tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269458892026-05-26T15:05:10.200-04:00Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.comBlogger586125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-79831905749943416782015-01-08T20:52:00.001-05:002015-01-08T20:52:09.238-05:00

Hibiscus January 8, 2015 Back in 2011, we had our last house on the market so I bought a couple of potted hibiscus from Walmart to grace the front porch.  We brought them with us when we moved.  The funny thing is, hibiscus is not tolerant to temperatures lower than 50°F so they must have been selling them as a seasonal item, likely brought in by mistake as they would not survive

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-53810978593439693742015-01-05T22:21:00.001-05:002015-01-05T22:21:54.050-05:00

Wild Violets Viola papilionacea April 23, 2014 Our grandkids love the wild violets (Viola papilionacea) growing in the narrow side yard to the east.  I have to agree with them.  Wild violets always bring a smile!  We have quite a large patch of these little beauties.  These hardy perennial wild flowers are low-growing with heart-shaped leaves, flowering in mid-May. 

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-60737331374666336592015-01-04T21:51:00.002-05:002015-01-04T21:51:46.582-05:00

Winter 2014 was the coldest on record since 1996 in southern Ontario.  I was looking through last year's pictures when I realized that this time last year we were in the midst of a deep freeze.  It was cold and blustery with downright nasty snow, ice, and sleet.  Spring was cold with us still wearing winter gear when we headed south the first week of May.  Area farmers had a

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-72359875829791059932015-01-03T19:29:00.000-05:002015-01-03T19:29:18.396-05:00

When I was doing a bit of annual tweaking on this blog yesterday, I noticed that the image for Blotanical.com was broke.  This usually happens if the url the image links to is broken.  Imagine my dismay to find that the site has been 'moth balled' according to their host site.  I was a member of Blotanical.com, a global network and community of gardeners.  It was a lovely way

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-76293697481309979172015-01-02T22:17:00.001-05:002015-01-02T22:17:24.029-05:00

Here it is the second day of a brand new year with thoughts of gardening dancing in my head!  Last year was a disaster with respect to gardening BUT we accomplished a tremendous amount of work outside.  So even though I had nothing to blog about that was gardening related, there was a lot going on.  We removed the old deck replacing it with a 20' x 30' main deck and started the

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-58644480282019555512015-01-01T10:43:00.001-05:002015-01-01T10:43:29.807-05:00

Wishing each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year!  Welcome 2015...

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-53043948537179622822014-01-02T19:37:00.002-05:002014-01-02T19:37:37.661-05:00

Looking back on my gardening endeavors of 2013, they were little more than a disaster!  We spent a lot of time ripping out with the only real progress being the new side and front garden beds with only the base completed and no actual plantings.  I must say, the rock looks gorgeous though!  We learned a lot though in 2013.  We know we want to move to very low maintenance for

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-53000981602863816502014-01-01T07:47:00.002-05:002014-01-01T07:47:22.338-05:00

Wishing each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year!  Welcome 2014...

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-83662173947032447962013-12-25T14:30:00.001-05:002013-12-25T14:30:18.497-05:00

Christmas blessings to each and everyone.  Merry Christmas!

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-8940867014915110102013-08-18T22:48:00.001-04:002013-08-18T22:48:04.095-04:00

When we moved into our home almost two years ago, the landscaping was in need of attention.  While it looked nice from the road, upon closer inspection the hodge podge of various plantings were ramped with weeds and over growth.  As per our normal method of dealing with ornamental gardens at any new house we waited to see exactly what we wanted to keep, what could be salvaged and what

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-56313893998133819142013-08-03T07:00:00.000-04:002013-08-03T07:00:05.125-04:00

Regardless of where you live, you will encounter some type of wildlife.  Unless you garden on a roof top or balcony, there is a very good chance you may run into a snake.  Snakes are either venomous or non-venomous.  Some snakes are more aggressive than others but for the most part if they are left alone, they will not bother you.  In fact, some snakes like the black racer and

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-10440711160372768842013-08-02T17:30:00.000-04:002013-08-02T17:30:01.776-04:00

One of the reasons we decided to move from our rural location back into an urban setting was the 2010 purchase of our vacation home in Florida.  The first year we spent 8 weeks divided between two trips there so we quickly realized the logistics of owning two properties and spending extended periods of time away from both.  Things like yard maintenance, snow removal, and home security

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-449231025519887362013-07-30T12:11:00.002-04:002013-07-30T12:11:16.434-04:00

We have always lived in small urban settings but in the past ten years spent four years living first semi-rural followed by four years living rural before moving back into a small urban setting.  Even though our property is not in an urban subdivision it backs on to a very small tract of farm land.  It is surprising what a difference there is in lawn care in subdivisions!  Don't

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-83586150729362457832013-07-25T17:52:00.002-04:002013-07-25T17:52:37.331-04:00

No I have not dropped off the face of the earth or even given up gardening.  After an abnormally cold spring and spending the month of May at our vacation home in the sunny south, we made the decision to do a bit of major work on the outside of the house.  That meant a lot of ripping out some of which is still in progress.  We are now in the progress of working on the front and

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-23066332965689481642013-04-25T12:51:00.001-04:002013-04-25T12:51:02.474-04:00

Back in March, I posted about a sure sign of spring, the common housefly.  Aside of a couple of robins and spring bulbs braving the cold, wet spring that has been it.  We are still wearing winter jackets here and the furnace is still on.  We've had substantial rainfall with heavy rains warranting warnings from Environment Canada.  A couple of days ago, we woke to light snow on

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-76266538517393715122013-03-11T16:06:00.001-04:002013-04-25T12:09:36.671-04:00

We live in beautiful Ontario, Canada where the winters have not been as bad in the past.  This one brought a bit more snow in our area but temperature wise it was a rather good winter.  We are now into March, the fickle weather month.  One day we get gorgeous sunshine the next snow flurries mixed with freezing rain.  Today, we have a rain warning as the ground is not thawed

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-34300736879104597732013-02-10T13:11:00.000-05:002013-02-10T13:11:55.320-05:00

Oh my gosh!  The bylaw has passed allowing us backyard chickens in our municipality!  I am beyond excited.  We were rural before so had no problems with backyard chickens but moving into an urban setting, there was this pesky bylaw nonsense.  So they have allowed it!  The ground is covered with snow but I've already been in touch with a friend who raises chickens.  I

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-27090755950212927112013-01-11T12:31:00.001-05:002013-01-11T12:31:17.609-05:00

I recently wrote about Richters new SeedZoo program aimed at keeping rare and endangered food plants growing via home gardeners.  I ordered three packets - Armenian giant black bean, Hutterite bean and monkeyface pepper.  The seeds are GMO free and heirloom so the goal is home gardeners will keep some of the seeds from their harvest, perhaps share a few with family and friends and in

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-12185155511921392122012-12-31T07:00:00.000-05:002012-12-31T07:00:00.812-05:00

I honestly can't believe 2012 is drawing to a close.  It has been a busy year getting adjusted to our new home and one again doing that rip out, start over thing.  While we did put in three new raised beds this year, next year promises to see a lot of changes.  I've already ordered from Richters and will place an order for live plants as soon as they start shipping in the spring. &

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-77684490814349276992012-12-29T17:08:00.002-05:002012-12-29T17:08:56.912-05:00

The Richters 2013 Herb & Vegetable catalogue arrived just before Christmas but I didn't have time to browse through it until today.  Richters (located in Goodwood, Ontario) has a wonderful selection of herbs and gourmet vegetables.  Their service is speedy with reasonable shipping costs that ensure your live plants arrive safely.  This year they have added SeedZoo, a project to

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-33032080924039823052012-12-22T09:28:00.002-05:002012-12-22T11:36:41.373-05:00

'Tis the time of year that many have decked their homes with Christmas trees.  A few years (2008)  ago I wrote a blog post on real verses artificial Christmas trees.  There are pros and cons to both but the conclusion was from an environmental perspective, real Christmas trees are superior to artificial Christmas trees.  All of the original points are still relevant however I

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-4111309367201479642012-12-10T11:23:00.000-05:002012-12-10T12:40:24.255-05:00

Have you ever come across a plant that you don't know what it is and want to identify whether it is friend or foe?  Well, I have.  We moved into our new home in September of 2011 and we bought our vacation home in Florida in 2010.  While I am rather good at recognizing plants, I came across some at both of our homes that I didn't recognize.  We also do a fair amount of

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-38170529625681806812012-11-29T07:00:00.000-05:002012-11-29T07:00:11.231-05:00

I picked up a rather neat trick for growing indoors back when I had my hobby greenhouse.  Plants and humans work opposite.  Humans breath in oxygen and respire carbon dioxide whereas plants use carbon dioxide and release oxygen which is why we need plants in our home for healthy indoor air quality.  In my quest to heat the greenhouse the first year, I came across a tip to use a

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-38148913479080229072012-11-28T12:28:00.000-05:002012-11-28T12:28:45.701-05:00

A couple of days ago I wrote about the concept of a continuous harvest by growing an indoor garden.  A wide range of vegetables can be grown indoors year round.  The choice for fruits, on the other hand is a bit more limited.  Many herbs can be grown indoors as well.  Unlike growing outdoors, the indoor environment is a controlled one.  All the necessities for healthy

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26945889.post-36771956435813231382012-11-27T07:00:00.000-05:002012-11-27T10:51:16.774-05:00

Growing edible plants indoors is really not much different that growing houseplants.  The concept is not a new one, dating back into Victorian times with atriums and greenhouses becoming popular in many homes.  Housewives have been growing herbs on sunny window sills for centuries.  Home gardeners have been starting plants indoors under lights for ages and now those systems have

Garden Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07560748179792613782noreply@blogger.com0