Category Archives: Dreams

Advice, Bees & Pollinators, Birds, Books, Communication, Dreams, Fruits, Greenhouses, Health, Herbs, Houseplants, Information, Native Plants, Overwintering, Perennials, Propagation, Vegetable Gardening, Wildflowers

Time for Reading Garden Books

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by Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

In this day and age, we spend so much time on our computers, googling all the information we want and need. But there is something about sitting by a sunny window on a cold winter’s day with a good book.

The winter months are a great time to pull out an old gardening book or invest in a new one. The days are now getting longer and spring is coming, but actual gardening is a few months away. Time to learn something new to help you improve your gardening skills. There are many good Canadian and zone appropriate books that can help you.

Below, I have listed a few of my favourite books on my bookshelf. I have also asked my fellow Master Gardeners to share their favourites. Some of the books are out of print, but check your local library, used book stores or online sites. Enjoy!

For the Houseplant Gardener

The New Plant Parent

Darryl Cheng gives advice that is full of common sense. He explains that leaves do die and plant care should be enjoyable, not a chore. He discusses basic requirements for healthy plants including the right light, soil care and proper watering. Great illustrations and nineteen plant varieties are listed in detail. Look for his newer books also.

For the Vegetable Gardener

Plant Partners

Companion planting has been around for years. Jessica Walliser gives us “science-based companion planting strategies” that help with disease and pests, improves soil and supports pollinators. Lovely illustrations throughout will have you dreaming of your next vegetable garden.

Growing Under Cover

Niki Jabbour is the Canadian half of the popular website Savvy Gardening (along with Jessica Walliser). She has several books out, but this one gives great information about how to reduce pests with row covers. Niki has several books out, so check them out.

The Kitchen Garden

Peterborough MG Silvia Strobl first toured Patrick Lima and John Scanlan’s garden on the Bruce Peninsula over 40 years ago and was inspired by both their colourful perennial and productive vegetable gardens. Each spring, she still refers to this book’s excellent information to refresh her memory on time to sow, spacing, thinning, harvesting, etc. for the vegetable crops she grows! Unfortunately, this book is out of print, but you may find a used copy online.

Incredible Edibles

This book by Sonia Day is recommended by Peterborough MG Deb Fraser. It is very basic for the beginner gardener. It answers when, where, how, as well as other questions for herbs and vegetables. She even gives a recipe for each plant. Another book that is out of print. Try used book sites.

Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices & Flavorings

Deb also suggests the Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices & Flavorings, a cook’s compendium by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz. Originally British but published in Canada by Readers Digest, 1992. It is beautifully illustrated and very detailed about the origin of herbs, spices, oils, sauces, coffees and teas around the world. She details the origin of these, how to cook with them and a recipe. When the weather is frightful with a nice warm drink in hand it makes for interesting reading, perhaps planning to add a few herbs to your garden next spring.

For the Perennial Gardener

The Well-Tended Perennial Garden

Peterborough MG Gladys Fowler’s favourite book is the Well Tended Perennial Garden. Tracy DiSabato-Aust’s book has an extensive encyclopedia of perennial species and cultivars and she explains the maintenance and pruning needs of each plant. The explanations and illustrations are excellent.

For the Native Plant Enthusiast

The Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region

For Peterborough MG Emma Murphy, definitely this one on native plant gardening – for our region, gives everything you need to know about growing the plant, including propagation, wildlife value and what butterflies and moths it is a larva host for. For a full book review she did on Rick Gray and Shaun Booth’s book when it was published in 2024 click here.

A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee

Peterborough MG Sharleen Pratt says this book by Lorraine Johnson and Sheila Colla not only goes into great detail about Ontario native plants, vines, shrubs and trees, but it also encourages us all to think about the spaces we create so that pollinators can thrive.

For the Environmentalist

Our Green Heart

Peterborough MG Carol Ireland says it feels good to sit down and read something that requires absolute attention while at the same time causes you to make all the connections between what you are reading and the place trees have in the survival of our planet. This one by Diana Beresford-Kroeger is also on my reading list!

What is your favourite gardening book? What do you have on your list to find and read next? Eleven more weeks till spring!

Check out previous reviews on our website

Favourites From My Bookshelf

Four Great Books

Advice, Dreams, Garden Cleanup, Garden Design, Websites

Gardening Resolutions

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By Marjorie Vendrig, Master Gardener in Training

We all start January with a list of hopes and plans for the coming year; some of us making resolutions for better nutrition and exercise, or improved habits for work and family. Resolutions are distinct from plans and projects and, when put into practice,  resolutions simply become new habits or routines. Gardeners have endless lists of projects and plans along with many resolutions as they prepare for a new gardening year. As with nutrition and exercise, it’s not easy to develop new habits and to maintain these throughout the year. One of the reasons I decided to become a Master Gardener was to acquire new knowledge and skills and update my habits and routines as a gardener.  I felt I needed a solid commitment to learn and educate, and after almost two years in, I am on the road to changing old habits and learning new ones.

When I moved from a large rural property to a small urban lot, paradoxically garden cleanup became much more complicated. I no longer had a large compost system, and there were bags and bags of leaves and garden waste that neighbours set on the curb every week in the autumn.  My Master Gardener course work helped me understand more about soil composition and why and how much of this garden waste could be used in my own garden.  My resolution was to keep all the leaves for mulch and soil improvement –  I didn’t want to put a single bag out on the curb yet I also wanted a fairly ‘tidy’ garden. After a few years trying different methods, I use my mulching lawnmower and have developed techniques and  habits that allow me to avoid the cumbersome and awkward garden waste bags.

Over the holidays, I’ve taken a casual survey asking for gardening resolutions for 2026. Family and friends –  some experienced gardeners, some new homeowners, along with gardeners interested mostly in vegetables, or in houseplants, in garden design or any other of the many aspects of gardening  – have sent me their thoughts on what they resolve to do as gardeners in 2026. The results aren’t surprising, one friend commented that when she looked over her list, she realized she had made the same resolutions for the last ten years! Making the same resolution year in, year out does not equate with failure, it simply means that it’s an important goal, one that’s important to maintain.

As you glance through this list, I’m sure you’ll nod your head in agreement, there might be a few that you will add to your own list, or even some where you can say it is no longer on a list because it  is without thinking. Generally, with the gardening season still far off, gardeners hope to avoid over consumption, have an interest in native plants and informed gardening.  The following resolutions are pretty straightforward; most are fairly manageable tasks.

  1. Plan garden projects in advance, keep notes of successes and failures.
  2. Prune for shape but also at the right time of year.
  3. Buy only what will get planted right away – and have the space prepared.
  4. Buy only the right plant for the right spot.
  5. Water and fertilize house plants on a regular basis.
  6. Source plant material from Canadian or local growers.
  7. Stay on top of deadheading, particularly to encourage new blooms.
  8. Learn more about growing and pruning clematis (or dahlias, or roses, or fruit trees, or anything else!!)
  9. Buy only what grows in my zone.
  10. More focus on native plants.
  11. More focus on plants to promote pollinators.
  12. Try a few new veggies in the garden.
  13. Fertilize, particularly with compost tea – and keep to a schedule for fertilizing.
  14. Learn more about pest control.
  15. Get better at composting.
  16. Stay on top of goutweed (or other invasives) eradication.

For me, these next two are the most interesting and in some ways, the most challenging:

  • Consider how AI (Artificial Intelligence) may be influencing gardening information or trends and respond accordingly.
  • Make gardening more fun, less work and obligation

References for additional resolutions:

https://www.gardendesign.com/holiday/new-years-resolutions.htm

https://thedailydirt.com/2025/12/26/gardening-resolutions-to-consider-for-2026/

www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/9748-tree-pruning-guidelines.pdf

https://www.almanac.com/new-years-resolutions-gardeners

Books, Communication, Dreams, Garden Design, Garden rejuvenation, New Gardens, Perennials, Tools, Vegetable Gardening, Websites

Creating a Garden Journal

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by Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

Full confession – I have never kept a garden journal. I have been given one from time to time as a gift, but I’ve never got round to using them.

This winter I’m thinking about finally using one (because my memory isn’t getting any better with age!) and because I’d like to record my gardening experiments in our main perennial beds year over year, as well as my experiences with native plants in my small native plant nursery in Lakefield, Ontario.

Keeping a garden journal is a valuable practice for both novice and experienced gardeners. It helps you document your gardening journey, learn from your experiences, and plan for the future.

So Why Keep a Garden Journal?

To Track Progress – A journal can help document plant growth, flowering times, and harvest yields to see how your garden evolves over time.

Record Weather Conditions – Noting temperature, rainfall, and seasonal changes that affect your plants will help you understand their influence on growth.

For Inspiration – A journal is a great place to document ideas, designs, and observations that inspire your gardening, serving as a creative outlet.

For Improved Planning – Use your past experiences to inform future planting decisions, such as choosing the right plants for specific locations.

Pest and Disease Management – It’s great to keep a record of any pest issues or diseases, along with effective treatments, to reference in the future.

For Budgeting Purposes – Keeping track of expenses related to your gardening supplies and plants allows you to manage your gardening budget effectively.

Some Thoughts on Creating a Garden Journal

I found some great ideas on how to have a successful garden journal.

Choose the Right Format – Decide between a physical notebook, a binder, or a digital platform that suits your preferences. You might want to keep several different journals – one for your vegetable garden, one for seeds etc. It’s up to you.

Include Essential Information – Record planting dates, plant names, care instructions, and observations on growth and health. This allows you to compare information year to year.

Photos – Incorporate photos of your garden at various stages, including bloom times and harvests.

Be Descriptive – Use descriptive language to capture your feelings and thoughts about your garden’s progress and challenges. Think about how your garden makes you feel during different times of the seasons.

Create Seasonal Sections – Consider organizing your journal by seasons or gardening phases (preparation, planting, maintenance, and harvesting) for easier reference.

Set Goals and Then Reflect – Write down your gardening goals for each season and include reflections on what worked well and what didn’t.

Add Design Elements – Include sketches or diagrams of your garden layout. Use colour, stickers, or drawings to make it visually engaging.

Maintain Regular Updates – Set a schedule to update your journal regularly, such as weekly or monthly, to maintain consistency. This is one thing I will have to do in order to successfully use a journal.

Experimentation Section – Dedicate a space to document any new gardening techniques, experiments, or plant varieties you try.

Review and Revise – Regularly review your entries to spot trends and adjust for future growing seasons.

Resources and Inspiration

Toronto & Golden Horseshoe Gardener’s Journal (now Canada Gardener’s Journal)
This journal has been reimagined for gardeners across Canada, providing tools, resources, and tips for successful gardening. Started by Margaret Bennet-Alder to aid Toronto area gardeners, in 2017 she transferred ownership to Helen and Sarah Battersby and now it’s run by Steven Biggs of Food Garden Life. (might make a great Christmas gift?)

Garden Therapy
This site has several articles about the importance of keeping a gardening journal and shares tips.
How to Start Keeping a Garden Journal (and Why You’ll Thank Me)
Keeping a Gardening Journal: Reflecting on Growth and Healing

Lee Valley 10 Year Gardening Journal
A very detailed 10 year perpetual diary, where each diary page is for one day of the year, and each page is divided into 10 sections. There is a diary, a section on gardening techniques, reference material, many charts, and places to record your inventory of perennials, a place to sketch etc.

DIY Garden Journal and Planner
Discusses the importance of a garden journal and provides printable pages and organizing tips. 

Purdue University – County Extension
Consider a garden journal – discusses the benefits of keeping a garden journal and what to include.

Penn State University – County Extension
Offers insights into Keeping a Garden Journal.

The Garden Continuum
Why a Journal is a Gardener’s Best Friend – explains the benefits of and tips for choosing the right format. This last link I found interesting as it explained the benefits of a digital vs hard copy journal.

“A digital journal can offer several advantages. First, it’s easily searchable so you can quickly find information on specific plants, techniques or projects. Second, you can easily add photos and other digital media to your entries, which can help you document your garden’s progress visually. Third, a digital journal can be accessed anywhere and from multiple devices so you can update it from your computer, tablet or phone. 

Writing by hand, however, can be a meditative and reflective experience, and it may help you to connect more deeply with your garden. Additionally, a handwritten journal can serve as a keepsake or heirloom that can be passed down through generations or to the future owners of your home.”

What I learned from my research on starting a garden journal (for this blog) is that you have to think about what YOU want to get out of your journal – inspiration, documentation, templates, a diary…whatever that is. So find a journal (or create your own journal) that meets your needs. If you find a great resource, please share it in the comments!

For now our garden in asleep for the winter, but it doesn’t mean we can’t start our journal and dream of springtime!

Bulbs, Dreams, Perennials, Sun Gardening

Yes, You Can Still Plant Tulips!

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By Christine Freeburn, Master Gardener

Unlike daffodils, which should be in the ground by Thanksgiving, tulip bulbs can be planted anytime from September until when the ground freezes in December. When you plant later in the season, squirrels are not as active, so may not discover and dig up your bulbs.

Planting in circles or groups rather than in a straight line is more pleasing to the eye.  Plant tulips in well drained soil at least 6-8 inches deep and 2-3 inches apart.

Hen manure is a good fertilizer and it will also deter squirrels. For 5 or 6 bulbs, dig your hole (digging that 8” deep will also deter squirrels), put in a couple tablespoons of fertilizer in the hole, place bulbs (one in middle with the rest around), cover with soil, pat firmly, sprinkle more fertilizer, cover bare earth with leaves or mulch (to disguise it from squirrels) and water thoroughly.

You can also use heavy wire to cover the area to keep squirrels from digging or place a board or rock over the area, removing it when the ground has frozen.

After your flowers fade in spring, you can cut back the flower stem but let the leaves die back naturally. This allows photosynthesis to continue, giving food back into the bulb so it will produce again the next year. Plant perennials close by so they emerge and hide the tulip leaves as they decline.

There are thousands of different tulip varieties in many colours, shapes and sizes. Below is a list of some of the main tulip varieties with their characteristics.  

NOTE: Don’t forget our first ever Peterborough Master Gardener Spring Blooming Bulb sale still has tulips (and other beautiful spring bulbs) available. Click here for more information and to order! Pickup is in Peterborough.

Source/credit: Longfield Gardens, NJ, USA
Single early tulip

Single Early     

  • blooms in cooler weather with daffodils              
  • cup shape with 6 petals
  • average height of 10-18 inches
  • live for 3-4 years
Single late tulip

Single Late

  • also called Cottage tulip
  • tallest varieties standing 18-30 inches tall          
  • bloom when temperatures warm           
  • long lasting blooms but shorter life
Double early tulip
Double late tulip

Double Early and Late

  • also known as Peony tulips because of their multi-petaled structure       
  • can be early or late varieties     
  • blooms can be 6 inches on 10-16 inch stems     
  • sensitive to rain and may flop
  • shorter lived type
Darwin hybrid tulip

Darwin Hybrid

  • cross between Fosteriana and late blooming single tulips
  • tall sturdy stems 22 to 34 inches                       
  • large blooms    
  • perform year after year
Triumph tulip

Triumph

  • sturdy stemmed variety growing 16 to 24 inches tall       
  • cross between single early and Darwin  
  • blooms mid season      
  • edges on petals are often a different colour        
Parrot tulip

Parrot

  • vibrant colours and feathery or ruffled petals      
  • long stems and large blooms make them tend to be more delicate          
  • tend to be later blooming
  • not long lived, but showy
Fringed tulip

Fringed

  • also known as Crispii tulips       
  • nice frilly edges which can sometimes contrast with rest of bloom           
  • often late bloomers
  • will only live a few years
Fosteriana tulip

Fosteriana

  • also known as Emperor tulips    
  • early to mid season bloomer with big blooms and large narrow leaves     
  • perform year after year 
Greigii tulip

Greigii

  • also known as Turkestan tulips 
  • big colourful flowers tend to be on shorter stems
  • mid season bloomer     
  • leaves are streaked or spotted maroon  
  • perform year after year
Kaufmanniana tulip

Kaufmanniana

  • early to mid season blooming time        
  • blooms resemble waterlilies as they tend to open float in bright sunlight  
  • usually short stemmed, about 6 to 10 inches tall
  • perform year after year 
Lily flower tulip

Lily Flower

  • late blooming   
  • long pointed petals which arch outwards
  • 14 to 30 inches tall
Viridiflora tulip

Viridiflora

  • known as a green tulip for the green markings on the petals       
  • late season but long blooming
  • 16 to 24 inches tall
Rembrandt tulip

Rembrandt

  • variegated petals in deep purple or reddish streaks                    
  • 18 to 26 inches tall       
  • original cultivar no longer available, but you may find Rembrandt type
Species tulip

Species

  • known as botanical
  • smaller and shorter but prolific  
  • naturalize well  
  • perform year after year
  • squirrels do not dig or eat
  • (If you’ve read this far, this is my favourite tulip…long lived, squirrel-proof, multiply well)

References

Toronto Master Gardeners Gardening Guide for Growing Tulips

Best Tulips Guide

Advice, Bulbs, Dreams, Websites

The Magic of Transformation

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By Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

As we draw closer to the Autumn Equinox, my thoughts dwell more frequently on the topic of fall planted bulbs.  For me, they evoke a powerful sense of anticipation similar to what I felt as a child when the Eaton’s and Simpson’s Christmas catalogues arrived.  The suspense and delayed gratification that both provide is beyond words.  A seemingly lifeless bulb has the potential to create a stunning spring display of bloom after the harshness of the Canadian winter!

Participating in this ritual is easy with not too many things to looks for.  When purchasing in person, look for the largest bulb for the type you can find (good quality tulips are typically 12+ cm in circumference, daffodils may be larger or smaller depending on variety).  The larger the bulb, the more blooms that you will have in the spring.  Bulb size is probably most important in tulips as not all varieties size up well once planted.  Major bulbs known to perennialize (narcissus, allium for example) will size up.  I once bought some Leucojum (summer snowflake) bulbs late in the year locally knowing nothing about them, planted them and had to wait 2 years for bloom. They were worth the wait. Last year, I dug some of them up and the bulbs were at least three times the size of what I planted.  Bulbs should also be plump and firm with no mold or black spots.

Local nurseries are a good source of bulbs as are some of the larger outlets with nurseries. 

More frequently, bulbs are purchased online.  Online suppliers will usually be able to provide bulb size and the bulbs they ship should be healthy.  Ask for a recommendation from someone in your horticultural society (there is always at least one bulb nut in every club). Vesey’s and Brecks are long time reputable suppliers of bulbs.  Also, have a look at the local flower farmer’s webpage.  It is quite common for them to retail some of the varieties they have ordered for themselves.  In this area Dahlia May Flower Farm and Antonio Valente Flowers both have attractive offerings each fall.  With online orders of course, there is the additional cost of the shipping.

A British Columbia company, “Wildwood Express” offers packaged bulbs for sale that are sourced from a reputable importer in BC.  They often have last minute sales that are hard to resist and of course end of year sales late in the season.  Bulbs can be planted very late into the season (if the ground can still be worked, and YOU are hardy enough).

Of course, there are often good local sales.  Not for profit organizations often sell bulbs as a fundraiser.  Consider these sales, both to buy some magic and to support a good cause.  In our area the Port Hope Garden Club and the Peterborough Master Gardeners have bulbs for sale. Consult the PMG website for details on their sale and for Port Hope, drop me an email through this website.

Some of us have succumbed to temptation long ago.  For this year, I ordered around 1700 bulbs last spring (less than last year!), have bought some from the club sale in Port Hope and still broke down and ordered a few fancy new narcissus from a flower farmer. 

Books, Communication, Dreams, Houseplants, Information, Links, Seeds, Websites

Got the Gardening Winter Blues?

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by Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

Last night I dreamed of green, lush tropical gardens. It was yet another sign I am suffering from the February winter blues or as I call it “Garden Deficit Disorder”.

Yes, the days are getting a little longer with every sunrise, and we have had a fair bit of sun over the past month (which helps a lot) but I have more than half a metre of snow blanketing my gardens while my English cousins are sending photos of snowdrop drifts after their ‘long winter’.

I do like the winter season, if for no other reason than my aging body needs a rest from the garden. But it’s also the only downtime I have to plan for next year’s garden, order seeds and attend garden workshops, because I know once spring arrives I will not have a minute to spare.

So I’ll offer up a few gardening related activities for the wintertime that may help you through the blues…

Browse those Seed Catalogues

Whether you get paper copies or just look at them online, seed catalogues will bring a smile to your face, even if you don’t buy anything. The wonderful folks at Seeds of Diversity have put together an great map of Canadian seed companies. Some of my favourites are Northern Wildflowers (Sudbury), William Dam Seeds (near Dundas), Floribunda Seeds (near Peterborough) and Hawthorn Seeds (Mount Forest).

cartoon showing someone in bed with seed catalogs
Credit: Joseph Tychonievich

Catch Up on Your Reading

Winter is the only time (and my favourite time) to cuddle up with my newest garden book, while enjoying beautiful photos and deciding which new plants will be my garden next year.

If you’re interested in native plants I highly recommend The Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region (I did a book review here) and A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes and Upper Midwest by Lorraine Johnson.

Another favourite I’ll be drooling over (it’s visually stunning) is Planting – A New Perspective by Piet Oudolf and Nigel Kingsbury.

Or even a fictional book involving gardening makes me happy – highly recommend The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly.

Buy a New Houseplant (or 2, or 10)

While I love seeing colourful houseplants over the winter, our harsh interior conditions (furnace heat and low humidity) are not ideal for them. I will confess – I am a much better gardener outside than inside, plus I have the additional challenge of two cats that like to nibble. But do a little research and find the right plant for your space, or if you’re not ready for that investment, just pick up some fresh cut flowers to brighten your day.

Review your Garden Photos

On dull winter days I try to review and organize the zillions (ok maybe a slight exaggeration) of garden photos on my phone (I even have a gardening folder). I download the photos to my computer and organize them, all the while just enjoying the memories and seeing the colour! It’s wonderful that digital cameras and our smart phones now make it so much easier these days to capture our gardens in all their glory.

Here’s one of my chipmunks munching on some Green-headed/cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) buds this summer.

Attend a Seedy Saturday or Sunday

If you’d like some more social interaction with likeminded gardeners or even just some advice, finding a local Seedy Saturday or Sunday is perfect. They occur across Canada, mostly in February and March. Seeds of Diversity have a comprehensive list – use the menu on the right of the page to filter by province. Peterborough’s Seedy Sunday is March 9th.

Find Gardening Seminars (online or in person)

If I can think of anything positive about the pandemic, it’s that we all transitioned to more online learning, and platforms like Zoom made it easy for garden experts to reach large audiences. While it’s always wonderful to see speakers in person, online presentations mean I can watch gardening experts that I might otherwise never have the chance to see in person.

Our Grey County Master Gardeners offer a great series, as does Mississauga-based Blooming Boulevards, and I’ve also been attending the Home Gardening seminars offered by the Iowa State MG Program and some by the Wild Ones organization in the US.

An upcoming in-person gardening event in Peterborough is the very popular A Day for Gardeners – save the date!

Gardening Blogs and Websites

Personally I tend to follow those who have similar growing conditions to me (Zone 4b, harsh winters, Central Ontario) but I do have several (including a few in the UK) which I like to just view and enjoy.

You should of course sign up to receive the weekly Peterborough Master Gardener blog, delivered straight into your email on Monday mornings. Our members cover various topics and issues which will be of interest to gardeners, and you can also search older blogs for specific information using the search function.

Here are a few of my favourite blogs/newsletters. Many of these folks also have YouTube channels and extensive information on their websites.

The Empress of Dirt (Ontario)

The Impatient Gardener (Wisconsin)

The Laidback Gardener (Quebec)

The folks at Savvy Gardening (Pittsburgh, Halifax, Dundas)

I hope these ideas help get you through these cold winter days and nights. Let’s all dream about spring and a new gardening season!

photo of butterfly on echinacea with text on garden deficit disorder
Active Meditation, Children, Communication, Dreams, Health, Soil, Vegetable Gardening

Finding Natural Connections in a World That is Busier than Ever!

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By Thom Luloff, Master Gardener in Training

Our schedules are brimming, and life is back to “normal” after those challenging years of a global pandemic.  We may be busier than ever, but are things truly back to normal? 

Crises–locally and internationally–politically, socially and economically are unfolding everywhere, and our social bonds and community engagement appear more distant than ever.  

Or does it just seem that way? 

If we take a step back just a couple of years, we had a very different perspective that is worth remembering and taking forward as those memories start to fade.  

Amidst the confusion, anxiety, and fear of the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, we all took a deep pause.  Without distractions, we were able to focus on the important.  Synchronously with the first lockdown announcement, public health agencies began promoting safe activities.  Without much surprise, almost all of them involved the outdoors and being immersed in nature.  Walking, hiking, biking, roller blading; these merchandise items flew off shelves just as fast as skis, snowmobiles, and fat bikes did.  Not to mention everybody was baking bread and planting seeds in soil, many for the first time in their lives!

We found connections by connecting with and within nature.

As the lockdown progressed, we celebrated stories showing how the retreat of human impact allowed nature the room to thrive.  Whether it be clearer skies, fewer cars on the roads, or less garbage in nature areas, we could see the human impact.  

Yet within almost moments of relaxation of restrictions, our old ways returned.  Our newfound appreciation gave way to the rush for normalcy.

Can we do better than normalcy? 

We think of our human normalcy as being set apart from nature.  In control.  We live in houses, drive cars, and eat food which is specially grown to feed us; and nature exists “somewhere” else. Somewhere where you can go on your terms.  But there are examples from nature that do provide us valuable insight and one of the is in the form of a fungus, Armillaria solidipes (honey fungus).

Armillaria solidipes

Like humans, this honey fungus has enormous potential to affect its local environment.  One of these organisms lives in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest and covers 3.7 square miles (2,400 acres) and is roughly 8,000 years old and weighs over 34,000 tons, making it both the single largest and heaviest terrestrial organism on the planet.

But interesting, this remarkable fungus is not a product of individual success.  It is a product of connections, where individuals connecting together strengthen and enlarge the whole.

Honey fungi grow in individual networks using fibers called mycelia. Mycelia work in a similar fashion to plant roots whereby they take water and nutrients from the soil. At the same time, they make chemicals that are shared with other soil organisms.  When mycelia from different individual honey fungus bodies meet, they can attempt to fuse to each other. When the mycelia successfully fuse to each other, they link their very large fungal bodies together. This, in turn, has created the largest terrestrial organism on the planet.

All. Accomplished. By. Connections. 

This giant organism plays an essential role soil development and maintenance, with mycelium working to prevent soil erosion.   It also happens to be a parasite, killing and consuming conifer trees, and has wrecked havoc on Fir stands throughout the area.

I can’t help but compare this fungus–built by connections–to us, as humans. We are more connected than ever before and our potential to impact our environment (positively or negatively) has never been greater.

We must choose to grow positive connections with positive impacts. 

And you (yes you!) are likely doing exactly that and reaping the rewards of those natural connections that you have carefully nourished.  As gardeners tend to their plants, we develop a deep appreciation for the environment, understanding the intricate relationships between soil, water, sunlight, and living organisms. This hands-on interaction promotes mindfulness and a sense of responsibility toward ecological health.

The act of nurturing plants from seeds to full bloom cultivates patience and respect for the time it takes for nature to flourish and reinforces the idea that the best things are worth waiting for and done for others.  What an incredible feeling of joy it is when we see pollinators thriving on the plants we planted, along with the birds and biodiversity that they in turn support.   

As we grow these connections, we show our neighbours, friends, and visitors a living example of this positivity; making it so much easier to follow themselves.

Our stewardship mentality that encourages a harmonious coexistence with the natural world needs water and sunlight and effort, just like our gardens.  Late July is the perfect time to reset from a busy year, giving us the opportunity to embrace a slower pace and regain balance, prioritize self-care, and set intentions for the rest of the year with renewed energy and clarity. 

Let’s prioritize nature and reap the rewards of those natural connections with those around us!

Photo Credit: Keith Riggs. (2012).  United States Forest Service

Advice, Bees & Pollinators, Dreams, Invasive

Why Do You Garden?

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By Cheryl Harrison, Master Gardener

This is an important question!  People garden for various reasons and the answer to that question is a wonderful guide for helping to create your garden.  If you do not know why you garden, then you may put a lot of effort, and money, into something that does not make you happy or meet your needs.  So, figure out why you garden, what inspires you and keeps you coming back for more!

I recently asked this question of the Peterborough Master Gardeners.  Some find gardening a creative, and passionate, process that gives them joy and peace and a feeling of gratitude.  They spoke of being in nature and being part of the relationship between the soil, bees, birds, butterflies and plants.  For some, it is the nurturing of the land and being able to feed their families, and share with neighbours, through the vegetables that they grow.  Others spoke about the enjoyment they get from the physical process of gardening.  Gardening is good exercise, especially if your job includes sitting at a desk all day.  One of our fairly new Master Gardeners talked about starting to garden because it was a lower-cost opportunity to take care of living things and the desire for her property to be pretty and attractive to pollinators.  Gardening has evolved for her to provide her with a sense of peace and accomplishment.  A final comment about the “why garden” question…..gardening can be a solitary activity or a very social activity where you talk to fellow gardeners or give advice to curious non-gardeners.

Thinking about why one gardens leads to asking yourself what type of garden you are most drawn to.  One Master Gardener shared that she prefers a more formal garden although she can appreciate a cottage style or meadow garden too.  The rest of us are a bit more on the wild side.  We prefer colourful cottage gardens that are informal but not out of control.   This type of garden might include bee balm (Monarda species), coneflowers (Echinacea species) and brown/black eyed susans (Rudbeckia species). The importance of growing for diversity with native plants and not growing invasives was mentioned as was a garden that appealed to pollinators.  Formal gardens can be more difficult to maintain because it may require more time and effort to keep a very specific style eg. pruning shrubs to a unique shape.  Cottage gardens tend to have a looser structure and may require less maintenance.  They may also include vegetables!

However, gardening is not all just pretty flowers and shiny vegetables.  Some Master Gardeners mentioned the frustration when garden pests or disease attack.  The best defense is to inspect your garden often to catch problems early.  Plants are also less susceptible when they are healthy.  For good health, plants need the appropriate moisture, light, temperature and soil for that plant.  Other Master Gardeners were challenged by out-of-control invasive plants (eg. goutweed, Aegopodium podagraria), weeds or limitations that occur as we age….for some, gardening from dawn until dusk is just a memory!

So, grab your pen and paper and answer the question, “why do I garden?”  You may feel that you are on the right track, or you may decide to make some changes.  Now is the time to dream and plan what you would like to do this year, to have a garden that feeds your soul and maybe your family and neighbours too! 

Thank you to the Master Gardeners who responded to my questions.  I loved reading your answers and thinking about how we are drawn to gardening in slightly different, but similar, ways.

Bees & Pollinators, Birds, Dreams, Garden Design, Native Plants, Perennials, Planting, Shrubs & Trees

Creating a Wildlife Friendly Hedgerow in my Ontario Garden

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by Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

Although I’ve lived in Canada for almost 50 years, I grew up in Bristol, England for some of my formative years, and always loved the traditional hedgerows that existed along rural roads and properties. Every time we return to the UK on a trip, I marvel at the diversity and intricacy of these functional garden/farm structures.

On our three quarter of an acre property in a small village north of Peterborough (Zone 4b/5a) I have a neighbour on one side who has a chain link fence and loves their golf green lawn. On the other side there is no fence at all, but I’ve been growing a few elderberries (Sambucus canadensis) and cup plants (Silphium perfoliatum) to hide a poorly maintained house – the first shrub suckers well and the second plant grows fast and tall.

So I’d love to have a traditional English-style hedgerow on both edges that would provide visual screening as well as animal and bird habitat…so I went looking to see how to adapt the traditional English hedgerow to Ontario.

Hedgerows can provide amazing bird habitat

The origins of hedgerows

It’s thought that hedgerows (or hedges) were first used by humans as ‘dead hedges’ to enclose livestock using thorny plants. Once agriculture began, clearing woodlands created fields with tree and shrub boundaries that were managed to create livestock-proof ‘living fences’.

Hedgerows have been planted since the time of the Romans and reached their peak in Britain during the Enclosure Acts of the 1700s when an estimated 200,000 miles of mostly hawthorn (Crataegus spp) hedgerows were planted.

Credit: People’s Trust for Endangered Species, UK

Hedgerows have many purposes, as you can see from this graphic from the People’s Trust for Endangered Species. They have an excellent video on how to manage a hedgerow here, but it’s not quite the same in Ontario, as we don’t have the same hedgerow species or coppicing techniques.

In their best form I think hedgerows can be a mini-ecosystem with key ingredients that animals and birds need to survive — food, shelter, nesting and denning sites. Hedgerows also function as corridors, connecting one habitat to another and offering a safe passage for wildlife. They help muffle sound, create privacy, and act as windbreaks.

Definitely not a short term project

According to the Ottawa Field Naturalists Club (OFNC), the ideal hedgerow is

  • Planted with a variety of berry- and seed-bearing shrubs for food
  • Interspersed with cedar for added cover
  • Thick, bushy, largely unpruned and entangled with vines

The Ontario Rural Skills Network suggests that hedgerows can be single species but are best if they comprise a diversity of plants. Planting should be very dense, with a double line spaced 40cm (16in) apart with plants in a staggered pattern at 30cm (12in), giving 5 plants per metre.

Because they’re comprised of living shrubs, hedgerows grow and require management. It’s all about creating a balance between growth and avoiding them becoming gapped and unmanageable. A hedgerow may take seven to 10 years to establish, depending on the species composition.

This young hedgerow bordering a field features native plants that provide habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. Photo: Janet Donnelly, © Oregon State University

Making a plan

I’m just at the beginning of my plan for hedgerows on our property, but winter is a great time to do research. Both sites are sunny and have well drained soil, and I want to focus on using Ontario native plants as much as possible. I’m looking at a combination of seed- or nut-bearing shrubs (like speckled alder and hazel) and berry producers (serviceberry, chokecherry, red osier dogwood). Thorny shrubs (native roses, wild raspberry, hawthorns) will give added wildlife protection. The design will probably be different for each one, but that’s the fun of it.

The OFNC has excellent lists of plants you can consider for an Ontario hedgerow. I’m thinking about using

  • Speckled alder (Alnus incana)
  • Beaked hazel (Corylus cornuta)
  • Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.)
  • Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
  • Flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus)
  • Willow spp. (Salix spp.) – native if I can find them – there is an amazing group in
  • Choke cherry (Prunus virginiana)
  • Red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera or C. sericea)
  • Eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
  • Wild (riverbank) grape (Vitis riparia)

Next steps

I’m just at the beginning of my journey. In my next blog post on March 25th, I’ll give you an update on my research and my plans for my spring hedgerow projects. Until then, here’s some interesting sites to look at if you are thinking about something similar. And, by all means, if you have created a hedgerow in your Ontario garden, I would love to hear about it.

More resources

Creating a hedgerow for wildlife (Canada)

Hedgelink (UK)

National Hedgelaying Society (UK)

The traditional farm hedgerow (Canada)

Surrey Wildlife Trust – how to lay a hedge (UK)

1000 Islands Master Gardeners – Wildscaping with hedgerows (Canada)

How to plant a hedgerow in the home landscape (Ohio, US)

How to Start a Hedgerow (5 Steps) (Washington State, US)

A Guide to Hedgerows: Plantings That Enhance Biodiversity, Sustainability and Functionality (Oregon State U Extension)

Healthy hedgerows on your land (UK)

What have hedgerows ever done for us? how hedges benefit us (UK)

Active Meditation, Dreams, winter

Grateful for the Garden: Reflecting on the Past Year and Looking Forward to Spring

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By Mary-Jane Pilgrim, Master Gardener

As the final days of the year tick past and the garden gets ready for winter, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the lessons that the past gardening season have meant to me. From the first tentative sprouts of spring to the vibrant foliage of autumn, many moments in the garden have been a source of inspiration and gratitude.

In the quiet solitude of my gardens, I find peace and beauty. The garden has tried to teach me patience as I witnessed the transformation of tiny shoots into flourishing plants, reminding me that growth takes time, both in nature and in life. Each new plant, bulb, tree and shrub has been a learning experience as I determine how best to care for them. Watering, weeding, watching things grow – it’s a simple kind of satisfaction. Success and failure are both reflected in the final layout at the end of the gardening season.

Fall brings a slow-down as the garden prepares for the coldest months of the year; dormancy for some, death for others. I’m grateful for the colours & textures in the autumn garden and the resiliency that many plants display.

As winter settles in, I’m grateful for the quiet months too. The garden might be sleeping, but it’s not forgotten. It’s there, waiting for the days to get longer and the sun to warm up the soil. I’m grateful for open spaces, hills, fields and parks nearby where I can wander through trees and rocks throughout this season, sometimes regardless of the temperature. I do have to admit that I’m not always a fan of the ultra cold, though!

Looking forward to spring, it’s like a natural reset button. New shoots, new colors – everything waking up again. Planning for the next season is already on my mind. What to plant, where to plant it – it’s the anticipation of starting the cycle all over again.

In this simple plot of earth that I call home, there’s a lot to be thankful for. The lessons, the wonder, the beauty – it’s all there, waiting for the next round. Here’s to another year of growing, learning, and being grateful for what the garden brings.