The Scene: The sun is about to disappear entirely and my rooftop is now mostly illuminated by the painfully bright and orange security light next door. I am still outside moving pots around and pinching back basil flowers. My neighbor steps outside. Me: I have been gardening for 7 or 8 hours straight. It started …
There are roughly five mint varieties in this bouquet including clockwise from top right: Chocolate mint, Pear mint, Ginger mint, Lemon Mint (with the crazy flowers), and Mojito mint (not seen). Mint has got to be the most abundant herb in the garden and as this year’s mint harvest picks up speed I’ve been trying …
A little red and sort-of white for Canada Day courtesy of my rooftop garden. We were hoping the ‘Whippersnapper’ would be ripe and ready for eating by today’s national holiday — some celebrate with a two-four of beer, over-sized sparklers, and things that explode, we get excited about ripening tomatoes — but it looks like …
It’s a scorcher out there today so I thought I’d share my recipe for a favourite summer refresher. I just came indoors after a full day out in the garden and this drink was exactly the right cool down treat. Ingredients: 1 frozen banana, chopped 1 cup frozen strawberries 2-3 cups chocolate rice milk (less …
I’m currently in Northern California for the Blogher Conference. I’ve been to these parts once before but the massiveness of the plants, most especially the invasives really stand out this time. I assumed this patch of renegade nasturtiums was a random fluke. Until I turned the corner. And the next one. And the next. And …
It’s time for me to face the cold, hard truth; my plot at The Parkdale Community Beer Garden is officially crap for growing veggies. With every new year I have found that while my soil continues to improve, the light on my tiny plot has been slowly declining. A couple of overhead trees have been …
The Summer Solstice, or “Midsummer’s Day” has its origins in paganism as a celebration of various Sun Gods. Cultures everywhere still celebrate this day, which marks the middle of summer, not, as with today’s calendar, its beginning. SOLSTICE – sol stare: “standing still sun” In Spain, the eve of solstice is called “Night of the …
It may be summer, but it’s not too late to sow some seeds. Here’s a list of perennials that can be started from seed in July and August. July Perennials Astilbe Bellis Perennis Campanula Gailardia Foxglove Gypsophila Holllyhock Linum Lunaria Lupin Myosotis Pansy Poppy Pyrethrum Primula Sweet William August Perennials Arabis Armeria Astilbe Bellis Perennis …