Growing Communities of Biodiversity
The Monarch Awards celebrate and inspire eco-friendly gardening. Whether you’re just getting started or already building a healthy space for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, your efforts matter.
- The Monarch Awards were created by dedicated volunteers and staff from the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club and Royal Botanical Gardens, under the leadership of Beverley Wagar.
- A decade later, the Monarch Awards again took flight with Halton Region Master Gardeners, who are proud to relaunch this impactful program with an expanded regional vision.
Congratulations to All Monarch Award Applicants!
During a hot, dry summer here in the City of Hamilton, 38 gardeners from Ancaster, Dundas, Hamilton, Stoney Creek and Waterdown participated. We’re especially excited for the Monarch recipients and happy to showcase photos of their gardens.
🦋The map below celebrates all of our the recipients for 2025 including 14 Monarch Awards! Each marker below represents a garden where people are making a difference—creating habitat, welcoming wildlife, and adding biodiversity to their neighbourhoods. Together, these gardens shine as inspiring examples of how ecological gardening can transform our communities. The butterflies represent gardens that have reached the MONARCH AWARD level.
Mission
To educate, inspire and acknowledge gardeners who create sustainable gardens that provide shelter, nesting sites and food sources for native flora and fauna.
Goals
- Raise awareness of biodiversity
- Increase the amount and quality of habitat for native flora and fauna.
- Promote sustainable landscapes.
- Recognize ecological gardening practices.
Who is eligible to apply
🐛 Applications for 2025 are now closed.
🐛 Gardens must be on a residential property within the municipal boundary of the City of Hamilton: Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook and Stoney Creek. Plans are to expand the region in 2026 and 2027.
🐛 The garden must be in the front yard.
🐛 Applicants can either own or rent the property where the garden is located.
🐛 Applicants must maintain the garden themselves.
🐛 Previous Monarch Award winners are not eligible to apply.
Halton region Master Gardeners 