Fall has peeked in here in southern Ontario for the moment. Hay fever is in full swing and people still think the lovely and garden worthy goldenrod is to blame. It’s no wonder, goldenrod is flamboyant with its rich golden spikes of pollen rich blooms and the first thing people see and blame for their seasonal misery. Except…goldenrod does not cause allergies. It is pollinated … Continue reading Dispelling the Myth
Life finds a hold everywhere, no matter how small 🙂 A swallowtail caterpillar and a tiny bee on a dill flower Monarch laying eggs on milkweed A hoverfly … Continue reading Small Wonders
This past week was pollinator week across North America pollinatorpartnership.ca and the emphasis was on raising awareness on the importance of pollinators and how to attract and protect them. We should all know about the effects of pesticides like neonicotinoids on bees and gardening more responsibly. After all, whats a few holes in leaves and hand picking pest only brings you closer to nature! Go … Continue reading Pollinator Week
It is a bright sunny -8deg celsius here in southwestern Ontario, or 17deg fahrenheit for you Americans enjoying your Thanksgiving today. May your day be warmer than mine! My hectic landscaping season came to an abrupt end with a snowstorm and plummeting temperatures but such are the vagaries of weather in our times of climate change. My season was success as a garden designer, head … Continue reading End of another Season
Here we are in the third day of fall in southern Ontario and it’s a steamy 31 deg celsius (88 F). I have watered more in the last week than all of the summer! Annuals are blooming madly and the butterflies are still hanging about. A swallowtail on my lantana However, it is fall and time to plant bulbs, trim back dead summer leaves and … Continue reading Fertilizing 101. part 3: fertilizers for the fall
A quick look in photos at the life of a monarch butterfly: Eggs on a leaf. There’s safety in numbers! After hatching a caterpillar’s life is spent eating… Hanging out with friends eating… And more eating! After about two weeks, the journey begins… To find a suitable spot… To hang… And transform into a chrysalis. Any spot … Continue reading A snapshot in the life of a butterfly
I started to write this blog and quickly realized it would be waaay too long if I write about both soil and fertilizer. So this one will be an introduction to soils and what makes a good soil. The backbone of a healthy and productive garden is the soil. It both supports and feeds the plants that grow in it. By far the best way … Continue reading Fertilizing 101, part 2: soils
As usual I am still mulling over the second part of fertilizing 101 but here is a quick snapshot of the life you can find in your garden no matter how small it may be. A monarch fueling up on a lantana bush An eastern black swallowtail larva on a dill plant A cicada When the cicadas sing, the temperature is usually 25 deg C … Continue reading Life in the Garden
With the ongoing concern about declining bee populations, I am still surprised by the number of clients who don’t want “flowers” that attract bees. They are afraid of being stung and lump any flying buzzing insect under bees. In reality it is more often wasps that sting, not bees, so todays blog is how to identify the “bad guys from the good guys” Honeybees on … Continue reading Bee Not Afraid
Garden Graces 