Colourful twigs

New year, new name, new look

This is the last posting for RhymesWithLinnaeus.com. After a lot of thought, I’ve decided to give this blog a makeover, starting with a new name: The Ministry Of The Fence. When you see this name pop up in your media feeds, I hope you take a second to check it out. I’ll still be covering…

Tree in spring

Have you hugged your tree today?

The Bruce Peninsula in Southern Ontario, surrounded by Lake Huron, is home to the world renowned Bruce Trail, two national parks (one is underwater), and the unique Oliphant fen. It’s been designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and happens to be a very favourite place of mine. [Full disclosure: this is where my guy has a cottage…

Shrub and lawn

Our yards a brewing concern

Garden centres are heaving with activity and it’s not all about selling plants and pots. Fertilizers and pesticides are on top of many a gardeners shopping list, too, especially at this time of year. I’m sure you’ve already heard a lot of rumblings (both pros and cons) about using chemical additives to ultimately increase the…

Metal garden sculpture

Garden needs a reno? Power-wash your birches

Yesterday, I sat in on a lecture at the Toronto Botanical Garden by plantswoman extraordinaire Marion Jarvie of Thornhill, Ontario. The topic was renewing and renovating your garden–starting now. This dynamo gardener had eyes popping over photos of her handiwork and eyebrows raised over some of her suggestions for sprucing up our own gardens this…

Gardening success: look over the fence

How to grow a gorgeous garden faster

You’re looking at your yard. Maybe there’s a spot at the back that needs some love. Or you’ve taken a personal oath to finally get that front walkway looking a little more, well, welcoming this spring. Even experienced gardeners can have a momentary crisis of indecision–”What’s going to grow and not die on me after…

Winter scene of garden chair

Creating a hardier garden

Looking out the window and wondering how much of your garden will survive to see May Two-Fer? As Southern Ontario continues to be pummelled by a record-breaking winter, there’s cause for considering the fate of a garden that may have survived last December’s ice storm only to face drying winds, frost heaves, flooding and more. Even…

Dog in snow

Taking the dullness out of dormancy

Nope. Nothing’s changed since yesterday. The garden is still frozen. Old snow is not pretty. Poets wax on about the beauty and stillness of winter but I’m thinking it’s time to move on. Sydney Eddison, writer, gardener and lecturer, wrote: “Perfection in life and in the garden depends on a counterpoise too fragile to maintain…