Grounded Resources
Making Gardens
Your Natural Garden: The New Go-To Book for Landscaping the Better Way
A new book by Kelly D. Norris is set to become the go-to guide for those who want to understand natural gardening and landscaping.
Some Great Naturalistic Gardens in the UK
On a recent trip to England, I took the opportunity to visit some gardens by heroes of mine. I thought you’d like to see them too – and see what I learned from them.
Using Natural Patterns in Landscape Designs
Natural patterns make a great starting point for landscape designs. Here’s why.
Haliburton Deer: Lessons and Hope From the Garden at Lucas House
Haliburton deer and gardens: it seems like they’ll never get along. But maybe there’s a way embrace our hungry friends.
Good Mess, Bad Mess: Using Disturbance in Your Landscape
Whenever we do something in our landscape, we cause disturbance. But is disturbance good or bad? The answer depends on what we want to achieve. What is disturbance? From an ecological perspective, disturbance is any event that disrupts an ecosystem. Think of a forest fire, a flood, or a storm toppling trees. Each of these…
Discover the landscape design of Piet Oudolf
Piet Oudolf is a pioneer in naturalistic landscaping. And he’s a big inspiration for us here at Grounded. Here is a book that celebrates him.
How to Landscape Like Nature Does
How does naturalistic landscaping differ from traditional landscaping? The answer: more plants, in layers, and in a community.
Native plants for challenging sites
I often get asked to advise on native plants that are suitable for the more challenging sites. Here are some ideas.
Native Plants and Natural Gardens 101
New here? Here are the most important articles on this website about native plant gardens and shorelines.
Myths about Native Plants and Natural Gardens
At Grounded, we hear a lot of myths about natural gardens and the native plants they host. Here’s my personal takedown of this fake news.
Growing a Green Renaissance
When the trees fell
Trees mean something to us. They also mean something to those who come after us.
Yes, weeding can be a pleasure
What if taking care of your landscape was like visiting an old friend?
What I learned from a song sparrow one summer
Or why noticing is the beginning of a journey that leads to action.
The less you control, the better it feels
Why our landscapes make weekends stressful and how a different kind of care fixes that.
Nature is good. Let’s have more of it
If you live in the Highlands, it’s likely you love nature. So let’s have more of it… and here’s what happens when we do.
Biggest Haliburton Natural Garden Questions Answered
I was interviewed by Canoe FM for a new show that will be launched in January 2026. Here are my answers.
Trapped on society’s mowercoaster ride: why lawns are an invisible cage
If we don’t have a neatly trimmed lawn, we can feel like we don’t fit in. How can we break free of this invisible cage?
Bringing Back Biodiversity
Doing it for me, benefiting us all
Beavers change landscapes and create biodiversity. Can we be more like beavers?
Fitting in or forcing out?
Invasive plants are just doing what invasive plants do. But is that what we want?
Can’t live, if living is without you
How plants and animals are here for each other, even if they don’t realize it.
The landscape where everyone’s a winner
No plant is an island. Together, they make a community where every individual benefits every other.
A new go-to book if you love Haliburton’s nature
If you like Haliburton Highlands nature and want to discover more of it, I highly recommend this book.
Your land isn’t messy, it’s getting going
Ecological gardens don’t look perfect right away. But what looks messy to some is a successful landscape establishing.
How much of a pond is beaver?
When does a tree end and the forest begin? How much of a pond is beaver? What percentage of me is me? Big questions… and important for landscaping ecologically.
Why cottage landscapes are all about edges
What if the defining feature of a Highlands landscape is the edge? We sit here in the Land Between, that biodiverse strip at the very south of the Canadian Shield. It’s one big edge where rock meets lowlands. Zoom in on our homes and cottages, and you see more edges. There’s the edge between the…
What the 30-metre shoreline buffer really means
The 30-metre shoreline buffer recommendation makes most cottage owners throw up their hands. Here’s where that number comes from – and what it actually means for your property.
Newsletters
Natural Garden News from Grounded – August 1, 2026
Inside this edition of Natural Garden News Hurry up and stop If you want a Grounded garden… A time for planting, a time for singing Land heals but it doesn’t go back Doing it for me, benefiting us all When the trees fell New book – The Unfinished Cottage Landscape What’s going on at Lucas House The Grounded native plants ideas generator! My Haliburton Native Plant Database English Haliburton cottage garden The dirty secret about poor soils Today’s recommended reading Today’s VIP (Very…
Natural Garden News from Grounded – July 4, 2026
Inside this edition of Natural Garden News Time and song If you want a Grounded garden… Fitting in or forcing out When did the cottage become work? In ecological gardening, density is the point Haliburton native plants explained New book – The Unfinished Cottage Landscape The Grounded native plants ideas generator! My Haliburton Native Plant Database Planting the shoreline Downhill work Lawn begone! Today’s recommended reading Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant) I hope you enjoy the…
Natural Garden News from Grounded – June 6, 2026
Inside this edition of Natural Garden News The Home Show must go on If you want a Grounded garden… The landscape where everyone’s a winner Native plants and deer Something is missing but I don’t know what Can’t live, if living is without you New book – The Unfinished Cottage Landscape Yes, the mosquitos are back Catch our new show on Canoe My Haliburton Native Plant Database That’s a lot of plants! Today’s recommended reading Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant) I hope you enjoy the…
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