Carolinian Naturalization

Over the course of the school year, Grade 11 Biology students have researched and grown native perennial wildflowers as part of a practical project and in support of the Carolinian naturalization on the west side of the campus. While we had a few failures, our overall success rate has been remarkable, with more than a thousand specimens of over 40 species grown from seed.

During the past week, about eighty students have transplanted these specimens to their permanent homes in the savannah near Garth Street. Arranged as single specimens, clumps and combination patches, they will grow among the native tall grass. If you get a chance, take a walk through the naturalized zone and see what is emerging.

In support of a similar effort next year, Mr. Dawn and Dr. Moffatt are asking families to donate any good usable cell packs, trays and 3” pots left over from this year’s gardening. These will be cleaned and used at least one more time before being recycled, limiting total plastic waste and strain on landfills.

Although these perennials usually take until their second year to flower, the students have given many of them such a good head start that new colour should be obvious as soon as early July of this year.

By 2012, most of the thousand specimens of native perennial wildflowers should be fully established, spreading laterally, and creating a riot of colour and habitat for butterflies and birds.

We are excited that future plans may include a chance to naturalize some of the surface drainage swales required with our new buildings, which would allow us to incorporate a whole new range of more water tolerant wildflowers, sedges and grasses, and enhance biodiversity on campus even more.