Takwaagin! Our season for gathering ripe seeds, Sweetgrass for salves and Black Walnuts for ink.
Within our nursery and pre-chosen natural areas, we gather small amounts of seed for sowing and sharing. It’s so important to leave enough for the plant to reproduce and for other creatures, especially birds, who make great use of seed heads.
The less clean-up in our gardens the better! Pithy stemmed stalks make wonderful homes for aamookaa/bees; leaving at least 6 inches of stems or making piles of stalks helps maintain habitat. More bees = more seeds!
From a design perspective Autumn is great for considering what alterations or expansions are desired for next year. It’s also a great time for planting. Cooler weather allows for less but still diligent watering until first frosts.
AlterEden began to design and rewild landscapes in 1999, connecting pollinator corridors with gardens in yards and City of Toronto parks, like the Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat.
Along with our native plant nursery we’ve also been sharing Land Stewardship and Ojibwe Culture and Language with the Minogin Gitigaanis/Gardens Growing Well Society. Together with youth from far North First Nations we replaced turf with food and medicines at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School.
Among the Lobelias of the Carolinian Forest two favorites offer extremely rare colour in late Summer and Fall : Cardinal/ishkodebagonii/Flame Flower an absolute gem and tolerant cousin Great Blue Lobelia who brings pieces of clear blue sky to aki/earth.
These and other gorgeous native plants inspire us to learn their original names. Last year alone we shared Anishinaabemowin Seed Packs and Garden Inventory Art Cards with over 1500 students, in many cases introducing them to their very first words in Ojibwe.
Language Connects People to the Land, Healthy Nature Heals Us All!
Check out AlterEden's website here.