2026 Applications are now closed.
Whether you are ready to apply this year or not, thank you for creating thriving, biodiverse gardens!
✅ Are You Ready?
Use this quick checklist to see if your front yard garden is a good fit for the Monarch Awards. Simply answer Yes or No to each question to find out if you’re ready to apply.
- Do you rent or own a home within the municipality of Hamilton, Ontario?
- Do you have a front yard garden? The Monarch Awards Team will only be visiting front yard gardens.
- Do you maintain the front yard garden yourself?
- Do you have a variety of native plants in your front yard?
- Do you use organic and natural gardening methods, and avoid the use of pesticides or herbicides in your front yard?
- Do you leave organic material like fallen leaves, stems, sticks and other plant material as a layer on your soil?
- Are you willing to have the Monarch Awards Team come visit your front yard garden? (Garden visits will take place during the announced visit period. Applicants will not be given a specific date or time and do not need to be present.)
How did you do?
- If you answered no to some or most of the questions, that’s okay! Four levels of achievement are recognized:
- Starting the Journey
- Caterpillar
- Chrysalis
- Monarch.
- The Monarch Awards Team will consider the twelve Eco-Friendly Gardening Practices as part of its assessment.
- Whether you are just getting started or your garden is well on its way to being a Monarch, we encourage you to apply.
- If you don’t feel ready this year, use the Eco-Friendly Gardening Practices and Monarch Award Resources as a guide to help you add native plants or switch to more natural care methods, then apply next year.
🦋 Application Process
The online application asks some short questions about your front yard plants and gardening practices to help us get to know your garden better.
It should take about 20 minutes to complete .
- If selected for a visit, you’ll need to give permission for the Monarch Awards Team to enter your front yard for the on-site evaluation and take photographs of the garden. Photographs may be used for assessment and sharing publicly.
- Gardens do not need to be advanced to receive a visit. Starting the Journey gardens are welcome. However, applications that do not yet demonstrate an understanding of ecological gardening may not proceed to a garden visit.
- If your garden is visited, you will receive a written summary in September outlining HIGHLIGHTS, SUGGESTIONS, and the Monarch Award level achieved.
- Please note: The garden visit is not a garden consultation. The Monarch Awards Team will be busy reviewing the garden to assign the appropriate level. Feel free to say hello if you’re there, but allow them time to complete the assessment and visit other gardens.
Award recipients and the level of award will be determined based on the Monarch Awards Team’s evaluation of your garden’s achievement relative to Eco-Friendly Gardening Practices.
Applications are now closed.
About the Assessment Levels
The Monarch Awards have four levels: Starting the Journey, Caterpillar, Chrysalis, and Monarch. Each level recognizes different stages of progress toward creating an ecological garden.
As Lorraine Johnson so eloquently says, “We garden to participate in the planet, and through this, change the world and be changed by it.” Whether you’re planting a single native flower or transforming a whole landscape, your garden becomes part of something greater—a living ecosystem that supports biodiversity while nurturing your connection with nature. Each season brings new growth and learning, making the journey as meaningful as the destination. (Quote: Broadview Magazine)
Click on each heading below to expand and read the description for that level.
1. Starting the Journey:
This level recognizes gardens that are beginning their journey toward supporting biodiversity. Non-native plants may still make up most of the planting, but steps are being taken to add native species and provide habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. Gardeners at this stage are experimenting, learning, and showing interest in ecological practices. It’s a foundation to celebrate—and an invitation to continue adding keystone plants, extending bloom through the seasons, and learning more about native plants suited to site conditions.
2. Caterpillar Level:
At this stage, the garden is making clear progress toward supporting biodiversity. A growing number of native plants are included—sometimes with a few keystone species—and blooms may be present in more than one season. Gardeners at this level are becoming more familiar with native species, often starting to recognize invasive plants and planning to replace them. While mid-season flowers may still dominate and native trees or shrubs may be fewer, these gardens show genuine commitment and are taking meaningful steps toward creating healthier habitat.
3. Chrysalis Level:
Gardens at the Chrysalis level are well on their way to becoming rich habitats for biodiversity. Native plants make up most of the garden, with noticeable diversity in types such as wildflowers, grasses, sedges, ferns, and shrubs. Keystone species are present, and gardeners show a deeper understanding of how to choose plants that suit their site conditions and support pollinators throughout the seasons. Ecological practices, such as leaving leaves or adding compost, may also be part of the care routine. These gardens reflect thoughtful design and a growing sophistication in ecological gardening.
4. Monarch Award:
The Monarch level celebrates gardens that are intentionally designed and maintained to fully support biodiversity. Native plants dominate and are arranged in layered communities of trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers that provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife across all seasons. Keystone plants are abundant, with purposeful planning for wildlife. These gardens reflect advanced ecological gardening practices and serve as inspiring models of how people and nature can flourish together.
Watch this video to learn more about the Monarch Awards, applications, assessment and recognition levels.
What Happens After You Apply
Once we receive your application, the Monarch Awards Team will review it to decide if your garden is ready for a site visit.
All applicants will receive an email. Selected gardens will be visited between July 13 and August 27, 2026. You do not need to be home, but the team will need access to the front yard.
During the visit, the Monarch Awards Team will take notes and determine which achievement level best matches your garden. In September, you will receive your results along with written HIGHLIGHTS and SUGGESTIONS.
Please note: The garden visit does not allow time for a full garden consultation.
Check out the Resources for Monarch Award Applicants
About the Monarch Awards Team
Our Monarch Awards Team members are volunteers from the community with expertise and a passion for eco-friendly gardening. They love visiting gardens, offering feedback, and encouraging all the great work that local gardeners are doing to support healthy ecosystems 🌎.
Thank You for Applying!
We truly appreciate the time and effort you put into growing gardens that support biodiversity. Every garden helps build a healthier community, and we celebrate everything you’re doing!
2026 Key Dates
May 15 🟢 Applications Open
June 30 🛑 Applications Close
July 13 🌻 Garden Visits Begin
August 27 ⌛ Garden Visits End
September 21 🏆 Monarch Awards Recipients Announced
October 19 ✨ Wrap-up Celebration for the 2026 Monarch Awards
