Buying Wisely
I Built a Greenhouse!
I never expected that I would have a greenhouse. And I certainly didn’t intend to build one last year when I set out to replace my disintegrating cold frame. The cold frame was a simple structure made of wood, with four short walls, the back being a foot or so higher than the front,…
Read MorePlant Shopping – August 2019
One of my favourite garden centres is closing in September, after more than 130 years of operation. Plant World is just 2 kilometres (less than a mile) from my home, on a road I have traveled twice daily for most of the last 16 years I’ve lived here. I started shopping there a year or…
Read MoreWhat I Look For When Shopping For a Watering Can
Really, anything that holds water and can be carried can function as a watering can. But if you use your watering can a lot, it’s nice to buy one that is designed well. I do a lot of gardening in containers in a city that gets very hot in summer, so I use my watering…
Read MoreHow to Choose the Best Garden Trowel
A trowel is a small shovel that fits in your hand. It’s one of my most reached for tools. The only other tools I use more are my secateurs, and that’s probably because my garden is mature so I have to do a lot more trimming than planting these days. I’m tempted to say…
Read MoreWinter Decorating Mistakes To Avoid
Creating an attractive arrangement of greenery and accessories in your outdoor planters isn’t difficult. But there are a few common mistakes I see, and a few I’ve made myself, so I thought I’d compile a tip list of what not to do. Using too many accessories Some well selected decorations (including winter urn ornaments…
Read MoreThe Magic of Mulch
Mulch can instantly transform the look of your garden and provides real benefits in terms of maintenance and moisture retention. I am a big believer in mulch for the health of my garden, but I will admit that it was purely aesthetics that drove me to mulch the bed along my front sidewalk during the…
Read MoreGarden Gloves: the good, the bad and the weird
I confess that I do not always wear gloves when I’m digging in the garden, especially when I’m doing something like planting annuals in a container, where I like to be able to feel exactly where the roots are. However, I do wear gloves a lot of the time, both to keep my hands cleaner…
Read MoreWhat to look for in a good pair of secateurs
A good pair of secateurs is an indispensable tool for a gardener. I can’t think of anything else that I use in the garden more frequently. In this post I’m going to explain what differentiates a good pair of secateurs from a bad pair and tell you which ones I use and recommend. Of…
Read MoreTwo things to do before you go plant shopping
I spent a lot of time this past weekend buying and selling plants. Besides a shopping trip or two for my own garden, I accompanied two newer gardeners on separate trips to help them pick out plants. It was a great reminder to me of how intimidating a garden centre can be for someone who…
Read MoreMake your own thrifty custom winter urn decorations
My first challenge with writing this post, and frankly, the most difficult, was figuring out what to call the festively coloured balls, pinecones, and other bits of interesting stuff that people use to decorate their outdoor Christmas urn arrangements? Accessories? Embellishments? Decorations? Well, whatever you call them, I first started to make my own when…
Read MoreIt’s time to buy bulbs!
If you want to have a fabulous garden next spring now is the time to go out and buy bulbs. I was in two nurseries this weekend and both of them had just received the bulk of their spring blooming bulbs, which means the best selection is to be had right now. I would imagine…
Read MoreMy two best water saving ideas
I’m always looking for ways to use water wisely–it’s the right thing to do for the environment and it saves money–so today I want to share with you a water-saving/reusing tip that I’ve never seen anyone else try, but which has worked out really well for me. It isn’t something for every household, but maybe…
Read MoreHow to buy cut flowers for a gardener
My husband gave me flowers on our first date. When I tell people that now they say “wow, that was gutsy” or some less polite version of the same. My response is “well, it worked” and a smile. There are usually two reason they think my now-husband was bold. The first is economic. Some think…
Read MoreWhich seeds should I plant right in the ground?
In a previous post I talked about how new vegetable gardeners can feel pressured to start their plants inside, from seeds, when really, they would be much better off buying baby plants (seedlings) from the nursery. This is true for plants that need to be started ahead of time, inside, in order to reach maturity…
Read MoreWhat new gardeners need to hear about starting seeds
I believe a lot of new gardeners are being set up for failure. They’re told from multiple sources that growing their own plants from seed is a great way, in fact, the only way, to really start gardening. When a new gardener tries to grow something and has a bad experience right off the bat,…
Read More5 Ways to Save Money When Buying Cut Flowers
I have never regretted buying someone flowers. I don’t do it often, but based on the reactions I’ve received, I definitely should do it more. Flowers seem to be almost universally mood-lifting. My paternal grandfather, in the last years of his long life didn’t perk up at the sight of much, especially after the death…
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