This blog will explore the process of developing a woodland garden in the Pacific Northwest, focusing on site assessment, soil enhancement, and the selection of suitable plants—including trees, shrubs, perennials, and spring ephemerals—that support wildlife and offer year-round appeal.

This blog will take you through the process of designing a prairie meadow.

Your septic field can be beautiful - transform it into a prairie meadow. Read this step by step guide.

February 2025 Hellebores play a critical role in the winter and early spring garden. Their lovely flowers emerge in late winter/early...

August 14, 2024 You begin by typing a simple gardening question like "what IS matrix planting?" You land on one page, then you "hop, skip and jump" from site to site. Time passes as you free-fall down the rabbit hole. Finally your attention is snagged by something worthwhile - a site, video, or newsletter that is both informative and inspirational. Skip the surfing, below is a collection of internet resources that are worth bookmarking. Bookmark these resources if... you are

July 25, 2024 Inspiring Garden Books My book shelves are jammed full of garden books. Books about garden history, garden design, and...

What exactly is an ' ephemera l' plant? An ephemeral plant is one that has a very brief life cycle. They are transitory plants. In BC, many of our native woodland wildflowers are spring ephemerals - for example, trilliums, fawn lilies, bleeding hearts, and shooting stars. In spring, before the trees leaf out, sunlight penetrates the woodland, warming the forest floor, and triggering the emergence of these plants. They burst out of the leaf litter, grow rapidly, flower ear

Last blog, I wrote about plants that have striking and dynamic fall foliage colours. Today, let’s turn our attention to another group of...

It's November. Yes, it's gloomy, grey and cold outside. If you feel singularly unmotivated to step outside and visit your garden, I have...

It's fall... How does your garden look? Notice any drab areas? Does the garden look like it is "done" for the season? Wait, don't give...

There are 3 basic categories of roses: (1) Wild Roses; (2) Old Garden Roses; and (3) Modern Roses. 'Old Garden Roses' refer to roses that existed before 1867. The first hybrid tea rose, 'la France', was bred in 1867. Hybrid Tea Roses are the oldest class of modern roses. They are the result of crossing Tea Roses with Hybrid Perpetuals. Hybrid Tea Roses are very popular roses due to their repeat blooming, elegant form, and the large variety of flower colours. They also have a

You dream of creating a dynamic mixed perennial border. You buy lots of fantastic plants. Then you start digging strenuously - into your heavy clay soil... after a couple of back breaking shovels full of clay you start looking …for a different spot to plant your dream garden. What's an enthusiastic gardener to do with heavy clay soil? There are three ways you can garden with clay soil: (1) amend the soil with organic matter; (2) raise or berm the soil; or (3) choose the r

A four season garden needs plants that perform well in winter/early spring. Spring flowering bulbs are an easy way to introduce spring colour. The crocuses are beautiful right now and the tulips are soon to take centre stage. But what provides colour before the bulbs start their parade? Trees, shrubs, and or perennials can fill in the colour gap between fall and late spring. Here are three plants in my garden that have been adding colour to the garden for months and, most im