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Environment 
What is an Ecological Garden?
An ecological garden is a space designed primarily with native plants. These gardens provide a diverse mix of native grasses and flowering perennials that bloom from early spring and thrive until fall. Unlike conventional lawns, which use turfgrass, these gardens rely on plants well-suited to their local environment. This eliminates the need for synthetic chemicals and intensive maintenance.
Ecological gardens benefit the many insects and animals on our territory by providing them with food and a home. They also hold rainwater, which is good for the plants and keeps the ground from getting too dry or flooded.
Consult our Ecological Garden pamphlet
Environmental Benefits
Ecological gardens act as ecological corridors, defined as areas of land that connect habitat fragments and allow wildlife and insects to move between these spaces. Japanese steps, a type of ecological corridor, have been proven to be one of the biggest contributors to preserving biodiversity by mitigating habitat fragmentation.
Ecological gardens provide insects and animals with access to food, water, and mates, expand available resources in an urban environment, and help populations thrive.
These gardens reduce the risk of flooding in houses and roads, and help reduce heat islands (extreme temperatures) in urban areas during very hot summer days. Some ecological gardens even offer food, such as fruits and nuts, for people to enjoy!
When designing your ecological garden, put emphasis on appropriate plant and location selection, and continuous care. This will ensure a thriving ecological garden that supports pollinators and fosters biodiversity.
Common Misconceptions
There is often confusion surrounding the difference between a neglected lawn and an ecological garden. A neglected lawn is one that has been left unattended for some time and poses public safety concerns, including hindering the visibility triangle and access to your property, fire hydrants and other services. These upkept lawns are often composed of invasive plants, whereas an ecological garden is a carefully and intentionally designed area that incorporates native plants and mimics natural ecosystems.
Become an Ambassador
To combat misconceptions between ecological gardens and overgrown lawns, help educate your neighbours about their many benefits by:
- Demonstrating property care and maintenance: Upkeep your property, pathways, and garden.
- Raising awareness in your community: Explain the benefits of ecological gardens for pollinators, water conservation, and biodiversity.
- Balance aesthetics and function: Combine structured elements, such as evergreens or hedges, with wildflower patches to appeal to neighbours.
Consult our Rainwater Garden pamphlet
A rainwater garden is a vegetated area of your lawn with a primary purpose of collecting stormwater that flows off your lawn, roof, and driveway. These gardens are found in low laying areas of your property and consist of plants that can tolerate large amounts of stormwater. These gardens vary in size and can be created within small pockets of space in your yard.
Did You Know?
A rainwater garden can absorb over 30% more water into the ground compared to a traditional turf lawn.
Consult our Pollinator Garden pamphlet
A pollinator garden is a designed area filled with native plants that attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife. These types of gardens play a critical role in ecosystems and food production, while also preventing the decline of pollinators.
Did You Know?
Pollinator gardens with a variety of plant types not only attract more types of pollinators but also bloom throughout the seasons, providing food sources from early spring to late fall.
Although ecological gardens have lower maintenance needs compared to turfgrass lawns, they still require maintenance, particularly when the new plants are establishing. For the first few months after initial planting, ecological gardens require consistent watering. If watering your garden with automatic or mechanical watering systems, please respect the watering periods in place as defined in the Water Usage By-Law.
Removing invasive species and regular garden weeds should also be done regularly to avoid competition with new plants and for safety reasons. Consult the list of invasive species to be removed in Pointe-Claire to learn more.
List of Recommended Plants
Each garden has specific native plants that have several environmental benefits, whether it be water absorbtion properties, food sources for pollinators or food bearing capacities. Here are lists of recommended plants based on garden type.
Plants recommended for rainwater gardens:
| Plant species (common name) | Swamp milkweed | New England aster | Northern blue flag | Red osier dogwood |
| Scientific name | Asclepias incarnata | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Iris versicolor | Cornus sericea |
| Sunlight needs | Full sun | Full sun | Full sun, partial shade | Full sun to partial shade |
| Plant size | H: 90 to 120 cm L: 60 to 90 cm | H: 90 to 180 cm L: 60 to 90 cm | H: 60 to 75 cm L: 60 to 75 cm | H: 180 to 270 cm L: 210 to 300 cm |
| *Hardiness zone | 3 to 6 | 4 to 8 | 3 to 9 | 3 to 7 |
| Type of soil | Clay, loam | Humid, but properly drains | Clay, loam; medium to moist soils | Medium to moist; consistently moist; rich soils |
| Flowering period | Summer | Fall | End of spring, beginning of summer | End of spring to beginning of summer |
*Learn more about hardiness zones here
Plants recommended for pollinator gardens:
| Plant species (common name) | Golden alexanders | Common sneezeweed | Wild bergamot |
| Scientific name | Zizia aurea | Helenium autumnale | Monarda fistulosa |
| Sunlight needs | Full sun to partial shade | Full sun | Full sun to partial shade |
| Plant size | H: 45 to 90 cm L: 45 to 60 cm | H: 90 to 120 cm L: 60 to 90 cm | H: 60 to 150 cm L: 60 to 90 cm |
| *Hardiness zone | 3 to 8 | 3 to 8 | 4 to 9 |
| Type of soil | Average moisture, properly drains | Soils with medium to high moisture | Rich; retains moisture |
| Flowering period | End of spring, beginning of summer | End of summer to fall | Mid-summer to end of summer |
*Learn more about hardiness zones here
To find more information about these flowers, visit Fleur sauvages du Québec website (French only).
It is important to consider the municipal by-laws in effect when planting and maintaining your garden. By respecting these regulations, regularly maintaining your garden, and adhering to permitted watering periods, you can enjoy a space that benefits the environment and complies with our City's by-laws.
Nuissance By-Law
The nuisance by-law stipulates that an ecological garden, defined an area designed to be covered with a mix of wildflowers (annuals or perennials), shrubs and graminaceous plants laid out to imitates nature, can exceed the 20-centimetre height limit.
However, if the garden encroaches on an adjacent property, this would constitute a nuisance and is therefore prohibited under the by-law.
To consult the by-law, visit our Municipal By-Laws page.
Water Usage By-Law
Ecological gardens require regular care and watering once planted to ensure they establish and grow to their full potential. However, it is important to respect the water consumption by-law and its specific watering periods.
- Manual watering, that is water from a rain barrel, manual hose with release closure or watering pot, is always permitted on days without rain.
- Automatic watering, that is water from outdoor automatic sprinkler systems and in-ground watering systems, is only allowed during permitted watering periods. See our Consumption of Drinking Water page for more information.
- Mechanical watering, that is water from oscillating manual sprinklers, is only allowed during permitted watering periods. See our Consumption of Drinking Water page for more information.
To consult the by-law, visit our Drinking Water By-law page.
