Helping Wild Bees in the City
#BeesLoveTrees
When we think of supporting native bees, we often think of planting flowering annuals and perennials. But trees and shrubs also flower, and they can produce hundreds of pollen-laden flowers on just one plant!
From June through November 2017, we worked in partnership with Ontario Power Generation to spread the biodiversity message that #BeesLoveTrees. Each week we shared buzz-worthy facts through social media and every month we shared a blog highlighting species that are just the bee's knees!
Read our fact sheets
Follow and Share
Follow @leaf to learn more and to share your bee-friendly garden photos using the hashtag #BeesLoveTrees. 'Bee' sure to tag us so we can share them too!
@LEAF
@Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests
@leaf_org
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Read our past blog posts:
- Is It Us, or Were There More Pollinators This Year? – October 7, 2019
- Create a Pollinator Paradise – January 28, 2019
- Create a Bee-utiful Garden – May 23, 2018
- Three Native Shrubs Adored by Bees – September 22, 2017
- Three Trees for Summer Bees – August 17, 2017
- Top 3 Trees for Spring-Emerging Bees! – June 22, 2017
- 5 Things I’ve Learned About Native Bees – June 2, 2016
- Three Ways to Help Wild Bees in the City – April 26, 2016
- We’re All A-Buzz! – March 10, 2016
If you're not already recieving our free, electronic newsletter, sign up today! It's the best way to ensure you stay informed on all of our #BeesLoveTrees activities and events.
Get Involved
What are my options?
LEAF helps property owners plant the right trees in the right places. We plant native species, which are well-suited to our climatic conditions, require less maintenance than exotic species, and provide essential habitat for wildlife. Our siting services, extensive advice, and resources on proper tree care help to ensure that the trees and shrubs we plant survive and thrive. Roughly half the value of our services is covered by our funding partners, so you get top-notch programs at a more affordable price. Read on to discover what we can grow together!
Full Service Tree Planting
Available to residents of Toronto, York Region and some municipalities within Durham Region.
Perfect for property owners who want in-person advice and the convenience of a complete planting package.
Our most popular service includes an in-person consultation with an arborist in your yard, as well as delivery and full planting service. We’ll assess the conditions in your yard and ask about your needs and preferences, and help you decide on the tree species and planting locations that best suit your yard. LEAF does all the heavy lifting – you just sit back and enjoy a greener backyard! Please note, LEAF only plants trees in backyards or fenced in side yards. If you’d like to plant a tree in your front or side yard, check out our Do-It-Yourself Program below!
Do-It-Yourself Tree Planting
Available to residents of Toronto, York Region and some municipalities within Durham Region.
Perfect for property owners looking to plant a tree in their front or side yards, or for those who simply want to get their hands dirty and plant their own tree!
Our online videos will help you get the right tree in the right place. We’ll ask you some questions about your property and your preferences, then give you customized recommendations for species and planting locations in your yard. Place your order and we’ll deliver the tree right to your door for you to plant!
Shrubs, Garden Kits, & Pawpaws
Available to residents of Toronto, York Region and some municipalities within Durham Region.
Perfect for anyone wanting to add colour, beauty and biodiversity to their yard.
Easy online or telephone ordering of native shrubs and perennials with subsequent delivery right to your door. Not only will these native plants brighten up your yard and provide essential habitat for songbirds, native bees and butterflies, many will also offer tasty treats for humans too!
Bundle Your Shrubs to Beautify your Yard!
We are now offering themed shrub bundles, designed to help you beautify your yard! A bundle of four native shrubs, delivered to your door with mulch, a planting and care guide and a specialized fact sheet will cost you only $100 + HST- that's like buying four shrubs for the price of three!
Choose from our themed bundles below:
Edible Bundles are designed to help you create your own edible urban garden. This bundle allows you to select your favourite shrubs based on taste, bloom time, fruit type, flower and fall colour, mature size or hardiness! Select any four of the following: American hazelnut, black chokeberry, common elderberry, highbush cranberry, lowbush blueberry, nannyberry, northern wild raisin, pasture rose, purple flowering raspberry and serviceberry.
The rest of our bundles contain pre-determined species. As species sell out, substitutions may be made.
Native Bee Bundles are designed to provide habitat and food sources for our native bees. This bundle contains shrubs of varying mature sizes including St. John's wort, snowberry, common ninebark and grey dogwood.
Songbird Bundles are designed to provide food and shelter for songbirds throughout the year. This bundle contains shrubs of varying mature sizes including lowbush blueberry, red osier dogwood, common elderberry, and serviceberry.
Small Yard Bundles are designed for smaller spaces while still adding beauty and biodiversity to your yard. This bundle includes lowbush blueberry, St. John's wort, and meadowsweet and snowberry.
Privacy Bundles are designed to help you attain privacy while still adding biodiversity to your yard. This bundle contains tall and dense growing shrubs including red osier dogwood, black chokeberry, bayberry and common ninebark.
Ordering Native Garden Kits
Naturalize your yard with LEAF's Native Garden Kits. Our kits come in small ($150 +HST) and large ($275 +HST) sizes and include an assortment of perennials* and shrubs that offer a simple way to beautify your outdoor space - and help the environment at the same time!
Native Garden Kits are available for spring delivery only. All kits include garden designs, a species information guide and tips to help your garden succeed.
*Please note plant species offered in the kits may change seasonally, depending on availability.
Garden Kits are only available to residents of Toronto, York Region and some municipalities within Durham Region.
We've sold out for 2024! Register to receive an early bird notification when Native Garden Kits become available for the Spring 2025 season.
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