A noun. A verb. A blog.
Did you know? Canada is home to one of North America’s most spectacular private gardens. We’ve written twice about Les Quatre Vents, near La Malbaie, Quebec (here and here) and at last I have an excuse to write about it again. Because it, and its creator Francis Cabot, is now the subject of a feature documentary, The Gardener, playing May 18 […]
The Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, California What could be better on a cold, blustery November Wednesday than a quick trip to California? This almost-wordless visit takes us to the Ruth Bancroft Garden – the dry climate garden that was the first of many private gardens to come under the protective wing of the […]
White and weathered, the Cabots’ home is centuries younger than New France, yet seems to pre-date it Whether you enjoy 28 acres, as the Cabot family has at Les Quatre Vents, or 0.06 acres, as I do, it’s good to consider how your garden works with your architecture – and how your architecture works with […]
Le Pigeonnier and its garden is one of 24 garden spaces at Les Quatre Vents If you love gardens and live in Canada, be proud that one of North America’s finest gardens is right here. Well, right here and a little over to our right – near La Malbaie, Québec. It’s Les Quatre Vents. Few […]
The headquarters of Manulife Financial on Bloor Street East If you’ve walked or driven along that windy strip of Bloor Street, east of Church, you’ve seen the velvety carpet of green in the gated surrounds of the Manulife Financial headquarters. It’s often called the best lawn in the city, and there’s a reason. It’s creeping […]
The drawbridge entrance to a very special garden in Preston Hollow, Dallas TX Now that The Hobbit movie has arrived in theatres, have a peep at this hobbity garden we visited with the 2010 Garden Writers Symposium. I won’t give you much commentary, other than to say that the garden and buildings were designed from […]
Part of a voice print from June Callwood’s final interview Canada Blooms gets knocked these days for not pulling a magical rabbit out of its increasingly shrinking pecuniary hat. However, one bit of magic it does do is to fund garden projects around the city through the work of the Toronto Garden Club. Past […]
Roses extend all along the fence. All driveways should be this lucky. Some gardens simply stun you, particularly when they sneak up on you unawares. I stumbled upon this garden gem while walking my dog the other day. Bored with the same old route, I’d taken a back laneway to see where it would lead. […]
A gaggle of writers under the tall trees Sure, you know High Park, Old Mill or The Kingsway. But did you know the Village of Swansea is just around the corner? Swansea? Yes, Swansea – one of Toronto’s best-kept secrets. Long-time residents like to keep it that way, says garden writer Sonia Day, who lived […]
On Sunday, I spent three wonderful hours looking at a spectacular garden, and talking to people about it. What bliss. Most of these images are cleverly devoid of people… but be assured, the place was hopping. And the rain held off. Hope you enjoy the tour.
No need to choose between your garden voyeur fix and your favourite dad in 2011. For the first time in I don’t know how long, Through the Garden Gate, Toronto’s biggest garden tour, does not fall on Father’s Day. Every year highlights a different part of Toronto, and Swansea Village is this year’s destination – […]
Historic industrial space becomes an innovative park at the Brick Works Despite the grey skies, a sunshine of ideas bloomed at the Toronto Alliance for Better Parks Summit last Saturday – ideas about the importance of parks to people, and importance of people to our city’s parks. Where better to do this than at the Evergreen Brick […]