The garden has popped. It's crammed with perennials and bulbs; buds bursting on shrubs and trees. I have been in the hospital with my husband Jack who has just undergone heart surgery. I can now truly celebrate spring: spring for him with a new valve
Continue ReadingWell it was a winter wonderland today. After pouring rain all day yesterday, this is what we woke up to. I can see what looks like an ice skating rink out in the back of the garden which doesn't auger well for the plants under
Continue ReadingI asked for some contributions to what makes a good garden combination. Here's a really imaginative one from Barry Parker. He has a glorious garden in downtown Toronto. It's the kind you like to return to a couple of times a year to see how
Continue ReadingThinking about perennial combinations in the middle of winter is folly of course but what else to dream away a miserable dull winter day? I asked one of my favourite gardeners, Monique Dobson, if she would come up with her favourite combo and this is what
Continue ReadingThe perennials are bursting out all over the garden. This is a garden which depends on foliage for most of its colour so it's startling to see Phlox 'David' shining in the background, the few roses I have being outrageous and all the hydrangeas I
Continue ReadingI am thrilled about how good the garden looks right now. The Japanese maple in the centre looking like a piece of sculpture with the snow caught in its branches just so. The media frenzy: cancelled on Zoomer radio yesterday (Monday); bumped on Canada A. M.
Continue ReadingI have dozens and dozens of perennials in my garden. Even so people keep saying "You don't have a lot of flowers, do you?" Actually I do. It's that they all have a special place and time to actually strut their stuff. For instance right now,
Continue ReadingIt seems impossible to think of taking down trees even in a small garden. But last week was my Derek week: trees left this place. Derek is Derek Welsh of Authentic Tree Service. He hates cutting down healthy trees but even in this case it
Continue ReadingThis is what the garden looks like this morning. ?It's just gorgeous and I am thrilled with how well it's survived a cold, wet miserable time. ? Who knew this was the long weekend. We are so used to the 24th of May being our day
Continue ReadingThe response to the closing of Gardening Life has been overwhelming. Who would have known that so many people cared about the magazine? We write in what, sometimes, seems to be a void only to find out that a lot of people are listening. So listen
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