Garden and Food books by Gayla Trail

Grow an Orostachys Pot

This year, for a myriad of reasons, I have rapidly expanded my succulent collection, most especially sempervivums, which I just can’t seem to stop myself from buying. I bought and/or acquired by other means 25 new semps this year alone in addition to a few other related succulents, many of which are hardy and some

Recent Past and Future Events

Next weekend, we’re headed to Detroit for a joint book launch event for “Grow Great Grub” and graphic novel, “Sword of My Mouth.” Why is a food gardening book teaming up with a graphic novel about the apocalypse (and vice-versa) you ask? Well, as it happens, the story is set in Detroit and features urban

Sunlit Grass

I just found out that it is ‘Roid Week and have decided that I will post all Polaroids in the Daily Botanical for the remainder of the week. I took this photo on December 13, 2009, our third day in Dominica but our first in the little cottage we would stay in for the remainder

Gardening and Canning Workshops (May 2010)

This growing season, I have teamed up with friend and experienced gardener/plantsman Barry Parker to offer hands on gardening and canning workshops in Toronto. We’ve started off with 3 workshops in the month of May and plan to offer a few more later in the season based on interest, time, etc. Pickled Spring: Homecanning Asparagus

Greenhouse Seedling Update: The April 2010 Edition

My greenhouse grown plants are coming along and at the rate we’re going weather-wise this spring, a few of these babies could be out the door before the typical May 24 planting weekend in this region. I’ve become more cautious than I used to be as we’ve had some fluke cold snaps and hail storms

Miniature Daffodils

“I wandered lonely as a Cloud That floats on high o’er Vales and Hills, When all at once I saw a crowd A host of dancing Daffodils” – William Wordsworth I’m getting quite an education in narcissus this year. Although, not just in the botanical sense, come to think of it. Har har. It seems

Yellow and Orange Cosmos

Recently, I’ve started some of my summer flowers from seed and the potential for future colour and perfume laying dormant in those little packages has got me daydreaming once again about all of the inspiring and cheerful cosmos I saw in the Caribbean.

Grow Great Grub at Drawn & Quarterly

Last August, Davin and I took a short jaunt to Montreal to wind down following the final delivery of the Grow Great Grub layout. While there, we stopped at the Drawn & Quarterly book shop, called Librairie D + Q to pick up some new comics. Drawn & Quarterly are an independent comic book publisher

Red Clerodendron

Today’s photo is a mixed botanical of sorts, representing tropical colour explosion at its best. I took this photo on a street corner in the town of Soufriere, St. Lucia. I can spot roses and croton (big colourful hedges) in the background, but what stands out most are the two red clerodendron (aka Clerodendrum) flowers

Auricula ‘Pinstripe’

I bought this adorable little Primula aricula ‘Pinstripe’ the other day at the Ontario Rock Garden Society sale. It was the one plant purchased there that I didn’t really need, but couldn’t bear to leave behind. I’m currently keeping it in a little hypertuffa pot I made years back (molded around a plastic drinking cup),