Natural Garden News from Grounded – May 2, 2026

Inside this edition of Natural Garden News

  • H2…oh
  • If you want a Grounded garden…
  • Why patience comes in shades of brown
  • The wintergreen on the shoreline
  • Haliburton shoreline naturalization
  • What I learned from a song sparrow one summer
  • New book – The Unfinished Cottage Landscape
  • The new go-to book if you love Haliburton County’s nature
  • Catch our new show on Canoe
  • Nigel Dunnett
  • 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

H2…oh

The water in the lakes sure is high this spring.

You’ve likely read about the flooding in Minden. Looks like they’re over the worst, thankfully.

I was at a property yesterday and the water is super-high. So high that part of the landscape I’d installed was flooded.

It’s normally no problem to have land that seasonally floods: many plants, such as Red Osier Dogwood, are suited to those conditions. But if the water is exceptionally high, it can come as a surprise to plants that weren’t expecting it.

It’s something to watch for as the climate changes. Will extra rain (and extra heat) bring surprises? I’ll be paying attention to the unexpected in my designs.

Simon

P.S. I am available for lake association talks and webinars. If your association would like to talk shorelines or anything else in a non-salesy, no-pressure way, let me know.

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.


To see some of my recent work, please see this page.

Why patience comes in shades of brown

The arrival of spring requires a mixture of patience and planning. Read more.

The wintergreen on the shoreline

How a small, green leaf showed me how to relate to a shoreline. Read more.

Haliburton shoreline naturalization

In case you missed it: An in-depth look at shoreline naturalization and restoration for Haliburton County cottages. Read more.

What I learned from a song sparrow one summer

Or why noticing is the beginning of a journey that leads to action.Read more.

Now Available:
The Unfinished Cottage Landscape

I’ve written a short book about my way of landscaping.

The Unfinished Cottage Landscape is about what happens when you stop fighting the land and start noticing what it’s already doing.

It’s for anyone who has ever sighed getting out of the car on a Friday evening, looking at what still needs to be done. And for anyone who suspects there might be a different way.

Click the button below to read more and order the book. Price is $15 with free shipping.

The new go-to book if you love Haliburton County’s nature

This beautifully illustrated book is a guide to Highlands nature and, more importantly, a guide that teaches you how to see it. I highly recommend it.

It’s inspired me to get out more — boots in the car, kayak on the roof. So if you see me on a site visit, there’s a good chance I’ll be finishing it off by tracking down one of the nature nuggets nearby.

Read more here.

Catch our show on Canoe

I’m delighted to be co-hosting a new show and podcast on our local community radio station.

It’s all about gardening and the environment in Haliburton County.

It airs on the first and third Sundays of the month at noon. You can listen live to Canoe at 100.9 and 97.1 FM, or catch the show anytime you wish at canoefm.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Nigel Dunnett

I was saddened this week to learn of the death of Nigel Dunnett, a British naturalistic landscape designer and educator who was a great inspiration to me.

I’ve written before in this newsletter about his landscapes at the Barbican in London, as well as the Sheffield “Grey to Green” urban greening scheme. Below is a picture of his “Superbloom” wildflower meadow at the Tower of London.

He was a leader in this field and is gone way too soon.

Today’s recommended reading

Small wonders: This writer says noticing the small things in nature is a great way to combat eco-anxiety. I agree. Read more.

Bio warfare: How moths could help fight back against invasive phragmites. Read more.

The buzz: Simple ways to help prevent the loss of insects. Read more.

Queen bee: A beautiful naturalistic landscape to remember Queen Elizabeth II. Read more.

Makes scents: Why do we like the smell of flowers? Read more.

Get the free guide

I’ve updated my guide to natural gardens in Haliburton County and surrounding areas.

Now booking garden and shoreline installs

If you’d like me to come and look at your garden or shoreline, please contact me.

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 Heath Aster

Please share me!

If you know someone who might like this newsletter, please forward it to them!

Did someone forward this to you?

Get your own copy by clicking here and adding your email address.

Rufus says Hi…

… and I’ve been helping with the spring clean-up.

Thank you for reading!

Simon

Email: hello@groundedgardens.ca
Web: groundedgardens.ca
Phone: 705-854-0663

Plant Details