About Us

Project Swallowtail seeks to mobilize the power of people to help pollinators, through the simple act of gardening. Our name refers to the swallowtail butterfly, a well-known and beloved native pollinator. But there are many pollinators in Toronto needing habitat and food sources. By planting native flowers in back yards, balconies, parks, boulevards and window boxes, residents of Toronto can help make this city a friendlier place for 112 local butterfly species, 350 species of bee, other pollinating insects such as flies, moths and beetles, and one feathered pollinator, the gorgeous ruby-throated hummingbird.

Since it was founded in 2019, Project Swallowtail has recruited more than 2,500 habitat growers across Toronto, distributed more than 20,000 native plants (either free or at subsidized rates), and established partnerships with allied groups and organizations such as EcoSpark, Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), the Garden Club of Toronto, the City of Toronto, and various farmers’ markets, schools and community groups. Our dedicated volunteer team would love to hear from you, and share our accumulated knowledge about how you, too, can be an ally to our little winged neighbours, which do the essential work of spreading pollen.