nature and imagine a garden alive with vibrant butterflies alongside the gentle hum of bumble bees. Envision a Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus) peacefully gathering pollen from a Smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides) just outside your kitchen window. With numerous environmental and human challenges imposed on insect populations, our role as gardeners has become crucial for improving the connectivity of native plants to their insect counterparts.

This beginner's guide is a testament to the most common insects in your Ontario gardens and the most beneficial native plants in your region that can bolster their populations. As you implement these practices, you will experience joy and satisfaction, witnessing the connections made and the habitat improvement for our local insect population, which will directly result from your efforts.

The native plants featured in this guide are conveniently available directly from Ontario Native Plants. This dedicated online plant retailer is committed to providing Ontario gardeners with native trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, and ferns. Customers can easily order online, and plants are shipped right to your door. Let us collectively take action and create a garden environment that enhances and preserves plant and insect biodiversity.