Want to make your backyard (or front yard) look more beautiful, attract pollinator species and prevent flooding on your property? Conservation Halton is pleased to offer a series of workshops, Healthy Neighboursheds, which provide information about low impact landscaping. The purpose of low impact landscaping is to work with nature to create gardens that help manage rainwater, require less energy and other resources, and benefit water quality in the surrounding area. With practical information and expert insights from Conservation Halton staff, Healthy Neighboursheds will help you design and create a garden you can be proud of.
Spring Series
Getting Started! Learning to Go with the Flow
Wednesday, April 26 (6:30-8pm)
Find out how storm water is managed in your community and how it connects to you and your home at our introductory homeowner workshop. We will discuss new trends in residential landscaping, and how you can take advantage of rainwater in your garden to save money, increase your home’s curb appeal, and improve the health of our local watershed.
Building ‘Community’ Gardens: Diversifying your Garden to Create Healthier Neighbourhoods
Wednesday, May 3 (6:30-8pm)
What goes into creating a community garden? A garden not just for human beings but many non-human beings as well. A garden with more birds, bees, and biodiversity, and less upkeep, watering, weeding, and mowing? The solution is creating a nursery for diversity and naturalizing your yard by planting native species that attract pollinators. You will leave this workshop with the inspiration to create a functioning ecosystem right in your yard that will be a welcoming community for all beings.
Rain Gardens and Low-Impact Landscaping
Wednesday, May 10 (6:30 – 8pm)
At this workshop you will discover how adding a rain barrel or rain garden can be a simple, inexpensive way to direct storm water away from your home towards your plants, garden, or lawn. Manage storm water on your property using low-impact techniques that are sure to make your yard the envy of the neighbourhood.
Designing Your Native Landscape (IN PERSON)
Saturday, May 13, 9 am – 4pm
At this full day in-person workshop, learn how to design, implement, and maintain low-impact development project at home and design your own native plant gardens. We will be joined by experts in the field including ecologists, professional gardeners, landscape designers, and LID contractors. To put learning into practice, the final session of the day is a small group session where participants will meet with the experts to address your specific garden designs. A light lunch is included.
Getting Started: How “Rainscaping” Can Protect Your Property
At this introductory workshop you will learn how water is managed to protect residents from flooding as well as environmentally friendly gardening techniques to help you solve water issues on your property. Join us as we share information on local funding opportunities that can help you get started and provide resources to help you create beautiful low-cost garden projects.
The Dirt on Soil: Composting and Building Healthier Soil
Mycorrhizae, what’s that? At this workshop you will learn what mycorrhizae is and the role it, and soil play in the food web. We will also go over how soil connects to Climate Change, how it absorbs carbon, and how you can effectively compost to build better soil in your garden. This workshop will also discuss urban soil’s effect on trees, and fungal ID tips for some common wood decay, and mycorrhizal fungi.
Designing Your Native Landscape Workshop
Join us as we learn from experts about native plants and eco-landscaping. Discover why landscaping with native plants matters, how to choose the right plants for your yard, and how to harvest and clean seeds, all while exploring the latest trends, designs, and techniques in eco-gardening
Putting your Garden to Bed: Winterizing your Yard and Being Salt Smart
Gardens still need attention in the Winter – let us help you put your garden to bed naturally and create Fall/Winter interest in your yard. We will give you guidance on how to better use leaf mulch and compost as well as how to source native plants. We will also cover how salt impacts your garden and how you can be salt smart to keep your garden beautiful and healthy year-round