About Us
Karner Blue Garden Designs was started in 2025 by two Guelph residents, Leslie and Gen, who are insanely passionate about native plants. We want to share the beauty and benefits of native gardens with you!
Why “Karner Blue”?
The Karner Blue is a small blue butterfly native to the Great Lakes region. It is an endangered species and locally extinct in Canada. Its host plant is the native wild blue lupine (Lupinus perennis). Unfortunately, due to changing climate, habitat loss, and competition from introduced plants, the wild blue lupine also in decline.
Together, we can work to change that. We can’t promise we’ll bring back the Karner Blue butterfly, but we can’t promise we won’t… 🙂
Meet the Team
Hi, I’m Leslie. I’m a design graduate from the Ontario College of Art and Design who has always been obsessed with the natural world.
Life takes you in different directions. I ended up working in tech. However, my love for creating beautiful spaces has drawn me to this path.
So when I started landscape designing I found a new creative outlet. Native plant gardening brings together my love of design and the natural world, allowing me to create beautiful spaces that support biodiversity and help our planet.
I remember stumbling upon this quote by Jane Goodall one day when I was feeling particularly down about the state of our world: “People say think globally, act locally. Well, if you think globally, it is overwhelming and you do not have enough energy left to act locally. Just act locally and see what a difference you can make.“
That’s why I want to help others on their native plant gardening journey, one garden at a time.
Hi, I’m Gen! I’m a project engineer by trade but my true passion lies with ecology and Ontario-native flora. I am a graduate of the Ontario Master Naturalist Program at Lakehead University. I’m currently the Invasives Removal Coordinator with the Toronto Bruce Trail Club’s Biodiversity Team. I like to donate the seeds produced by my garden to the Guelph seed library, where I also volunteer!
In my free time, I like to care for my garden and wander out onto trails to see what plants I can find. I also make art focused on native flora, fauna, and the interconnectedness of the natural world.
Hi I’m Mashong, aka Mashed Potatoes aka Meadowrue aka Monster Mash aka Littlebutt
Mashong, Gen’s rescue dog, is the unofficial mascot for Karner Blue–the official mascot being the Karner Blue butterfly, of course!
She likes a good sniff in the backyard where there’s lots of flower scents to explore, butterflies to chase, and squirrels to monitor. Her favourite squirrel to watch is named Bobby.
Our Garden Visitors
Please enjoy pictures of some of the many different native critters that visit our home gardens. “Plant it and they will come,” as Doug Tallamy has said.
