I did not have good success growing Angelonia from seed my first year, but I will try again because, once established, Angelonia is an excellent annual for containers. I struggled with germination, although the seedlings that did germinate grew well. In the pots, Angelonia did not bloom or bulk up, but I suspect I overcrowded… Read more »
Chocolate Zucchini Loaf
Makes two loaves of very decadent chocolate zucchini bread. This tastes almost like a chocolate brownie because I prefer to make mine with milk chocolate chips. This recipe freezes very well. I make 6 or more of these in a season. Wrap each loaf once cooled with tin foil. Then wrap with seran. Mark as… Read more »
Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chewy and Crunchy
After many test recipes, I think I’ve finally figured out my favourite chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, not too sweet, chocolate chip cookie. The trick is to balance the white and dark brown sugar. White sugar makes for a harder cookie crust, while dark brown sugar gives that caramel flavour and… Read more »
Growing Salvia From Seed
There are over 1,000 species of salvia – some annual and some perennial. I started my salvia journey with Salvia Caradonna – an herbaceous perennial with strong vertical purple stems that carry deep violet-blue flowers in early summer and again in late summer if you deadhead. Eventually, I branched out into other perennial varieties, all… Read more »
Growing Gomphrena For Borders and Containers
I grew Gomphrena (globe amaranth) for the first time in 2023 and tested them out both in the landscape (Circle Garden) and in containers. They performed very well, with little pest damage and required little care, although Gomphrena is slow to get going and doesn’t really fill out until mid-summer. The plants in the Circle… Read more »
Growing Dusty Miller – 3 Varieties For Containers
Like almost everyone else on the planet, Dusty Miller, or Senecio cineraria, is my favourite annual silver foliage for containers and garden edges. While buying a small flat is relatively cost-effective, they are easy to grow from seed or cuttings. I grow three varieties now from seed or cuttings.
I Got A Robotic Lawn Mower And Love It!
I live on around 2.5 acres. While I’ve added a LOT of garden beds, I still have a little under one acre of lawn to cut. My boys have now grown and moved out, and since I don’t like cutting the lawn, I hired a lawn care company over the past few years. My lawn… Read more »
Growing Cosmos – Still Finding My Favourite
I love the delicate blooms of cosmos, but honestly, there are too many to choose from! I grow cosmos mostly in the Circle Garden, with a few more near the vegetable gardens for the pollinators. This is my personal garden growing guide. I use it to track seed sources, when to start seeds and if… Read more »
Finally! The Greenhouse Patio and Beds Are In
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 »
Installing Hydronic Radiant Flooring: Greenhouse Heating Update
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 »