Design and Process 

The garden on the grounds of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum is designed as a demonstration garden with native plants that are suited to the southern Saskatchewan ecoregion.  First recognized by SOUL as a 'Greener Greenspace' in 2021, the garden is a model of what's possible to support a diversity of plants and wildlife in an urban environment. By promoting native plants and healthy soil, the garden demonstrates how to create a healthy understory beneath the tree canopy. 

In 2022, an additional 600 square feet of land was added to the garden. The gardeners introduced native grasses and forbs that grow in the drier areas of southern Saskatchewan as a way to demonstrate which shorter native grasses and sedges can successfully be used in an urban landscape.

Having a diversity of plants that support pollinators, including butterflies, the garden is designated as a Monarch Way Station and is on the  David Suzuki Foundation's Butterflyway Pollinator Corridor.  

Community Collaboration

There is a small but dedicated group of garden volunteers caring for the garden who have extensive knowledge and experience in wildlife, natural habitats, and growing native plants in an urban setting. The garden leader organizes additional volunteers to help out when needed. Volunteer are recruited from the general public and groups such as the the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Wild Outside Youth Leadership program. The garden is monitored by a team of biologists and landscapers dedicated to organic land care practices.

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum uses the garden for programming & research.  They give away seeds from the garden & provide advice on organic native plant gardening to the general public. They are currently further extending their outreach to  children's groups such as younger Guide and Scout troops to encourage all ages to learn about gardening for wildlife. A Nature Regina project uses the garden for family nature events.  For additional public outreach, they host webinars on gardening with native plants through the Regina Public Library, Nature Regina & the Native Prairie Restoration & Reclamation Workshop.

The garden is in its fourth year of a five year rejuvenation plan. Going forward, there will be successive five year plans created and implemented by Nature Regina, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and the Wascana Capital Commission. 

For more information, visit the Nature Regina Facebook page and their website. 

Virtual Tour of Nature Regina's Demonstration Garden 

Presented by Gail Fennell