On this grey day, while the rain is doing its work, and while the late tulips are still asleep in the garden – please accept this little ribbon of colour. That’s all.
Flowers for you
Beach Tree Man
Spotted along the bike trail on the north side of the white picnic shelter near the Leuty Lifeguard Station. Unsure how this piece of living artwork came about, or what effect it has on the life of the tree. My guess is that the bark formation came first and the artist tweaked it to help […]
True confessions: My garden vices
I have way more than one garden vice. Can’t stop buying plants, for example, although I know there’s no room. Call it gluttony. Fortunately, I compensate by killing a few. (A woman who can kill goutweed can kill anything!) I also fall prey to sloth, especially when it comes to weeding and particularly about mid-July, […]
HGTV Show Backlash – Putting the “G” back in HGTV?
Gardeners are mad as hell, and….not going to take it any more? Recently we wrote about the show Dirty Business on HGTV which chronicles the projects of the landscaping firm earth.inc. I’ve started watching the show since the episodes started up again. It is entertaining: The earth.inc guys appear to be great (and funny) people, […]
Bringing Geraniums out of the Dead Land: Overwintering Annuals
April – the cruelest month – is the time when I start wondering when I can start introducing my overwintered plants back into the “wild”, aka bring them back into the great outdoors. I overwinter geraniums every year, keeping the favourites for next year. Main reason: In the (almost) words of Renfield from the movie, […]
April Weather: You’re Driving Me Crazy!
Oh, April weather – you are truly driving me crazy. Between the slippery show covered steps I had to negotiate last night, and the little icicles formed on the shrubberies yesterday, I shake my freezing cold fist at you! (because I forgot to bring my gloves, because….it’s Spring!) For all others who are similarly being […]
The gift that keeps growing
To the person who gifted us this lovely pot of pink tulips, a particular thank you on this day of mixed snow and rain – with its possible wet, white accumulations of 25 cm north of the city. (Listening to the weather report, my daughter comments that squalls is a funny word. I guess it’s […]
April showers bring… more April showers?
There’s a definite spike in Toronto precipitation during March and April 2009. We’ve been feeling it, literally and figuratively, over the past few days. Oh well, mustn’t grumble. It’s good for the garden. Instead, it gives us something to look forward to. Because, statistically, the rainiest months in downtown Toronto are August and September.
Oh, the Irony: His Name is Achilles and he’s got an Achilles Heel?
This routine from the great English stand-up comedian Eddie Izzard went through my head when I had a rather ironic occurrence this morning. After posting just yesterday about my great idea with the plastic tub greenhouse, I discovered that, due to my own Achilles heel (a massive case of scatterbrained-ness), I forgot to bring my […]
How Did I Miss This? Earth Inc Landscapers Have a Show on HGTV
UPDATED!!! Breaking New information from a reader!!! The 1st season was such a hit that the boys were signed on to a second season. HGTV will start airing Dirty Business next Tuesday March 31, 2009 and will run 26 consecutive episodes (season 1 & 2). Original Post starts here: Speaking of Canada Blooms, I […]
A Bit of a Chat with a Squirrel at my Bird Feeder
Me: Oh, it’s you again. Squirrel: Oh, hey, hi! If it isn’t Lady Bountiful! Thanks for putting out this amaaazing spread! I LOVE what you’re doing here! (Nom nom nom-like scarfing noises) Me: Yeah. Really, um, about that. The spread. I actually….hmm, how do I put this….the spread, It’s really meant for…you know…the birds. Like […]
A Shot of Colour: A Single Geranium on a Windowsill
A geranium in a 4 inch pot has popped out one bloom in these lengthening days in late February. I love the way overwintering geraniums come back to life around this time of year, usually with a sudden single bloom bursting forth. This one is particularly nice in a lime green pot – one I […]