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.

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.

	Fragrant Sumac Height: 1-2m The Fragrant Sumac is a medium-sized deciduous shrub within the Cashew family. This species grows between 1-2 meters in height, is multi-stemmed, and produces a round, dense crown composed of erect and spreading branches. Between March and April, small yellow flower clusters bloom on the terminal ends of the branches prior to leaf development. Fruit development begins during late summer. Small, red, hairy berries are produced and can remain on the plant throughout the winter. Male catkins develop on the plant in September. Fragrant Sumac leaves are simple and arranged alternately along the branch. Leaves produced are simple and trifoliate with a large center lobe, appearing similar to Poison Ivy. During the spring and summer, the leaves are light green to green-yellow in colour turning a bright yellow to red or dark purple in autumn. Crushed leaves and stems of the Fragrant Sumac produce a fragrant citrus aroma, hence the common name. The aroma of this shrub is attractive to butterfly species, making it the perfect addition to any butterfly garden. The roots of the Fragrant Sumac are shallow, fibrous, and spread rapidly, making it an ideal choice for stabilizing shorelines and mitigating erosion on steep slopes. Unlike other Sumac species, Fragrant Sumac is significantly less aggressive and easily maintained.
	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.
	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.
	Black-Eyed Susan Height: 1 m Black-Eyed Susan is a popular biennial or a short-lived perennial wildflower species that typically grows about 1 m in height. Its leaves are green, alternately arranged, lance shaped, and covered with bristly hairs giving the leaf a grey/green colour. The flowers are daisy-like, have 8-20 yellow ray florets surrounding numerous dark brown disk florets, and blooms between June and September. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, like bees and butterflies. The seeds are also beneficial to wildlife species, like birds and small mammals. This flower blooms for long periods.
	Lance-Leaf Coreopsis Height: 45-90 cm Lance-Leaf Coreopsis is a hardy, perennial wildflower species that grows between 45-90 cm tall. The leaves are mostly basal, medium green, narrow and lance shaped, slightly hairy, oppositely arranged, and have entire margins. The flowers are showy, bright yellow with a dark yellow center, daisy like, have 8 toothed rays, appear solitary at the tip of a flowering stem, and bloom between May and July. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, like bees and butterflies. The Lance-Leaf Coreopsis is hardy, easy to grow, and spreads quickly so can be valuable for re-vegetating disturbed sites.
	Virginia Creeper Height: 15 m The Virginia Creeper is a deciduous, woody vine species which can grow up to 15 m if near a tall structure or tree. The leaves are palmately compound with five ovate shaped leaflets. These leaves are largely toothed and turn bright red and orange during the fall. Despite having inconspicuous flowers, this species produces incredible dark blue berries, which are beneficial to birds and small mammals. This vine can grow 2-3 m per growing season, thus pruning and maintenance may be required. Virginia Creeper may sometimes be confused with Poison Ivy as younger plants will only have three leaflets instead of five. This plant can grow aggressively so should be planted where it has plenty of space to spread. Some shoreline landowners choose to plant this around rip rap/loose stone retaining walls for a more natural appearance. The root system is beneficial for quickly controlling erosion.
	Swamp Rose Height: 2m The Swamp Rose is a beautiful perennial shrub species. It is visually appealing with large pink flowers that last about 6-8 weeks. These flowers have five pink petals, a yellow center, and a pleasant fragrance. This species produces oblong shaped, compound leaves comprised of seven leaflets with serrated edges. The Swamp Rose produces red, round, fleshy fruit called rose hips, which remain on the bush throughout winter. These fruiting bodies provide a winter food source for wildlife, such as Grouse, Black Bears, Deer, and Rabbits. Swamp Rose may be confused with Prickly Wild Rose, which has a similar appearance. However, Swamp Rose can easily be distinguished by the presence of curved thorns, which appear at the nodes of the twigs without any occurring between the nodes. Swamp Rose grows best in moist, rich soils such as swamps and marshy shorelines. However, this species can also tolerate drier, loamy soils.
	Butterfly Milkweed Height: 0.5 m Butterfly Milkweed is a very attractive perennial wildflower that typically grows about 0.5 m tall. This plant may also be known by the common name Showy Milkweed. The leaves are green coloured, alternately arranged, narrow and lance-shaped, and have entire margins. The flowers are showy, fragrant, bright orange coloured, have five tiny petals, appear in clusters of 8-25, and bloom between June and August. Butterfly Milkweed is easy to grow and is low maintenance. This wildflower spreads well and can be used to naturalize un-vegetated areas. The roots can be useful for controlling erosion and stabilizing shorelines. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, like bees and butterflies. It is also a larval host for caterpillars of the endangered Monarch Butterfly, thus planting this species where possible can help protect this at risk species.

Compartment A

Naturalization Area

• pH: normal
• Depth: potted, bareroot, wildflowers
• Moisture: normal, moist
• Soil Type: loamy
• Plant Height: any
• Light conditions: full sun

Fragrant Sumac

6

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

10

Sweet Gale

10

Black-Eyed Susan

6

Lance-Leaf Coreopsis

6

Compartment B

Naturalization Area

• pH: normal
• Depth: potted, bareroot, wildflowers
• Moisture: normal, moist
• Soil Type: loamy, clay
• Plant Height: any
• Light conditions: full sun, partial sun

Fragrant Sumac

6

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

10

Sweet Gale

10

Black-Eyed Susan

6

Lance-Leaf Coreopsis

6

Compartment C

Naturalization Area

• pH: normal
• Depth: potted, bareroot, wildflowers
• Moisture: normal, moist
• Soil Type: sandy, loamy
• Plant Height: any
• Light conditions: full sun, partial sun

Virginia Creeper

6

Swamp Rose

10

Butterfly Milkweed

6

Compartment D

Naturalization Area

• pH: normal
• Depth: potted, bareroot, wildflowers
• Moisture: normal, moist
• Soil Type: sandy, loamy
• Plant Height: any
• Light conditions: full sun

Virginia Creeper

6

Swamp Rose

10

Schedule B

Financial Summary

Project by: Watersheds Canada

The following section outlines the total cost of your project. It has been divided into 2 sections; 1- Plants and Material, 2- Services. It also includes the breakdown of the landowner contribution and the portion that will be paid by Watersheds Canada, as outlined in the Project Costs Total table.

The Natural Edge program has received generous funding to help support the costs of plants, materials, and project coordination and delivery, making this program possible.

Totals

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:

Watersheds Canada
115-40 Sunset Blvd. Perth ON K7H 2Y4

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 Watersheds Canada

Watersheds Canada is a non-profit organization and registered Canadian charity committed to working with landowners, communities, and organizations to protect lakes and rivers through developing effective, transferable, and long-term solutions.

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.