Schedule A:

Plants & Property

Land Characteristics

This planting plan is designed based on the land characteristics identified during the day of the site visit. Plants are chosen according to the soil and light conditions on your property. The number of plants chosen for each planting compartment takes into account the square metre area of the space, as well as the amount of current vegetation cover. Your property is part of ecoZone: 5b

Land Characteristics by Compartment

Plant Selection Summary

The following shrubs and trees are chosen for their suitability and survivability given the current soil and light conditions in each compartment on your property, as well as preferable features.

Plant Information

The following table summarizes key information about each plant selected for your property.

	Sweet Gale Height: 1-2m Sweet Gale is a medium-sized shrub which grows into a thick bush about 1-2 m tall. This species produces 1-8 cm long, oblong-lanceolate leaves which are finely toothed at the tip and are spirally arranged. When bruised, these leaves give off a pleasant aroma. Male and female catkins are produced on separate plants. The seeds are dispersed from the female plants via water, as they float on two corky bracts. Sweet Gale grows best in moist or wet conditions, acidic soil, and full to partial sun exposure. It is naturally found in bogs, swamps, marshes, and along wet shorelines. This shrub species has nitrogen fixing bacteria in its root nodules, allowing it to convert nitrogen into a usable form. Thus, Sweet Gale can be used on nutrient poor, acidic sites, which may be difficult to plant on for other species. Additionally, being able to convert nitrogen and add nutrients to the soil can be beneficial for other plants in the area. This shrub also provides a good food source for bird species that eat the seeds including Grouse, Chickadees, and Bluebirds. Mammal species like Beavers and White-Tailed Deer also browse on the twigs and leaves of this plant.
	Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet Height: 1-2m The Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet is an erect, deciduous shrub, which grows in the shape of a mound. This species develops numerous branches and branchlets, giving it a sparse appearance. Leaves produced are simple and narrow with sharply toothed borders growing alternately along the branches. These bright, light green leaves appear crowded, as they grow close together on the stocks and branches. During the fall, leaves turn a yellow-red or yellow-orange colour. Small white to light pink flower clusters appear in the spring growing in a dense, narrow pyramid at the terminal ends of the branches. During late summer to early fall, these flowers produce smooth, papery seed pods.
	Labrador Tea Height: 1 m Labrador Tea is a hardy, small evergreen shrub which can grow up to 1 m and can be found in every province and territory of Canada. This slow growing plant produces woolly branches with alternately arranged leaves. The leaves are recognizable by their deep green colour, wrinkly curved tops, smooth edges, and hairy, rust coloured underside. The Labrador Tea produces fragrant and showy white flowers, which grow in a large flattened cluster at the terminal ends of the branches. This shrub attracts pollinator species, such as bees and butterflies, but is slightly poisonous to mammals. Labrador Tea was collected by indigenous people to brew a tea, which is rich in vitamin C.
	Witch Hazel Height: 4-9m The Witch Hazel is a deciduous understory shrub, with a broad and rounded crown. This species can sometimes take on the form of a tree. Witch Hazel is most recognizable for its 2 cm long, spidery, bright yellow flowers, which bloom during late fall. Leaves produced are alternate, simple, 6-15 cm in length, and obovately shaped. These leaves are dark green on top with paler undersides and turn yellow during the autumn. Witch Hazel leaves produce hairs on their principal veins, are asymmetrical at their base, scalloped, and sometimes coarsely toothed. In addition, the leaves contain 5-7 straight, parallel, ascending veins per side. The twigs are slender, zigzagged, tawny, and smooth when mature. Witch Hazel fruiting bodies are short, thick, light brown capsules that become woody upon maturation. This species is typically multi-stemmed with two or more trunks, which are crooked and 10-15 cm in diameter.
	Highbush Cranberry Height: 3 m Highbush Cranberry is a large deciduous shrub species that typically grows about 3 m in height. The branches on this shrub are dense with arching stems, creating a full form. The leaves are oppositely arranged, Maple leaf shaped, have 3 lobes, and have entire or toothed margins. The flowers are showy, creamy white coloured, appear in flat clusters with larger florets surrounding smaller ones, and bloom between May and June. These flowers change into drooping, bright red berry clusters that persist throughout the winter. While the berries are edible to humans, they are very tart when consumed raw so are typically cooked first. This shrub has very attractive fall foliage, changing a reddish purple colour. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, like bees and butterflies. The fruit is beneficial to wildlife species, including birds and small mammals. The root system is extensive, making this shrub valuable for controlling erosion and stabilizing loose soil. This species can be found across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia, but is most commonly found in Ontario and Quebec.
	Ostrich Fern Height: 1.5 m The Ostrich Fern is a coarse, erect to arching perennial fern, that can grow up to 1.5 m in height. The stems are clustered and arching while the leaves are ostrich-plume shaped, widest near top, and very gradually narrowed to the base. The size of the leaves grow up to 1.5 m long and 12-40 cm wide, with around 40 pairs of leaflets or pinnae. The leaflets are long, narrow-pointed, and ascending. The leaves are fertile, with spore clusters on the undersides of sub-leaflets.
	Canada Mayflower Height: 20 cm Canada Mayflower is a herbaceous perennial wildflower that grows up to 20 cm tall. This plant may also be known by the common name False Lily of the Valley. This species has 1-3 leaves that are large, smooth, alternately arranged, oval shaped with pointed tips, have prominent veins, and have entire margins. The flowers are small, creamy white colored, have 4 petals, 4 stamens, appear in spiked raceme clusters, and bloom between May and June. In late summer, the flowers are replaced with round speckled pale red berries that each contain two seeds. Canada Mayflower can form colonies along fibrous rhizomes. The flowers are beneficial for pollinator species, like bees.
	Bush Honeysuckle Height: 1m The Bush Honeysuckle is a small, hardy, deciduous shrub that rarely grows taller than 1 m in height. The leaves are simple, oppositely arranged, ovate shaped, and have finely toothed margins. During the spring and summer, the leaves are dark green in colour, then in the fall they take on a variety of colours ranging from a deep purple to light yellow. The flowers are small, showy, yellow to orange colored, trumpet shaped, appear in clusters on the tips of branches, and bloom between June and July. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, including hummingbirds and butterflies. The roots of the Bush Honeysuckle are fibrous, giving it the ability to form thickets and making it an ideal shrub to plant for erosion control.
	Wild Columbine Height: 0.5 m Wild Columbine is a perennial wildflower that grows about 0.5 m tall and is popular among gardeners due to its beautiful red and yellow coloured flowers. These flowers are nodding flowers, meaning that they droop downwards off the end of the branch. They have five sepals and five petals that stretch upwards creating five long spurs out the back. The leaves are attractive, compound and made up of 9-27 leaflets, appear in groups of three, and are rounded or broadly egg-shaped with rounded lobes. The sweet nectar of this wildflower is a great attractant to hummingbirds and butterflies.
	Silky Dogwood Height: 2-4m The Silky Dogwood is a large, deciduous shrub species native to Eastern North America. This species produces a rounded shape due to its numerous upright branches stemming from a central, multi-stemmed base. Branches which grow touching the ground can develop their own root system, often creating thickets. During the spring and summer, branches are a shiny, light green colour and change to a red colour during the fall and winter. This species produces simple, lance-shaped leaves arranged oppositely along the branches. During the spring and summer, the foliage is a deep green colour and turns dark red-purple during the fall prior to dropping. Small, yellow-white flowers bloom during mid-June, maturing into bright blue berries in September. This species of Dogwood grows best alongside Willow when being planted to mitigate erosion and stabilize shorelines.
	Red Osier Dogwood Height: 1.5-4m The Red Osier Dogwood is a medium-sized, deciduous shrub native throughout Northern and Western North America. This species is multi-stemmed with numerous erect and ascending bright red branches that create a loose and spreading form. Leaves produced are simple, two-toned with a dark green upper side and light green underside. They are arranged opposite each other along the branches. During the fall, the foliage turns a brilliant red to dark purple. Clusters of small, creamy white flowers form on the terminal ends of the branches between June and July. The Red Osier Dogwood produces blueish-white fruiting bodies during late summer, which may persist throughout the winter. This shrub's berries provide an important winter food source for numerous species, from large deer to small wintering birds.
	Common Polypody Height: 30 cm The Common Polypody is a small, evergreen fern species that typically grows less than 30 cm in height. This plant may also be known by the common names Rock Polypody or Rock Cap Fern. The leaves are erect, leathery, yellow green to dark green colored, and pinnately compound with 8-20 deep lobes.

Compartment A

Naturalization Area

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal, moist
• Soil Type: loamy
• Light conditions: shade

Sweet Gale

1

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

3

Labrador Tea

3

Witch Hazel

1

Highbush Cranberry

1

Ostrich Fern

3

Canada Mayflower

3

Compartment B

Naturalization Area

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal
• Soil Type: loamy
• Plant Height: max 1.5m
• Light conditions: partial sun, shade

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

2

Bush Honeysuckle

4

Wild Columbine

10

Compartment C

Naturalization Area

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal
• Soil Type: loamy
• Light conditions: partial sun, shade

Ostrich Fern

4

Silky Dogwood

2

Red Osier Dogwood

1

Compartment D

Naturalization Area

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal
• Soil Type: loamy
• Light conditions: partial sun

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

5

Witch Hazel

1

Compartment E

Naturalization Area

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal, moist
• Soil Type: loamy
• Light conditions: partial sun

Sweet Gale

1

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

1

Labrador Tea

3

Common Polypody

3

Compartment F

Naturalization Area

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal, moist
• Soil Type: loamy
• Light conditions: partial sun, shade

Ostrich Fern

3

Bush Honeysuckle

4

Schedule B

Financial Summary

Project by: Muskoka Watershed Council

Shoreline Re-Naturalization Starter Kit includes: free site visit, customized re-naturalization planting plan for your shoreline property, native plants including free bare root (small) and potted (large) plants and wildflowers, coconut fibre pads to deter grass from growing around new plantings, tree guards for all deciduous trees, mulch for your wildflowers, Plant Care Guide with instructions on how to take care of your new plants, Habitat Creation Guide and a Wildflower Garden Guide.

Our planting plans are created onsite with you and provide detailed information and plans to re-naturalize your shoreline property. We take photos of areas for planting and overlay native plants that are well suited to your property based on site conditions such as soil type and sunlight availability.

We will work with you to create a plan that works for you including options for low growing plants in areas where views are important.

Schedule C

Project Agreement

Stewardship Agreement

Please indicate your agreement to this proposed plan by signing the following Stewardship Agreement and submitting it, along with your financial contribution, to:

Muskoka Watershed Council
70 Pine Street Bracebridge, Ontario P1L 1N3

Plant Availability

Please note that plant species may need to be changed based on plant stock availability at the time of ordering.

Project Completion

Upon receiving your signed stewardship agreement and financial contribution, a date will be booked to complete the project. Watersheds Canada will supply all plants, materials, and planting labour. If there are particular dates that you would prefer, we will do our best to accommodate your requests.

About this program

About Muskoka Watershed Council

MWC is a volunteer-based non-profit organization with the mandate to champion watershed health. MWC is comprised of representatives from a wide range of stakeholders and has been providing a coordinated and science-based voice on issues affecting the environmental quality of our watersheds since 2001.

This program was created by Watersheds Canada

We believe that every person has the right to access clean and healthy lakes and rivers in Canada. At Watersheds Canada, we work to keep these precious places naturally clean and healthy for people and wildlife to continue using for years to come. We love working with others to meet the needs of local communities, whether you’re a concerned citizen, a landowner, a lake association looking for help, or a coalition of groups interested in activating your local community.