Inside this edition of Natural Garden News

• Being human
• If you want a Grounded garden…
• Hydro, roads, beavers… and you
• Biggest natural garden questions answered
• Natural landscaping for condos and homeowner associations
• New here? Start with these articles
• Notes from my assistant
• Check out our new native plant database
• My greatest inspiration
• Today’s recommended reading
• Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant)
• A nice way to walk to work

I hope you enjoy the newsletter! If you have any questions or feedback, please reply to this email.

There are lots of images in this newsletter. If you can’t see them, please enable images in your email.

Simon Payn
Grounded
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Email: hello@groundedgardens.ca​
Web: groundedgardens.ca​

Being human

A squirrel and I were hard at work at a client’s cottage the other week. While I was busy installing a shade garden, the squirrel was at the top of a beautiful Red Oak, knocking down acorns.

All day, thud thud thud as the acorns hit the needled ground. It didn’t stop.

I got to thinking: squirrel is being squirrel, getting ready for winter (and accidentally helping the oak propagate.) Squirrel was doing what squirrels do.
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And I was being human, planting and, as I write about in one of the articles below, stewarding nature. Perhaps I was doing what humans do.
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As we near Thanksgiving, I want to say thank you for reading this newsletter, trusting me to work in your landscapes and, most importantly, for gardening for life.

Simon

If you want a Grounded garden… I’m currently booking garden and shoreline installs (and management services) for 2026. We start by having a quick call to see if it makes sense for me to come look at your site. ​ Learn more To see some of my recent work, please see this page.

On hydro, roads, beavers… and you Not all disturbance is bad. Here’s what we can learn from hydro, roads… and beavers. Read more.​

Biggest natural garden questions answered I was interviewed by Canoe FM for a new show that will be launched in January. Here are my answers. (And stay tuned to this newsletter to find out when this new show airs.) Read more.​

New here? Start with these articles

Notes from my assistant

As you can see, Rufus has been busy helping. He tells me that fall is a great time to install a garden because the plants have time to put down roots without the stress of a hot summer. That means they’ll spring into action next year.

Check out new native plant database

Search and browse scores of native plants that will grow in Haliburton County.

My greatest inspiration

Here’s a wetland on Kennaway Road. I love how every month it looks different. Varying moisture levels, soil types, sunlight conditions create the patterns you see here. I can never hope to come close to the beauty nature creates on its own; I can only try to learn and be inspired by it.

Today’s recommended reading

You can’t see them but… Summer bees and butterflies need winter homes, too – not everyone gets to fly south to escape the snow. Here’s how you can help. Read more.

Please say no: Invasive plants are still being sold across Ontario. Please don’t buy them. Here’s the main ones to avoid. Read more.

Closing the loop: Nature is smarter than we give it credit. So do as nature does. Read more.

Misty eyed: Some gorgeous eye candy from Piet Oudolf. Read more.

Buzz stop: Montreal is among a number of cities putting green roofs on bus shelters. The benefits go beyond habitat for pollinators. Read more.​

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Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant)

I’ve put together some information “cards” about native plants. These are plants I use in my designs.

Today let’s look at Foxglove Beardtongue​

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A nice way to walk to work

You know I can’t get enough of the Grey to Green project in Sheffield, UK. So here it is again…

Thank you for reading!

Simon

Email: hello@groundedgardens.ca​
Web: groundedgardens.ca​
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