A noun. A verb. A blog.
These colourful bugs have long been replaced by huge mural on the railway underpass on the south end of Monarch Park in Toronto’s east end. As much as I’m in love with the replacement (and do intend to write about it one day), I’m also glad I preserved these smiling faces for a day like today. It’s election night 2016 in the […]
I’m really going to let the pictures do most of the talking here. This garden was a revelation from the recent Minneapolis Garden Bloggers Fling (we hosted this event in Toronto in 2015). “Revelation” in many senses – it was surprising, moving, inspiring, and we all revelled in it! My “If I had a Million […]
Thankful to be passing by, and spotted this little art piece by the sidewalk in someone’s garden Think of this as an Almost-Wordless* Wednesday-on-Saturday. Love the use of milkweed seed here. Gratitude to the internet and search engines for satisfying my curiosity: The fluffy, parachute-like structure at the top of the milkweed seed, or achene, […]
Installed at Annie’s Annuals near San Francisco, a room-sized reliquary chapel by mosaic artist Tina Amidon Dwelling on things to be grateful for is good mental health practice at any time, but especially during anxious moments when things seem bleak. Right now, the world is having moments. While I’m not a person who finds comfort […]
Sculptors Wojtek Biczysko (barefoot) and Ania Biczysko in the Swansea garden that has showcased both their works. How would you put a price on artwork? Some artists may command high prices for anything they produce, though many can’t. The Canada Council for the Arts notes the median income for a visual artist in Canada is […]
A close-up of the bottle paving in Portland-area Bella Madrone garden There’s something magical about glass, isn’t there? Even when we can’t see through it or when light can’t penetrate from behind (like a stained glass window), it still manages to capture the light. As we approach the time of dull days, I like to […]
Hooray, it’s November 30th! Doing a little dance over my last post for #NaBloPoMo 2014 (National Blog Posting Month), and this amazing garden installation is dancing along with me. It’s called ‘Red Army’ and it’s by British artist Ray Smith, on display in the sculpture meadow at Kentuck Knob. That’s the lesser-known brother of Frank […]
You’re lucky if you have frogs in your garden. They help keep down the bugs. Even metal ones. Frogs and toads, like ferns, usually prefer moist spaces. (You can help by offering them a toad house for shelter from hot, baking sunshine. Make one easily using a broken plant pot, set on its side like […]
Two chairs: Here, they’re sculptural (Bella Madrona garden) What’s a chair but a piece of art you can sit on? Two-by-two, chairs are the perfect couple – invitations to conversation and affordable, form-meets-function focal points for your garden. Take a seat – from three great gardens in Portland. Which is your fave? Café-casual. Cappuccino, anyone? […]
A monstrously cool way to do succulents Yesterday was Hallowe’en in chilly Toronto. Must have a Hallowe’en hangover, because I feel like doing this quick little creature feature from Floramagoria last summer in mild (but rainy) Portland. Dollar-store finger monster. Ceramic monster says peek-a-BOO! What a neat way to do airplants!
Dippy the Diplodocus outside Pittsburg’s Carnegie Institute near Schenley Plaza. You might be forgiven for thinking (as I did) this was a Brontosaurus aka Apatosaurus. Nope, it’s notasaurus. But we’re right in thinking it’s a grand addition to the gardens. These large-scaley critters make common-garden lions and angels seem positively, well, prehistoric. Wouldn’t you love […]
Large firepit sitting area from designer-retailer JJ deSousa’s garden in Portland, OR Are you stuck with a garden that isn’t “on the level” – so sloped, it creates awkward changes in elevation? Want to turn that negative into a positive? Well, our promise to bring back ideas from the Garden Bloggers’ Fling in Portland OR […]