Our Garden
The Beginning of our TCMC Garden
In 2017, local community members joined us in the construction of large wooden planters to house a multitude of vegetables and pollinating flowers. We believe in urban gardening to produce fresh veggies for all to share. Each summer we have expanded our garden and shared raised garden beds with the local community including Kei Lok Yuen seniors group, Fountainwood Apartment residents, local food bank, and church members.
We had an incredible summer with many little helpers joining us to paint rocks, signs, plant various seedlings, and help maintain the garden. The daycare children help to water the garden and observe the changes in the plants, soil, and little critters. It was a highlight watching everyone work together to make a beautiful natural space a part of our church. We hope to continue to grow, harvest, and care for the veggies and pollinating flowers each and every summer.
Check out the photos of TCMC members coming together to build our raised beds!
PollinateTO Community Grant Garden
TCMC was granted a PollinateTO Grant by Live Green Toronto to create pollinator habitats to support Toronto's native pollinators towards achieving their goals of the City's Pollinator Protection Strategy. 5 years ago we started a pilot project to expand our garden building raised beds working with local neighbours and community leaders. In the summer of 2021, we began planting pollinator plants all around our church as a home for pollinators and other species.
Want to join us? Please contact us.
CALL TO ACTION
Steward a Raised Garden Bed
TCMC has built raised beds over the past summers, but we can't care of them all on our own. If you are interested in planting, weeding and watering a garden bed let us know. Over the years community members have enjoyed caring for a garden bed, planting vegetables, leafy greens, flowers, tomatoes etc. You can be a garden steward today!
Please contact us with your name and contact information, we will be in touch about arranging a garden bed.
PollinateTO Grants
PollinateTO provides funding for pollinator gardens located in Toronto. This year, priority will be given to projects located in Toronto’s 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs). Through its PollinateTO grants program, the City funds pollinator habitat creation projects that educate and engage the community. Up to $5,000 per project is available.
PollinateTO advances the principles and priorities of the City’s Pollinator Protection Strategy.
Pollinate TO Community Grant about Click Here
Best Practices for Pollinator Habitat Click Here
What you can do to help native pollinators?
The easiest and most effective way to help native pollinators is to plant native plants. Want tips to create a pollinator friendly garden. Visit the City of Toronto Pollinate TO site
How to create a Butterflyway through your neighbourhood
Common Plant & Botanical Name
Here are a list of plants featured in our TCMC Garden. More information about these native species
| Sweet Oxeye - Heliopsis helianthoides |
| Wild Bergamot - Monarda fistulosa |
| Common Milkweed - Ascelepias syriaca |
| Swamp Milkweed - Ascelepias incarnata |
| New England Aster - Symphyotrichum novae-angliae |
| Blue Vervain - Verbena hastata |
| Sneezeweed - Helenium |
| Lance Leaved Coreopsis - Coreopsis lanceolata |
| Virginia Mountain Mint - Pycnanthemum virginianum |
| Grey Headed Coneflowers - Ratibida pinnata |
| Boneset - Eupatorium perfoliatum |
| Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod - Solidago caesia |
| Woodland Aster - Aster divaricatus |
| Trillium - Trillium |
| Virginia Waterleaf - Hydrophyllum virginianum |
| Bottlebrush Grass - Elymus hystrix |
| Wild Ginger - Asarum canadense |
| Wood Poppy - Stylophorum diphyllum |
| Canada Anemone - Anemone canadensis |
| Jack in the Pulpit - Arisaema triphyllum |
| Wood Fern - Dryopteris |
| Parsley - Petroselinum crispum |
| Dill - Anethum graveolens |
| Sun-large Kit: |
| Golden alexanders - Zizia aurea |
| Meadow sundrops - Oenothera pilosella |
| Dense blazing star - Liatris spicata |
| Heath aster - Symphyotrichum ericoides |
| Sideoats gramma - Bouteloua curtipendula |
| Shade-large Kit: |
| Common blue violet - Viola sororia |
| Wild columbine - Aquilegia canadensis |
| Joe-pye weed - Eupatorium maculatum |
| Large-leaved aster - Eurybia macrophylla |
| Plantain-leaved Sedge - Carex plantaginea |
Pollinator Poster Contest
All age groups were welcomed to join our "Pollinator Poster Contest". With this event, we aimed to promote and educate our local community about the importance of pollinators for the health of our ecosystems and environment. A PRIZE was awarded to each winner! Any Questions? Please contact us.
Wooden Butterfly painting
Part of our Pollinator Garden is learning about different pollinator species - one being butterflies! Sunday after service we painted butterflies with the youth and children! All materials were provided. The butterflies were installed on the fence between the raised bed garden and the church ground.
Pollinator garden planting
Another warm and sunny day passed for many more plants to be part of our TCMC Garden! We can't wait to see them all flourish this upcoming summer. Many dropped by our church and checked out all the pollinator and vegetable plants that are growing.
Our gardens projects are supported by the City of Toronto through Live Green Toronto and the PollinateTO Community Grants Program.