focuses attention on sense of place, ecosystem thinking and human impact.

General plant and gardening questions can often be answered by the Ontario Master Gardeners (Guelph and Wellington County Master Gardeners can be reached at 519-824-4120 ext. 56714 or mgguelph@hotmail.com [4]. For planting on properties adjacent to natural areas, we recommend that you consider using native plants only, to reduce the possibility of adding exotic species to the area. Consulting ecologists can be located through the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) [5].