Pollinator Habitat
Billy Bishop Museum’s Pollinator Habitat is a collaboration of the OPEN Team and Pollinate Owen Sound.
On June 1, 2024, a group of volunteers put the first native plants in the soil of the Pollinator Habitat in the backyard of the Billy Bishop Museum. The garden is the first in a series of Habitats across Owen Sound, with the goal of creating a corridor of pollinator habitats across Grey County.
All the plants are native to southern Ontario. Below is a list giving each plant’s common name, the Latin name, the Anishinaabemowin name (the language of the Anishinaabeg nation), and the translation of the Anishinaabemowin name into English.
We were honoured to work with Mary E'shkwii, a language Knowledge Keeper from Neyaashiinigmiing (Cape Croker). Mary did extensive research to provide the Anishinabeemowin name for each of the 36 species in the garden. As well, she explained how plants got their names and has offered a pronunciation guide for the language.
Landscape architect Thomas Dean sketched the outline of the planting area in relation to the site. Mike Vair-Haley of Sound Outdoors prepared the area for planting. Vicky Thomson, Master Gardener, chose the plants and their locations. Artist Liz Zetlin acted as project manager. Billy Bishop Curator Morgan Woodhouse was a key participant throughout the project.
The OPEN Team is a collaboration among four Owen Sound cultural organizations: Billy Bishop Museum; The Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library; The Tom Thomson Art Gallery; and the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre. Visit opencard.ca to learn more about the Open Card Partners.
Pollinate Owen Sound is a grassroots community initiative to create a pollinator corridor in public and private spaces in Owen Sound and connect with other pollinator habitats in the region.
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Request to receive our newsletter, email: pollinateowensound@gmail.com
Visit Pollinate Grey, a collaboration with The Blue Mountains, Owen Sound, and Meaford.
We work closely with the Grey County Master Gardeners. Visit them here for more resources.
The Open Team and Pollinate Owen Sound objectives:
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Model the transition to native plants by site specific native plantings, honouring the history and purpose of each OPEN organization
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Honour the traditional knowledge of the Anishinaabeg
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Partner with local experts
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Raise awareness through community engagement, education, and programming
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Inspire our municipality and community to transition to native plantings
Plants and the Great Lakes Anishinaabeg
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In the oral tradition of the Anishinaabeg it is believed that after the physical world was created, next came the plant world including trees, flowers and grasses. After Original Man was created and placed on Earth he was told to walk the Earth and name everything, including the plants. Carried in the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) name of each plant is a part of the world view of the Anishinaabe people. Ojibwe plant names describe their evident characteristics, refer to their usage or allude to specialized knowledge. Yet some names originate from a legend. Some names are lost or undocumented and there are a few names whose meanings are now unknown.
The Anishinaabeg have a great and remarkable tradition of plant knowledge. All plants are valued and each plant is considered sacred and has its own spirit. The belief is that everything was put on earth for a reason and a purpose. Like everything else in creation, plants are to be treated and honoured in a respectful way. It is the belief of the Anishinaabeg that everything is interrelated and human beings are dependent on the rest of creation.
We are grateful for the support of the Toronto Dominion Friends of the Environment Fund and Bruce Power’s Sponsorship Program.
