Why Native Flowers are Wrongly Overlooked

What is WRONG with Native Flowers?
Southern Great Lakes & Northeastern North America
Aaron Michael O'Neil
Thesis for University of Guelph - SEDRD
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Candidate 2017

the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To all the patience, generous time, and support through these previous four years in University
of Guelph’s School of Landscape Architecture, as my unrelenting criticism of personal work
consumes the life of others and my own. To my Chippewa ancestors and family who taught
me how to live with nature and not on it, and the value of services, and how they connect to
me. To my grandmother for forcing me to create my first garden before I am old enough to
remember, and to encourage me to experience nature through its eyes as opposed to my own.
To my friends that supported me along the way, patiently, with open arms, and faith that I
would make it to the end of this incredible journey. I could not have done this without the
reminder of Nathan Perkins, who steered me toward this path of Native Flowers, and toward
a subject I have spent many years in the laboratory. Ironically, this topic weaves through
the patchwork of passions, and allows me to express everything that detracts people from
local nature, and seeing flowers through eco-centric eyes, and to start here with encouraging
people to understand the value of ecological services. I wish to thank Bob Brown and Robert
Corry for their in-depth landscape analysis lessons, and Karen Landman for helping me to
identify more plants, and further increase my knowledge of plants around me in the last
four years. Thank you to all of my professors, and especially Maurice Nelischer, Cecelia
Paine, Nadia Amoroso, Sean Kelly, and Lise Burcher for their expertise on how to apply
nature aesthetically, ecologically, community-based, and graphically for communication. The
experiences of dealing with public concern and the program allowed opportunities to listen
and talk to Cornelia Oberlander, a beacon for designing sites with plants found in the area.
These great minds have shared their years of experience designing beautiful places, and this
thesis aims to combine everything they offer and more into one guide to employing native
flowers in our landscape. My deepest appreciation goes toward my good friend Billy Hanlon,
and to my idol Cornelia Oberlander for teaching me that perseverance and patience create
good designs, and that although certain designs take extra time and effort, the rewards for
creating habitats, thriving ecosystems, and simultaneously make people happy outweigh the
lack of sleep. To my dearest partner, Cory Falconer, for all of your research assistance and
patience with me during the most difficult times, and for standing by my side to make sure I
stay true to both my goals, and the profession of Landscape Architecture. Last but not least,
thank you to my very competitive classmates, who continue to inspire me, and bring out the
best work.
iFIG 0.1: HEPATICA, Garden

the ABSTRACT
There is something about people and their love for globalization and convenience. At
whatever expense, regardless of availability, humans move species globally and grow them
in unfavourable conditions. Granted, flowers from around the world offer equally appealing
attributes; and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nonetheless, some imports are problematic,
and some places seemingly forget how useful indigenous plants are. In their home, plants
are input free. Native gardens offer pollination almost all year, hosts offer special habitats
and food. Perennials alone store more carbon due to their permanent biomass, but cities use
herbaceous natives less than they could. There is a recognizable difference between the wide-
spread use of native trees or shrubs in comparison to native perennials, especially in the
Southern Great Lakes. What is wrong with native flowers? This paper investigates local and
import detractors like availability, reputation, cost, maintenance concerns, seasonality, and
overall balancing between imports. Primary research geared toward availability, education,
and general native flower identification from three Landscape Architecture programs in
the Southern Great Lake. Perhaps a fix is as easy as applying new policies and delivering
pamphlets, or offering rebates after showing that a certain percentage of herbaceous plants fit
their native environment.
iii

75 6 8
31 2 4
table of contents
iv
HOW: METHODS
7.1 bee INSPIRING
7.2 human EVOLUTION
7.3 more EXPOSURE
7.4 green STANDARDS
7.5 habitat CREATION
7.6 efficient NURSERY
7.7 flower HUNTERS
PROBLEM: DANGER
5.1 poorer IMPORTS
5.2 most LETHAL
5.3 un-STOPPABLE
5.4 high INPUT
WHY: BENEFIT
6.1 natural BENEFITS
6.2 suitable INPUT
6.3 reduced FOOTPRINTS
6.4 host FLOWERS
6.5 cultural SIGNIFICANCE
6.6 less ANNUALS
6.7 local MEDICINE
CLOSE: WHAT’S NEXT?
8.1 the END
8.2 the REFERENCES
8.3 table of FIGURES
8.4 post SCRIPT
INTRO: BLIND
1.1 how BLIND?
1.2 business AFFAIRS
1.3 convenience ADDICT
PROBLEM: DESIRE
2.1 important IMPORTS
2.2 disregard SUITABILITY
2.3 constant DISCOVERY
2.4 famously RICH
2.5 corporate IMPORTS
2.6 tropical INSTITUTIONS
2.7 the IMPORTS
BACKGROUND: DEFINE
3.1 define NATIVE
3.2 eco-REGION
3.3 the CLIMATES
3.4 focus AREA
3.5 success-ION
3.6 the NATIVES
PROBLEM: WRONG
4.1 what’s WRONG?
4.2 stinky FLOWERS
4.3 size QUEENS
4.4 too PECULIAR
4.5 noxious BYLAWS
4.6 pop QUIZ
4.7 native OVERDOSE
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FIG 1.1: BLEEDING HEART
blind
FIG 1.2: DELPHINIUM
FIG 1.3: SUCCULENTS
FIG 1.4: PASSION FLOWER FIG 1.5: ORCHIDS
FIG 1.7 POPPY
FIG 1.6: GROUND COVERS

00. the CHAPTER1.1 blind LOVE
how BLIND?
People tend to identify with a particular love for something special
to them, whether it be a style of garden, unique species or a plant
passed down for generations. The photographs from Fig. 1.1 to
1.7 are of imports from around the worlds such as Bleeding Hearts
(Lamprocapnos spectacles) that originate from Siberia, northern China,
Korea and Japan and remains a favourite amongst designers and
nature lovers. Bleeding hearts, lilies, delphiniums, daisies and
poppies are essential for the country garden; given the right climate
and soil requirements. The Brazilian orchid in Fig 1.5 is a hybrid
between Brassia verrucosa and Miltonia spectabilis, and the name
Miltassia is a combination of Brassia and Miltonia. Unique plants
bewilder the public such as Brassia orchids that require penetration
from male wasps for pollination (Chicago Botanic Garden, 2016))
or Bleeding Heart which transforms into a princess like shape
in Fig. 1.1b. This section reveals the reasons why imports seem
favoured over natives; regarding business needs, convenience and
general aesthetic appeal.
TITLE SECTION PHOTOS:
FIG 1.1 - ASIA Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) - Garden
FIG 1.2 - EUROPEAN Delphinium - (Delphinium elatum ‘Blue Nile’) - Garden
FIG 1.3 - AFRICAN, CAUCASUS, & CHINESE Succulents (Sempervivum spp., Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’,
& Sedum tetractinum ‘Coral Reef’.) - Garden
FIG 1.4 - SOUTH AMERICAN Passion Flower (Passiflora caerulea) - Garden
FIG 1.5 - BRAZILIAN Orchid (Brassia verrucosa x Miltonia spectabilis ‘Charles M Fitch’) - Chicago
FIG 1.6 - EUROPEAN GROUND COVER (Ajuga reptans ‘Black Scallop’, Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) - Garden
FIG 1.7 - TURKISH Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale ‘Plum Pudding’) - Garden
FIG 1.1b BLEEDING HEART
2

1.2 business AFFAIRS
blind LOVE (cont’d)
Horticulturist, landscape designer and author Maureen Gilmer
writes about everyone’s first visit to the garden centre during
planting season, and how the love hormone flows at the sight
of all the beautiful and unique plants to add to their personal
garden (Gilmer M, 2016). She discusses how consumers
judgement skews from all the beauty and passion, buying plants
that do not fit their particular climate zone and ultimately end up
composted year after year. Customers and professionals alike
sometimes fail to research imports before purchasing, leaving
people unsatisfied with their gardens. There are three simple
questions consumers should be attentive to before buying a
plant:
Will it survive the winter?
Will it Fit?
Will It Grow?
Some of the best sources to find reliable information for varying
species are usually local databases that are responsible for a
given region, such as Missouri Botanical Garden. Maureen
ensures that buying native species can contribute toward greater
suitability for the climate. Extra diligence in understanding
regional climatic differences allow buyers to assess the risk of
full sun exposure in various climates such as Arizona versus
Alaska. Consumers commonly lack the origin information of
species and may remain ignorant of particular plant attributes
and care requirements. Examples include failing to recognize
some species require specific sun exposure and could cause
stress on the plant as a function of the sun’s intensity or lack
thereof. Understanding that purchasing plants should be a smart
investment, and analyzing the requirements of the plant is just as
important as the appealing aesthetics. Purchasing smart plants
allows consumers to avoid having to invest their time in having
to redo their landscapes. As climate change, urbanization and
droughts demand different plants for the landscape; it pays
to do your research (Gilmer, 2016). The carnivorous pitcher
plant (Sarracenia leucophylla) in Fig 1.8 is difficult, and their
high maintenance can leave a customer unsatisfied. When
your business is at risk, it is always best to go with the flow of
demand, and natives rarely make the cut.
parental INSTINCT
Cardon et al. (2005) shed light on
circumstances where entrepreneurs
could have an emotional attachment to
their product or business that is similar
tohavingachild.Justliketheexperience
of losing next of kin, the death of their
business is comparable to a grieving
experience. This paternal treatment
shows to have a positive impact
regarding increasing investments
overall leading to stronger businesses.
This section provides an extensive
explanation of the power of a metaphor,
and how one applies paternal instincts
to connect personally and how this can
drive business to prosper. Respected
and well-known businesses that supply
plants include Big box stores, family-
run greenhouses, and backyard tables.
The competition will always continue
between these businesses to not only
attract but more importantly retain
consumers. From experience, smaller
businesses have a harder time keeping
up with the Superstore’s GMO plants
sold very cheap, including plants from
all around the world. These plants keep
people coming back, and it does not
matter if it is the CEO or the Manager
of a family run business, selection and
variety keep customers. It is important
to have compassion on the business
owner who intends to maximize his
or her profit. Examples on how to
maximize profit include the avoidance
of purchasing products that performed
poorly one year, and if products do not
sell, do not restock.
FIG 1.8 CRIMSON PITCHER PLANT
3

00. the CHAPTER1.3 convenience ADDICT
required CONVENIENCE
Consumers desire easy, maintenance free plants that
are both beautiful and unique while producers demand
high yields at low costs. Both beautiful plants and the
crops humans grow are most susceptible to pests when
these pests consume all the species under these traits.
Pest control can prove to be time-consuming, and it
can be safely assumed customers would prefer species
that have built-in defences against pests. Genetically
engineered species seem to have become the answer
to this constant problem. These altered species contain
systemic insecticides, similar to that of neonicotinoids
and are used both as a preventive and action plan for pests
both large and small. Examples of species that systemic
insecticides deter include the extremely aggressive Asian
Long-Horned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), Magnolia
Scale (Neolecanium cornuparum), Aphids (Aphidoidea) and
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera). This topic discusses how
maintenance-free flowers and high-yield agriculture
threaten the pests that want a piece of the same pie.
“Proven Winners” are a reputable plant supplier renowned
for their indestructible, pest-free plants, and are regarded
as the solution to pest control. By doing so, they treat
all plants with common neonicotinoids (NI’s) such as
acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid,
and thiamethoxam. These “Proven Winners” have been
criticized for treating their plants with neonicotinoid
insecticides (NIs). Proven Winners (2015) argue with
peer review literature from the State of Michigan that
roots absorb NIs and move through the entire plant.
Since these NI’s move throughout the plant internally,
Proven Winners concluded: “there does not appear to be
any reason to think that flowers, trees, shrubs purchased
in garden centres have any connection to the decline of
managed honey bee colonies” (Proven Winners, 2015).
Proven Winners continue to supply North American
gardeners with natives and imports full of internal
insecticides, contaminating not only the roots and stamen
Clothianidin
Boscalid
H3
C
HN
HN
CH2
N NO2
S
N
Cl
of said species but also the nectar and pollen reservoirs. Even still,
Proven Winners conducted this USDA Study published in Genetic
Literacy Project titled” Neonics Not Driving Bee Deaths-As White
House Sets to Announce ‘Bee Revival Plan’. At the time of this
study, the use of NI’s is not considered to be a primary cause of
Colony Collapse Disorder. The information concludes that bees
come under stress from a parasite called the Varroa, inherently
promoting Colony Collapse Disorder. However, there is further
evidence of how bees protect themselves from parasitoids.
Bees are an intelligent species, they communicate, clean themselves,
and know how to prevent disease. Though like any species what
they cannot prepare for is poison (residual or not) in their direct
food source. Dorian L. Pritchard published how honey bees groom
themselves through collaborative inter-bee grooming deemed
“allogrooming”. Pritchard observed the process of allogrooming in
both Eastern and Western honey bees, and following this behaviour
all visible varroa mites falling dead to the hive floor. Honey bees
also show various other behaviours in the elimination of unwanted
pests. A study conducted by Mondet et al (2016) on a species found
in Canada known as Apis mellifera, describes another developed
behaviour. Honey bees have shown to display other removal
type operations such as self-sacrificing of older bees or selective
elimination of varria-infected brood. New colonies are formed from
survivors and overall, and evidence shows the bees survive without
treatment as long as no external threats harm them further.
THE POISON SEARCH: ((Acetamiprid) OR (clothianidin)
OR (dinotefuran) OR (imidacloprid) OR (thiamethoxam)) AND
(“Apis mellifera”). Using Open Access, Web of Science and
University of Guelph libraries, over 117 peer-reviewed results
appear for the above search within the last 12 months, November
2015 to November 2016. An abundance of articles discusses how
concentrations of neonicotinoids transfer from the plant to pollen,
ultimately ending up in the honey bees food source. Codling et al.
(2016) notes that concentrations of clothianidin and thiamexthoxam
(both harmful) exceed a given threshold for two samples. Other
toxins such as imidacloprid metabolite attained levels greater than
their parent molecule, which over winter will continue to poison
harvested honey further promoting colony collapse disorder. The
DDTCl
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4

00. the CHAPTER1.3 convenience ADDICT
study mentioned above addresses how Apis mellifera is responsible for managing the pollination of crops, and nearly 35% of
all agriculture directly rely on pollination. As expected various regions could have more crops that contain NI’s, for example,
Saskatchewan where NI’s are the most widely used method of pesticide. Codling’s study took place in Saskatchewan where bees
have increased exposure to agriculture compared to provinces like Ontario. In 2010, over one-third of all insecticide treatments
were from Nis (Codling et al., 2016). It is evident that NI’s also affect other species, such as Bumble bees (Bombus terrestris). In a
study conducted by (Thompson et al., 2015) Bumble bees were given different levels of NIs and found that all three resulted in
100% mortality rate. Other toxins such as in imidacloprid and clothianidin were tested and shown to disrupt the species appetite.
Sadly, this is only a short list of inputs sprayed for added convenience and yield.
Applying fungicide and fertilizers build up copper and these are very common in perennial fruits, and nut crops, which are
heavily reliant on bee pollination (Hladun et al., 2015). These metals impact bee health over the winter and certain metals
prevent survival along with other commonly used insecticides. David et al (2015) considered examining concentration difference
between rural and urban land, for both A. mellifera and B.terrestris, including pesticides found in plants adjacent to arable fields.
Conclusively, rural areas cross-contaminate wildflowers with a range of pesticides include: fungicides carbendazim, boscalid,
flusilazole, metconazole, tebuconazole and trifloxystrobin and the neonicotinoids thiamethoxam, thiacloprid and imidacloprid
5
(David et al, 2015). As shown in the figure below,
winter wheat and rapeseed crop sprayed in 2011 to
2013 contained large concentrations of pesticides for
not only nearby crops but also adjacent wildflowers,
and pollen collected by bees. Bees then obtained
from nests, and pollen types were analyzed to
see what concentrations harmful toxins existed
within the honey. The three pie charts to the left
extrapolated from this study illustrate the preference
of bumble bees to collect pollen from crops when
adjacent at a distance of 330m since 94% of pollen
collected is from the rapeseed (Brassica napus) as
opposed to only 21% when 1,116m from the nearest
crop. It is important to note that Malus spp., Crataegus
spp., and Rubus fruticosus are runner ups in pollen
collection for all nests. These are well known as
apple trees, hawthorns, blackberries, and normally
managed with the use of fungicides and insecticides.
Knowing where bees get their food, how harvesting
contaminated food affects their longevity, long-term
exposure will allow scientists to prevent future local
extinctions. Although convenience and high yields
are critical for human growth, the advantages of
forcing imports in their unnatural environment are
shown to be detrimental to the survival of bees.
TOTALCONCENTRATIONSOFPESTICIDExS(ppb):
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
FIG 1.10TOTAL CONCENTRATIONS OF PESTICIDES (ppb):
Brassica rapus (OSR)
POLLEN
WILDFLOWER POLLEN
HONEYBEE POLLEN
NEONICOTINOIDS
SPIROXAMINE
CARBENDAZIM
DMI FUNGICIDES
BOSCALID
Qol-FUNGICIDES
OSR OSR MARGINS WW MARGINS DURING OSR
BLOOMS
AFTER OSR
BLOOMS
POLLEN TYPES IN NEST 5
(750m TO CROP)
N/A
5%
Vicia sp.
0%Senacio
6%
Crataegus
31%
Brassica napus
32%
Sambucus nigra
10%
Rubus
fruticosus
7%
Anthruscus
sylvestris 9%
POLLEN TYPES IN HIVE 5
750m to CROP
Brassica napus
94%
N/A
1%
Crataegus
0%
Trifolium 5%
330m to CROP
POLLEN TYPES IN NEST 4
(1,116m TO CROP)
Heracleum sphondylium
2%
Brassica
napus
21%
Erica spp.
2%
Rubus
fruticosus
N/A
2%
Trifvvolium
14%
Crataegus/Malus
14%
Vicia sp 1%
1,116m to CROP
FIG 1.9 POLLEN TYPES PER HIVE

FIG 2.1 GOLDEN SHRIMP PLANT FIG 2.2: CANDY CORN VINE FIG 2.3: CANDY LILY ‘Sangria’
FIG 2.4: AKEBONO TULIP FIG 2.6: LADY’S SLIPPER ORCHID
FIG 2.5: ESPALIER
desire

00. the CHAPTER2.1 disregard SUITABILITY
important IMPORTS
The photographs observed from Fig. 2.1 to 2.7 are examples of plants
that some will do anything to exploit and grow in a given space. Taken at
Chicago Botanical gardens, master growers train fruit trees to form a two
dimensional tree against a wall in hopes of increasing convenience and
space. Fig 2.7 is a photo of a Maple Tree (Acer ginnala) taken at Chicago’s
Botanical Gardens. This ancient tree stands 75cm yet reaches heights of
10m in nature. Nonetheless, this maple tree turns fire engine red in the fall
and is one of the most desirable bonsai species. The Golden Shrimp Plant,
Poison Arrow Vine, and Candy Corn Vine are all tropical species but are
found growing in the Southern Great Lakes in various greenhouses and
homes. These desired plants sometimes offer unique sub-species like the
Iris x norrisii ‘Sangria’, which is a bi-generic hybrid between Iris dichotoma
and Iris domestica. Tulips and Day-lilies exploited for their variety due to
hybridization and mutations, this section relates to desire and why people
love the imports they do, and the blind love causing the overlooked neglect
of suitability regarding a bonsai tree . For me, it begins with desire, and
this evolves over time. At the end of this sections, the report includes a
small list of imported flowers impossible not to love.
DESIRE SECTION PHOTOS:
FIG 2.1 - SOUTH AMERICAN Golden Shrimp Plant (Pachystachys Lutea) - Chicago Botanical Gardens
FIG 2.2 - SOUTH AMERICAN Candy Corn Vine - (Manettia inflata) - Garden
FIG 2.3 - TURKISH ORIGIN (JAPANESE HYBRID) Akebono Tulip (Tulips ‘Akebono’) - Garden
FIG 2.4 - ASIAN Candy Lily ‘Sangria’ (Iris x norrisii ‘Sangria’) - Garden
FIG 2.5 - CHICAGO Tree Espalier (n/a) - Chicago Botanical Gardens, 2013
FIG 2.6 - TROPICAL WEST AFRICA Poison Arrow Vine (Strophanthus preussii) - Chicago Botanical Gardens
FIG 2.7 - ASIAN Maple Bonsai Tree (Acer Ginnala) - Chicago Botanical Gardens
FIG 2.7 MAPLE BONSAI
7

00. the CHAPTER
any INPUT
Landscape architects (LA’s) and designers
may introduce plant species that are not
compatible with their new habitat, or the
plants around them. For example, the City
ofTorontoallowedtheplantingofmultiple
Tulip Trees (Liorendoron tulipifera) in
Berzcy Park at the heart of downtown.
DTAH et al. (2013) created a manual
on Tree Planting Solutions for Hard
Boulevard Surfaces and explains how a
Tulip Tree requires ample room for their
aggressive roots. It is only fairly urban
tolerant, and the study incorrectly notes
the susceptibility to aphids, rather than
Magnolia Scale (Neolecanium cornuparum).
The scale is difficult to maintain with
multiple trees and impossible with urban
stressors. Questionably, did Landscape
architects consider if Berzcy Park’s
patch size offers enough resources for
these trees with the constant threat of
urban development? I left a detailed
message with the city to respond with
their methods of prevention/treatment for
Magnolia Scale and received no return
call. It would be my assumption that
systemic insecticide would help to retain
the trees, and the silva cells may provide
enough room for the roots. Notably, these
are major inputs, for a tree suitable for
another space.
Similarly, expecting to plant an acid
loving Hydrangea in soil with limestone
bedrock does not provide blue flowers,
as the limestone keeps the soil alkaline,
and the flower will turn pink. Instructions
say to input acid in forms of vinegar, pine
any LIFEST YLE
Understanding the lifestyle of a plant
will ensure its return. Whether it is a tree,
import, or native, the outcome may be
different based on the species at hand. For
example, Delphiniums are biennials that
require the re-sowing of seeds for future
generations. I plant the autumn seeds
upside down so the following year they
continue their cycle. There are also many
self-seeding annuals like Angel Trumpets
(Datura inoxia) which will flower the first
year, die in the frost, yet the seeds will live
through some winters and germinate in the
spring. Without the knowledge, one may
expect something that will not happen,
or disappointed when a plant takes over
unexpectedly. Understanding aggressive
lifestyles of plants is critical for not
ending up with a nightmare of a garden.
Snow-on-the-Mountain (Aegopodium
podagraria L.) is evil, commonly found as
invasive ground-cover. For one, it is rather
irritable to skin, and secondly, a blow
torch is required to remove it. One tiny
root particle will regrow within a couple
weeks. Granted, planting aggressive
species side by side can result in one
plant losing, or one (or both) competing
to outgrow their maximum size. Planting
Beebalm (Monarda didyma )beside Globe
Thistles (Echinopsritro) result in extremely
tall flowers, as they compete for sunlight
and grow taller than they should. One of
them is native, the other an import and Fig
2.8 shows the outstanding performance of
these aggressive plants together.
needles, or granular mix so consumers may have
the rare colour of blue in their garden. Blue is
very popular because it is rare. During the year I
was employed at Floristy Canada’s oldest flower
shoppe, blue flowers were the most popular
demand, and blue food colouring and floral spray
paint worked wonders! People will do anything
for a blue flower, including the addition of blue
food dye, or pouring acid onto alkaline-based
soils. Also, as someone who loves a blue and
orange garden, I know this is true. Some plants
have different lifestyles, and consumers may
place two plants that require different inputs,
one will start to die or both eventually die until
someone changes the less appropriate plant out.
2.2 disregard SUITABILITY
8FIG 2.8 BEE BALM & GLOBE THISTLE,
Billy Hanlon, 2016

00. the CHAPTER2.2 disregard SUITABILITY
any CLIMATE
Consumers and designers sometimes make
the mistake of adding plants to where
they conflict with either requirement of
surrounding plants, or their immediate
environment. Average temperatures
measured against a plant’s tolerances to the
climatic region’s highs and lows determine
the plant’s climatic tolerance (Government
of Canada, 2016). This understanding of
a plants climatic range should encourage
appropriate usage of plants. Micro-climates
exist in all places and can work for or against
the gardener. Rooftop and alley gardens
have little soil, and water evaporates
more quickly, requiring more water. It
is most important to select the right plant
for whatever climate and micro-climate
presented. Another mistake is placing full
shade plants in the full sun, drought tolerant
species with one that and sometimes they
overgrow everything else. Some plants,
however, come from mountain tops in
other countries and find other places less
restricting, and invasive species can quickly
sweep across a nation, either becoming quiet
additions to the ecosystem or destructive.
Fig 2.9 shows North America’s climate
zones, with the focus area shown in the red
boundary. Notably, the purple dotted line
represents a trend of warmer zones, as it
sweeps down from the west coast along the
Western Mountains, and warmth is pushed
up along the Appalachian Mountains. The
area around the Southern Great Lakes
shows this dramatic effect where the green
to yellow zones are found only this high
north around these basins of water, until the
other coast.
9
CLIMATE NORTH AMERICA
FIG 2.9 PLANT HARDINESS USDA PLANT HARDINESS, 2016

00. the CHAPTER
evolving ATTRACTION
Speaking from personal experience, I evolved as a plant enthusiast from point A to point Z, where A means choosing the familiar, and the latter in choosing plants for
aesthetics, functionality and suitability. The plants above are pictures I took over the years as my desire for flowers evolved. At five years of age, my grandmother
insisted I learn to grow my own garden, and I wanted nothing other than imported Hens-and-Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum). My grandmother taught me to appreciate
native flowers first, but they were everywhere and I want the special ones from beyond my childhood. Over the years, I went from loving imported common lilies
and hostas to more unique varieties of those. I started designing structures and became a florist at Gammage Flowers Inc. This followed with investing in more
unique nurseries; then foraging through forests, and further educating myself by visiting botanical gardens around the world. Today, I study landscape architecture
at the University of Guelph and learn to employ plants for their natural services, unique qualities, and most importantly, their suitability toward improving the urban
environment. Nonetheless, there seems to be a standard pattern of discovery when people find their passion. One that leads to more unique varieties, hybridization, or
new combinations of species, at any cost. How humans grow tired of the last season date back to the Tulipmania and as recent as the Day Lily craze in the last century.
now1990 2004 2008 2012
2002 2006 20142010
4TH
GARDEN & GAMMAGE
All Shade Garden & Florist
Study Functional Flora
LANDSCAPE ARCH. @ UoG
Hens & Chicks Wall
TODDLER GARDEN
1ST
SELF BUILT GARDEN
Hostas, Roses, Lilies
Lillium, Hoya, Orchid
EVOLVING OBSESSION
Walls, Greenroof, Deck
DESIGN STRUCTURES
3RD
GARDEN & HORT CLUB
All Season Perennials
Woodland & Wetland
NATIVE OBSESSION @ UWO
PERENNIALS MANAGER
Flora Experiments, All New
10
FIG 2.10 Hens and Chicks
FIG 2.12 Tons of Orchids
FIG 2.11 First Lily Garden
FIG 2.13 Tulip Garden
FIG 2.14 Georgian Bay Deck
FIG 2.15 Flower Arrangement
FIG 2.16 Woodland Hepatica
FIG 2.18 Artificial Wetland
FIG 2.17 Pollinator Garden

00. the CHAPTER
tulip-MANIA
Trading tulips began in the early 17th Century, after the Dutch imported
these flowers from Turkey, and began cultivating them, and developed the
first modern market. Mutations in tulips led to extremely expensive varieties
that only the wealthiest could afford. Christopher C. Day (2004) of Syracuse
University discusses Tulip-mania (1634-1637) and the successful empire the
Dutch created through innovative tulips. He states how The Netherlands built
the models for the first modern economy. During Tulip mania’s peak, between
1635 and 1637, the Bubonic Plague killed over 17,000 people in Amsterdam,
and residents felt threatened by war from Spain. The mass-hysteria from fear of
one’s death allowed for the Dutch to gamble everything they had on tulips. A
single bulb could cost family fortunes. The report explains how in any modern
market, new flowers show patterns in standard pricing, unique varieties are
prized and sold at higher prices initially, but as these plants accumulate in
less than 30 years they sell for their reproduction cost. Within 30 years, their
precious heirloom tulips multiplied, family assets depreciated. The economy
collapsed, and it was not until the 1920’s that scientists discovered the virus in
tulips causing the mutation (Day, 2014). Genetic variation in flowers remain
an intense market today, and history repeated itself after the 1934 Day lily
cultivation book published in 1986, followed by what I call the Day lily Craze.
day LILY
Not too long after, a geneticist by the name of Arlow Burdette Stout
wrote 350 papers on hybridization in 36 years; the New York Botanical
Garden (2003) discusses Stouts over 50,000 cross-pollination experiments,
including the landmark book published in 1934, and reprinted in 1986 (just
before the last day lily craze). In the same vein, the first double-blooming
Stella de Oro day lily was granted Stout Silver Medal in 1985 (American
Hemerocallis Society Inc, 2015); 30 years later, it is one of the most over-
planted varieties ever created. Don Engebretson comments about the
beginning of the day lily trade 30 years ago and compares the Stella de Oro
as one of the greatest examples of the Emperor’s New Clothes syndrome.
There are commercial parks mass planted with this particular day lily
(Engebretson, 2003). Buyers cannot stand it, for it’s everywhere, and the
majority have moved on from the day lily craze. Fig 2.19 showcases the
flower heads from varieties I grew, species I personally picked from a list
of over 300 different kinds from a friend’s farm. A woman who spent the
entire 90’s driving around North American auctioning for prized day lilies.
One bulb in particular (Mozambique Nights) cost her $300 at the peak of
the day lily craze. This day lily was worth the money and budgets rarely
outweigh beauty.
11FIG 2.19 LILIES FROM GARDEN

00. the CHAPTER
12
IMPORTED DAYLILIES:
FIG H1.1 - ‘Mozambique Nights’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.2 - ‘Light Years Away’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.3 - ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.4 - ‘Flasher’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.5 - ‘Smith Brothers’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.6 - ‘Sallie Brown’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.7 - ‘Piano Man’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.8 - ‘Winds of Love’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.9 - ‘Yabba Dabba Doo’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.10 - ‘Trahlyta’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.11 - ‘Mad Max’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG H1.12 - ‘Prairie Blue Eyes’ (Hemerocallis) - Garden
FIG HI-1 FIG HI-4FIG HI-3FIG HI-2
FIG HI-9
FIG HI-7FIG HI-6FIG HI-5
FIG HI-12FIG HI-11FIG HI-10
FIG HI-8

00. the CHAPTER2.4 famously RICH
show a general trend from awarding designers for something created in the past to
something that builds for the future. Native flowers do not fit in the picture, and
the top 10 gardens according to National Geographic (2010) include:
1. Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
22-hectare quarry reclamation in 1904 to an area with 700 plant varieties
2. Villa d’Este Tivoli, Italy
Known as the largest fountain complex in the world
3. Stourhead, Warminster, England
Picturesque, known for the recreated ruins from Roman and GreekArchitecture
4. The Master-of-Nets Garden Suzhou, China
Known for complex pavilions, bamboo groves, and waterside seating
5. Château de Versailles France
101 acres of landscaped beds, lakes, paths, and fountains
6. Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew Surrey, England
132h of landscaping, bonsais, orchids
7. Powerscourt Gardens: Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland
19 hectares of formal walled gardens, ponds, waterfalls
8. Dumbarton Oaks Washington, D.C.,
Known for a Merchant-Ivory setting, vines, terraces, Roman architecture, and pools
9. Gardens of the Villa Éphrussi de Rothschild St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France.
Venice style villa, fountains, temples, lapidary gardens, and other sculptures
10. Sans Souci Potsdam, Germany
Fredrick the Great built this summer palace, with RomanThemes and Chinese teahouses
unlimited BUDGETS
Do current designs recreate royal gardens of the past? Globalization began through the unlimited budgets of royal powers, as they funded summer palaces and private
hunting parks. Royal gardens built with huge pockets remains a primary catalyst for desiring imports, as icons in the landscape for today’s garden, and showcase few
flowers from the Southern Great Lakes. These royal gardens act as precedents for today, and in order to recreate these we must import plants. Furthermore, media
outlets take people into the homes of famous people with lavish gardens, or high-maintenance country gardens, it is more often than not the style of garden people wish
to emulate. Most of these praised gardens lack native flowers, they represent conquering nature and globalization. These should be reminders of what not to do, and
the award-winning design should be not for recreating the past, but building for the future. National Geographic of all publications should be talking about the top 10
gardens that protect our ecosystems, those that fill in the gaps for all local species. A new hybrid of design that encompasses the best of both, and the following awards
BUTCHART: VANCOUVER
FIG 2.20 Butchart Gardens Pinterest, 2016
1
VILLA D’ESTE: ITALY
FIG 2.21 100 FOUNTAINS ALLEE Arthur Peck, 1915
2
STOURHEAD: ENGLAND
FIG 2.22 Stourhead Gardens Revisited
Hircock, 2006
3
MASTER-OF-NETS: CHINA
FIG 2.23 VIEW OF MAIN POND
Christian Gänshirt, 2013
4
13

00. the CHAPTER2.4 famously RICH
award WINNING
The most popular places win awards, and people gravitate toward them naturally, even if it is to criticize it. There is a trend toward naturalization, as shown below
showcasing what design won awards over time, and how they compare most recently. The goal is to capitalize and promote the trend moving toward fewer imports and
more naturalization. The biggest problem with competitive designing is that the city chooses the winner based on originality and budget. It is painfully hard to design
and build something unique within the budget and time. I admire intricate architecture and landscapes as the spacing, pricing, and on-site supervision can eat up a
budget, or decrease a landscape architect’s personal dollar per hour. Budgets for buildings may be underestimated to win the competition, and the plant material might
end up with the bare minimum. Looking at our focus group, the following list of new institutional or corporate funded landscapes that have won an award from both
the CSLA and ASLA. The awards below showcase a general trend from 1996 to 2016. Beginning with Yorkville Park built in 1996, it imposed various native plants in a
small urban patch, and the design did not support the plants as much as the theme. Then there is a very successful Corktown Flood Protection and Neighbourhood Park
built nearly 20 years later. The two use native species, but the latter use them successfully for planting them in their suitable environment. Overall, a greater number of
awards are going toward places that use native flowers more. Whether it is the lavish Michigan Avenue Streetscape, or the Grow More Manual for the City of Toronto,
tonnes of imports remain very popular and lead to awards winning designs.
14
YEAR AWARD CITY DESIGN CONTRIBUTORS
2001 National merit Toronto, ON University of Toronto St. George Campus Open Space Master Plan Urban Strategies Inc.
2002 Regional Citation Toronto, ON Canada Blooms 2001 Janet Rosenberg & Associates
2003 Regional Merit Toronto, On Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat Envision - The Hough Group
2004 Regional Citation Toronto, ON Lester B. Pearson Garden for Peace and Understanding PMA Landscape Architects Inc.
2009 National Honor Toronto, ON Lake Ontario Master Plan Field Operations
2011 Design Toronto, ON Green Roof Garden @ Nathan Phillips Square Podium PLANT Architect Inc./STIP
2016 National Award Toronto, ON The Grow More Manual: City of Toronto Forest & Field Landscape Architecture
2016 Design Toronto, ON Samuel Smith Artificial Ice Trail The Landplan Collaborative
2015 Regional Citation Lake Ontario Lake Ontario Revitalization Project Scott Wentworth Landscape Group
2014 Regional Honor Toronto, ON Victoria Park Subway Station - Green Roof & Landscape Scott Torrance Landscape Architects
1996 Award of Excellence Toronto, ON Village of Yorkville Park Ken Smith LA
2003 Design Merit Award Chicago, IL Michigan Avenue Streetscape Douglas Hoerr
2003 Analysis and Planning Award Milwaukee, WI A vision for the Menomonee River Valley Wenk Associates Inc.
2007 Communications Award Chicago, IL The Chicago Green Alley Handbook Hitchcock Design Group
2009 Honor Awards Cleveland, OH Rockefeller Park Strategic Master Plan Siteworks
2016 Award of Excellence Toronto, ON Underpass Park PFS Studio with The Planning Partnership
2012 Honor Awards Toronto, ON Canada's Sugar Beach Claude Cormier + Associes Inc. Montreal
2016 Honor Awards Toronto, ON Corktown Flood Protection & Neighbourhood Park Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
2016 Honor Awards Detroit, MI Detroit: A Field Guide to Working With Lots Inland Press
2016 Landmark Award Chicago, IL Michigan Avenue Streetscape: 20 Years Later Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects
Before20102011-TodayBefore20102011-Today
AWARDS CANADIAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
2001 National merit Toronto, ON University of Toronto St. George Campus Open Space Master Plan Urban Strategies Inc.
2002 Regional Citation Toronto, ON Canada Blooms 2001 Janet Rosenberg & Associates
2003 Regional Merit Toronto, On Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat Envision - The Hough Group
2004 Regional Citation Toronto, ON Lester B. Pearson Garden for Peace and Understanding PMA Landscape Architects Inc.
2009 National Honor Toronto, ON Lake Ontario Master Plan Field Operations
2011 Design Toronto, ON Green Roof Garden @ Nathan Phillips Square Podium PLANT Architect Inc./STIP
2016 National Award Toronto, ON The Grow More Manual: City of Toronto Forest & Field Landscape Architecture
2016 Design Toronto, ON Samuel Smith Artificial Ice Trail The Landplan Collaborative
2015 Regional Citation Lake Ontario Lake Ontario Revitalization Project Scott Wentworth Landscape Group
2014 Regional Honor Toronto, ON Victoria Park Subway Station - Green Roof & Landscape Scott Torrance Landscape Architects
1996 Award of Excellence Toronto, ON Village of Yorkville Park Ken Smith LA
2003 Design Merit Award Chicago, IL Michigan Avenue Streetscape Douglas Hoerr
2003 Analysis and Planning Award Milwaukee, WI A vision for the Menomonee River Valley Wenk Associates Inc.
2007 Communications Award Chicago, IL The Chicago Green Alley Handbook Hitchcock Design Group
2009 Honor Awards Cleveland, OH Rockefeller Park Strategic Master Plan Siteworks
2016 Award of Excellence Toronto, ON Underpass Park PFS Studio with The Planning Partnership
2012 Honor Awards Toronto, ON Canada's Sugar Beach Claude Cormier + Associes Inc. Montreal
2016 Honor Awards Toronto, ON Corktown Flood Protection & Neighbourhood Park Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
2016 Honor Awards Detroit, MI Detroit: A Field Guide to Working With Lots Inland Press
2016 Landmark Award Chicago, IL Michigan Avenue Streetscape: 20 Years Later Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects
Before20102011-TodayBefore20102011-Today
AWARDS AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
FIG 2.24 CSLA, 2016
FIG 2.25 ASLA, 2016

00. the CHAPTER2.5 corporate IMPORTS
15
FIG 2.26 EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY, 2006
just GLOBALIZE
The media, global corporations and trade have minimal boundaries, now with the Internet; the limits from importing other countries resources decrease
for most. Although today’s Internet media, magazines, and television have only capitalized on one’s love to have things from around the world. Food, for
example, companies can certify their products as a “Product of Canada” for food if they can prove that they spend > 51% of the production costs in Canada
(Marketplace, 2007). The majority of edible ingredients will contain plant sources from all around the world (Marketplace, 2007). In 1996, Canadians were
importing billions of dollars of fresh produce, by 2004, Ontarians’ importing $4 Billion Dollars worth of produce more than it exports (OPIRG, 1996).
Sometimes we purposely move plants and animals, and other times they unknowingly hitch a ride. Regardless, as global trade increased, so did the number
of alien species in 11 different countries across Europe (European Environment Agency, 2010). The table shown in Fig 2.26 shows that Europe had nearly
1500 imported plants before 1900, and as a result of globalization, that number reached 2500 imported primary producers by the year 2008. From the
history of trading plants across far reaches, colonization, and the corporate suburban move, history repeats itself online through marketing and transatlantic
monopolies. The examples of conquest and subsequent conquering of distant lands for resource acquisitions reappear over time. The fact remains, global
corporations consume smaller industries as they go bankrupt, then produce global products, and profit off global demand (Marketplace, 2007). As this
occurs, not only products in the grocery store contain imports, so do the landscapes, and ideas that transfer between countries as a result of international
design firms. As research and development cross borders, it allows for global standards. Still, some ideas may lead to adverse development, like urban sprawl
or the erosion of cultures through colonization.
CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF ALIEN SPECIES ESTABLISHED IN TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT IN 11 COUNTRIES
> 1900 1900 to
1909
1909 to
1919
1920 to
1929
1930 to
1939
1920 to
1929
1970 to
1979
1950 to
1959
1940 to
1949
1960 to
1969
1980 to
1989
1990 to
1999
2000 to
2008
4000
500
1500
2500
3500
0
1000
2000
3000
TOTALNUMBEROFSPECIES
PRIMARY PRODUCERS VERTEBRATESINVERTEBRATES

‘trading’ PLANTS
China’s land grab continues to be recurring
history, though this time Africa is receiving
more in return. Both China and Africa have
both felt threat from Western Colonization,
so mutual understanding and compassion
exists between the two countries. National
Geographic (2014) states how together they
share educational initiatives, redevelop
wastelands and introduce new GMO crops that
are disease, drought, and pest resistant. Even
though the citizens of Africa are suspicious of
these new crops, people continue planting them
as China invests billions of dollars in Africa’s
arable land to increase their food imports to
100 million tonnes of food in 20 to 30 years to
avoid shortages. Africa holds 60 percent of the
world’s arable land, and due to the percentage
of arable land continuing to degrade elsewhere
Africa became a prime location for agricultural
investment. Noticing this opportunity China
started redeveloping Africa into an even
larger powerhouse exporter of food (National
Geographic, 2014). Dambisa Moyo is a
Zambian international economist and writes
in her book DeadAid about how the seizure of
these crops for exporting goods leave scarce
traces of food for locals to eat. Since Africa’s
first episode of colonization, agricultural
land and crops began to be purchased by
international industries leaving limited space
for locals to grow their food. The food that
sent back to Africans are predominantly
canned, which is ironic due to crops used for
the less nutrient dense canned alternatives
are grown on African land. The investment
in export crops outweighs funding toward
farmers producing local food (DeSchutter,
2012). Billions of dollars have been sent
from developed countries to feed starving
children in Africa; within the time frame of
1999 and 2009 from organizations such as
Live 8, Make Poverty History, Millennium
Development Goals, African Commission,
and the 2005 G5 Summit (Moyo, 2009). It
is questionable as to why Africa continues to
struggle to feed their people when they have
more arable land than Canada?
Africa has faced many problems during their
history of development, stemming from
European colonies coercing and exporting
over 15-million slaves during their prime
years for agricultural labour. A generation
gap hindered the passing traditions, skills
and techniques to utilize their unique
climate. After slavery began to decrease
globally, European countries then divided the
continent of Africa at the Berlin Conference
in 1884-85 without support from existing
territories and cultures (Marsten, 2011). This
act introduced taxes, bred hostility, and was
used to coerce Africans into farming the most
arable land for export crops. In the same vein,
over-cultivation became a significant threat
toward desertification. After 17 countries
gained their Independence in 1960, many
international nations acquired colonial norms
and attitude, which had impeded Africa
during it’s oppression.

It is also ironic that the western civilization
colonized Africa with an abundance of wheat,
corn, and soy that wiped out sustainable crops
for Africa like Amaranthus, Chenopodium
quinoa, Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) etc, and
within the last decades, Western civilization
has reported these seeds as “super grains”. It
is ironic that agriculture originated in Africa,
and has now reverted to where Africans are
learning about Western agricultural methods
from Eastern teachers. These western style
infrastructures include green energy, high-
density highways, electricity, high-quality
drinking water, and western foundations in
ecology and agriculture. Globalization is not
just about love, it’s about power and survival.
Native plants seem to be the polar opposite of
globalization, as they strive in locations that
they originated from.
15
FIG 2.27 HUNGER, FOOD SECURITY, AND THE AFRICAN LAND GRAB
Schiffman, 2013
FIG 2.28 AMARANTH “THE OTHER POWER GRAIN” - Ippolito, 2015
16

industrial VERSAILLES
Applying the word “Versailles” to a factory is
another victim of globalization. Back in 1956,
General Motors (GM) opened what Life Magazine
(1956) called ‘The Versailles of Industry’ in Warren,
Michigan. The article explains how this $100 million
dollar estate housed 25 buildings. There were 11
miles of roads, 85 acres of parking lots, an artificial
greenbelt with 13,000 trees, a futuristic aluminum
dome, and the large lake shown in Fig 2.29. The
landscaped areas totalled 320 acres, and the imported
Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) is the only tree
listed in the article (Life Magazine, 1956). Google
Earth (2016) offers a street view in Fig 2.30 of the
GM plant 60 years later. Vast parking lots, very short
turf and the place looks very uninviting. Sadly, most
corporate and industrial sites look like this.
Heather Smith (2015) of Grist talks about the
replacement of marshes with office blocks. Block
after block with perfect green lawns, endless parking
and reflective cars, and the same setbacks from the
road. City’s usually resort to planting the minimums
regarding tree and other vegetations, usually found
the in same linear fashioned. These perfectly dotted
trees frame the entrances to these corporate blocks
Smith explains how this type of design had evolved
from older roots. Back then, there were two options:
the downtown office, or factory town. Chicago’s
19th Century South Side factory town controlled
everything for their residents, banning alcohol. This
Utopian city was the first of the kind, although the
Bell Labs in New Jersey created the first ‘Corporate
Park’ , similar to General Motors (GM’s)Versaille.
Olmsted’s firm designed the Bell Labs, and she
quotes Louise Mozingo’s expertise in his book
titled Pastoral Capitalism: A History of Suburban
Landscapes, how paranoia forced big companies
into the rural landscape out of fear of working in
FIG 2.29 GM , Life Magazine, 1956
FIG 2.30 GM , Google Earth, 2016
17
target areas. In 1942, architect Eliel Saarinen
wrote a master plan for Detroit to encourage
suburban business parks to disperse their
businesses as a mitigation strategy in the
event of bombings. He said that the right
dispersion factor would reduce property
damage. Enveloped in rational fear, people
were afraid of war and the urban sprawl. To
compromise, business’ designed park like
settings to inspire people to appreciate the
suburban workplace. Louise Mozingo (2011)
writes that if we ought to rethink urban
sprawl, we should start with office spaces.
In the same way GM used their power to
build alongside super architects, Facebook is
building a 435,000 square foot angular shed
designed by Frank Gehry. Today’s office
parks funded by huge corporations have solar
panels, recycled water, and vegetative roofs
(Smith, 2015). Why is it only the corporations
with a reputation to uphold, what about the
grocery stores, public schools and small
office spaces? Mozingo (2011) suggests that
even without worrying about climate change,
low-density buildings post-peak oil creates
costly regions, and municipalities should add
zoning codes that require pedestrian, bicycle,
and mass transit links to residential and retail
land uses. The continuous spreading of offices
over large zones negatively impact social
movement, thus corporations disconnect
themselves from the public realm. Between
the desire for urban sprawl from post-war
fear, and today’s ‘starchitect’s’ corporate
Versailles, the use of native species remains
a bare minimum. Nonetheless, corporate
infrastructure is much easier to control than
the media, television, and print combined.

home & GARDEN
From the comfort of home, the garden make-
overs industry tantalizes viewers with plants
that may nor may not be suited for their local
ecosystem. How does this industry impact the
publics desire? It is through internationally
renown festivals sponsored by all the famous
TV shows, magazines, and channels dedicated
to teaching others of all the possibilities and
wonder. The problem with this is that there
are very few conversations about Northeastern
North American flora, even more specifically
the Southern Great Lakes. Other places across
North America have a tendency to fall through
the cracks too. Toronto’s Home and Garden
show offer the latest plants, hybrids, and rare
acquisitions from around the world. It is a
bizarre competition out there after all my years
of attending exhibits, botanical gardens, and
Home and Garden shows around the Southern
Great Lakes. Everyone is competing, and in
Click bait, Facebook and Twitter feeds, and online
blogs expose Internet users with a storm of ideas.
Unlesstheseusershaveadirectlinktonativespecies
in the Southern Great Lakes, they observe species
offered in the global context. Next thing you know,
I’m looking at the top 15 plants for hummingbirds,
and only a third of the plants are native to the area
(Kindersley, 2008). The other two-thirds are from
around the world, including places from Chile,
Argentina, Japan, Russia, N. China, and Europe.
Are they suggesting a hummingbird from North
America wants plants from around the world?
These are articles intended for a global community,
many unique places are left out. HGTV television
is convincing people that imported Miscanthus
spp., Giant Reed Grass (Arundo donax), Japanese
Barberry (Berberis thunbergii), Lily of the Valley
(Convallaria majalis) Amur Honeysuckle, (Lonicera
maackii) or Burning Bush (Euonymus alata) are
best suited for native wildlife. At the same time,
regional forestry campaigns work effortlessly to
remove them from the ecosystems they destroy
(Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program,
2016). Douglass Tallamy (2009) discusses
how most suburban landscapes consist of high
maintenance, non-native ornamental plants. Over
time humans convert forests, wetlands, and other
spaces for huge expanses of lawn, dotted with
non-native trees. He explains that as a result, 3400
species invaded over 200 million acres of the US.
He further connects how 95% of the 200 million
acres is either suburban/urban matrix or various
forms or agriculture. As many as 33,000 species of
plants and animals lose their home by people that
are influenced to buy imports. The United States is
at risk of losing 40 percent of their song birds over
this century (Tallamy, 2009). If media exposure to
these imports did not exist, would people stick to
native species?
all my years of attending these exhibits, perhaps
one or two stands focus on plants native to the
area. These native flower stands seem less busy
than this year’s new lilies, tulips, and orchids.
There are entire festivals dedicated to these three
flowers alone, and they market very few of these
native Wood Lilies (Lilium philadelphicum). It
would be interesting if there are any exhibits
outside this area that showcase native flowers to
the Southern Great Lakes, they certainly do not
appear on television.
Home and Garden television shows promote
native species, food sources for birds, and other
important aspects of native plants, although these
outlets rarely showcase species within the focus
area. This information can sometimes lead the
consumer to plant imports. Straight from HGTV
is a site about adding food for the birds. Totten
(2016) discusses adding non-native species
like European Viburnum (V. opulus), European
Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia), Japanese
Crabapple (Malus floribunda), and Japanese
Barberry (Berberis thunbergii). The quicker
fixer- upper is also one of the negative aspects
of the HGTV. People want what they see on
TV, think they can do the same, and proceed to
plant non-native species. I’ve had clients that
want roof top gardens from examples they saw
in Los Angeles, insisting on a tropical paradise,
at any expense. The rooftop garden designed
in Fig 2.31 consisted of mostly tropicals, from
Canna Lilies to Oleanders and very large indoor
house plants. The homeowner did not care that
the $2000 spent required replacement each year,
the look and appeal meant more. Designers also
have to worry about what people expect from
what they see on social media.
18
FIG 2.31 TROPICAL THEMED ROOFTOP DESIGN WORK

cut FLOWERS
Perhaps one of the biggest tropical industries that inspires people
to buy imports is the cut flowers business. As a florist at two
different places in London Ontario, and at one of the oldest flower
shops in Canada (Gammage Flowers), I can say from experience
that natives rarely make the cut. The floral designs I created to the
right show this, and you may be able to point out the three natives:
Liatris, Butterfly Milkweed, and Eastern White Cedar (Cedar was
only made available at Christmas). Flower shops tend to stick to
tropical flowers, as someone who ordered from wholesalers such as
Hofland’s at two different flower shops in my life, the selection of
native plants are seasonal, and many of the unique show-stoppers
are not appreciated. Exceptions are Liatris (Liatris spicata), Asters,
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), some Christmas greens,
and seemingly Solidago, although I called Gammage Flowers on
November 19, 2016 to confirm. Rebecca Walker MacDuff, CAFA
confirmed that the native Solidagos do not have the vase life, and the
selected one for cut flowers is an import, as well as the Asters. She
confirmed nothing changed in the area since I left. I can say from
personal experience, 3 out of 5 instigated customers to complain
about paying “x” amount of dollars for a ditch weed. Knowing your
customer and how to use native plants in floral design could allow
for it, but at the end of the day, natives were rarely the focal point.
Why? Flowers in our habitat are seasonal, therefore less exposure
to their availability, and many of them cannot be cut and survive a
vase for long enough to satisfy the customer. Tulips may have the
shortest vase life, and make a rare expectation to short lived cut
flowers. In all fairness, local flowers are not given enough chance
to be cut flowers, and natives alone do not make a very profitable
arrangement, as people do not believe in paying high value and
labour for ditch weeds (exceptions are when person loves natives
more than imports). What are the defining factors that make people
lovers of nature, are they born loving native plants, or are they
taught how important they are. The desire to have imports in your
garden definitely impact decisions at the greenhouse, in the past it
may have been the apothecary.
19
FIG 2.32 AARON’S FLORISTRY @
GAMMAGE FLOWERS

imported MEDICINE
The following list was amended to include only non-
native herbs, research collected fromA-Z of Medicinal
Herbs. Composed by Penelope Ody (1993), a Member
of National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) and
for-worded by the Executive Director of the American
Botanical Council, Mark Blumenthal.
Agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria - Actions: Astringent,
diuretic, tissue healer, stimulate bile flow. Can be applied as
tea, wash, gargle, and eye washes for conjunctivitis at 10 g
her to 500 ml of water.
Wormwood Artemisia absinthium - Actions: digestive tonic,
expels worms, antibiotic, antiseptic. Sesquiterpene, lactones,
thujone, insulin, hydroxycoumarins. Native to Europe, Asia,
Northern Africa and naturalized in Canada.
Garlic Allium saticum - Valued for anti-biotic, expectorant,
promotes sweating, reduces blood pressure, anticoagulant,
lowers blood cholesterol, lowers blood sugar, anti-histamine,
anti parasitic. Native to Central Asia.
Borage Borago officinalis - Valued for relief of eczema,
anti-rheumatic, relieve irritable bowel syndrome, regulate
menstruation. Mediterranean region native.
Cabbage Bassicaoleracea - Valued for anti-inflammatory, anti-
bacterial, heals tissues by encouraging cells to proliferate,
liver decongestant. Native to Southern Europe.
Elecampane Innula helenium. - Valued Native to southern
Europe and Asia, introduced to North America, and
naturalized.
Tea Camellia sinensis - Valued for stimulant, anti stringent,
anti-oxidant, antibacterial, diuretic, anti-tumour agents
found in green tea. Green, black, and oolong are made from
the leaves of the same species. Evergreen shrub native to
China.
Shepherd’s Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris - Valued for
astringent, reduces bleeding, antiseptic, circulatory
stimulant, reduces blood pressure. Native to eastern
Europe and Asia, naturalized across North America.
Has heart shaped seed pods. It is invasive.
Chamomile Botanical - Valued for anti-inflammatory,
anti-spasmodic, bitter, sedative, prevents vomiting.
Valerianic acid, cyanogen. Only native to Western
Europe.
Eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus - Valued for antiseptic,
expectorant, reduces blood sugar, aromatherapy. Native
to Australia and Tasmania.
Maidenhair Tree Ginkgo biloba - Valued for relaxing
blood vessels, circulation stimulant, seeds for anti-
fungal and antibacterial properties. This species lived
through the Jurassic and Cretaceous, the only one left
in its family is this, and is Native to China.
English Lavendar Lavandula augustifolia - Valued
for relaxation, antispasmodic, circulatory stimulant,
tonic for the nervous system, anti bacterial, analgesic,
carminative, antiseptic.
Common Flax Linum usitatissimum - Valued for
antitussives, anti-inflammation, vitamins A, B, D, E,
linseed oil.
Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis - Valued for sedative,
anti-depressant, relaxes peripheral blood vessels,
antispasmodic, antiviral, antibacterial. Melissa comes
from the Greek word for ‘honey bee’, and has the same
healing properties as honey and royal jelly.
The best known species for ailments are from
other countries, when compared to species of the
Southern Great Lakes. The use of vegetation for
medicinal purposes, global trade, home design,
and floral design from cut flowers, these billion
dollar corporations increase the desirability of
imports over natives.
20FIG 2.33 ENGLISH LAVENDER,
DAVID LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, 2011

00. the CHAPTER2.6 tropical INSTITUTIONS
civic INSPIRATION
This section talks about institutions like acres of public botanical gardens, civic spaces, campus squares, and the sanctions that govern a particular region. Plants in
Tourism is a topic of its own, but it must be kept in mind the entire goal of planning a public square is to accommodate a large gathering of people and attract attention
These places show off their wealth by showcasing their large, lavish imported plants, moreover conquering nature. This perspective leaves visitors and locals with
a lack of knowledge on native plants. These domains governed for the public realm can prevent the existence of a species statewide, or federally; depending on the
species. In the end, bylaws that enforce regulations frequently profit, and reinvesting the money in public space to show off flowers from around the world. These
institutions often neglect adding native plants; since when do people expect the typical plant in a place they deem to be special? Who will pay for such a common
plant? Perhaps education systems can inspire people to love native plants at an earlier age, perhaps leading them to pursue Landscape Architecture or Horticulture
for example.
botanical GARDENS
People observe various species from around the world at plant sanctuaries for a small
fee, and sometimes no price at all. The botanical gardens of the Southern Great Lakes
exist in places like Niagara Falls, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Hamilton while
other options include additional greenhouses, arboretums, and swathes of colourful
gardens. The photos to the left in Fig 2.34 taken from the Chicago Botanic Garden.
The botanical gardens in Chicago include both native species and non-native, and this
trend continues throughout the city and specifically at landmarks such as Millennium
Park. The City of Chicago has made the incentive to incorporate the native plants into
their infrastructure and is at a point of which their evolution and usage of greenery are
leading toward restoring the city of Chicago’s original roots. Chicago continuously
fights against the threat of globalization, and perhaps only until a population has grown
tired of all the possible imports can it start investing in native species at the botanical
gardens, further inspire the public, and encourage city officials to install primarily
native plants in public spaces. The city of Chicago has unique green programming
and history of conservation, parkland creation, and Pleistocene re-wilding (Chicago
Wilderness, 1999). When I biked around Chicago, I learned about local plants as
many botanical tags existed in public parks. Even so, non-native species are the
centrepieces, some dangerous tropicals like Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium), Castor
Beans (Ricinus communis) and Oleanders (Scrivener, 2009). At botanical gardens, there
is no fear of planting aggressive and dangerous species such as Japanese Knotweed
(Fallopia japonica), and I observed the Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) in
Niagara Falls a couple of years ago. If people visit these places and do not research the
plant, they plan to awe citizens, promote tourism, and potentially inspire them to plant
these dangerous plants at home. To prevent the misuse of plants viewed in well-cared
for places is education; there are just too many plants, and too much competition.
21
FIG 2.34 THREE PHOTOS AROUND CHICAGO BOTANIC, Chicago

00. the CHAPTER
big COMPETITION
Please enjoy the selected imports from my collection of
photographs taken inside my gardens, and in botanical
gardens around the Southern Great Lakes. Some are
hardy, others are tropicals, and a couple have seeds that
can germinate over winter. The goal here is to understand
why we desire imported plants, and when discovering the
origin of these species, it becomes apparent that there are
beautiful flowers around the world, and it becomes harder
to not want them all. The photographs were grouped by
colour theme, and a selection of day-lilies I grew to support
the constant need for variety, and hybridization. Fig 2.35 is
of a Toad Lily (Tricyrtis ‘Sinonome’), and remains a garden
favourite for brightening up a shady spot at the end of
the growing season. These pictures remind us during an
argument against imports how unforgivably desirable they
are.
2.6 the IMPORTS
22FIG 2.35 TOAD LILY, Garden, 2016

00. the CHAPTER
RED and ORANGE IMPORTS:
FIG RI-1 - Red Lantern (Hibiscus schizopetalus) - Chicago
FIG RI-2 - Geum (Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’) - Garden
FIG RI-3 - Butterfly Orchid ( Psychopsis mariposa) - Chicago
FIG RI-4 - Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Golden Lights’) - Garden
FIG RI-5 -Blackberry Lily (Iris domestica) - Garden
FIG RI-6 - Mexican Milkweed (Asclepias Curassavica) - Garden
FIG RI-7 - Globeflower (Trollius chinensis ‘Golden Queen’) - Garden
FIG RI-8 - Tropical Lady Slipper (Cypripedium superbiens) -Chicago
FIG RI-9 - Crocosmia (Crocosmia ‘EMILY MCKENZIE’) -Chicago
23
FIG RI-1
FIG RI-2
FIG RI-3
FIG RI-4 FIG RI-7
FIG RI-5
FIG RI-6
FIG RI-8
FIG RI-9
FIG RI-13 FIG RI-14
FIG RI-10 FIG RI-11
FIG RI-12
FIG RI-10 - Mandarin Hyssop (Agastache ‘KUDOS MANDARIN’) - Garden
FIG RI-11 - Giant Lobster Claw (Heliconia bihai) - Chicago
FIG RI-12 - Illumination Flame (Digiplexis) - GardenvW
FIG RI-13 - Mexican Flame Vine (Senecio confusus) - Garden
FIG RI-14 - Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata) - Costa Rica

00. the CHAPTER
FIG GI-4
24
YELLOW and GREEN IMPORTS:
FIG GI-1 - Datura (Datura fastuosa ‘Double Yellow’) - Garden
FIG GI-2 - Torch Lily (Kniphofia Pineapple Popsicle) - Garden
FIG GI-3 - Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) - Garden
FIG GI-4 - Hosta Garden (Hostas) - Garden
FIG GI-5 - Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum) - Garden
FIG GI-6 - Beehive Ginger (Zingiber spectabile ‘GOLDEN SCEPTER’) - Costa Rica
FIG GI-7 - Pineapple Lily (Eucomis autumnalis) - Garden
FIG GI-8 - Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia Nicolai) - Costa Rica
FIG GI-9 - Cockscomb (Celosia cristata) - Garden
FIG GI-10 - Fragrant Hosta ‘Royal Standard’ (Hosta) - Garden
FIG GI-11 - Graveyard Moss (Sedum sarmentosum) - Garden
FIG GI-12 - Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) - Chicago
FIG GI-13 - Poison Arrow Flower (Strophanthus preussii) - Chicago
FIG GI-14 - Oleander (Nerium oleander ‘DOUBLE YELLOW’) - Garden
FIG GI-1
FIG GI-2
FIG GI-3
FIG GI-5
FIG GI-6
FIG GI-7
FIG GI-8 FIG GI-9
FIG GI-10 FIG GI-11
FIG GI-13
FIG GI-12
FIG GI-14

00. the CHAPTER
25
BLUE and PINK IMPORTS:
FIG BI-1 - Monkshood (Aconitum delphinifolium) - Garden
FIG BI-2 - Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) - Garden
FIG BI-3 - Larkspur (Delphinium ‘Magic Fountains’) - Garden
FIG BI-4 - Heirloom Tulip (Tulipa Insulinde) - Garden
FIG BI-5 - Anemone ( Anemone hupehensis ‘PAMINA’) - Garden
FIG BI-6 - Bearded Iris (Iris Germanica ‘CLOUD BALLET’ & ‘CRINOLINE’) - Garden
FIG BI-7 - Cupid’s Dart (Catananche caerulea) - Garden
FIG BI-8 - Cranes bill Geranium (Datura) - Garden
FIG BI-9 - Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Grey Goo’) - Garden Exhibit
FIG BI-10 - Periwinkle (Vinca major) - Garden
FIG BI-11 - Bachelor Button (Centaurea montana) - Garden
FIG BI-12 - Dinner-plate Dahlias (Dahlia ‘Thomas A Edison’) - Garden
FIG BI-1 FIG BI-2
FIG BI-5 FIG BI-6 FIG BI-7
FIG BI-10 FIG BI-11
FIG BI-8
FIG BI-3
FIG BI-9
FIG BI-4
FIG BI-12

00. the CHAPTER
define
FIG 3.1 URBAN DEVELOPMENT FIG 3.2 AGRICULTURE FIG 3.3 RIVERS & RIDGES
FIG 3.9 BRUCE PENINSULA, ON
FIG 3.5 BEACHES
FIG 3.4 OLD FORESTS
FIG 3.7 INTENSE ROADS
FIG 3.10 PARKS & GARDENS FIG 3.11 YOUNG FORESTFIG 3.8 WETLANDS
FIG 3.6 WATER ORIENTED CITIES

00. the CHAPTER3.1 how NATIVE
define NATIVE
For the purpose of this study, I will define the difference between native and non-
native, and I partially include new species designed from the native flowers genes
found in the Southern Great Lakes (as long as they are not poisonous to wildlife).
I determined the focus area by combining two factors. The first factor is Eco-
region, and the second factor is plant hardiness. Plants that predominantly appear
between the two cutoffs were considered most likely native to the area. However,
I am not a horticulturist, and I am mostly self-taught through trade and passion. To
determine if these flowers fit the two factors, I cross-referenced my list with the
PLANTS’ database and the USDA interactive map. This map declares whether a
species is native to a particular state, IE Illinois or Ontario. There may be an error
on PLANTS as the map will highlight the entire state, therefore investigating if
the flower is natural to the Eco-region will narrow the results. The photographs
offered from Fig 3.1 to 3.11 represent a sample of land uses across the Southern
Great Lakes. It is my opinion that the results are narrow enough to say the plants
in this section are native to the focus area.
This report now offers a custom map that overlays climatic and Eco-region data
across Canada and the USA for the area around the Southern Great Lakes. It is
important to consider how intensified the region is today and to imagine what
the Eco-regions looked like pre-development. It is my assumption that the native
flowers found in insignificant patches across the chosen states grew across the
area pre-1800. If a species is too unique to one Eco-region, I did not intend to
include these rare occurrences in the survey or list of native flowers. The only
exception was for endangered species, and these outliers appear in the report and
have reference to their rarity. The focus area includes many Eco-regions, states,
and climates to share results with a broader measure. Nonetheless, many variables
exist, and both micro climates exist within these regions that offer various soils,
stages of succession, and threats of urbanization.
27
FIG 3.1 - URBAN DEVELOPMENT Chicago, IL (Eco-region 54, Climate ~6a)
FIG 3.2 - AGRICULTURE Canola Field Grey/Bruce - (Eco-region 6E, Climate ~5b)
FIG 3.3 - RIVERS & RIDGES Cottage Country/French River, ON (Eco-region 5E, Climate ~5a)
FIG 3.4 - OLD FORESTS London, ON (Eco-region 7E, Climate ~6a)
FIG 3.5 - BEACHES Oliphant, ON (Eco-region 6E, Climate ~6a)
FIG 3.6 - WATER ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT Toronto, ON (Eco-region 7E, Climate ~6a)
FIG 3.7 - INTENSE ROADS Toronto, ON (Eco-region 7E, Climate ~6a)
FIG 3.8 - WETLANDS Beaches (Eco-region 6E, Climate ~5b)
FIG 3.9 - BRUCE PENINSULA, ON Large Lakes and Peninsula (Eco-region 6E, Climate ~5b/6a)
FIG 3.10 - PARKS & GARDENS Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens (Eco-region 7E, Climate ~7a)
FIG 3.11 - YOUNG FOREST London, ON Forest (Eco-region 7E, Climate ~6b)
FIG 3.12 BONESET, Georgian Bay, 2014

00. the CHAPTER3.2 eco-REGIONS
ecoREGION
The study considers many boundaries before narrowing
down to a list of similar Eco-regions, to start, there are the
North American Eco-regions 210 and 220 (not shown).
USDA Forest Services (2016) titled Eco-region 210
Warm Continental, and called 220 Hot Continental. The
cooler region (210) has mixed deciduous-coniferous,
meadows, forests, and warm continental mountains.
Eco-region 220 is full of broadleaved forests, wetlands,
deciduous mixed forests, and meadows. Conservation
Ontario (2016) corresponds with American USDA
Forest Services and web databases such as NatureServe,
PLANTS, VASCAN, FOIBIS, and ITIS. The ELC guide
excludes species specific to sub-arctic and sub-tropical
Eco-regions. The United States separates Eco-regions
into IV levels (Purdue University, 1999), and Canadians
start broadly with Eco-zones, then narrow down to Eco-
regions, Eco-districts and Eco-systems (Conservation
Ontario, 2016). The Eco-regions selected for this report

#51: Hardwood Forests
This ecoregion is composed mostly
of wetlands and lakes, cropland
agriculture, a multitude of mosaic
forests, and dairy operations. The
North Central hardwood forest acts
as a separation point between the
Northern lakes and forests to the
north, and ecological regions to the
south.
#53: SE Wisconsin Till Plains
Supports a large variety of vegetation
types, relatively high aquatic species
diversity and represents a transition
between the hardwood forests and
oak savannas of the ecoregions to the
west. This region has a higher plant
hardiness value than areas to the north
and west, a different mosaic of soils
than western ecoregions and flatter
topography.
#54: Central Corn Belt Plains
During the beginning of the 19th
century, the area’s natural vegetation
was replaced by agriculture, leading
to multiple prairie communities
intertwined between oak-hickory
forests. These corn belt forests were a
sharp contrast to the hardwood forests
that grow on the drift plains due east.
The farmland is rich with minerals
and is mostly used to produce crops
such as corn and soybeans. Livestock
is also raised there, including cattle,
sheep, poultry and hogs.
in Ontario are 5E, 6E and 7E. For the
USA, the Level III Eco-regions include:
#50, #51, #53, #54, #56, #57, #61,
#83. The map reflects Canadian Eco-
regions and American Level III regions
considered for the study.
#50: Northern Lakes and Forests
The soil in the Northern Lakes and
Forest tend to lack the arability of soil
in adjacent regions to the south. Various
lakes are dispersed across the area that
are both clearer and abundant than areas
to the south. This area is full of nutrient
poor glacial soils, coniferous and
northern hardwood forests, undulating
till plains, broad lacustrine basins,
moraine hills and large sandy out-wash
plains.
28
#7E - Lake Ontario-Lake Erie
#6E - Lake Simcoe
#5E - Georgian Bay

#50 - Northern Lakes & Forests
#51 - Central Hardwood Forests
#53 - Wisconsin Till Plains
#54 - Central Corn Belt Plains
#56 - Drift Plains
#57 - Lake Erie/Huron Plains
#61 - Lake Erie Drift Plain
#83 - Hudson Lowlands
CANADA - ECO-REGIONS
USA - ECO-REGIONS
the LEGEND
LAKE
HURON
LAKE
MICHIGAN
LAKE
ERIE
BOUNDARY LINE
NTS
georgian
bay
toronto
chicago
madison
east lansing
london
guelph
FIG 3.13 CUSTOM MAP - SELECTED ECO-REGIONS FOR THE FOCUS AREA

00. the CHAPTER3.2 eco-REGIONS
#56: Michigan/Indiana Drift Plains
Predominantly composed of mostly lakes
and marshes, including an array of various
soil types, textures and land uses. This group
of landforms include broad till plains with
complex drift deposits, kames, morainal
hills, dunes, meltwater channels, drumlins,
paleobeach ridges and kettles. This ecoregion
does not produce as much agriculture
compared to its southern region, though it does
have richer soil compared to areas in the north.
Various recreational developments, woodlots,
quarries and urban industrial zones are
common, with farmland for corn, soybeans,
vegetables and livestock.
#57 - Lake Erie Plains
This region is a mostly flat plain with its
variation in grade caused by relic sand dunes,
beach ridges and end moraines. Now, most
of the area was cleared and used for farmland
with intent to grow corn, soybeans, vegetables
and livestock. Originally the soil drainage
was extremely poor, and to develop the land
it first had to be artificially drained. There
are many urban and industrial areas as well;
that in turn are causing detrimental effects on
stream habitat by channelization, ditching and
agricultural activities.
#61: Erie Drift Plain
This Eco-region is depicted by an abundance
of kettle lakes, wetlands, low rounded hills
and scattered end moraines in comparison
to nearby unglaciated regions to the south.
Originally covered by a maple-beech-birch
forest, most of the land has been converted to
farmland for dairy operations.
#83:Great Lakes &Hudson Lowlands:
Predominantly the region is used by citizens
locally for agriculture activities, including
orchards, vineyards and vegetable farming.
Though, a large percentage of the agriculture
is connected with dairy operations. The
region bordered by hills contain less surface
irregularity than nearby Northeastern
Highlands and Northern Appalachian. The
area of this Eco-region closest to the Great
Lakes experiences an increased growing
season, more winter cloudiness and greater
snowfall.
#5E: Georgian Bay
This Eco-region is located in south-central
Ontario and extends from south-east Lake
Superior to the central portion of the Ottawa
River valley due east.The rigid and frequently
exposed bedrock creates the rigid and rugged
landscape associated with the region. Mixed
forests dominate the Eco-region, and when
bedrock is not visible, it is covered with till
of variable depths. Lakes and rivers cover
approximately 10% of the surface, with
wetlands being uncommon and representing
only 2.5% of total land cover. The Georgian
Bay has 11 Eco-districts.
#6E: Lake Simcoe
Numerous sections along the northern fringe
of this Eco-region can are defined by their
extensive bare bedrock plains. This underlying
bedrock is mostly dolostone and limestone;
providing Alvar species with a habitat. The
remaining portion of this region remains
filled with thick deposits of glacial and post-
glacial sediments in the form of moraines
and broad till sheets. The wetlands and water
bodies fill a total of 5% and 4% of the region,
while agricultural activities share a substantial
portion of this area, taking up 57% of the land
use with the remainder filled with deciduous
trees and mixed forests. This region has 16
Eco-districts.
#7E: Lake Ontario-Lake Eerie
Located between the Southern Great Lakes,
this region provides a home to an estimated of
400 bird species, 2200 species of herbaceous
plants and 70 species of trees. It has the largest
diversity of species while supporting the most
extensive remnants of tall grass vegetation.The
land is mostly made up of limestone bedrock
that is rarely exposed, providing a flat landed
relief since wetlands and water are found in
less than 2% of the region. This Eco-region is
the provinces most developed and ecological
area, with 78% of the land used for agriculture
and 7% for suburban/urban development. This
Eco-region has six Eco-districts.
34
FIG 3.14 RURAL REGIONS, GREY HIGHLANDS,
FIG 3.15 WATER ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, LAKE ONTARIO

00. the CHAPTER3.3 the CLIMATES
30
plant HARDINESS
It is important to note that some northern species do not grow in certain
areas just because of climate zones, so this is just the start. This section
discusses the various climate zones, and the report focuses on native
flowers that grow naturally in zones 5a to 7a. Although plants that can
tolerate colder climates grow naturally in these regions, I did not investigate
plants that grew naturally in the areas beyond these zone on the map. Plant
hardiness zones and climate zones share the same boundaries on both
Canadian and American sites. For all of the climate zones between the
coldest and warmest climate, some plant can tolerate temperature below
freezing ranges the between -1.1 of -56.7oC. Therefore the remaining area
has been greyed out, and a new legend to show the range in zones between
7a and 4a from Canada to the USA is revealed in Fig 3.16
micro CLIMATES
The Great Lakes is a vast micro-climate as well, with the abundance of
kettle lakes, wetlands, large basins of water, river systems, valleys, and
ridges. The Appalachian mountains suppress jet streams upwards, and
the Great Lakes Basin is the last stop before the Canadian Shield pushes
the warm air up. From reviewing Google Earth, the significant geological
features to the north, west and south-east change the direction of warm and
PLANT HARDINESS LEGEND
cold fronts for the Southern Great Lakes. This dramatically changes the flora and fauna for the region. The Canadian
Shield, Wisconsin Hills, and the Appalachian Mountains all determine where warm and cold air move across the focus
area. For comparison, the report looks at elevations above sea levels for various points along the focus area. Using
Veloroutes.org (2016) to compare elevations between Hamilton, ON at the southern tip of Lake Ontario is 72m above
sea level, compared to north of the Canadian Shield in Sudbury, ON with elevations of 301m. All of Ontario’s highest
peaks start above 5a climate zone above, and predominately where the Canadian Shield begins. Furthermore, elevations
to the west show elevations up to 595m west of Madison, WI and elevations over 1000m above sea level for the
Appalachian Mountains, east of Lake Erie. The warm air from the south moves upward between the higher elevations to
the east and west, and sort of hover over the great lakes. These three walls hold warm air within the Great Lakes Basin, as well as clouds and precipitation. Not only
does the area have beautiful sunsets, due to the abundance of cloud cover, but these conditions allow for significant vegetation cover. The North American Climate
Zone map on Page 9 and Fig 2.9 shows the pattern of the warm air centralizing in the basin. Beyond this, there are forested and urban cores that offer even more
unique micro-climates. Choosing plants that are native and those that can withstand particular environments will do best. Landscape architects can work with the cities
warmth to grow other plants. Urban Heat Island (UHI) is a term for urban micro-climates, as heat-retaining surfaces and widespread expenditure of energy increase
the cities average temperature in comparison to average temperatures outside the city. UHI is the best-documented data on climate change as a direct consequence
of anthropogenic causes (Santamouris, 2015). Because of the climate, very established vegetation provided excellent soil for arable land. Conclusively, these climate
zones are not the only thing to consider, hydrology, soils, wildlife, and human impacts determine where plants live where they do and the borders of Eco-regions are
the result of both geological forces and human impacts.
FIG 3.16 CUSTOM MAP - PLANT HARDINESS FOR FOCUS AREA
LAKE
HURON
LAKE
MICHIGAN
LAKE
ERIE
BOUNDARY LINE
NTS
georgian
bay
toronto
chicago
madison
east lansing
london
guelph

00. the CHAPTER3.3 the CLIMATES
micro CLIMATES
The following lists showcase various micro-climates that exist in the Southern Great Lakes due to various changes in the Earth’s surface. These include geological
features, as well as human-made. Information displayed below is collected from analyzing the various Eco-regions across the Southern Great Lakes. It is important to
note how different land uses, patch size, and human development impact the abundance, selection, and suitability of native flowers.
the EARTH
Topography:
;; Moraines, Drumlins, Ridges
;; Acid to Alkaline Soils
;; Limestone/Dolostone/Granite
;; Thick Top Soil
;; Exposed Bed Rock
;; Well-drained Plains
;; Clay Bottom Depressions
Urban:
;; Industrial/Retail Use
;; Residential
;; Roads and Utilities
;; Turf Grass
;; Invasive Species
;; Parkland
;; Water Oriented Development
Rural:
;; Grassland Meadows & Hedgerows
;; Livestock Grazing
;; Orchards and Vineyards
;; Agriculture for Imports/Exports
;; Recreational Development
;; Manufacturing Complex
;; Highways and Railways
Forests:
;; Mixed Deciduous & Coniferous
;; Oak Savannas
;; Oak-Hickory
;; Maple-Beech-Birch
;; Old Growth Forests
;; Plantations
;; Disconnected/Small Patches
the WATER
Wetlands:
;; Elm-Ash Swamps
;; Silver-Maple Wetland
;; Marshes, Fens, Bogs
;; Floodplains
;; Artificial Wetlands
;; Bio-Swales
Lakes:
;; Kettles Lakes
;; Old Quarries
;; Glacial deposits
;; Dunes
;; Archipelagos
;; Vernal Pools
Coastal
;; Peninsulas
;; Relic sand dunes
;; Beach ridges
;; Harbours and Marinas
;; Point Source Pollution
;; Combined Sewer Overflow
Rivers
;; Meltwater Channels
;; Rivers and Streams
;; Waterfalls and Cascades
;; Dams and Hydro Generation
;; Inlets, Forks, and Mouths
;; Urban Runoff
31
FIG 3.17 HAY FIELDS IN GREY HIGHLANDS, ON - Hanlon, 2016 FIG 3.19 GRASSLAND DUNES IN OLIPHANT, ONTARIOFIG 3.18 WATERFALL AND RIVER, CENTRAL ONTARIO

3.4 focus AREA
32
the focus AREA
The map illustrates an area near the central and southern great lakes of Northeastern North America. Through extensive research and cross analysis of plants that
naturally occur over this broad section, it has come to the attention of many that it is best to offer information that is broad enough to affect multiple places, but not
introduce species where they do not naturally occur. In the same vein, it is important to note how the only information we have of the native usage of plants are records
of Aboriginal knowledge and settlers that wrote about the world as they conquered. Since the industrial revolution, wars, and extensive population growth, the more
natural land has either turned into a crop or a foundation for infrastructure. The map shows the overlapping of climate zones and Ecoregions for the United States and
Canada. The information amended for the purpose of the report, with a labelling system for the purpose of offering recognition that borders between Canada and the
United states do not affect the growth of flora and fauna. There are multiple states included, however a variety of Eco-regions dissect some, and possibly into smaller
categories and niches. The reason for this is that further to the west, north, south, and east, nature exists that did not grow around the focus area, and vice versa. Even
so, the area selected offers a great deal of variety between types of ecosystems, and their related plants.
FIG 3.20 CUSTOM MAP - COMBINED PLANT HARDINESS & ECO-REGIONS
#7E - Lake Ontario-Lake Erie
#6E - Lake Simcoe
#5E - Georgian Bay

#50 - Northern Lakes & Forests
#51 - Central Hardwood Forests
#53 - Wisconsin Till Plains
#54 - Central Corn Belt Plains
#56 - Drift Plains
#57 - Lake Erie/Huron Plains
#61 - Lake Erie Drift Plain
#83 - Hudson Lowlands
CANADA - ECO-REGIONS
USA - ECO-REGIONS
the LEGEND
PLANT HARDINESS LEGEND

00. the CHAPTER3.5 success-ION
life CONTINUES
To use native flower of the Southern Great Lakes in the landscape, one requires the awareness of succession. The time since the last disturbance and severity determine
the types of native flowers, although primary succession refers to the development of soil from exposed bedrock and secondary is post destruction (Thompson, 2016).
Disturbances are both natural and anthropogenic, and some ecosystems have roots unaffected by disturbance and the time between nothing and the second and third
stages may be less. For the exposed bedrock in the focus area, lichens and moss attach to rocks, as shown from left to right in Fig 3.23 Crust Lichens (Crustose lichens)
and Fig 3.21 False Pixie Cup (Cladonia chlorophaea). The photo in Fig 3.22 shows various stages of succession where there is exposed bedrock, lichen, grasses, and
trees established. The places disturbed the most are drought stricken forests, volcanic regions, urban land uses and agricultural zoned areas. Anything from forest
fires to explosives can trigger succession. In the natural habitat, pioneer species will get lodged in cracks in the rock or formed lichen. These aggressive annuals and
lichens move in first, followed by grasses and perennials with bigger roots. Their roots start to break up the soil and make room for aggressive shrubs, then aggressive
trees like Populus tremuloids. These pioneer species and others like it have aggressive roots, they are able to withstand extreme temperatures, moisture differences, and
other unfavourable conditions. The soils may be depleted or compacted after
a disturbance, and the aggressive roots that continue breaking up the rocks
encourage the addition of ingredients to make soil. These ingredients include
rigolith, air, water, organic material and organism. The fallen leaves and debris
decay between the plants, thus creating the organic layer for an organism to
feed off, and this process begins to develop layers. The building of organic
layer, roots, and organisms creates a density that allows for species that require
more nutrient rich soils. Over time, this soil is inhabited by more detrivores
and producers, that further adds nutrients to the soil. The soil has good
drainage, and as the sensitive slow growing trees outgrow the pioneer species,
the pioneers retreat to the edge, allowing for the patch size of the ecosystem to
grow outwards. As species move to the edge, the core habitat begins to allow
full shade species to grow, and as the under-story develops, evolving with more
and more woodland flowers and animals. If left undisturbed, old trees will die
of natural causes and fall over, leaving a giant hole where the roots existed.
Detrivores will devour the trunk and leave behind a new mound of soil. The
pits left behind will fill with water and become vernal pools, and it becomes
the climax stage, a point which over time it will be devoured by detrivores
and primary consumers, leaving a giant pile of soil (Thompson, 2016, Brown,
2014. These pits and mounds create vernal pools with well-drained mounds
that surround them, creating warm, humid, and rich environments for sensitive
woodland flora. The following page shows a great diagram on succession from
the Britannica Encyclopedia (2006). The focus area encompasses all stages of
succession, and it is important to recognize what exists in the present before
planting anything. This will reduce the number of inputs or instruct what steps
must come before planting input free sensitive plants. Fig 3.24 also shows how
soil develops, and it is important to not only look at the vegetation in the next
diagram, but also the soil depths, and aggregate size between different stages
of succession.
35
FIG 3.21 NATIVE LICHEN
FIG 3.21 Lichen & Moss on Bedrock
FIG 3.22 Bedrock, Lichen, Grass, Pine
FIG 3.23 Crust Lichen on Bedrock, ON

00. the CHAPTER3.6 the NATIVES
the NATIVES
Provide category of native plants to South Western Ontario, Central Ontario, and Northeastern USA. Great Lakes Climatic Zone Range (Cities offer micro-
climates and more suitability for a larger range of plants) Typically we are looking at rich alkaline soils due to limestone bedrock, wetland habitats, plants that
are suitable for all natural processes found in our ecosystem prior to urbanization and agriculture. What were these plants, what functions do they offer, and
how can we bring them back to popular demand. Notably, how can we introduce imports that succeed in ways that our plants do or more, what evidence exists
surrounding carbon sequestration, the effectiveness of capturing particulate matter, and withstanding urban elements? Can these native plants do their part in
local cities alone? What will it take from vegetation to support cities as they grow, and how important are these natives for natural services? These questions
impact my methods on analyzing plants. Overall, there is a lack of knowledge related to these functions of native plants within urban environments, simply for
their lack of presence, and willingness to offer enough core area to sustain a native habitat.
The following list includes the Native Flowers of Ontario, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, although they are large states and have plants located naturally
and unnaturally within these boundaries based on climate, and Eco-region.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/AdvancedSearchServlet?pfa=pfa&statefips=US17&statefips=US26&statefips=US55&statefips=CA08&grwhabt=Forb/
herb&nativestatuscode=nPFA&dsp_cultivar=on&Synonyms=all&viewby=sciname
34
the BED
No matter what stage of succession, bedrock composition more often than
not, determines whether the soil is acidic, alkaline, or neutral, although
sometimes vegetation can change the pH. Pine forests have a higher
acidic content to due the low pH found in the needles that fall. Granite
bedrock will be more acidic than limestone, and many different pH’s
were observed in these various Eco-regions, with similarities found based
on the foundation it exists on. We degrade soils by introducing pesticides
that kill off organisms, and over-watering can lead to increased minerals
on the soils surface after the water evaporates. This soil is the filter for
our drinking water, and these poisons from intensive imports can leach
into the aquifers and travel further than the point of contamination. These
non-point source contaminants can travel from urban environments and
agriculture crops into sensitive ecosystems. Improper conservation of
soil and the removal of deep-rooted and diverse vegetation can lead to
soil erosion, increased runoff, and nutrient depletion (Karlen and Rice,
2015). The best solution for rich soil is to understand what species in the
area perform best with the stage of succession presented, and what bed
the plants will lay in. It is important to not force plants in any situation
they do not fit, whether they are natives or imports. Landscape architects
should also employ soil as one of the greatest carbon banks.
FIG 3.24 ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION, Thompson, 2016
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION DIAGRAM

00. the CHAPTER00. the CHAPTER
BLUE and PINK NATIVES:
FIG BN-1 - Snakeroot (Actea ‘JAMES’) - Garden
FIG BN-2 - Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis) - Garden
FIG BN-3 - Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata) - Chicago
FIG BN-4 - Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) - Garden
FIG BN-5 - Twinflower ( Linnaea borealis) - Georgian Bay
FIG BN-6 - Hepatica (Anemone hepatica’) - Garden
FIG BN-7 - Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) - Garden
FIG BN-8 - Kalm’s Lobelia (Lobelia kalmii) - Garden
FIG BN-9 - Lady Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) - Lake Huron
FIG BN-10 - Virgin’s Bower (Clematis occidentalis) - Chicago
FIG BN-11 - Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa) - Garden
FIG BN-12 - New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) - Garden
FIG BN-13 - Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) - Garden
FIG BN-14 - Gayfeather (Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’) - Garden
FIG BN-1
FIG BN-4
FIG BN-2
FIG BN-5
FIG BN-3
FIG BN-7
FIG BN-11
FIG BN-8
FIG BN-10
FIG BN-9
FIG BN-14
FIG BN-13
FIG BN-12
FIG BN-6
35

00. the CHAPTER
YELLOW and GREEN NATIVES:
FIG YN-1 - Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) - Garden
FIG YN-2 - Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) - Garden
FIG YN-3 - Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) - Garden
FIG YN-4 - Star Flower (Lysimachia borealis) - Northern Ontario
FIG YN-5 - Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) - Garden
FIG YN-6 - Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) - Garden
FIG YN-7 - Waterlily (Nymphaea odorata) - Georgian Bay
FIG YN-8 - St. Johnswort (Hypericum prolificum) - Georgian Bay
FIG YN-9 - White Meadowsweet ( Spiraea alba var. latifolia) - Georgian Bay
FIG YN-10 - Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) - Garden
FIG YN-11 - Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) - Garden
FIG YN-12 - Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) - Garden
FIG YN-13 - Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) - Northern Ontario
FIG YN-14 - False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides ‘SUMMER NIGHTS’
Garden
FIG YN-6 FIG YN-8 FIG YN-9FIG YN-7
FIG YN-14
FIG YN-5
FIG YN-13
FIG YN-4
FIG YN-2
FIG YN-3
FIG YN-1
FIG YN-10 FIG YN-11 FIG YN-12
36

00. the CHAPTER
RED and ORANGE NATIVES:
FIG RN-1 - Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) - Garden
FIG RN-2 - Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) - Garden
FIG RN-3 - Coneflower Hybrid (Echinacea ‘Cantaloupe’ - Garden
FIG RN-4 - Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) - Garden
FIG RN-5 - Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) - Garden
FIG RN-6 - Wake Robin (Trillium erectum) - Garden
FIG RN-7 - Red Hat (Ratibida columnifera) - Garden
FIG RN-8 - Cardinal Flower Field (Lobelia cardinalis) - Georgian Bay Inlet
FIG RN-9 - Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) - Georgian Bay
FIG RN-10 - Swamp Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) - Garden
FIG RN-11 - Wood Lily (Lilium philadelphicum) - Garden
37
FIG RN-1
FIG RN-2 FIG RN-3 FIG RN-4
FIG RN-5 FIG RN-6 FIG RN-7
FIG RN-8 FIG RN-9 FIG RN-10 FIG RN-11

00. the CHAPTER
FIG 4.1 WILD
FIG 4.8 SNEEZY
FIG 4.5 PROTECTEDFIG 4.4 PECULIAR FIG 4.6 CORROSIVE SAPFIG 4.3 WETLAND
FIG 4.7 STINKY
FIG 4.2 DELICATE
wrong

00. the CHAPTER00. the CHAPTER
FIG 4.1 - WILD Flowers (Asters and Goldenrod) - Central Ontario
FIG 4.2 - DELICATE Royal Fern - (Osmunda regalis) - Garden
FIG 4.3 - WETLAND Vervain (Verbena hastata) - Garden
FIG 4.4 - PECULIAR Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) - Garden
FIG 4.5 - PROTECTED Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) - Forest SW Ontario
FIG 4.6 - CORROSIVE Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) - Garden
FIG 4.7 - STINKY Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) - Westminster Ponds
FIG 4.8 - SNEEZY Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) - Grey Highlands, Hanlon, 2016
FIG 4.9 - TOXIC Black Snakeroot (Actaea racemosa) - Garden
39FIG 4.9 SNAKEROOT, GARDEN
what’s WRONG?
There is a negative reputation surrounding native plants. Fig. 4.1 to 4.8
represent some of the plants that can be fussy to maintain and control in a given
environment or even possibly banned for their smell, appearance, poisons,
and allergens. Stinky plants and allergies are huge detractors, and people
deliberately select plants based on their perceived beauty and sometimes
ignore their contribution and impact to local nature. Then there is the issue
around how classifying a plant as a weed, in spite of their contributions to
biodiversity and local wildlife. To further investigate if those hired and trained
to design gardens have the resources to learn how to use the native plants, a
short questionnaire delivered throughout the Faculty, Student and Graduate
populations for four institutions surrounding the Southern Great Lakes.
Campuses, professors and curriculum are those responsible for teaching
students how to use natives in rural conservation initiatives, urban design, and
suburban parks, yet sometimes this is not always agreed on. Native flowers
have a lot of competition with imports, and their supplementary species,
whether it is a hybrid of a native, introduced or invasive. This section talks
about the detractors of some native plants, and generally what conclusions I
have made over why designers and consumers avoid buying native flowers
(minus a few) of the Southern Great Lakes.

Why Native Flowers are Wrongly Overlooked

Why Native Flowers are Wrongly Overlooked

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