Garden Making’s coast-to-coast tour of the Canada Garden Route began in mid-May on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island and ended a month and a half later in St. John’s, Newfoundland. And what an exciting, whirlwind trip it was! People ask me, “What was the best part of the trip?” And honestly, there were so many “bests” I thought the only way to answer the question was to jot … [Read more...] about The best of Canada Garden Route tour
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Much to see at Newfoundland’s MUN Botanical Garden
When I arrived in St. John’s at the end of June, Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden Director Liz Klose handed me a fleece jacket—and with temperatures hovering around 10ºC, it was a cozy comfort! I quickly learned that it was “Junuary” and the harbingers of this cool weather, small smelt-like fish called capelin, were running. Welcome to Newfoundland! A … [Read more...] about Much to see at Newfoundland’s MUN Botanical Garden
A Canadian First! Halifax Public Gardens
If the ornamental wrought-iron gates aren’t enough of a clue that this is a historic garden, then the serpentine “broderie”-patterned annual beds that snake through the lawns might give it away. But what will clinch it for sure, are the 32 carpet beds surrounding the beautifully restored Victorian bandstand that sits at the heart of the Halifax Public Gardens, Canada's first … [Read more...] about A Canadian First! Halifax Public Gardens
All about plants at Roger Van den Hende Botanical Garden
Plant nerd alert: this garden is for you! Sure, the Roger Van den Hende garden in Quebec is beautiful, even on a drizzly day like the one when I visited, guided by the incredibly knowledgeable Blanche Dansereau, Adjunct, Emeritus Professor at Laval University’s Faculty of Agriculture and Food. Waterproof notebook and camera in hand, I followed Professor Dansereau to our … [Read more...] about All about plants at Roger Van den Hende Botanical Garden
Parkwood Estate: Oshawa’s Downton Abbey
Carson the butler may not greet you at the front door, but if you showed up to work in the gardens at Parkwood Estate in Ontario during the Great Depression, Jessie the maid would soon put you in your place and send you scurrying for the back door. That’s what I found out when I took part in the Grand Estate Gardener workshop during my visit to Parkwood, a National Historic … [Read more...] about Parkwood Estate: Oshawa’s Downton Abbey
