I HATE RHUBARB!
by Elizabeth Spence I’ll tell you why I never wanted to grow rhubarb. It makes me ill. Whether it’s in a sauce, in a pie or crumble, roasted or in a salad – it makes me ill. There are several unpleasant substances in rhubarb. One is the anthraquinone glycosides which are responsible for abdominal discomfort. […]
Leaning Toward the Light (and Other Plant Wisdom)
By Jennifer Langille Have you ever noticed a plant that was knocked over—by wind, rain, or a playful dog—and then, just a day or two later, found it curving gracefully back upward? I stopped in my tracks when I saw this patch of German Chamomile in my garden do exactly this. One day, the stems […]
FEATURED PLANT: The Lupin(e)
by Elizabeth Spence How do you spell it? Lupin or lupine with an “e”? It depends where you come from, the UK or North America, but both are considered correct. Since I’m a Brit, I’m going to use “lupin.” We’re all for cultural diversity here. Not that it really matters what it’s called or how […]
A Self-Watering Tomato Growing System with Charles Kennedy of Wallace
By Elizabeth Spence We heard through the grapevine that Charles Kennedy in Wallace was a whiz at growing tomatoes, so we had to go and have a look! Jennifer and I visited him to find out his secrets about producing these wonderful fruits. Charles Kennedy The tomato plants are in the 8 x 24 lean-to […]
Vermicomposting: Farming the Worms
By Elizabeth Spence “Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. I’m going down the garden to eat worms. . .” Anyone remember that childhood song? Nobody can possibly hate the delightful David Flint (Lake Road) and Silvana Castillo (North Wallace). They don’t need to go down the garden to eat worms, so they farm them instead! […]
The Dandelion Tells You When to Plant Outside!
by Elizabeth Spence Getting rid of dandelions can be one of the gardener’s perennial chores. Especially from our lawns. We want a clear, pristine space with nothing to disrupt the perfect stretches of green. If we mow carefully we can get the lovely stripes as well. Doesn’t that look classy? Isn’t it artistic? But as […]
A Tale of Two Tomatoes
by Elizabeth Spence featuring Carol Walton and Silvana Castillo Many years ago, I binge-grew some heritage tomatoes from seed. I had so many that I advertised the excess for sale. They included “Tribe’s Tobique,” a tomato discovered in the wild along the banks of the Tobique River in New Brunswick by a man called Fred […]
FEATURED PLANT: The Crocus
by Elizabeth Spence Crocuses are so cheerful. They are one of the first flowers to appear in the spring to brighten our lives and welcome us to a new season in our gardens and in our lives. No wonder they are often considered a symbol of spiritual awakening. Just look at this wonderful painting that […]
The Chorus of Spring: Peepers, Wood Frogs, and Garden Health
By Jennifer Langille Despite growing up as a city kid, I’ve always been drawn to rural life. Family vacations to my father’s parents’ farm enchanted me with the simple joys of country living—sun-dappled trees, the scent of fresh hay, and the rhythm of barn chores. As a teenager, I fled the city and my friends’ […]
Bringing the Past to Life Through Heirloom Plants
By Jennifer Langille In 1950, on a small family farm south of Cambridge Station, Nova Scotia, a young boy loaded his shirttails full of apples and took them to his mother in the house. His mouth watered as he anticipated the pie she would make, which the family would later enjoy. These apples, picked by […]