Published in the Toronto Star – July 29, 2017 I recently learned that only 20% of us react to the messages about global warming by actually doing something about it.  A few ‘run out and buy a Prius’ but some people respond to the doom and gloom messages by purchasing a gas guzzling SUV.   It seems…

Published in the Toronto Star – July 22, 2017 Are you a modern gardener?  One who plants and nurtures your own garden space with an eye to enhancing the biodiversity in your community?  It has taken a few generations, but now we are at a point where we have torn up our property deed, figuratively, and…

Published in the Toronto Star – July 15, 2017 Now that we are in the heat of our growing season, many of us head for the shade.  If this is you and you happen to notice that the shady parts of your garden are a little thin on plant population, I am here to help. People…

Published in the Toronto Star – July 10, 2017 I love my garden tools. Using quality tools, when doing any job, is a key to squeezing the greatest possible joy out of the experience.  But how do you know when you are buying ‘quality’ with the inherent benefits like durability, long lasting performance and a tool…

Published in the Toronto Star – July 1, 2017   5 reasons why new Canadians should garden.  As a member of the Order of Canada, I can officiate at citizenship ceremonies.  I have done this on three occasions and to celebrate Canada Day and Canada’s 150th birthday, I am officiating again today in Ajax, Ontario. When…

Published in the Toronto Star – June 24 2017   It’s our birthday. Our country is 150 years old.  What are you doing to celebrate?  If travel is in your future and you are wondering where to go, I have a suggestion: Canada’s great gardens. Staying in Canada has its advantages: no need to change money,…

Published in the Toronto Star – June 17, 2017 The monarch butterfly is in decline.  It has been for some time and Canadian Wildlife magazine reports that it still is.  So what?  Let’s just say that the monarch is to the world of nature, what an ‘economic indicator’ is to our economy.  When inflation goes…

Published in the Toronto Star – June 10, 2017 Have you noticed?  We are not respectful of our trees.   I believe this is because they don’t advertise well.  When a storm moves through town we are busy watching TV while our street trees are taking it on the chin.  Now that we know that they communicate…

Published in the Toronto Star – June 3, 2017 If there is one group of people who watch spring approach with the same anticipation as gardeners, it is farmers. Like gardeners, they are land stewards and plant aficionados.  Unlike most gardeners, farmers depend on their land stewardship and plant knowledge to cultivate their livelihoods (vs. doing…

Published in the Toronto Star – May 27, 2017   Plants that are inexpensive but provide great mileage. The months of May and June create quite a flurry of activity in the garden and at garden retailers.  There is a temptation to just buy everything that looks good right now.  Well, hold on for a moment….

Published in the Toronto Star – May 20, 2017   Ahhhhhh!!! the long May weekend.  Like looking at a plate of your favourite food, it is hard to know where to begin.  I suggest in the garden or in the dirt in some containers. Last week, in this column, I talked about growing in containers: how…

Published in the Toronto Star – May 13, 2017   While the Trudeau government arm wrestles over plans to legalize marijuana, I have some good news for you.  You can plant in pots and you won’t get arrested for it. ‘Container’ gardening, as it is more often referred to, is growing in popularity faster than people…

Published in the Toronto Star – May 6, 2017   It’s finally May, which means you are ready to storm the seed racks with your planting schedule in hand. I have seen some gardeners who were so organized they could feed their plans into a computer and let a robot do the work for them! The…

Published in the Toronto Star – April 29, 2017 The month of May is just around the corner.  Planting month. And the beginning of weeding season.  Gardeners take the good with the bad.  We take a vow when we first get our knees dirty, ‘for better and for worse’.  Off we go digging, planting and…

Published in the Toronto Star – April 22, 2017 I had a rather personal conversation about the afterlife with a close friend the other day.  After reflection, she looked at me and said, with a note of sarcasm, “Compost”. Now you can believe what you like about heaven, the various alternative theories about where we go…

Published in the Toronto Star – April 15, 2017 This is a first: a book about trees has been on the ‘best sellers’ list for over 25 weeks.  This may be the first time that a book about trees made it on to this esteemed list at all.  Who, after all, is so interested in trees…

Published in the Toronto Star – April 8, 2017   The colour green is the most restful colour of them all.  Makes sense, after all Mother Nature herself chose it to dominate her world. We are attracted to the chlorophyll that creates green in the natural world around us.  We crave it and we want more…

Published in the Toronto Star – April 1, 2017 A new gardening season is ahead of us: a fresh chapter in the book of life-with-nature.  I recommend that we make the best of it and plant some trees.   It is important to plant the right tree in the right place.  Here are some considerations when planting…

Published in the Toronto Star – March 25, 2017   What is the perfect flowering plant for your garden? If I were to list the attributes of the ‘perfect’ flowering plants in our gardens the list might look something like this: They would be truly perennial. Wrought iron winter hardy. They would attract honey bees and…

Published in the Toronto Star – March 18, 2017 For the last two weeks, I have encouraged you (readers) to visit Canada Blooms and contemplate the garden of your dreams.  The idea is to take the few weeks off that Mother Nature affords Canadian gardeners to reflect on how things could be different in your yard…