Inside this edition of Natural Garden News

• Giving and receiving
• If you want a Grounded garden…
• What the 30-metre shoreline buffer really means
• The dirty secret about poor soils
• New here? Start with these articles
• Seed all about it!
• Welcome to winter!
• Hedged out
• Today’s recommended reading
• Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant)

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

Giving and receiving

‘Tis the season of giving. The tree is sparkling in the village. Even the snow has come early.

When I think of giving, I like to think of the Serviceberry. Not just the shrub, of which I have two at Lucas House, but the book, by Robin Wall Kimmerer.​

Nature, says Kimmerer, works on giving and reciprocity. It gives freely… and receives in return. The serviceberry is wealthy because it can give abundantly. The birds gratefully receive and give back in turn. The whole thing is a system of inter-dependence.

This holiday season, I’m trying to remember that.
​
Thank you for reading this newsletter in 2025. And thank you to everyone who has invited me into their landscape. I wish you a season full of gifts and giving.

Simon

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

What the 30-metre shoreline buffer really means The 30-metre shoreline buffer recommendation makes cottage owners throw up their hands. Here’s where that number comes from – and what it actually means for your property. Read more.​

The dirty secret about poor soils When the test comes back saying your soil is “poor,” you might feel like you’ve been handed a failing grade. Here’s why that might be the best news you’ll get all year. Read more.​

New here? Start with these articles

Seed all about it!

This is the second year I’ve donated seed from the garden at Lucas House in Haliburton to help a restoration project. Doing this makes me smile! Read all about it below or here.

Welcome to winter!

The snow came early to the Highlands this year. Every season is beautiful (particularly if you consider the value of structure in your landscape.)

Hedged out

As you can see, Janet Leigh is looking through the window at Lucas House and isn’t happy. Why? The hedge has gone and it’s a shock.

Me? I’m smiling, not screaming. I’ve wanted to get rid for the hedge for a while and found it difficult to pluck up the courage. Now I’m planning to fill that space with more plants and a winding path as the ever-changing evolution (and battle with deer) at Lucas House continues. Watch this (larger than expected) space.

Today’s recommended reading

Parks and echinacea: How Vancouver is turning chunks of municipal land into meadows. Read more.

Dear deer: Because it’s impossible to have enough information on protecting plants from deer, right? Read more.

On a cloud: Look how grass seed heads turn this garden into a misty day. Read more.

It starts at home: The man encouraging homeowners to become backyard conservationists using native plants. Read more.

Masterwork: Check out this gorgeous landscape by legendary designer Piet Oudolf. Read more.​

​

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 Graceful Sedge.

​

Thank you for reading!

Simon

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

​​