• Christmas at the Bower

  December 21, 2011 - 13 h 25

   Last weekend the decorating bug finally bit me…. bit me hard. I'm a loyal fan of the axiom "variety is the spice of life" so that means a different theme each year when it comes to decorating my 90-foot long verandah and gazebo.

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• Merry Berry Red

  December 13, 2011 - 9 h 53

  Sturdy branches bearing bunches of bright red berries provide a psychological boost tucked in amongst Christmas decorations. The sight is a sign of abundance and beauty.

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• Unseasonal bloom

  November 29, 2011 - 11 h 53

  Parts of Nova Scotia had their first significant snowfall last week, a dumping that must have come as a quite a surprise for the large collection of plants that had started blooming out-of-season.

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• A frost defying flower

  November 22, 2011 - 10 h 34

  At the foot of my back steps, a brave little plant hunkered down in a hollow stump is putting on an awesome show of bloom well into November.

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• Last Chance for Bulbs

  November 15, 2011 - 9 h 27

  The ground is likely to freeze as hard as concrete within the next month so if you haven't planted those bulbs that have been sitting around on the counter, better get cracking.

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• Ghostly Gardens to haunt again

  November 8, 2011 - 13 h 14

  As you peer into the darkness, holding a lantern with a candle that's quickly nearing its end, you can't stop thinking of the flesh-eating Miguel. Is he following you? Will he leap out from behind the next tree trunk?

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• When good plants turn bad

  November 1, 2011 - 16 h 50

  There's a frightening sight on one of the lanes I regularly walk in the neighbourhood. Ivy has taken over not only a stone wall, but also a nearby telephone pole and shed.

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• Best bulbs for soggy spots

  October 17, 2011 - 15 h 53

  Most good gardeners know the phrase "bulbs don't like wet feet." The majority prefers well-drained soil, but as with most rules there are some exceptions.

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• That Eau de Skunk

  October 11, 2011 - 11 h 16

  My earliest encounter with a skunk was close to 30 years ago when our German Shepherd attacked one that was trying to get into the chicken coop. The skunk was killed and when I called the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) about the incident...

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• Gardening at Fortress Louisbourg

  October 4, 2011 - 9 h 32

  A seven-minute bus ride takes you from the visitor’s centre to Fortress Louisbourg in Cape Breton, North America’s largest historical reconstruction.

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Other news

• September 28, 2011 New store sprouts from storm
• September 20, 2011 Crawly Folly
• September 19, 2011 Busting larders
• September 6, 2011 The Other Hydrangeas
• August 30, 2011 A wind resistant garden
• August 23, 2011 Salt water survivors
• August 16, 2011 Pee problems resolved
• August 9, 2011 Making old new again
• August 4, 2011 You'll want more of these iris
• July 19, 2011 Not too late to plant veggies
• July 12, 2011 Clematis: to cut or not?
• July 5, 2011 Cover up time
• June 28, 2011 Garden tour for Captain Steele endowment
• June 21, 2011 Ugh, slug
• June 14, 2011 Hungry Plants