The dark of November always puts me in a contemplative mood. As I finish up the last of the gardening tasks of the year, I find myself wondering, “Why do people garden?” It’s hard, dirty work, often done in rain, cold or baking heat. But here in the Beach, we have many beautiful home gardens […]
Tag: plants
Horticultural pet a blast from the past
When it comes to Christmas gift giving, our family has one simple rule – no pets, especially ones with the ability to bark, meow, fly, swim or slither. The ‘slithering’ gifts are completely off limits as far as I’m concerned, right up there with polka-dot ties and those plaid Gatsby golfing hats. You can imagine […]
House plants good for your health
With our national sport back up and running, it’s easy to forget that other Canadian obsession we routinely like to participate in during the coldest months of the year – and it has nothing to do with skates, sticks, pucks and Don Cherry. The game of keeping old man winter and his frosty air out […]
A carol for Beach gardeners
Partridges? What on earth would I do with them? French hens? Against the law in Toronto and probably couldn’t stand the cold. Gold rings? I always take off any rings when I’m gardening – otherwise, they get lost or dirty. The gifts in The 12 Days of Christmas just don’t cut it for a Beach […]
New exotics make Beach gardens sizzle
Spring has been playing peek-a-boo with us this year. One week at the end of March was no-coat weather, the next was put-those-blankets-back-on-the-bed. Upper Beach folks are bragging about their spring flowers. In my garden, two blocks from the lake, tulips and daffs are still tightly wrapped, and the forsythia is only thinking of blooming. […]
