Posts by admin
Conforming to Green: How Lawn Culture Impacts Our Inner Well-being
In the suburbs of Ontario and even on some Haliburton County cottage properties, the lawn reigns supreme. This emerald expanse, a hallmark of residential aesthetics, has long been cherished as a symbol of beauty and order. But beneath its lush facade, lawn culture harbors a less discussed aspect: its psychological and spiritual impacts on individuals and communities.
Read MoreBeyond Aesthetic: The Hidden Environmental Toll of Lawn Culture
In Haliburton County and across Canada the lush, green lawn has long been a symbol of garden perfection. However, this seemingly benign landscape choice has far-reaching environmental implications.
Read MoreTransforming Gardens: Integrating Native Plants into Established Yards
The evolving landscape of gardening has witnessed a significant shift toward incorporating native plants into traditional landscaping. This fusion not only revitalizes garden aesthetics but also embraces environmental stewardship. As gardeners seek sustainable and impactful ways to beautify their spaces, the melding of native flora with conventional garden designs is gaining popularity.
Read MorePlanting the part-shaded garden
As you’ll see from the images, I planted the matrix grasses in a grid pattern. This will make it easier to see what is grass and what is weeds. Then I planted the forbs in the gaps. You’ll see some of the grasses are starting to go into dormancy by late September. Fingers crossed they’ll…
Read MoreRemoving the grass (take 2)
I rented my good friend Ryan, the sod-cutting machine, again. I didn’t need it as long this time as the areas is smaller, less bumpy and I know what I am doing. I was able to remove the grass and stack it up in a couple of days.
Read MoreNow on to Phase 2
Planting in the fall can work too, so I decided to go ahead with planting the rest of the garden: the part-shaded part to the north of the building. I did things a little differently: primarily, I planted more densely by creating a matrix on 12-inch centres of three types of grasses. Within this matrix,…
Read MoreStill work, but good work
My mentor Benjamin Vogt linked to an article in the Wall Street Journal today. In that article was a quote by another of my mentors, Kelly Norris: Kelly Norris, U.S.-based author of the book “New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden,” helps clients move into the aesthetic by first redefining what…
Read MoreThe Garden in September
August was a month of weeding. The crabgrass started to flower, which made it easy to get rid of it. I think I’m keeping the weeds under control – enough. Highlights as of September 1:
Read MoreLittle bluestem not so little
There’s little bluestem and there’s big bluestem. Big bluestem would be too big for the garden. So little bluestem it is. As a warm-season grass, it gets going slowly. But now it’s flowing, sending out gorgeous spikes, some up to three feet tall.
Read MoreOf weeds and pests
A day of weeding in the garden yesterday. Mostly crabgrass – but it’s getting easier to spot now it’s flowering because the flowers (and I use the term loosely because it’s a grass) lay flat to the ground, rather than erect, like the little bluestem. Some weeds have fibrous roots, which spread out. Others have…
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