My Everchanging Garden
Gardening That Grows With Me
Welcome to my garden
I love to garden. I also love to experiment. Throw the two together and you have my everchanging garden.
In 2004 we purchased a little over 2 acres in the country in Southern Ontario. My garden has taken many twists and turns since then and I have made many discoveries along the way. My blog is a simple record of how our garden landscape has changed over the years. I also post our family recipes, something I can refer to easily and share among family and friends.
I post here for my own garden record. You’ll never see any ads and I don’t worry if the pages show up in google. If you manage to stumble upon a page or two, I hope you enjoy a little of what is here.
Latest from the Blog
Growing Guide Cosmos
Category: Let's Talk Plants
This is my personal growing guide. I use it to track seed sources, when to start seeds and if I should adjust growing conditions in my own greenhouse and garden. Please don’t consider this professional grower’s advice. Favourite & new varieties I’m trying – Swallowtail Garden Seeds Capriola (Cosmos bipinnatus) Apollo Pink (Cosmos bipinnatus, hybrid)… Read more »
Finally! The Greenhouse Patio and Beds Are In
Category: Let's Talk Gardening
I installed my Hartley greenhouse in November 2021 but had to wait until the summer of 2023 to complete the landscaping around the greenhouse. Part of this was taking the time to think through what I wanted, part was finding someone to build what I wanted to achieve. One of my challenges was to marry… Read more »
Greenhouse Heating Update: Installing In Floor Radiant Heating
Category: Let's Talk Gardening
Having lived with my Hartley greenhouse through two winters in Southern Ontario I’ve gained a little experience with how my electric heaters work in extreme cold. Two 17,000 BTU electric fan heaters set at 15C can keep the greenhouse at 10C inside when the temperature drops to -6C. Once we reach -12C the greenhouse temperature… Read more »
Alternanthera Purple Prince For Container Pots
Category: Let's Talk Plants
I’m always looking for new annuals to use in pots and containers that are deer-tolerant. I decided to try Alternanthera and what a beautiful foliage plant. Grows quite large although you could clip it as it branches easily. The foliage of Purple Prince is brown-red and best of all showed no signs of pest damage… Read more »
Beef Chop Suey
Category: Let's Talk Recipes
I make this in my large dutch oven Marinade together (can do a day ahead, but with instant pot this isn’t as necessary) 800g beef cubes (from chuck or sirloin roast) 1 tablespoon flour 1/4 cup soy sauce Mis en place 1 large onion, sliced end to end 2 celery stalks, diced small (because we… Read more »
My Pie Crust Recipe – Food Processor
Category: Let's Talk Recipes
After some testing I decided that the best pie crust is 50/50 butter and shortening. I make mine in the food processor which requires a little more water I find. 8 T butter (1/2 cup / 113 grams) 8 T shortening (1/2 cup / 95 grams) 2 3/4 cup cake & pastry flour (325 grams)… Read more »
Farmboy (ish) Mushroom Kale Soup
Category: Let's Talk Recipes
This is based on the recipe published by the Ottawa Citizen for Farmboy Mushroom Kale Soup. I’ve increased the serving portions, and use more herbs and chicken broth instead of water for more flavour. I also changed the order of some of the steps to reduce the mushrooms so it fit in my dutch oven… Read more »
Potato Leek Soup
Category: Let's Talk Recipes
My first try – if you don’t like celery leave the leaves out as a small amount did flavour the soup. This is heavy on the leek taste as well. INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter 5 cups (455 grams) leeks (about 4 large), roughly chopped 2 pounds (900 grams) potatoes, peeled & chopped… Read more »