Inside this edition of Natural Garden News

• Leaf them bee
• If you want a Grounded garden…
• Sunny landscapes that attract pollinators
• Lawns: the invisible cage
• Natural landscaping for condos and homeowner associations
• New here? Start with these articles
• Project catch-up 1
• Check out our new native plant database
• Ready to fly
• Today’s recommended reading
• Project catch-up 2
• Today’s VIP (Very Important Plant)
• Project catch-up 3

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​

Leaf them bee

The ground inside my “cage” at HQ – Lucas House in Haliburton – is covered in maple leaves. They’re a couple of weeks early but I don’t care because they smell nice in the September sun.

So it’s time for my annual plea to you: don’t sweep up the leaves!

I’ve got science to back me up this year. A study found that removing the leaves reduced the number of insects emerging in spring by up to 67%, depending on the type of insect.

Grounded gardens are about dancing with nature. Instead of controlling nature by sweeping it up and putting it in bags, we let nature do what nature does best: give us an abundance of life!

Simple, really.

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.

Sunny landscapes that attract pollinators If you’ve got a sunny site and you want more bees and butterflies, follow this blueprint. Read more.​

Lawns: the invisible cage If we don’t have a neatly trimmed lawn, we can feel like we don’t fit in. How can we get off the mowercoaster ride? Read more.​

Natural landscaping for condos and HOAs How naturalistic native plant landscaping can meet the needs of condominiums, homeowner associations – and neighbours. Read more.​

New here? Start with these articles

Project catch-up 1

This garden was installed this spring and thanks to the diligent care by the homeowner, it’s flourishing in its fall plumage. Apparently it’s getting lots of compliments from passers-by.

Check out new native plant database

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

Ready to fly

Here’s the seedpod of a Swamp Milkweed opening up. The slightest breeze sends the seeds floating away on a feathery parachute.

Today’s recommended reading

The lab of wonder: A writer spends time in her garden and finds its the best teacher she ever had (oh, and how to tell if a rabbit or deer has eaten your plants.) Read more.

Streetwise: The fantastic Grey to Green project in Sheffield. Doesn’t this make the walk to work so much better? See the picture.

The very hungry goat: How goats are being used to battle invasive plants. Great idea… if they don’t escape. Read more.

Don’t blame them! An argument against calling invasive plants invasive. Read more.

Bella! A temporary public garden in an old Italian piazza. Read more.​

Project catch-up 2

Lots to see at this project, which was installed this spring: the seedpods of a Swamp Milkweed, the colourful foliage of a Highbush Cranberry, and a Heath Aster attracting a pollinator customer.

​

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 Fox Sedge

​

Project catch-up 3

Rough Blazingstar is the star (ha!) of the show at this project, which was installed this spring.

Thank you for reading!

Simon

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

​​