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McMaster Pollinator Garden

By Sophie Walsh

Sign for the McMaster Pollinator Garden made out of driftwood

Welcome to the Pollinator Garden. Originally built outside of the Life Sciences Building in 2018, the garden was relocated to the east side of the Ivor Wynne Centre High Performance Training Space in 2022, supporting local pollinators such as bats, butterflies, moths, bees, hummingbirds and more.  

The project was conceived by McMaster science alumni Katrina Cantera and Molly Bradford as an outdoor lab space to support teaching, learning and the general health and well-being of our local environment, honouring the Okanagan Charter, which encourages post-secondary institutions to promote holistic health on their campuses.

Many food plants native to Ontario, such as plums, blueberries, strawberries, melons, and squash, depend on animal pollination, and an estimated one-third of our food globally relies on it as well. When people think of pollination, they often only consider bees; however, other pollinators are also extremely important to our local ecosystem.  

Bats are the primary pollinators of more than 500 plant species in Canada, specializing mostly in fragrant plants which flower at night. Part of the purpose of this garden is to highlight other pollinators in Ontario besides bees.

During the daytime, see if you can spot monarch butterflies and bumblebees hanging around the Goldenrod or hummingbirds near the Butterfly Weed and Cardinal Flower. At night, look for moths and bats. About 2-3 hours after sunset, the little brown bat will emerge. They are recognizable by their glossy brown, reddish, or even golden coloured fur and small size, weighing only about 11 grams. This species is endangered but common to find in Hamilton, Ontario. You may also find The Big Brown Bat, which is about twice the size of the former. This species is very agriculturally valuable as it is a predator to many kinds of pests, such as beetles. 

This garden not only beautifies campus and provides the opportunity for students to learn about our local ecosystems, but it helps to support the environment through protecting many endangered species, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals related to zero hunger, protecting life on land, and creating sustainable urban centres. The Pollinator Garden is only one of McMaster’s multiple gardens which have been used as an outdoor teaching space for students, as we strive to demonstrate the importance holistic wellness on campus and throughout our educational practices. 

We hope that through spaces like this, we can inspire more people to learn about the importance of protecting ecosystems and the species we depend on in order to create a more sustainable future, as well as ease climate anxiety in students and community members by providing a way for them to observe natural systems at work.  

flowers at the pollinator garden

This garden features 12 species of native plants, including:

  • Serviceberries 
    • Amelanchier or Shadbush, produce serviceberries, which resemble blueberries and are often used in baking. These plants have fibrous root systems, allowing them to be transplanted easily.  
  • Butterfly Weed  
    • Asclepias tuberosa, also known as Butterfly Milkweed, Orange Milkweed or Pleurisy Root, has traditionally been used to treat respiratory conditions such as pleurisy.  
  • Cardinal Flower 
    • Lobelia Cardinalis is a beautiful ornamental plant with tall, fluffy looking stems and vibrant red flowers. They are known for attracting hummingbirds. 
  • Goldenrod 
    • Solidago grows to be about 3-5 feet tall, and is easily recognized by its yellow flowers. This plant is great for attracting honey bees, moths, butterflies, some beetles, beneficial wasps, leafhoppers, midges and flies.