New Hamilton Pollinator Paradise Map

We’ve updated our Pollinator Paradise Project Map that showcases pollinator habitats across the city. Over the summer, an incredible team of student volunteers assisted our staff in creating a better, more beautiful, more interactive story map. 

Since 2014, Environment Hamilton and the Hamilton Naturalists' Club have been building a Pollinator Paradise of certified gardens across the city to provide food and shelter for native pollinators. By doing this with our community, we are strengthening and enhancing Hamilton's unique biodiversity. 

So what exactly qualifies a pollinator garden?
The major requirement is native wildflowers - the primary source of food for our native pollinators!It is also great to provide habitats like wood, stems, leaves, and undisturbed soil. Another resource to provide is clean water.
And these pollinator gardens come in many different shapes and sizes! From small residential gardens to large park spaces over 450 square metres, every pollinator garden helps.

Who is on the map?

Residents. Corporations. Institutions. City of Hamilton. Faith communities.City of Hamilton.So far, we have over 250 certified pollinator gardens across the City. Even further than the pollinator garden certification is The Monarch Awards. These recognize gardeners in Hamilton Ontario for their contribution to a bio-diverse, sustainable environment judged on 6 categories: soil, water, plants, materials/hardscaping, cultural practices, and aesthetics.
Browse this map to see winners from 2016, 2017, and 2018. Our 2019 winners are about to be added. Click on a star to see a photo from each garden. If you want to see the photo in a larger size: click on the image and it will open in a new window!

Starting in 2019, the Monarch Awards is no longer a contest, but will become a standard of excellence.
Instead of looking for “the best” gardens we’ll be looking for all the really good ones, made by gardeners who are consciously and knowledgeably creating places where nature can thrive!
Get more information on how you can submit your garden for the monarch awards and "caterpillar" awards for newer or smaller gardens by going to www.hamiltonpollinatorparadise.org/hamilton-monarch-awards.html

It’s Your Turn: Get on the Map!

Looking to certify your own garden and get on the map? Go to:
https://www.hamiltonpollinatorparadise.org/certification.html

If you are just starting out and have no idea what you are doing, check out our brand new toolkit to help you get going.
https://www.hamiltonpollinatorparadise.org/toolkit1.html
Everybody can help with this important conservation issue. All you need is a little bit of earth to plant bio-diverse, native species plants, so go do it!