Growing Biodiversity, One Plant at a Time

A pollinator garden is taking root at St. Andrew's College, creating a vibrant habitat for local wildlife while giving students a hands-on opportunity to learn about environmental stewardship.

The idea emerged during a meeting of the SAC Staff Environmental Committee, a cross-campus group that brings together staff from teaching, dining services, finance, communications, administration, grounds, and the Campus Shop to explore ways the school can become more sustainable. As discussions turned toward new approaches to planting on campus, the concept of a pollinator garden quickly gained momentum.

At the same time, students on the Middle School Green Team were exploring many of the same ideas. After releasing monarch butterflies on campus in September and learning about pollinator decline and biodiversity in Grade 6 science, students began looking for ways to support local wildlife and increase biodiversity on campus.

"The pollinator garden was a perfect fit," said Middle School Green Team teacher advisor, Kelsey Collins. "The garden will provide food and habitat for many bee species, butterflies such as monarchs and black swallowtails, and many other important pollinating species, helping to increase biodiversity right here on campus."

To bring the project to life, the school secured a Community Action Grant from the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, which funded all the plants and half of the required materials. Ontario Native Plants, a retailer specializing in native species, supplied the plants and helped select varieties that would best support pollinators.

Kelsey said the garden hosts 14 species of native Ontario plants that attract and support local bees, butterflies, and birds: common milkweed, smooth blue aster, grey goldenrod, purple coneflower, dense blazing star, black-eyed susan, cardinal flower, blie lobella, mountain mint, smooth oxeye, wild columbine, hairy beardtongue, lanceleaf coreopsis, and pearly everlasting.

On Sept. 22, a team of 12 Middle School students officially planted the garden in the Rogers Hall Courtyard. The highly visible location allows students, staff, parents, and visitors to watch the garden grow and see the many species it attracts.

Pollinators are animals that move pollen from one plant to another, helping plants reproduce. In Canada, pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, beetles, and even hummingbirds. Yet many pollinator species are facing challenges due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and the spread of non-native plant species. By planting native flowers that provide food and shelter, pollinator gardens play an important role in supporting healthy ecosystems.

The garden's impact will extend well beyond its environmental benefits. As part of the Middle School's new outdoor learning initiative, science classes in Grades 5 through 8 will use the space throughout the year. Students will take part in a series of outdoor lessons connected to topics such as energy, biodiversity, ecosystems, and water, using the garden as a living laboratory.

For the members of the Green Team, the new garden is more than just a collection of plants; it is a reminder that even small actions can make a meaningful difference.

As the flowers bloom and pollinators arrive, the garden will stand as a student-led example of how schools can create healthier habitats, deepen environmental learning, and help biodiversity flourish right outside the classroom windows.