Where to find native plants in Ontario

Plants and tags
In the Zone plant tags make it easier to find native plants at local nurseries and garden centres in southern Ontario.

What you plant matters. Native plants are the gold standard for attracting pollinators, restoring wildlife habitat, and building healthy natural landscapes that are more resilient to climate change.

It can be difficult to tell which plants are truly local and native. That’s why In the Zone has partnered with growers across southern Ontario to label their native plants, making it easier for you to select plants that benefit the environment. When you see the In the Zone tag, you can be assured that the plant is native to the Carolinian Zone in southern Ontario and grown from seed collected ethically from source-identified populations.

The In the Zone tag indicates that the plants are:

  • Native to the Carolinian Zone
  • Sourced from a local, known original wild population
  • Grown from seeds collected ethically (harvested in a way that does not harm wild populations)
  • Genetically diverse (not propagated clones)
  • Wild-type plants (not cultivars/nativars)
  • Grown without neonicotinoids and glyphosate; other pesticide use is limited
Native plant growers

Look for the In the Zone plant tag at these native plant retailers: 

Native plant sales and events: Spring 2026

The In the Zone team has compiled a list of spring 2026 events where you can buy or swap native plants. This list will be updated until the end of June as more events are announced. If you’d like to contribute an event to the list, please email us at [email protected].

Etobicoke: Plant Sale hosted by Etobicoke Master Gardeners. Saturday, May 23, 2026. 8:30am – 12:30pm. 6 Kingsway Cres.

Grimsby: Annual Plant Sale hosted by WomEnchant Chorus and Drummers. Saturday, May 30, 2026. 9:00am – 2:00pm. Trinity United Church, Upper Parking Lot, 100 Main St.

Guelph: 2026 Plant Sale hosted by Guelph Enabling Garden, Nature Guelph and Pollination Guelph. Saturday, May 23, 2026. 9:00am – 1:00pm. Royal Canadian Legion, 57 Watson Pkwy. S.

Hamilton: Native Plant Sale hosted by Green Venture. Saturday, May 30, 2026. 10:00am – 1:00pm. EcoHouse, 22 Veevers Dr.

Hamilton: Native Plant Sale hosted by Halton Region Master Gardeners. Saturday, June 6, 2026. 9:30am – 1:00pm. Dundurn Castle Pavilion, 610 York Boulevard.

Komoka: Plant Sale hosted by Middlesex Centre Pollinator Team. Saturdays from May 16, 2026 – October 10, 2026. 9:00am – 1:00pm. Komoka Community Market, 1 Tunks Lane.

London: Native Plant Sale hosted by London Gardens for Good. Saturday, May 23, 2026. 10:00am – 3:00pm. Westminster Ponds Centre, 944 Western Counties Rd.

Mississauga: Annual Plant Sale hosted by Cloverleaf Garden Club. Saturday, May 16, 2026. 8:30am-12:00pm. Carmen Corbasson Community Centre, 1399 Cawthra Rd.

Mississauga: Blooming Boulevards Native Plant Sale hosted by Blooming Boulevards. Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, 2026. 9:00am-3:00pm. 1295 Mineola Gardens.

Mississauga: Spring Plant Sale 2026 hosted by Mississauga Master Gardeners. Saturday, May 23, 2026. 10:00am-2:00pm. Clarkson Community Church Parking Lot, 1880 Lakeshore Rd. W.

Puslinch: Pollinator Festival 2026 hosted by Bee Sweet Nature Company. Saturday, June 13, 2026. 10:00am – 3:00pm. 4182 Side Rd. 20 S.

St. Catharines: Annual Native Plant Sale hosted by Friends of Malcolmson Eco-Park. Saturday, May 23, 2026. 9:00am – 1:00pm. 325 Lakeshore Rd.

St. Catharines: Natives for Nature: Annual Plant Sale hosted by The Green Herons. Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, 2026. 11:00am-3:00pm. 1701 Gregory Rd.

Stratford: Native Plant Sale hosted by Tri-County Master Gardeners. Saturday, June 13, 2026. 9:00am – 12:00pm. Avondale United Church, 194 Avondale Ave.

Toronto: Plant Fair 2026 hosted by The Horticultural Societies of Parkdale and Toronto. Saturday May 23, 2026. 10:00am – 1:00pm. Roncesvalles United Church, 214 Wright Ave.

Toronto: Roncy Remarket hosted by Parkdale-High Park 4 Climate Action. Saturday, May 30, 2026. 10:00am-3:00pm. Roncesvalles United Church,214 Wright Ave.

Toronto: Spring Plant Sale hosted by Friends of Allan Gardens. Sunday, May 17, 2026. 10:00am-4:00pm. Allan Gardens Palm House and Children’s Conservatory, 160 Gerrard St. E.

Toronto: Spring Plant Sale 2026 hosted by Toronto Botanical Garden. Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24, 2026. 10:00am – 4:00pm. Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Ave. E.

Other resources to help you find native plants

Still not sure where to buy native plants in your area? Check these resources for native plant growers and retailers near you: 

If you’re unsure whether a plant is native to the Carolinian zone and will benefit your local ecosystem, check this WWF-Canada blog for questions you can ask retailers to help guide your purchasing decisions.

In the Zone plant tags make it easier to find native plants at local nurseries and garden centres in southern Ontario.

What you plant matters. Native plants are the gold standard for attracting pollinators, restoring wildlife habitat, and building healthy natural landscapes that are more resilient to climate change.

It can be difficult to tell which plants are truly local and native. That’s why In the Zone has partnered with growers across southern Ontario to label their native plants, making it easier for you to select plants that benefit the environment. When you see the In the Zone tag, you can be assured that the plant is native to the Carolinian Zone in southern Ontario and grown from seed collected ethically from source-identified populations.

The In the Zone tag indicates that the plants are:

  • Native to the Carolinian Zone
  • Sourced from a local, known original wild population
  • Grown from seeds collected ethically (harvested in a way that does not harm wild populations)
  • Genetically diverse (not propagated clones)
  • Wild-type plants (not cultivars/nativars)
  • Grown without neonicotinoids and glyphosate; other pesticide use is limited
Native plant growers

Look for the In the Zone plant tag at select native plant nurseries.

Native plants at Loblaw garden centres

WWF-Canada is pleased to continue its partnership with Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) to source native plants for select garden centres across southern and eastern Ontario and southern Quebec.

Each spring, participating garden centres carry a variety of native plants, including shade-and sun-loving species as well as grasses and sedges, all of which grow easily in local conditions. They’ve been carefully selected and grown by the following Ontario native plant growers and will make excellent habitat for pollinators and other wildlife in your garden:

By choosing plants with the special In the Zone tag (southern Ontario only) and/or WWF panda logo on the plant species tag (all participating garden centres), you’re assured to get the best plants possible to help local wildlife thrive.

Plant species list for southern Ontario (selection at individual stores will vary)

Plant species list for southern Quebec and eastern Ontario (selection at individual stores will vary)

Garden centres participating in spring 2025: