Welcome to The Fabulous Garden!

My name is Jennifer Arnott and I created this site to be a resource for people who want a garden they can be proud of.

Please scroll down this page to see my most recent posts, use the search box if you're looking for something specific, or select one of the following topics:

The Spring Garden: Timely Tips

Growing Tomatoes

Container Gardening

Long Branch By the Lake Garden Tour sign

Long Branch by the Lake Garden Tour 2016

On Saturday I attended the first ever Long Branch by the Lake Garden Tour, in the south west part of Toronto. Shortly after stepping out…

How do I prune my lilacs?

I have a friend with a beautiful garden, designed and installed by professional landscapers. She loved it, but her one complaint was that her lilacs…

sign saying Gardeners tend to soil their plants

Is your garden hungry?

Do your roses lack vigor? Your shrubs seem sparse? Your tomato plants puny? It may be that they’re hungry! Plants take nutrients from the soil…

The gardener’s shadow

One key to a fabulous garden is being aware of what’s going on in your garden. My garden mentor often quotes the old adage “The…

What’s coming up in my garden?

Or how to make sure your garden gets better every year. Walking through my garden in spring is like meeting up with a bunch of…

What grows in shade?

“What do I plant in the shady areas of my garden?” is one of questions I’m asked most frequently. All plants need light, water and…

annual and perennial flowers with The Fabulous Garden watermark

What’s the difference between an annual and a perennial?

“Are you looking for annuals or perennials?” is often the first question you’re asked when you go to a garden centre. “Erm…I’m not sure” can…

How do I take care of my lawn?

“Jen, when should I fertilize my lawn?” “Should I just put some topsoil on my lawn now?” “Hey, Jennifer, is this the right time to…

How 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…

Which 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…

How do you find gardening advice you can trust?

There are all sorts of website, people, and businesses willing to provide advice to gardeners, but the question, especially for the new gardener, is whose…

What 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…

I couldn’t find it so I created it–The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe

My garden has entered that late summer stage where, as far as flowers go, it’s all about the dahlias and the black-eyed susans. Rudbeckia triloba…

It’s too early for bees, isn’t it?

That’s what I often hear people say when I talk about all of the activity taking place in my garden at this time of…

Three stages of ladybugs

In late August I was walking through the front garden and something caught my eye. There were alien-like creatures clinging to the clematis and asparagus… Ladybugs!…

How to Make a Wreath Out of Fresh Greenery (updated)

Making a Christmas wreath from scratch is not difficult but it does take time and patience. It takes me about 2 hours to create a…

Cement leaf casting in Kingston

Last Saturday I spent the day playing with cement and plants in Kingston, Ontario. I was a student in a day long workshop at Leaf…

Canning for the first time

I’ve been afraid to start canning. Not scared that I wouldn’t be able to do it, but concerned that I wouldn’t be able to stop.…

5 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.…

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