Browse these resources for inspiration, information and tools to create naturally beautiful lawns and gardens.
Stormwater Landscaping Projects
Get ready to add some beautiful and innovative design elements to your yard! Rain barrels, rain gardens, permeable pavement and other stormwater management technologies help to conserve and clean the fresh water that lands on your property on rainy days.
To help homeowners make the most of rainwater, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has created Greening Your Grounds, a 55-page step-by-step guide. It is distributed for free at our Greening Your Grounds workshops.
To find out about upcoming workshops near you, visit our Calendar of Events.
If your group or organization is interested in training to lead your own Greening Your Grounds workshop or purchasing 100-plus copies of the guide with your logo on the front cover, please contact Mary Gawen.
Creating Habitat
TRCA has produced two downloadable guides to help community groups create and maintain habitat for birds, mammals and insects. You can click on the images below to download.
The guide books are also distributed for free at TRCA Healthy Yards workshops. To find out about upcoming workshops near you, visit our Calendar of Events.
Demonstration Gardens
Get inspired to create your own healthy yard by visiting a demonstration garden in your community!
Home and Garden Resources
FACT SHEETS
“GROW ME INSTEAD” GUIDE
Invasive species are a threat to biodiversity. Horticulture is one of many pathways for the introduction and spread of invasive plants. With this in mind, the Ontario Invasive Plant Council (OIPC) and partners created a guide to help gardeners and landscapers choose beautiful, non-invasive plants.
The Grow Me Instead guide identifies common garden plants that may invade natural areas, thereby reducing native biodiversity and changing environmental conditions. It also provides a list of non-invasive alternatives for each of these plants.
This resource is available as a free download from the OIPC website.