To Know Nature is to Give Thanks

Last year, the United Nations released a landmark report on biodiversity around the globe. Its findings show that more than one million species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction—in large part because of human activities, including unsustainable farming practices, logging, overfishing, poaching and pollution.

A prime example of this habitat loss comes from the Canadian Grasslands, a vast ecosystem that stretches across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Today, about 25% of the native grasslands remain. Most of the grasslands have been intensely altered to cultivate crops. Other sections have been fragmented to build cities and roads, resulting in the loss of natural habitats, such as prairies, forests and wetlands, which keep air and water clean, and prevent flooding through natural filtration systems.

Part of learning how we can protect our grasslands is becoming more familiar with the native plants that give Canada its unique beauty and make the planet more liveable. Public gardens and botanic research centres, such as the Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton, grant us opportunities to learn about and build connections with nature.

“The garden tradition is the high calling of human stewardship, our responsibility to honour, to protect and to share the gifts of the natural world,” said His Highness the Aga Khan at the inauguration of the garden in 2018.

As the world’s northern-most Islamic garden, Edmonton’s Aga Khan Garden was designed with a mix of native and non-native plants, reflecting the harmonious relationship between the aesthetic and spiritual traditions of the Muslim world and the lands that make up Canada today. This photo essay features some of the native prairie plants that you may encounter on your next visit to the garden.

Sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata) is revered as a sacred plant amongst many Indigenous people across North America. It is a perennial grass known for its sweet, vanilla scent, which grows stronger when it is dried, and the reddish colour at the base of its stem. Indigenous peoples use it for purifying incense, medicinal treatments, and weaving items such as baskets and hats.

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is a common deciduous tree that favours colder climates. It is recognizable for its smooth white bark, which, when stripped away, reveals a light-brown inner bark. This species is an important source of food for many forest animals, such as deer, mice, porcupines and hares. People harvest paper birch and its sap to make a variety of products including syrup, vinegar, panelling and firewood. Both its scientific and common name refer to the thin, papery quality of its outer bark.

Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) is a perennial plant that is found in and around most shallow bodies of water in North America. It is distinguished by its long leaves, which resemble arrowheads. Its scientific name is derived from the Latin word for arrow, sagitta. This plant is also referred to as “duck potato” since the potato-like tubers that grow at its roots are often eaten by ducks. These tubers were also an important food source for many Indigenous peoples.

Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) belongs to the buttercup family of flowers. It is a succulent plant characterized by its round kidney-shaped leaves and shiny yellow flowers.