Pour le français, cliquez ici.
Jump to: Summary Schematic Ecological Importance Photo Gallery
Brookfield High School’s goal was to create a garden that served as a collaboration between a Medicine Wheel to honour Indigenous culture, as well as a Pollinator Paradise to increase urban biodiversity. The mix of sacred and native plants in this garden represents the intersection of culture, science, and community.
Medicine Wheels are an important part of Indigenous culture, as they show the connection between all living things — people, animals, plants, the earth, and the sky. This Medicine Wheel garden provides the Indigenous staff and students of Brookfield High School with a space to reflect and connect with their culture. Additionally, it provides a learning opportunity for non-Indigenous members of the community to be exposed to and learn about another culture.
The Pollinator Paradise hosts native wildflowers that provide a critical food source for pollinators and other native wildlife in an urban environment. Included are plants such as Red Columbine that are attractive to hummingbirds; Black Eyed Susans which are frequented by butterflies and flies; and Goldenrod, which are keystone species here in Ontario, which provide food to a wide variety of insects and birds.
Below is the layout of the garden. The colours of the flowering plants were chosen based on the colours associated with the four cardinal directions, as represented on the traditional Medicine Wheel: White for North, yellow for East, red for South, and black (represented by blue and purple flowers) for West.
These native plant species each play a unique role in supporting local biodiversity and ecosystem health by providing nectar, pollen, seeds, and habitat at different times throughout the growing season. This helps to sustain pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, while contributing to the resilience of native plant communities.
Hairy Beardtongue: Beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies especially, this flower is a crucial source of early-season nectar.
Hoary Vervain: Tough and drought-tolerant, this beautiful purple flower supports a diverse range of pollinators and their larvae.
Blue Lobelia: While they are most frequently visited by hummingbirds and long-tongued bees, this flower also supports a wide range of butterfly and moth pollinators. It is the main host plant of the lobelia dagger moth.
Wild Bergamot: Brightly coloured and aromatic to attract all sorts of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
New England Aster: This late-blooming flower is vital for pollinators building up reserves before winter. It provides essential nectar for south-migrating Monarch butterflies fueling up to cross the Great Lakes, as well as for bumblebee queens gathering energy before entering hibernation.
Giant Purple Hyssop: This plant is a great option for an urban garden as it requires minimal water, and also deters rabbits, allowing native plant patches to establish themselves without getting eaten. It also stays in bloom for more than half of the growing season, ensuring a consistent pop of colour.
Cardinal Flower: This vital native wetland perennial is the primary food source of the Ruby-throated hummingbird, which is the only species of hummingbird that is native to Ontario!
Wild Columbine: A great source of early-season nectar for pollinators, most frequently visited by hummingbirds due to its bright red colour and high-sugar nectar.
Butterfly Milkweed: A native species of milkweed that serves as a host plant for monarch butterflies at all stages of their life cycle and plays a vital role in supporting this endangered species.
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed: These plants have dense, sturdy root systems, which help them stabilize wet soils and prevent erosion along riverbanks, making them ecologically vital in Ottawa.
Swamp Milkweed: An essential host for the endangered monarch butterfly, and a key nectar source for all pollinators.
Black-Eyed Susan: In addition to being a food source for many native fauna, their high tolerance to harsh soil conditions makes them the perfect plant for native restoration projects.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis: Provides early-season pollen and nectar for butterflies, and have flat flowers that make the perfect landing pad for any pollinator.
Golden Alexander: This flower serves as the primary larval host for the Black Swallowtail butterfly. It is also highly tolerant of various environmental conditions, from dry to wet soils, making it the perfect plant for any pollinator garden.
Stiff Goldenrod: A keystone species, which means it is super important for the survival of native wildlife. It has golden flowers which bloom in late summer or early fall, to make sure pollinators and birds still have food later in the year.
Common Sneezeweed: This keystone native plant provides late-season food resources for pollinators when most summer flowers have faded. Its pollen is heavy and sticky, meaning it does not blow around in the wind, making it the perfect non-allergenic option.
Pearly Everlasting: This lovely plant acts as a protective nursery for caterpillars of the American Lady and Painted Lady butterflies.
White Snakeroot: Highly adaptable to various environmental conditions, this plant can grow aggressively and out-compete invasive species, making it the perfect choice for a rewilding project.
White Turtlehead: This plant is the specialized host plant of the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly. It grows naturally in wetlands, muddy soils, and floodplains. Its deep root system is critical for erosion control and water filtration. As such, it would be the perfect choice for a rain garden.
Common Boneset: This native Ontario perennial attracts various pollinators with its wide, composite flowers. It does well in sandy to clay soils but needs constant moisture. As such, it is a great choice for rain gardens and wet areas.
Before
A blank canvas!
Here is a rough draft of the schematic, as well as a hand-drawn map of the Brookfield courtyard done by James Kearnan. Plans are in place!
The completed garden!
Signage
After
Here is what the garden looks like 1 year later!
The Red Columbine & Hairy Beardtongue flowers are already in bloom! Taken mid June, 2026.
A huge thanks to our funders at Ottawa Community Foundation for making this project possible! If you would like to be one of the several donors who support our pollinator gardens, please contact [email protected].
