Canada Blooms: Why we go, 4

4. Grand larceny You might be unable to afford all that limestone hardscaping or the wrought-iron fencing or the brilliant “exterior designers”. But there’s one thing every gardener can afford at Canada Blooms: free ideas to steal. Wantonly and with abandon. To wit: the watering can fountain in my own garden, pictured on the right; […]

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Canada Blooms: Why we go, 3

Next in line in our Canada Blooms reasons why series: 3. Escape from winter The Ides of March are approaching. The snowdrops and bluebells are buried under the foot or more of snow on the ground in Toronto. And then there is Canada Blooms; Canada Blooms, where the hyacinths fly for the winter. We go […]

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Canada Blooms: Why we go, 2

This continues our series about why, despite everything, we keep returning to Canada Blooms: 2. Rekindling the passion Within the spidery network of the Internet, I’ll probably regret using this term, but one thing you’re always sure to get at Canada Blooms is what I call “garden pornography.” We go to get all lathered up […]

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Canada Blooms: Why we go

I’ve visited Canada Blooms almost every year since it began; often as a volunteer, sometimes as a civilian. After a few start-up pains (like that first year way out by the airport) and a few glory years (remember Janet Rosenberg’s spectacular garden designs for Loblaws?), Canada’s largest indoor garden show has settled into something of […]

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The Island in winter

Everyone loves that ferry ride to Toronto Islands in the summertime. It’s the perfect antidote to city heat. Who but its residents visit the island in winter? Last September 2007, some friends and I met on Ward’s Island to do the Terry Fox 10K and we made a pact — Let’s visit the islands at […]

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Canada Blooms Does the Rare Canadian Gerbera

True to form, Canada Blooms continues it’s fantasy-land MO, by using Gerberas as its flower motif this year: a flower that never EVER blooms in Canada during ANY season, except in flowerpots. And they are not even that long lasting in flowerpots. I love them, but in CANADA, re: BLOOMing – they are a fantasy. […]

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I am proud mother of triplets

Look at that Amaryllis (Hippeastrum), a gem called ‘Charisma’ – the gift of my dear sister. I was a little skeptical when I saw the static looking picture on the tag. It didn’t seem to match the name. But, wow, in real life, this is clearly a charmer. The bulb itself looked on the petite […]

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A feast of snow

Will it never end, Doctor? This compulsive diet of snow and ice and icy snow. And ice. I must confess, I’ve had my fill of it. Come on, winter, smarten up! There are snowdrops under there! Somewhere. I think. There should be snowdrops. There must be snowdrops. The snowdrops that usually tell me and the […]

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Desk accessory addendum

My eyes were opened this morning by this article in the Toronto Star on earth-friendly flowers. I don’t know why it never occurred to me to ask where our cut flowers come from before, but it’s a question we should be asking. The issue is a big one, involving both ecological and human rights. The […]

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Love/Hate: Helen’s sense of snow

It isn’t every year that Toronto is blessed, yes blessed, with such an agglomeration of snow. With the storms of the last week, I know it feels like the snow has been here forever. But think about it. As recently as January 8th, the Toronto Star had this to say about our typical post-New-Year weather: […]

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Winter desk accessories

What’s on your desk? Computer? Check. Hi-lighters? Check. Fresh flowers? Ummmmmm. Valentine’s Day is coming up. But why wait for cupid, stoopid! Get yourself some flowers! Every day can be Valentine’s Day with something petally at your side. Roses are rosy, but most of the ones you can buy at your local corner shop lack […]

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Nose Candy. No, not that kind.

What is there to inspire the gardener in the sterile outdoor environment that is winter? I remembered yesterday, when Sarah brought over a sprig of my favourite of all scented geraniums, Pelargonium ‘Rober’s Lemon Rose’. I put it to my nose and inhaled one long, deep breath. Ahhhhhhh. That’s what “smell” smells like! (The covergirl image […]

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