Summer Gardening

Easy Ways To A Trendy Backyard With The Help Of These Tips

small waterfall

One of the new trends I’ve noticed has been designing gardens that remove all or most of the lawn in my customer’s back yards. This has involved enlarging the gardens and adding or expanding a patio. This has created better use of the yard and made for an increased living space that is almost stress …Read more

Creative Improvements Transform A Walkway At The Side Of A House

1 year later (July 2012)

Before and after photos of a walkway at the side of a house.   BEFORE:   AFTER:  

How To Create A Stress Free Backyard Oasis

Patio replaced back lawn off of deck.

One of the newer trends that I’ve noticed has been designing gardens that remove all or most of the lawn in my customer’s back yards. This has involved enlarging the gardens and adding or expanding a patio. This has created better use of the yard and made for an increased living space that is almost …Read more

Crab Grass: If You Let it Visit It May Be Here To Stay!

crab grass

There are a few good things about our lawns going dormant in the summer heat and one of them is that the weeds slow down in growth too! But when the temperatures cool and we have some well needed rain, the weeds are growing again. With the existing herbicide ban in Ontario it is getting …Read more

To Water Or Not To Water

Nothing frustrates a new gardener more than the watering issue, largely due to the fact that the signs for over watering are very similar to those for under watering. •    Yellowing and/or wilted leaves •    Plants not thriving i.e. no new growth •    Brown needles in evergreens The best way to know if your plant …Read more

3 Simple And Effective Ways To Get Better Results From Your Summertime Gardening

This time of year everyone has a different question for me. Here are 3 quick facts that everyone should know about summertime gardening, thanks to your questions. Q: Why are my plants nice and bushy but no flowers? A: Use a fertilizer with a high middle number, like 20-52-20. The middle number promotes flowering. Q: …Read more

Facts Everyone Should Know About Plant Tags And Plant Info

Japanese Maple

Your plant tags and plant info from the internet may not be accurate. Let’s start with plant tags. The plants that are at our local nurseries are not all necessarily grown here in Ontario nor are the plant tags necessarily printed here or contain our Zone 5 growing information. Please keep that in mind and …Read more

Gardening Inspiration From Canada Blooms 2013

Golden Thread Leaf Cypress

Canada Blooms 2013 was the best show I had seen in years. A lot of nice display gardens and the hardscaping booths were all creatively done. Here are some highlights:    

Have You Heard? Artificial Grass Is Your Newest Option For A Green Lawn

Artificial Grass

This is becoming a reasonable option for residential yards even here in Southern Ontario. Is this going to be the solution… …to keeping our “green lawns”?

Fall In Love With These Gardens In Rosedale

Beautiful, calm focal point.