Take one hike and call me in the morning

The sight of tender tulip and daffodil sprouts poking up out of the sodden earth in springtime usually makes me smile. But it isn’t springtime yet. So surprise, concern, even a little dismay is more like it. In most parts of Canada, this time of year is supposed to be all about that long pause…

Let’s talk: Climate and changing

In Canada, this coming May 23rd isn’t any old Monday. It’s Victoria Day, a national holiday, making for a 3-day weekend also referred to as May Long. In other years, when the holiday lands on the 24th, it’s often referred to as May Two-Four, referring not to the date but to the large case of…

The greying garden and what to do about it

After attending yet another lecture at a botanical society shoulder-to-shoulder with a battalion of grey-haired ladies, I wondered about where gardening was headed. I understand that in the eyes of most kids gardening is deeply uncool. Yeah, it was fun as a toddler, digging in the dirt with your bright plastic spade. But later, you raked the…