What a thrill it was to watch what I think is a house wren make a home in one of my birdhouse gourds a couple of weeks ago. This gourd is right outside our kitchen, adjacent to the kitchen patio, so I enjoy it’s bubbly song and energetic bouncing back and forth each morning while… Read more »
The Year Of The Aphid
In the science fiction book ‘The Day Of The Triffids’ plants eat meat, walk around and end up attacking everyone. Well I wish the plants in my garden could do something similar to the aphids attacking them this year. Populations are quite high already this year with almost all of my summer blooming Spirea showing… Read more »
Treating Boxwood Psyllid Organically
Fighting pests in a pesticide free Ontario can certainly be a challenge. I have found that one of the key solutions is to know your pest, learn it’s life cyle and investigate which organic solution might work. It certainly does make us have to think before we spray which is a good thing. My boxwood… Read more »
Red-bellied Woodpecker. A Rare Sight in Ontario.
I was thrilled to see this Red-bellied Woodpecker at our feeder this winter. I’ve had a challenge getting a picture of him as he stays for only a short period of time each visit. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is one of the rarest of Ontario woodpeckers, preferring mature deciduous forests, primarily Carolinian forest, for its habitat.… Read more »
How To Make Birdhouse Gourds
Growing The Gourds Growing your own ornamental gourds and making a birdhouse gourd is great fun and surprisingly easy. And it makes a great natural addition to a bird garden. I grew our own birdhouse gourds from seed very easily. Although I started the seeds indoors I’m not sure that is really necessary and in… Read more »
Do you need to deer proof your garden?
Living where we do we have come to enjoy the sight of deer grazing in our back bush. Having said that, I must admit to taking some offense when the deer completely chow down on a particular garden favourite (mine, not theirs). When we first started landscaping our yard, I was keen on ‘deer proofing’… Read more »