“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
This long and cold winter has kept me indoors more than I’m used to and caused my annual spring fever to kick in earlier. A bunch of fresh tulips usually calms me down, but not …more
Like a tiny seed that blows in the wind and lands on fertile soil, the magic of unseen forces stirs and something new begins. In 2015 a retired teacher and local resident wrote a letter …more
Leasiders take gardening seriously and know it’s about more than just growing plants. Gardening is about connecting to nature, understanding the environment and working with it. Soil, water, air, temperature and light are essential to …more
We have a wonderful history of apples here in Leaside thanks to John Lea and his son William, who dedicated most of their farmland to apple orchards. Not just any apple either, but the Northern …more
Since my August column in Leaside Life, Container Gardening- Growing up to cool us down!, I asked a few friends with condos in Leaside why so many balconies are empty. Their response? “It’s too windy, …more
Of all the gardening I do, I think container gardening is my favourite. The fact that a plant can live in a container above ground means that life and beauty can be almost anywhere. They …more
The Norway maples were specifically chosen by our street planners because of their ability to thrive. These trees could take compacted soil, pollution, and produce a quick canopy for our streets. That must have seemed …more
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