Open Times

Natural Themes is open for touring of native plant gardens and purchase of plants every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm, mid April to mid October or by appointment.  As of Mid-September, open by chance or by appointment for the rest of the fall season. 

Location

County Rd 5 just west of Frankford, Ontario.  Take Hwy 33 north from Hwy 401 to Frankford. At the lights, turn left onto Mill Street (County Rd 5).  Natural Themes is located just outside Frankford on the south side of the road.  Watch for the sign placed at the entrance on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Background

Natural Themes is a business rooted in the principle of “Nature knows best”. Beate Heissler, sole proprietor of the business, uses her knowledge of the natural environment and eighteen years of experience in outdoor education to help people understand local ecology and the importance of incorporating native plants into our gardens. Demonstration gardens in Frankford, Ontario show woodland, meadow, succession field and wetland communities.  A plant nursery on site assures a constant supply of native plant species well adapted for the yard you would like to naturalize.

To recreate a natural area in your yard, it helps to understand how natural communities work. Tours are available on request.

Species and availability of native plants are dependent on seed collection, plant propagation, and availability of plant materials from suppliers. Most plants are propagated on site from seeds, by division, or cuttings.  Some are removed locally from areas being developed or cultivated.  No plants are taken from the wild.

Why Native Plants and Naturalization?

Our yards are excellent locations for helping re-establish natural communities that existed here prior to European settlement.  Development threatens global ecology as more and more species are being pushed out of their natural environments.  The loss of any species results in an irreversible effect on all others, including us.  Over thousands of years, species have developed adaptations to thrive in this climate and environment as well as close relationships with all other living things in their communities.  Bringing back threatened native plant species will gradually allow wildlife dependent on them to return. 

Assess the area you would like to naturalize as sunny, shaded, or partly shaded, moist or dry and select the species accordingly.  Many plants will tolerate a variety of conditions.  To research what native plants would grow in your yard, check out natural places similar to yours in parks and conservation areas close to you or visit the Natural Themes demonstration gardens just west of Frankford, Ontario. 

Taking plants from the wilderness is a threat to natural communities.  Plant rescues from areas that are being developed or threatened helps ensure their survival provided they are replanted into similar environments. 

Natural Themes' Native Plant Nursery primarily acquires stock by seed collection, taking cuttings and by division of plants in the Natural Themes gardens.  Other stock is purchased from a tree and shrub nursery or originates from tractor trails and edges of fields where plants collected are threatened by vehicle use and a farming operation.