By Thomas Smith
Two years ago, Natliya Chernytska made the decision to let her lawn grow wild.
After reading The Garden Jungle by Dave Goulson, Chernytska became inspired to protect the smallest insects in her garden and increase the biodiversity around her property.
Around Chernytska’s property there is a chicken coop and a fenced off area with four beehives. Navigating through her backyard jungle, she has made paths for her and her French bulldogs to walk through.
When Chernytska moved to her Algonquin Highlands property during the pandemic, the previous owner left the grounds with plants growing over.
Initially, she mowed the lawn. It was not until she purchased bees to raise on her property when she began to research the best methods to feed and water her bees.
During her research, she came across The Garden Jungle which taught her the importance of providing space for beneficial insects like hoverflies, bees, and earwigs.
“People think about housing for people, but no one thinks about housing for wildlife,” said Chernytska.
While most people assume thistle, dandelions and clover are weeds, they can be highly beneficial for insects as both a food and water source. Chernytska says that in the morning, she can see her bees drinking the dew off of blades of grass. The nectar from the plant’s flowers is also harvested by the bees, allowing them to make honey.
“We need to change the word weed to wildflowers,” said Chernytska. “I sit in my garden and watch where the butterflies and the bees go and then I go and buy the flowers that they like. Isn’t that cool?”
Chernytska says that her neighbours have offered to cut her grass, which she has declined.
Algonquin Highlands has a bylaw for residents wanting to naturalize their property. An owner or occupant of property that contains a naturalized area shall ensure that the naturalized area does not encroach over or onto any adjacent property. Despite having bylaw called on her, she says that they have confirmed that she can continue letting her garden return to a natural state.
With several years of experience handling the bees, Chernytska says that she has learned the bee’s body language and rarely uses her bee smoker.
“It is so good for your body to get stung,” said Chernytska. She recalls one day she received 20 to 30 stings and since then, her tolerance to them has greatly reduced.
With her own hives, Chernytska has started her own beeswax candle making business. Chernytska sells her candles under her brand Purebee, primarily marketing herself on her Instagram page of the same name. She strives to reduce her carbon footprint and landfill waste by using bamboo packaging, natural wrapping, and decorations.
Using Silas Wood from Turkey for her wicks, her candles crackle like a campfire.
With other candles that use paraffin wax, a substance derived from petroleum, Chernytska says that her beeswax candles burn cleaner. She also does not add any additives or scents to her candles.
“This has inspired me to be cleaner in everything I do,” said Chernytska. “Everything down to what I drink.”
“There are healthy choices and there are healthy candles,” said Chernytska.
She recommends anyone with a bit of land to get their own bees and grow a little patch of wildflowers. The more wildflowers, the easier it is for bees to thrive in the county.
“I could hear the Earth talk to me,” said Chernytska.” “It is kind of like a dream come true, to be here.”