Apr 30, 2026
About habitual tension, pruning roses, and the value of a neutral state. This week in Grimsby, the forsythias are still in bloom. It’s been another week of pruning shrubs, especially roses. Over the last two weeks, I’ve been working on a large bed of carpet...
Apr 23, 2026
About spring pruning, hydrangeas and taking a step back Early spring, before woody plants leaf out, is a time for preparatory garden work. Pruning woody shrubs, like hydrangeas, can seem daunting at first. Before beginning anything, take a step back and have a look....
Apr 18, 2026
About forsythias, roses and winter rest This week in the Niagara region, something changed in the gardens. Bright yellow bushes adorn the streets; forsythias are in bloom. For gardeners, forsythias are a reminder that it’s a good time to do certain garden...
Apr 9, 2026
When we tend to our gardens, we make decisions based on a kind of assumed permanence. We plan and plant as if the systems we see will remain. Gardens change through the seasons, but in the long term, we often treat them as stable. Each spring, the thaw forms a...
Apr 2, 2026
It’s that time of year again. Birds start chirping, the sun feels brighter, and bulbs begin to poke through the leafy layer left by fall. This is about timing. Every spring, this presents a dilemma. When bulbs emerge through the leaf layer, I know that if I wait too...
May 29, 2025
About the human body, hand tools, and finding what works for you. Dear Reader, Like a parachute, Grimsby’s trees suddenly deployed their canopies and we landed mid-spring. It seems just yesterday the Niagara Escarpment was bare and brown, now it’s a sea of green...
