In the summer of 2022, Armour Insurance partnered with Aviva Canada and the Canadian division of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to create a native plant garden for the Armour Edmonton office (located at 5750 75st NW). Where their was once gravel, rocks, and dust, there is now a brilliant garden full of plants native to the area.
The garden is separated into three garden boxes on the east side of the building. The 3 garden beds span a combined 82 feet and are made a with a combination of maple and ash wood. The bed of rocks has been replaced with soil and topped with a light layer of wood chips.
Although the plants haven't yet had a chance to bloom, this spring and summer a rich mixture of native plants will flourish. Some of the plants in the garden include:
Two key features of the garden are the plaque and the wooden mural. The metal plaque is set on reclaimed wood base. The plaque stands as a humble reminder that humans, wildlife, and nature are all connected. A reminder that we can restore habitats, by working with nature. The wooden mural reads: "When nature blooms so do we". The mural was carved from a single slab of red elm wood.
The native plant garden has become a popular summer lunch spot for the Armour staff. We regularly spend time enjoying the sunshine and warmth by the garden.
Outside of the beauty that native plant gardens add to a space, they also have other added benefits. Some of these include:
Projects like the Aviva native plant garden are made possible by Aviva's global plan to become net-zero by 2040. Aviva is aiming to be net-zero in all operations and supply chains by 2030, followed by the goal to have their entire value chain net-zero by 2040.
The Aviva commitment to climate action includes an investment of $350 million in green assets across Canada and $10 billion globally by 2025. Learn more about Aviva's climate action here.