Size matters
Planning a reno in the backyard this spring? Do you know how big you need to go when creating useable space? Most DIY’ers get it wrong when planning their own backyards, especially when it comes to calculating the useable space they really need. So, how big should the deck or patio be? It comes down […]
A cookie and a cuppa
I figure in our fifty-five years of marriage I’ve probably prepared about sixty thousand meals. It’s just a rough guess. I could never know for sure and I did factor in the possible number of restaurant meals, family meals I didn’t prepare, take-away meals and skipped meals (not too many of those, let me tell […]
Great Fences
Back in my early days of design school, we were asked as a class to define the Canadian backyard. What should have been a fairly easy task ended up being a discussion on the idea that there really isn’t a definition of our national backyard that worked for everyone. That said, we all agreed that […]
Temperature of wine
Imagine for a moment that it’s the August long weekend. The humidity is 100 per cent and you’re driving behind someone travelling 60 in an 80 zone. The air conditioning is not working. And you’re late for work. Imagine the same stretch of highway, Thanksgiving weekend when the leaves have changed colours and you’re running […]
Save the trees
For the last few years, I’ve been getting more homeowners questioning the health of the large trees in their yards. After ice storms, strong winds, and snowfalls, the trees on our properties have taken quite a beating. Before you decide to get rid of your trees in favour of less yardwork, there are a few […]
Help the helpers
Homelessness. It takes the starch out of one’s sails. Everyone’s sails. Let me start by pointing out those people who are homeless don’t want to live rough. And, this community doesn’t want to be the place where encampments pop-up here, there and almost everywhere. Homelessness brings about the issue of health, sanitation and safety—for everyone. […]
Growing pot
Growing Cannabis is taking the country by storm. Whether it’s licensed growers, greenhouse companies, or even home gardeners, marijuana has become a crop that people are paying attention to. Much of this is because of the research being done on the benefits of this plant in pain management, epilepsy, glaucoma, anxiety, arthritis and diet. Marijuana […]
Spring rolls and resolutions
I think I’ve just made Spring Resolutions. Imagine that! Spring Resolutions. Unlike the New Year’s Resolutions I never really make out loud or even believe I’d keep if I did make them. Spring Resolutions seem to have more promise. At least to me there’s more promise. I’m more likely to resolve to clean up the […]
In the moonlight garden
With the advent of outdoor lighting, the Moonlight Garden seems to have disappeared from today’s landscape designer’s repertoire. All of the nighttime attention has been placed on using up-lights, down-lights and path-lights to create dramatic impact in our gardens that we know look good at night; trees, rocks and features of the home. Unfortunately, we […]
Chocolate Cotton Tails
Easter is, simply, a long weekend with our family. It’s a good time to get together, enjoy some out-of-doors time, eat a bit too much, laugh a lot and indulge in some sweet treats. We aren’t a religious bunch, although I was raised as part of great big Catholic family. When I was a kid, […]