Hello gardeners!

We all hear the word biodiversity—saving the bees, protecting endangered species—but what does it really mean for your backyard or balcony garden? The truth is biodiversity is not just about wild spaces. It is the key to creating a healthier, more productive garden. Most gardeners love nature by default so it makes sense that we would embrace biodiversity in an effort to align with nature and not have gardening practices that work against nature—dare I say attempt to control nature, based on gardening practices of previous generations.

By gardening for biodiversity, you’re not just planting flowers or vegetables. You’re building an ecosystem. The flourishing garden will support pollinators, nourish the soil, reduce pests naturally, and make your garden more resilient to climate change.

Let’s dig in.

What Is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular area—plants, animals, insects, fungi, and the microscopic life in the soil. A biodiverse garden has many different species that each play a role in keeping the system healthy and balanced. Consider this web of life as nature’s safety net. The more diverse your garden’s life, the more stable and self-sustaining the garden becomes.

Why It Matters in Your Garden

Biodiversity creates balance. When there’s a wide range of plants, insects, and animals in your garden, they work together to create a healthy system.

Pollinators help your crops produce fruit. Predatory insects, like ladybugs, keep pests, like aphids, under control. Healthy soils, full of life, feed your plants without the need for synthetic fertilizers. It is win-win!

Biodiversity isn’t just good for the planet—it’s great for your garden. Start small and watch your space come to life.

What Happens When Biodiversity Fails?

When diversity disappears, problems show up fast. Without enough pollinators, edible crops fail. Without natural pest predators, insect infestations explode. Monoculture gardens (where only one type of plant is grown) often deplete the soil and attract disease. The stress of plants and trees is showing up more as we experience extreme weather events. People wonder why mature trees suddenly fail. It is the previous years of stress contributing to the failure more often than the single recent event.

In short: the lack of biodiversity means more work for you and more chemicals required to keep things growing.

Meet the Keystone Species in Your Garden

Keystone species are the VIPs of the garden world. They have an outsized impact on the health of your ecosystem. Some examples:

Native Bees: Essential pollinators for fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Earthworms: Natural tillers that improve soil structure and fertility.

Ladybugs: Voracious predators of aphids and other plant pests.

By inviting these species into your garden, you boost biodiversity and create a self-sustaining environment. They are doing the gardening for you!

Pollinator in an apple orchard. Photo taken by R. Pak, Summerland, BC.

5 Benefits You’ll See in One Year

Here’s what happens when you make space for biodiversity in your garden:

Fewer pests without chemicals: Natural predators keep pests under control.
Healthier, more fertile soil: Diverse plantings and soil life boost fertility.
Abundant harvests: More pollinators lead to better fruit and veggie production.
Less watering and overall maintenance: Healthy plants and healthy soil retain water and need less work.
A garden full of life: Birds, butterflies, and bees bring movement and beauty to your space. Oh, the enjoyment for the gardener!

5 Steps to Begin Gardening for Biodiversity

Plant a variety of perennials and flowering shrubs.
Create layers in the garden: trees, shrubs, taller perennials, perennials and ground covers.
Plant densely to reduce open areas of exposed soil.
Eliminate chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
Add habitat features such as water sources and logs.

Photo taken by R. Pak, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.

Your gardening efforts are creating a wonderful habitat for all visitors to the garden, yourself included. In today's unstable world, you can step out into the garden and know you are making a difference on so many levels. Collectively, as gardeners who adopt regenerative gardening practices, we are encouraging biodiversity in our own gardens but also expanding that biodiversity to begin healing the planet.

Let’s get our hands dirty,