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Members of the Queen Elizabeth Public School community came together with a shared vision to establish a perennial pollinator garden that would support local biodiversity while creating a meaningful community space. Led by a dedicated group of students, the project was thoughtfully designed with a diverse selection of native plants chosen to bloom across the spring, summer, and fall, ensuring pollinators have access to food and habitat throughout as much of the year as possible. Species such as Hairy Beardtongue, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Wild Bergamot, Spotted Joe-Pye Weed, Butterfly Weed, and many others were carefully selected because of their ecological value and beautiful colours.
The Queen Elizabeth pollinator garden is still young — which makes it a particularly exciting place to observe. As new plantings establish themselves through Ottawa’s seasons, the garden becomes not only habitat for pollinators, but also an invitation to curiosity, observation, and stewardship within the school and wider community.
This accompanying field note by Ottawa-based educator and author Pria Ranganath extends the spirit of Bee & Thistle, a young naturalist field guide developed through Espace Créatif. Through close observation, storytelling, and seasonal learning, it encourages young naturalists and community members alike to look more closely at the plants taking root here and to participate in the quiet work of noticing how living systems grow.
Each plant in the garden was selected carefully for their beautiful bright colours and unique ecological benefits it provides. Together, these native species create a diverse habitat that supports pollinators throughout the growing season, provides food and shelter for wildlife, and contributes to the overall health and resilience of the local ecosystem.
Eastern Bluestar: Has beautiful, blue star-shaped flowers that provide food for pollinators early in the growing season. It is highly drought-tolerant and thrives in high-moisture soils.
Hairy Beardtongue: Fills the gap between early and mid-season food sources for pollinators, and is particularly important for caterpillars of the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly.
Swamp Rose: Native to Ottawa's wetlands, this flowering shrub is dense and thorny which provides shelter to pollinators. The fruits of this plant persist through freezing temperatures, providing a critical food source for birds during the winter months.
Wood Poppy: This endangered species plays an important role in nutrient distribution and soil stabilization.
Limestone Calamint: This rare plant is uniquely adapted to the thin, basic soil that is present in Ottawa, making it a great plant to grow in urban habitats, where limestone pavements increase the pH of the soil. It also smells great!
Pink Swamp Milkweed: An essential host for the endangered monarch butterfly, and a key nectar source for all pollinators.
Lance-leaf Coreopsis: Provides early-season pollen and nectar for butterflies, and have flat flowers that make the perfect landing pad for any pollinator.
Purple Coneflower: Not only the source of a popular herbal remedy (Echinacea), these magnificent purple flowers are pollinator magnets. Their seeds also support birds year-round!
Wild Bergamot: Supports a wide diversity of pollinators throughout the growing season, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its seeds provide a critical food source for birds during the winter.
Wingstem: A vital source of late-season pollen and nectar, this flower grows very tall and thrives near riverbanks - the perfect addition to urban biodiversity in Ottawa!
Blue Boneset: Also known as Blue Mistflower, this plant is naturally occurring along the Ottawa and Rideau rivers. It has a vast network of roots that help to stabilize the soil in those areas and prevent erosion.
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed: In addition to providing food to a variety of native pollinators, its extensive fibrous root system helps stabilize wet soil making it an excellent plant for erosion control and watershed restoration.
Butterfly Weed: 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.
Heart-Leaved Aster: During the harsh winter months, the seeds of this plant are a critical food source for birds like chickadees and goldfinches.
Hairy Mountain Mint: This plant acts as a natural pest control, attracting beneficial predatory wasps and flies that prey on common garden and agricultural pests.
Before
Our wonderful team of student volunteers hard at work, digging up the ground to overturn the soil and remove any grass or weeds.
The students shoveled fresh soil into wheelbarrows, which was then transported to the garden to bring extra nutrients to the plants.
Student volunteers working hard to put the seedlings into the ground!
Smiles all around because we are creating a more eco-friendly Ottawa!
Don't forget to give your plants a generous drink of water!
This freshly planted pollinator garden looks fantastic. Great team effort!
