About Us
Wildlife Gardening has been providing native plants, ecological landscape services and workshops since 2006. Started by Crystal Bradford and Liam Kijewski, their mission is to increase wildlife habitat and ecological function amidst the strong development pressures of southern Ontario. Selling native plants at farmer's markets and various sales for years in Woodstock, Embro, Norwich, Stratford, Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Hamilton, Burlington and Toronto, we are happy to see the interest in native plants increasing :) We currently offer plant pickup near Ingersoll / Woodstock. Inquire about delivery for large orders.
Crystal Bradford has a genuine passion for the natural environment. As a young girl, she sold tadpoles instead of lemonade at the top of her street. In 2006, Crystal graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours Bachelors Degree in Environmental Studies, Environment and Resource Studies with a specialization in Environmental Assessment. Crystal was an active voting member and past chair/vice-chair for the Woodstock Environmental Advisory Committee (WEAC) and was with the group for over 6 years. In 2006, she won an Energy Ambassador of Canada award for lesson plans she developed while teaching a grade 7/8 enrichment class. She is also co-owner of Trash Theatre (www.TrashTheatre.ca), an educational outreach project to teach children in an interactive way about the environment. Crystal taught and developed lesson plans for Eco-Arts programs at The Button Factory/ Waterloo Community Arts Centre, which combine learning about science and the natural world with artistic expression. With her partner Liam, Crystal coordinated Kitchener-Waterloo's Procession of the Species celebration. She has also worked as a restoration ecologist and installed green roofs.
Liam Kijewski has been fascinated by plants and has been working with them from an early age. His first paying gig was working in his neighbour’s gardens at eleven. Later he worked for various greenhouses, nurseries, commercial and residential landscaping businesses as well as working for a seed research station. He worked locally as a restoration ecologist before starting Wildlife Gardening with Crystal and has since become a Certified Seed Collector. Liam obtained a Recording Engineer Diploma from the Ontario Institute of Audio and Recording Technology (OIART). Concerned with environmental and social issues plaguing the world Liam and Crystal used to host a radio program called Non-Toxic Airwaves that highlighted these issues. He is also co-owner of Trash Theatre. Liam enjoys making music, sometimes using reclaimed goods/ recycled items to create masks and trash instruments.