Down a garden path, the suspension of disbelief

Cornelia Konrads freezes fantastical moments. I’ve never seen one of her works in real life but even photos of them inspire the suspension of disbelief. She’s created site specific installations and objects for public and private spaces all over the world, including her native Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, the U.S.A., Taiwan, South…

Go big with Cro-magnon patio furniture

Despite below-average spring temperatures here in Southern Ontario, the big box hardware stores are busily stacking patio furniture to the rafters–always a heartening sign. But I’m not feeling the love for tastefully modern, ebony-coloured plicker side tables or neon-bright recycled-plastic faux Adirondacks. After one crazy-long winter, I’m thinking big and bad. Huge and heavy. I’m thinking…

The gnome at home

There’s more than just broken branches and used Timmy cups surfacing as the snow melts. The gnomes are back. I’m looking at them with mixed feelings. Here’s why: On this day last year, a garden gnome was used to demonstrate 3D modelling and digital fabrication technology thanks to MakerBot and Autodesk. He was photographed at various…

Trees turned upside down to support plants

Upside-down trees take flowers to new heights

The first day of spring has officially arrived here in the Land of Ice and Snow, formerly known as Southern Ontario, and we’re expecting lows diving past minus 10 degrees Celsius next week. (Sigh.) So some bright, fun colour guaranteed to bring on smiles is in order. I figure the upside down Flower Tower trees…

Forget shamrocks, plant stones

The “Wild Atlantic Way” at this week’s Canada Blooms garden festival brought a bit of green and lovely Ireland to frozen Toronto. Like the country itself, the bright pop-up garden sprouted a variety of hefty stones representing the monumental, the practical and the hysterical. A mini dolmen or portal tomb (a low arch created by two…