Grow Wild! Stories

Considerations for Natural Garden Design – An Introduction

There is a wealth of challenges, education and excitement involved when considering various (previous or ongoing) gardening and design projects throughout Southern Ontario. Here are some thoughts and ideas to consider whether you have dreams for your own property or a desire to pursue a fulfilling career in natural garden design.

Lance Lane

Gary Rodger was born in Chatham and has lived his whole life in Blenheim. He is a business owner, a land owner, and a father of a seven year old son. It was truly inspirational to find out that Gary has been continuing a habitat restoration project that his father started. The project began with the planting of some ash trees on part of the farm by his father, Jim Rodger, and for the past 25 years Gary has been investing more time, land, and effort to expand on what his father started.

Josh Kim

Allen Woodliffe, a retired MNR ecologist, grew up on a farm just outside of Rondeau Provincial Park. As a youth, Allen would spend endless days with friends, hunting, fishing, or biking to Rondeau. His grandparents also owned a cottage in the park where Allen would spend a few weeks each summer. Allen’ s connection to the Chatham-Kent area has held strong for his entire life because Allen and his family still live in the area and Allen still goes to Rondeau a few times a week.

Jenn South

Encouraging and promoting activities that lead to the appreciation, preservation, and conservation of Chatham-Kent’s natural heritage is part of the Sydenham Field Naturalist’s mission, explains President Denise Shephard. Denise is a naturalist and landowner in Chatham-Kent. She has lived and worked in the area all of her life. Denise resides in Wallaceburg, which is also the base for Sydenham Field Naturalists.

Breana Harkins

John Skakel is a local toymaker, historian and retired farmer, and has lived with his family in Chatham-Kent for as long as he can remember. Living on a farm has kept John in touch with nature. “We see things like deer and coyotes every now and then, as well as turtles,” John explains. But with the rapid and ongoing urbanization of the agricultural center, it is hard to keep up.

Amanda Ifejika

“I grew up there, but most likely will never move back to Niagara Falls,” says Dawne Mudford, who moved to Chatham-Kent from Niagara 30 years ago. Though she is often told how beautiful and amazing Niagara is, Dawne regularly reminds people that Chatham-Kent is equally as beautiful and amazing. When she points out the incredible things that are found here, others start to realize the beauty that is right in their backyard.

Elaine Chu

Ken Bell is a lifelong resident of the Chatham-Kent area who understands the importance of respecting and conserving the environment. Now residing in Shrewsbury, Ken fosters a strong connection to nature, actively participates in conservation efforts, and promotes environmental respect in the community.

Steven Shaw

It was a bright sunny day when I took a walk with Larry Cornelis through his family farm just north of Wallaceburg. Larry is a self-employed landscaper, naturalist and natural heritage surveyor. He and his family moved to the farm that backs on to the Sydenham River, from Sarnia in 1987. He remembers his life as a child on the farm when his grandparents lived there.

Alexandra Shade Silver

You know those teachers? The teachers you had in elementary school, who stand out in your mind and remind you of how great your childhood was? I believe I have found one of those teachers in Dresden. Lynda Weese is a retired teacher who enjoyed sharing her love of science with her students. She loves nature and always tried to incorporate it in her lessons. Driven by that passion, Lynda has also devoted a lot of her time to helping restore the natural environment in her own community over the years.

Ana Micic

For the past two years and continuing this spring, I am in the process of creating a arboretum on our property. The arboretum of approximately 2 acres is being developed in partnership with the UTRCA. To date, we have planted about 50 Carolinian trees and about 30 more are scheduled to be planted in April. There are also walking trails among the plantings and, in the longer term, I plan to develop information on each species to educate others in the importance of promoting native trees.

Jim Rule