Yard Naturalization Workshops

Yard Naturalization Workshops

Naturalization is a type of habitat restoration. It involves purposefully bringing native plants back to an area so it becomes closer to the natural landscape of the region. There are environmental, social and economic benefits to habitat restoration. These include:

• Creating landscapes that support plant, animal and insect life.
• Increasing access to nature.
• Providing learning opportunities.
• Reducing maintenance costs (e.g. mowing, fertilizing, applying pesticides and irrigating).
• Adding to curb appeal and potentially increasing the value of your property.

These workshops at Devon Public Library, in partnership with Goodworm Garden Programs, Arnica Wildflowers, and Edmonton & Area Land Trust, will help you begin your own Yard Naturalization journey! Sign up for one, two, or all three workshops.

Tues, Mar. 5: Intro to Yard Naturalization & Pollinator Habitat w/ Goodworm Garden Programs

Cost: please pay-what-you-can at the front desk on the day of the event*

*No questions asked, and no need to check-in with us about payment. We want everyone who is interested to attend, so we don't want cost to be a barrier. 

Recommended prices:

• $0
• $5
• $10
• $15

This session will introduce the who, what, why, when and how of transitioning their yard/green space into a naturalized area while learning about the benefits of native plant species to local native pollinators, primarily bees.

Tues, Mar. 12: Yard Design & Native Plants w/ Arnica Wildflowers

Cost: please pay-what-you-can at the front desk on the day of the event*

*No questions asked, and no need to check-in with us about payment. We want everyone who is interested to attend, so we don't want cost to be a barrier. 

Recommended prices:

• $0
• $5
• $10
• $15

Review of Session 1 key highlights. Participants will imagine and work on their initial plans for their own yards/green space followed by a presentation by Manna from Arnica Wildflowers on native plants. Time will be left to answer participants' questions and place an early order from Arnica Wildflowers. 

Tues, Mar. 19: Bee Hotel Workshop w/ Edmonton & Area Land Trust

Cost: please pay-what-you-can at the front desk on the day of the event* 

*No questions asked, and no need to check-in with us about payment. We want everyone who is interested to attend, so we don't want cost to be a barrier. 

Recommended prices:

• $0 - it's on us :)
• $10 - this covers 25% of the cost of your bee hotel kit
• $20 - this covers 50% of the cost of your bee hotel kit
• $30 - this covers 75% of the cost of your bee hotel kit
• $40 - this covers the full cost of your bee hotel kit

As part of their Protecting Pollinators program, the Edmonton & Area Land Trust offers bee hotel building workshops. Bee hotels provide artificial nesting sites for solitary bees, which can supplement their habitat in areas where natural habitat is hard to find. Listen to a 20 minute presentation about pollinators, and then build your own bee hotel in this hands-on workshop!

Families & friends are welcome to work on their bee hotel kit as a group.

Ages 6+ welcome, please work with an adult.

Please wear comfortable shoes & clothes for standing and moving around, and bring:

• a cordless drill with charged batteries
• a set of regular drill bits
• a set of screwdriver bits

If you don't have a drill, please email leigha@devonpubliclibrary.ca to let us know before the event. We'll find one for you to borrow!

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Please register for each individual workshop by selecting the appropriate date on the Events Calendar.

You're welcome to sign up for one, two, or all three workshops! 

For the first 2 workshops, please register separately for each person attending.

For the 3rd session (bee hotel workshop) please register separately for each bee hotel kit requested, and indicate how many people will be working on each kit in the "Notes" section of the registration form.

Drop-ins welcome, space permitting.