Guest Speaker

Laura Thomas, owner of Hidden Habitat can lead a workshop or seminar for your group on a  variety of topics from:

Moving Beyond Butterfly Gardens

Grow wild and think beyond a pollinator patch or butterfly garden. Learn how your garden can provide habitat for more than just butterflies and that by implementing strategies that support a diversity of species from songbirds to salamanders, you improve the ecological integrity of your garden and make it more welcoming to butterflies and beyond. Discover which plants are best at supporting wildlife and how you can maintain your garden to encourage and welcome a diversity of species.

Native Plants for Muskoka Gardens

Discover the benefits of having native plants in your Muskoka garden. Learn which native plants are best at supporting wildlife in Muskoka as well as the plants best suited to your Muskoka landscape. From shallow rocky soils to shorelines and tree-shaded gardens, you will learn which plants will thrive in your garden.  Learn design and maintenance tips that will ensure your native plants look great and will thrive regardless of your style of garden.

Growing Native Plants from Seed

Learn how to grow native plants from seed. In this introductory webinar, you will learn how to ethically collect seeds, clean them for storage, as well as the best methods for storing seeds. Discover the best methods for germinating your seeds indoors or outdoors and how to care for your newly sprouted seedlings.

Gardening for Wildlife

Garden for the good of wildlife. Learn how to create gardens that support wildlife and compliment the local neighbouring ecosystems. Discover which plants are best at supporting wildlife in general and what species are needed to attract specific butterflies, moths and songbirds. Explore the importance of native plants in the landscape and why we need to see our gardens as being more than just pretty. Learn how your garden can function both ecologically and aesthetically in your landscape with design and maintenance tips for every garden style.

Guest Speaker fee, from $125 (plus mileage 61¢ per kilometre) for a one hour presentation.

What we are up to

From the greenhouse to the garden and places in between.
    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/employment-opportunities/

      Don't spend your summer indoors. Work with a small but growing business in Muskoka outdoors! Enjoy the beauty of Muskoka while learning new skills and gaining unique experiences. We are looking for ...

      Employment Opportunities


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/seeding-native-plants-webinar-2/

      Wednesday, December 8th 2021 7pm Learn how to grow native plants from seed with Laura Thomas of Hidden Habitat. In this introductory webinar, Laura will discuss how to ethically collect seeds, ...

      Seeding Native Plants Webinar


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/opening-day/

      Our native plant nursery will be opening Saturday May 15, 2021 for the season. We will be open from 10 am to 4 pm for in-person shopping as well as plant order pick-ups. Nursery hours: Thursday    ...

      Opening Day is May 15th


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/design-tips-for-front-yard-wildlife-gardens/

      Front yards are important. They are the first thing we see when we come home every day. The first thing guests see when they visit. Our neighbors also spend a lot of time looking at them. So, it makes ...

      Design Tips for Front Yard Wildlife Gardens


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/seeding-native-plants-webinar/

       Learn how to grow native plants from seed with Laura Thomas of Hidden Habitat. In this introductory webinar, Laura will discuss how to ethically collect seeds, clean them for storage, as well as ...

      Seeding Native Plants Webinar


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/mullet-gardening/

      Business at the front, party at the back.     Keeping your garden looking good but also functional (ecologically) is sometimes difficult for gardeners wanting to provide habitat. They ...

      Mullet Gardening


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/made-for-shade/

      Gardening with native plants in the shade Listen in to my Gardening in the Shade episode of In the Dirt, on Hunters Bay Radio.   Types of Shade Before we dive into plants for the shade ...

      Made for Shade


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/on-the-rocks/

      Native plants for well-drained, shallow soils. As gardeners in Muskoka, we all probably have that one spot where the soil is barely an inch deep or the soil is primarily sandy or gravel. You've likely been ...

      On the Rocks


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/new-custom-seeded-trays/

      Create your own custom native plant plug tray. Choose from 1-14 species to be pre-sown into your custom 98 plug tray. Each custom plug tray comes with: A selection of Ontario native seed ...

      NEW Custom Seeded Trays


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/winter-sowing-in-plug-trays/

        Seeding native plant seeds is easy and can be done in many different ways, from direct sowing outdoors to sowing indoors in trays. This method is a hybrid of both, and by far my ...

      Winter Sowing in Plug Trays


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/online-store-is-launched/

      We are excited to announce that our online store is up at hiddenhabitat.square.site Orders will be available after May 16, 2020 for pick up, delivery and shipping.   New Plants & ...

      Online Store is Launched


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/in-the-dirt-episode-one/

      I am thrilled to have shared our first episode of In the Dirt live on air on Hunters Bay Radio 88.7 FM. The first episode aired March 7th and is available to listen to online ...

      In the Dirt – Episode One


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/getting-in-the-dirt-with-hunters-bay-radio/

      We are excited to announce that starting March 7th, I will be hosting a new gardening show on Muskoka's Hunters Bay Radio.  The show, much like my take on gardening will be a blend of conservation, ecology ...

      Getting in the Dirt with Hunters Bay Radio


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/barrie-native-plant-pop-up-sale/

      Watch out Barrie, we're coming for you! We are hosting a pop-up native plant sale at the Tiffin Centre for Conservation on September 15th, 2019. We will be selling a wide variety of our Ontario ...

      Barrie Native Plant Pop-Up Sale


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/fall-in-love-with-native-plants-sale/

      When: September 12-15, 2019 9am to 4pm Where: Hidden Habitat, 2017 Southwood Road, Kilworthy P0E 1G0   Take advantage of warm days and cool nights by planting in late summer, early fall.  ...

      Fall in Love with Native Plants Sale


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/growing-native-plants-from-seed/

      When: September 28, 2019 1 pm to 4 pm (CANCELLED) Where: Hidden Habitat 2017 Southwood Road, Kilworthy P0E 1G0 $45 per participant Learn the basics of how to grow your own native plants from seed, as ...

      Growing Native Plants from Seed – Cancelled


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/severn-bridge-school-befriends-butterflies/

        K.P. Manson Public School, in conjunction with Laura Thomas of Hidden Habitat, are planting a butterfly friendly garden on their school grounds on Wednesday June 12, 2019 at 12pm. Much like ...

      Severn Bridge School Befriends Butterflies


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/establishing-a-meadow/

      When: September 13, 2018 6:30pm to 8 pm Where: Hidden Habitat  2017 Southwood Road, Kilworthy, ON P0E 1G0 $35 per participant* Whether you want to turn a small piece of your lawn into a haven for ...

      Establishing a Meadow


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/gardening-for-wildlife/

      When: Thursday August 9, 2018 6:30 pm to 8 pm (registration closed) Saturday August 18, 2018, 10 am to 11:30 am Where: Hidden Habitat 2017 Southwood Road, Kilworthy, ON P0E 1G0 Cost: $25 + hst ...

      Gardening for Wildlife


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/spring-talks/

      Spring has sprung with a flurry of garden shows and talks and I am excited to have been asked to be a guest speaker for our local garden clubs. I will be presenting at both the Gravenhurst and ...

      Spring Garden Club Talks


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/celebrating-earth-day-at-wye-marsh/

      We are excited to be celebrating Earth Day, April 22, 2018 at Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre. We will be selling our Ontario native plants and shrubs as well as doing a short but informative presentation on ...

      Celebrating Earth Day at Wye Marsh


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/native-plants-for-small-gardens/

      Native plants have a reputation of being wild and unruly, ignoring boundaries and growing wherever they wish. This reputation makes some gardeners wary of allowing them in their gardens.  This is ...

      Native Plants for Small Gardens


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/we-are-celebrating-pollinators-at-wye-marsh/

      Join us Saturday August 5, 2017 for Wye Marsh's Celebrating Pollinators Event. Included with general admission, this unique event celebrates all things related to Pollinators - bees, butterflies, ...

      We are Celebrating Pollinators at Wye Marsh


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/to-the-market-we-go/

      We are excited to be a guest vendor at the Gravenhurst Farmer's Market this year.  On June 7, July 5 & August 9 we will be selling a variety of native plants perfect for the Muskoka home or cottage. ...

      To the Market We Go


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/benefits-of-using-native-plants/

      Native vegetation evolved to live with the local climate, soil types, and animals. This long process brings us several gardening advantages*. Save Water: Once established, native plants need little ...

      Benefits of Using Native Plants


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/what-is-a-native-plant/

      This is a question I get asked a lot, and surprisingly there isn't consensus. There are vague definitions as seen below, but the jury is still out on a strict definition of what constitutes a native plant. ...

      What is a native plant?


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/workshop-series-for-2017/

      Establishing a Meadow, $35 Saturday September 28, 2017 | 1pm to 4pm Whether you want to turn a small piece of your lawn into a haven for birds and butterflies, or have a field you want to return to ...

      Workshop Series for 2017


    • https://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/welcome-to-hidden-habitat/

       Let our passion for conservation and natural design help you create your ideal outdoor space. Whether you have a small patio or hectares of land, Hidden Habitat can design an outdoor oasis not only ...

      Welcome to Hidden Habitat


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