Last year (Aug 2023), the David Suzuki Butterflyway Rangers hosted a great introductory webinar on landscaping with native wildflowers and grasses with John P. Morgan as the speaker. John is an ecologist and prairie habitat resources specialist with 40 years of experience and founded the first prairie restoration company in Canada. John has been providing presentations, classes, and training sessions on Manitoba native plants and habitat restoration for many years at the Living Prairie Museum (located in Winnipeg, Manitoba). 

Here is the link to the webinar recording: ”Introduction to Landscaping with Native Wildflowers and Grasses” (August 2023)

On Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, the Monarch Butterfly Festival celebrates its 16th annual Monarch Butterfly Festival at the Living Prairie Museum in Winnipeg. The event is great for the whole family, and admission is free.

Enjoy crafts, live butterfly displays, and our milkweed plant giveaway. Learn about pollinating insects from local scientists, experience the prairie by taking a guided hike, and take part in hands-on activities. Prairie Flora plant sale will be back to help you start your own butterfly garden. There will also be displays and activities from several partners, so you can learn more about butterflies in Manitoba.

For more information, please visit their website or contact the Living Prairie Museum. 

This article from the David Suzuki Foundation discusses the importance of turning our cities into pollinator paradises by planting native wildflowers, creating habitat corridors and conducting citywide pollinator health assessments. It highlights that while honeybees are important agricultural pollinators and have been widely introduced around the world, they are not native to North America and their proliferation may pose problems for native bee species. 

Click here to read the article

Prairie Planting Workshops

Instructor John Morgan will help you increase biodiversity in your back yard. Find out how prairie species can be included in your landscape designs, and why using native plant material is important for conservation. These four beginner workshops guide participants through site preparation, selecting plant species, seed germination, planting and maintenance for flower beds or larger prairie restorations.

Workshops will be held in-person at the Living Prairie Museum at 2795 Ness Ave. Four workshops are available, each focusing on a different prairie planting subject. Price per workshop: $15.00 + GST for non-members, $10.00 + GST for members. Workshop topics include:

• Introduction to Using Native Manitoba Wildflowers & Grasses in Your Landscape (April 11)
• Propagating, Planting & Seeding Native Manitoba Wildflowers (April 13)
• Managing your Native Manitoba Landscape + Resources for Native Plant Information (April 25)
• Manitoba Wildflowers, Grasses & Shrubs from A to Z (May 4)

Register by telephone at 204-832-0167 or contact prairie@winnipeg.ca with questions. For more information, please visit the Living Prairie Museum's website.

Pop-up Prairie Plant Sales

Ready to add some biodiversity to your backyard? Prairie Flora Greenhouse will be at the Living Prairie Museum in May with live native prairie grasses and wildflowers for sale. Select from a variety of native wildflowers and grasses to create your piece of prairie heritage! Below are the dates for the prairie plant sales:

• Friday, May 17 - 3:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday May 18 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Sunday May 19- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Sunday May 26 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Sunday June 23 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For more information, please visit the Living Prairie Museum's website.

In this video, Entomologist, Doug Tallamy explains the urgent need and how we can create sustainable native plant gardens in our homes and communities. Tallamy explains ecological goals, pollinator/plant relationships, soft landings, the toxicity of neonics, water features, how plants and soils can sequester carbon to help mitigate the effects of climate change and even renaming our native plants to avoid “weed” in their names. He gives practical advice on kicking the lawn habit and influencing young people to be better stewards of our earth.