Beautiful Native Plants 

with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

Why is it so important to re-plant native plants across Toronto? Come find out at this hands-on workshop with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority! At Bentway Staging Grounds, an experimental garden under the Gardiner Expressway, we’ve planted sunflowers, wild ginger, ferns, and paw-paw trees. These plants are already filtering run-off water and helping bring bees and birds back to the area!

Join us for an introduction to the features, functions, and possibilities of Bentway Staging Grounds through this eco workshops presented with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority!  

Bentway Staging Grounds is a public space pilot that transforms the area below the Gardiner Expressway at Dan Leckie Way into a living laboratory, offering opportunities to learn about urban ecology. Specially designed experimental gardens filter rainwater run-off from the highway above to support the growth of flowering native plant species and benefit the local environment. 

Explore public space through an environmental lens through this interactive workshop in October. 

Native plants, which thrive in many places in Toronto, are known for their beauty, resilience, and remediation qualities. In this workshop, participants will learn about the importance of native plants, the diversity of species that grow at Bentway Staging Grounds and Canoe Landing Park, and how they benefit native pollinators, including bees, birds, butterflies, as well as our city’s infrastructure! The plants at Bentway Staging Grounds were specifically selected by horticultural consultant Isaac Crosby, and each has a role to play and a story to tell. 

At the end of the program, all participants will have the opportunity to plant native wildflower seeds in paper pots to take home to contribute to their own garden or outdoor space! 

What to Expect: 

• This event is suitable for ages 6 and up. 
• Youth under age 16 must be accompanied by a caregiver. 
• All skills levels are welcome – no planting experience necessary. 
• All materials provided. 
• This event is held at Bentway Staging Grounds, an outdoor space under the Gardiner Expressway. 
• Participants may be invited to walk over uneven, large rocks on site.  
• The event will include a short walk through Canoe Landing Park. The path is paved but does include a small incline. 
• Please wear sturdy shoes (closed toe shoes are recommended) and appropriate outerwear. 
• During this event, accessible public washrooms are available nearby at The Bentway Studio (55 Fort York Blvd), about a 5 minute walk away. 
• Bentway Staging Grounds is accessible to mobility devices; visitors enter onto a series of walkways approx. 7ft wide. 

Learn more about Bentway Staging Grounds planters from Horticultural Consultant Isaac Crosby (Brother Nature).