One morning, while eating grapefruit, my friend Bonnie’s daughter asked, “What would happen if we planted this seed?” So, together they planted it, gently watered and patiently waited with big hopes for a tiny sprout …more
![Frederick Gage Todd. Wm. Notman & Son [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.](https://leasidelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Frederick_Gage_Todd_featured-326x245.jpg)
Gardening can be as simple as finding a spot, digging a trench and filling it with a few plants. Voilà! But to a mindful gardener, the act of planting is one of greater responsibility. One …more
December is the month when things finally quiet down for gardeners. Oh sure, there’s always a tree or two left to prune and a few more plants to protect but mostly it’s a watch and …more
Did you know Leaside has Garden Angels? I didn’t until we received this letter to Leaside Life from Beth Jones. “I often walk along the top of the ravine behind Bloorview and the Toronto Rehab …more
The Lea family dedicated most of their farmland to growing apples, but they grew some other seasonal crops too. They would have planted a few lilacs close to the house and not just for the …more
Unlike front yards, backyards are private spaces that can be used in many ways. A perennial garden, a playground for the kids or a quiet place to reflect. A backyard can be whatever you want …more
1 Kenrae Rd. is now sold, and the neighbours are worried – not for the usual reason (think monster home replacement) but because of the future of the jewel of a garden that graces the …more
“Monarch butterflies could disappear.” “Bats headed for extinction.” “Rusty patch bumble bee now an endangered species.” Headlines like these opened our eyes to just how little we know about pollinators and the serious state many …more
“The best things in life are free. The second-best things are very, very expensive.” —Coco Chanel What kind of summer will we have? A wet one with flooding like last year? Hot with a record-breaking …more
Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, it’s in the mind and heart, and when thoughts and feelings change, so do the visions of beauty. For more than 60 years the garden aesthetic …more
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