Too Good to Be True?
I have recently come across ads on the internet for farm tractors at very low prices. These made-in-China tractors are advertised at prices that are less then half what my local dealer is asking for…
Falling for Farmers’ Markets
Conversations overheard at a Farmers’ Market:
Which Plant is Your Gardening Bête Noire?
Bête noire is a delightful term that I picked up in my government French-language training course many decades ago. It literally means “black beast” and is used to describe something or someone that provokes strong…
Nature Abhors a Vacuum
Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, is credited with originating the adage “Nature abhors a vacuum”. To be clear, we are not referring to a Hoover or a Dyson; rather, it is a way of saying…
Planting the Seed, Saving the Seed
Feeling a bit of sticker shock when shopping for garden seeds at the garden centre or when perusing seed catalogues? As with most things we purchase these days, the price of seeds just keeps growing.…
In Praise of Men’s Sheds
I have been retired for 15 years, and whether by good planning or by luck I found the transition to retired life relatively seamless. After working for decades as a federal government policy “wonk”, I…
Seedy Saturdays — and Sundays!
Spring is finally in the air after a very cold winter that seemed it would never end. And what better way to celebrate than mingling with a few hundred other gardeners who are also suffering…
Growing Gardens, Growing Community
The 2025 gardening season presented many challenges, not least of which were drought and an early frost. Was the glass half-full? Being an incurable optimist, I’m remembering the successes and planning for greater success next…
The Perfect Garden…
In the long winter months, I don’t spend all my time salivating over glossy seed catalogues and planning next season’s perfect garden. I must confess that I spend many happy hours reading murder mysteries, in…