Index by Topic
Plants
Trees
- Conifers:
- Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)– February 2024
- Conifer Identification: Dichotomous Key – December 2022
- Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) – October 2024
- Native Conifers: Part 1: – December 2020
- Native Conifers – Part 2 – March 2021
- Deciduous Trees
- Eastern Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) – May 2024
- American Hophornbeam (Ostra virginiana) – August 2024
- Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana)– November 2022
- Birch (Betula): Land of the Silver (White! Yellow! Gray!) Birch – September 2020
- Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
- Mystery: Galls induced by Pachypsylla – September 2021
- Hawthorn (Crataegus)– March 2024
- Maple (Acer)
- Acer saccharum, A. nigrum. A. rubrum. A. saccharinum, A. negundo, A. platanoides) – August 2020
- Red Maple (Acer rubrum) – May 2023
- Oak (Quercus)
- Acorn & the Oak Tree – July 2020
- Oak Wilt October 2023 – October 2023
- Saving an Oak Forest – August 2024
- General Tree Info:
- Carolinian Trees – February 2021
- Holes in My Tree – May 2020
- Tropical Rain Forests – March 2020
- Vines on Trees – November 2022
Shrubs
* indicates native plant/ near native
- Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) * – A ‘Rose’acea by any other name? – June 2022
- Boxwood (Buxus):
- BTK and Boxwood: Update – June 2024
- Rise & Fall of Boxwood – September 2023
- Sustainable Solutions for the Boxwood Blues – October 2023
- Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) * – February 2026
- Elderberry (Sambucus nigra):
- The Versatile Common Elderberry (Blossoms & Berries) – November 2024
- Hydrangeas: Leaftier Moth – June 2020
- New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) * – A Favourite of Mine & the Pollinators! – July 2022
- Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) * – July 2026
- Northern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) * – August 2026
- Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) * – December 2023
- Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) * – October 2026
- Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) * – December 2022
- Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) * – October 2022
Herbaceous Perennials
* indicates native plant/ near native
- American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis)* , A Plant Requiring Patience – August 2025
- Bellwort, (Uvularia grandiflora) *– June 2025
- Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) *- March 2023
- Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) * – November 2025
- Coneflower (Echinacea) * – Mighty, Mite-y Echinacea – September 2023
- Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) * – September 2026
- Delphinium (Delphinium) – Why Delphiniums Are Making a Royal Comeback Spotlight on Science – June 2026
- Early Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dioicum) * – May 2026
- Eastern Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium pusillum) – December 2025
- Giant Purple Hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia) * – November 2023
- Golden Alexander (Zizea aurea) * – April 2024
- Goldenrods*: The Gold Standard for Our Gardens – May 2021
- Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) * August 2021
- Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) * Trumpeting Beauty – June 2024
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) * – April 2026
- Liverwort/Hepatica (Hepatica americana) *
- Hepatica – April 2023
- Liverwort – A Beaty with a Beastly Name – May 2022
- Meadowsweet (Spirea alba) * – September 2025
- Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense) *– A Native Beauty Worth Discovering April 2022
- Ohio Spiderwort, (Tradescantia ohiensis) * – July 2025
- Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) * – February 2023
- Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) *: Symbol of Immortality – October 2023
- Peonies – Ants on Peonies July 2022
- Perennials in Planters Year-Round – May 2023
- Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) * – September 2024
- Prairie Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla nuttalliana) * – June 2026
- Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) * – July 2024
- Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) * – August 2023
- Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata) * – June 2023
- Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) * – March 2026
- Spring Flowering Native Plants for Your Garden * – April 2022
- Sundrops (Oenothera) * – Winter’s Golden Remedy February 2025
- Turtleheads (Chelone glabra) * – Bring Some Turtles to Your Garden! – August 2022
- White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) * – July 2021
- Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) * – May 2025
- Yellow Giant Hyssop – (Agastache nepetoides) * – September 2023
Annuals/Biennials, bulbs & tubers
- Successfully Growing Ranunculus and Anemone – March 2024
- Tulipomania – December 2025
- Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) – Every Stem Tells a Story – The Science of Zinnia Breeding Spotlight on Science – March 2026
Ferns, Vines, Grasses & Groundcovers & Turf Grass
- Ferns
- Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) * – A Majestic Addition to Your Garden April 2025
- Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides): Green for the Holiday: – December 2024
- Christmas Ferns & Friends – December 2021
- Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) – October 2025
- Ornamental Grasses
- Native Grasses for Borders & Privacy – April 2024
- Grass Replacement – May 2022
- Groundcovers
- Barren Strawberry (Geum fragarioides) * March 2025
- Groundcovers for Full Sun (Native Plants) * – March 2020
- Wild Strawberry (Fragaroides virginiana) * – July 2023
- Turf Grass
- Creeping Charlie: Wildflowers in Your Lawn – May 2021
- Grass Replacement – May 2022
- Lawn Alternatives – April 2021
- Turf Grass: Diagnosing Lawn Issues (Insects) – August 2021
- Vines
- Virgin’s Bower (Clematis Virginiana) * – September 2022
- Wisteria (Overgrown) – March 2020
- Vines on Trees – November 2022
Invasive Plants
- Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) Beauty & the Beast – September 2025
- Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus) – Beauty & the Beast: – October 2025
- Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation – June 2022
- CCIPR: A Whirlwind Tour of Canada’s Invasive Plant Problem – October 2026
- Chinese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) Beauty & the Beast – November 2025
- Goutweed: Invasive Goutweed – July 2025
- Goutweed: Removing Goutweed – June 2024
- Invasive plants: “Beauty and the Beasts” – May 2025
- Japanese Knotweed: My Immortal Knotweed – July 2022
- Lily of the Valley: “Beauty & the Beasts”– May 2025, May 2024
- Norway Maples: Gardening in the Dry Shade of Norway Maples – November 2023
- Periwinkle (Vinca minor): “A Woodland Scourge” – June 2020, June 2025
- Orange Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva): “Beauty & the Beasts” – August 2025
- Rosa Multiflora: Question of the Month – April 2022
- Periwinkle, Goutweed & English Ivy: Troublesome Trio: – April 2024
Indoor Gardening (Houseplants, Tropicals & Seasonals)
- Ailing Pothos: Question of the Month – March 2025
- Amaryllis Care – December 2020
- Caring for Orchids February 2025
- Fungas Gnats – April 2020
- Fungus Gnats: Fungus Gnat Season is Here: November 2022
- Gardening with Pets: Toxic Houseplants Question of the Month – February 2026
- Houseplants—Finding Your Indoor Green Thumb – December 2023
- Houseplant pest problems and solutions: I’ve Got Bugs!… – March 2020
- Houseplant Problem Solving: I’ve got Troubles – February 2020
- Monstera April 2022
- New Plants from Old (Propagation of Indoor Plants) – February 2024
- Over-watering – November 2023
- Poinsettias November 2024
- Spider Mites – February 2021
Ecological Gardening
Biodiversity
- Beneficial Insects & Pollinators:
- Are We Keeping Our Gardens Awake at Night? (Artificial Light) Spotlight on Science – October 2026
- Bees of Ontario – February 2021
- Bloom Beyond the Lawn – September 2025
- Butterfly Larval Host Plants – September 2024
- Carpenter Bee – March 2021
- Dragonflies & Damselflies – October 2020
- Fireflies – June 2020
- Green Lacewing (Common Green Lacewing – June 2020
- Ground Beetles: The Problems with Privets (Insects): Ground beetles as garden allies May 2020
- Syrphid & Hover Flies – November 2020
- Hover Flies – November 2020
- Leafcutter Bees – May 2021
- Living Under Leaf Litter – October 2025
- Moths: Grow these Seven Spectacular Moths in Your Garden – May 2022
- Mining Bees – April 2021
- Monarch Butterflies: Journey South – September 2022
- Dragonflies and Damselflies – August 2025
- Flower Flies – The Other Pollinators August 2025
- Sweat Bees – June 2021
- Parasitic Wasps – August 2020
- Parasitic Wasps – September 2024
- Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea): Common Green Lacewing – July 2020
- Fireflies / Lightning Bugs (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) – June 2020
- Fireflies in the Garden – Predators of slugs and snails, and how to encourage them June 2020
- Syrphid & Hover Flies – November 2020
- Spiders and their role in pest control – September 2020
- Where do all the bees go? – November 2023
- Where Have My Fireflies Gone? – July 2025
- Wasps: Unsung Garden Heroes – September 2023
- Invasive Species
- CCIPR: Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation – June 2022
- Jumping Worms: The Stuff of Nightmares – September 2021
- Pests, Diseases & Invasive Species – October 2024
- Native Plants:
- Native Plants the Gardeners & Bees Can Agree On – May 2025
- Native Plants: Why? – April 2020
- Native Plant Hedge – May 2025
- Priority of Re-Thinking Pretty – April 2024
- Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Raising Awareness of Canada’s Native Plant Decline – November 2024
- Wildlife & Habitat
- Bloom Beyond the Lawn – September 2025
- Feeding Birds in Winter – December 2022
- Gardening for Birds Question of the Month – April 2026
- Keystone Plants: A Gift to Nature – December 2022
- Lichen Part 1– June 2022
- Lichen Part II – July 2022
- Lichen Part III (Mosses, Liverworts, & Hornworts) – August 2022
- Who Stays When We ‘Leave the Leaves’ – November 2024
- Wildlife in My Garden – March 2021
- Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker October 2024
Design
- Container Gardens:
- Container Gardens for Native Plants – May 2024
- Shade Gardening
- Dry Shade Gardening (Native Plants) – February 2020
- Gardening in Dry Shade – November 2023
- Pollinator Garden Under a Black Walnut – July 2023
- Garden Design
- Matrix Planting – May 2025
- Sample Garden Designs – February 2025
- Getting it Right – For Wildlife & Bylaw September 2023
- Naturalized Landscapes & Municipal Bylaws Part One – June 2023
- Naturalized Landscapes & Municipal Bylaws Part Two – July 2023
- Outdoor Playscapes for Children, Part One – April 2023
- Outdoor Playscapes for Children, Part Two – May 2023
- Planning your 2023 Garden – March 2023
- Planning your 2025 Garden – December 2024
- Recipe for a Native Plant Garden – October 2022
- Spring Native Flowering Plants for Your Garden – April 2022
- Other:
- Boulevard Transformation – August 2023
- Native Groundcovers for Full Sun – March 2020
- Small Trees for Small Places – July 2023
- What’s So Bad about Foundation Plantings? – February 2023
Water Management
- After the Flood – October 2024
- 10 Ways for Gardeners to Protect Water Quality and Mitigate Extreme Weather – September 2024
- Gardening Myths: Watering on Sunny Days – July 2024
- Overwatering – March 2025
- Tell Me About Rain Gardens – September 2025
- Watering – July 2024
Garden Maintenance
Seasonal
- Cleaning Up the Fall Garden – November 2021
- Digital Sowing Google Calendar for Vegetables at your Finger Tips – February 2025
- Effects of Winter on your Garden April 2025
- Holiday Decor from Your Garden – December 2022
- Overwintering Perennials in Pots – November 2025
- Under a Blanket of Snow March 2025
- Warming Zones Bring New Possibilities and Challenges – April 2025
- Watering the Garden – July 2024
- Winter Interest – March 2025
- Winter Protection for Healthy Native Trees – October 2025
- Winter Pruning (When) – February 2020
Pruning
- Before You Reach for the Saw: A Science-Based Look at Pruning Trees – July 2026
- Native Perennials: Doing the Chelsea Chop June 2024
- Curing Clematis Pruning Anxiety – March 2022
- Oak Wilt – October 2023
- Wisteria (Overgrown) – March 2020
Planting Seeds & Propagation
- Seeds
- Collection, Cleaning & Storage of Seeds – November 2020
- Seed Collection of Native Plants – October 2021
- Seed Types: Question of the Month – February 2024
- GMO’s Seeds are Alright – February 2020
- Stratification – February 2023
- Seed Germination and Soil Temperature – March 2023
- Seed Germination & Soil Temperature: Some Like it Hot! March 2022 (yes, there are two articles on this topic)
- Gardening with Children: From Little Seeds May 2022
- Seeds are Alright – February 2020
- When to Plant Seeds – February 2022
- Why Seeds Don’t Germinate – March 2024
- Propagation
- Successfully Growing Ranunculus and Anemone – March 2024
- Lilies: Making More Lilies – April 2022
- New Plants from Old February 2024
- The Instant Pot Germination Hack – Does It Work? May 2023
- Winter Sowing
- Winter Sowing- December 2024
- Why Winter Sow – December 2022
- Planting
- New Garden Bed: After Losing a Large Tree – June 2022
- Plunk & Plop School of Gardening – October 2022
Soils, Compost, Mulch, & Fertilizers
- Soil
- Enriching Soil Before Planting – April 2025
- Exploring Peat and Coir Part 1 February 2024
- Exploring Peat and Coir Part 2 April 2024
- My Soil Is Dead! How Can I Bring It Back to Life? Question of the Month – October 2026
- Re-using Potting Soil – May 2024
- Vermiculite – February 2023
- Compost
- Leaf Mould: How to Make Leaf Mould – November 2022
- Fertilizers:
- Compost vs Fertilizer: What Actually Works in the Garden? Spotlight on Science – May 2026
- Nitrogen Fertilizers: Feed Me Seymour – February 2023
Containers, Raised Beds
- Building a Raised Vegetable Bed: Let Winter Do the Work for You! – September 2026
- Container Gardens for Native Plants Garden Inspiration – May 2024
- Grow Bags: Letting the Cat Out of the Bag – November 2022
Myths
- Adding Sand to Clay Soil Will Improve Drainage – Garden Myths– March 2023
- Amending Soil When Planting Garden Myths – May 2023
- Coffee Ground to Fertilize, Destroy Pests and Lower pH – Garden Myths – July 2023
- Electroculture for Plant Growth – December 2025
- Goldenrod Will Bother My Allergies – Garden Myths – August 2024
- Plant Potatoes on Good Friday- Garden Myths – April 2023
- Washed Rice Water as Fertilizer – Garden Myths – September 2023
- Watering on Sunny Days Will Scorch Leaves – Garden Myths – June 2023
- Watering Myths- July 2024
Growing Food
Vegetables
- Cool Weather Vegetables – April 2025
- Front Yard Vegetable Gardens Question of the Month – June 2026
- Garlic: Growing Garlic October 2023
- Garlic Question of the Month– November 2020
- Happy Fall: The Curcurbit Family – October 2023
- Indoor Veggie Garden: Part 1 – April 2020
- Indoor Veggie Garden: Part 2 – November 2020
- Nourish Your Garden, Nourish Your Health: The Power of Brassica Vegetables – March 2025
- Should I Prune My Tomato Plants Question of the Month – July 2025
- Three Sisters – July 2021
- What Happens to Vegetables During a Heat Wave? Spotlight on Science – July 2026
Fruits
- Strawberries in Hanging Baskets – June 2025
Herbs
- Lavender (Lavandula) – Lavender’s Blue, Lavender’s Green – August 2026
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) – July 2026
Food Gardening Techniques
- Gardening with Children: Container Vegetables Question of the Month – May 2026
- Hydroponics: What to Grow Hydroponically? Question of the Month– December 2024
- Seeds:
- Seed Germination and Soil Temperature – March 2023
- Soil – Reflections on Your Garden Question of the Month – November 2023
- Vegetable Seedlings Ready for the Garden: Question of the Month – February 2023
Pests, Diseases & Weeds
IPM (Integrated Pest Management – Cultural Control)
IPM (Integrated Pest Management- Cultural Control)
- Houseplant pest problems and solutions – March 2020
- IPM: Integrated Pest Management – August 2022
- A Philosophical Approach to Co-Existing with Critters – March 2022
- Finding Harmony in the Garden: An Informed Approach to Animal ‘Pests’ – June 2026
- Turf Grass: Diagnosing Lawn Issues – August 2021
Pests
- Asian Longhorned Beetle: Protecting Our Trees – September 2023
- Boxwood Pests:
- BTK and Boxwood: Update – June 2024
- Rise and Fall of Boxwood – September 2023
- Sustainable Solutions for the Boxwood Blues (Part 2) October 2023
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs Question of the Month – August 2020
- Fungus Gnats Question of the Month– April 2020
- Galls on Hackberry Question of the Month – September 2021
- Holes in My Tree – May 2020
- Houseplant Pest problems and Solutions March 2020
- Using Soap in the Garden: The Dirt on Soap June 2024
- Jumping Worms – June 2022
- Milkweed Bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus) – October 2025
- Mites: Mighty, Mite-y Echinacea – September 2023
- Moles Question of the Month– December 2023
- Praying Mantises in Ontario – December 2020
- Rabbits: Garden Visitors or Garden Pests – August 2022
- Rabbits: Managing Rabbits in the Garden Question of the Month – September 2026
- Racoons: Garden Visitors or Garden Pests – September 2022
- Slugs & Snails Question of the Month– September 2023
- Spongy Moth Caterpillar Defense May 2023
- Squrirrels: Garden Visitors or Garden Pests – October 2022
- Thrips: Tiny Insects, Big Trouble for Gardens Worldwide – July 2025
- Ticks – How to Protect Yourself – April 2023
- Wasps (Bald-Faced Hornets, Paper Wasps etc.): Question of the Month – September 2020
- Weevil – Black Vine Weevil: My Mysterious Tale of Woe – June 2021
- Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Damage – October 2024
Diseases
- Asters Yellows (Echinecea) Question of the Month– August 2022
- Boxwood: The Rise and Fall of Boxwood: Box Tree Moth – September 2023
- Fumigating Wildflowers – December 2021
- Oak Wilt: Garden Inspiration– October 2023
- Rose Black Spot – Keeping Leaves Healthy June 2022
- Sooty Mould: Sooty Mould on a Catalpa Tree – October 2023
- Witch’s Broom – June 2025
Weeds
- Bindweed – June 2020
- Creeping Charlie – October 2020
- Ruderals: A Gentle Look at Ruderals – February 2026
Reflections & Inspiration
Community
- Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation – June 2022
- Community Gardens – Growing Together August 2020
- Community Gardens: The Value of Community Gardens Question of the Month – July 2026
- Garden Journeys – Opening Our Gates June 2024
- Garden Journeys and Monarch Awards: A Shared Mission – June 2025
- Garden Journeys Open Days – July 2023 & November 2025
- Monarch Awards – Celebrating Gardens that Support Biodiversity May 2023 & November 2025
- Our Garden Superheroes: National Innovation Award (CCIPR) – April 2026
- Public Gardens of Halton – Inspiration Close to Home July 2022
- Seed Libraries – Growing a Community of Gardeners February 2025
- Seedy Saturday – Trading Seeds and Stories March 2021
Reflections & Inspiration
- The Edge of Autumn – October 2024
- Keeping a Garden Journal – February 2023
- The Stillness of a Late Summer Garden – August 2025
- Why Keep a Garden Journal? Question of the Month – March 2026
- Why We Garden: A Volunteer’s Story – July 2025
- With Spring Comes Hope and Gratitude- March 2024
Health & Well-Being
- The Healing Power of Gardening: Get Your Hands in the Dirt for a Happier, Healthier You – February 2025
- Healing Gardens – February 2025
- Nature & Your Health – April 2021
- Overcoming Health Challenges in the Garden – October 2022
Garden Stories
- The Boulevard Transformation – August 2023
- Carrie Does Not Love Tom, She Never did – May 2022
- Cathy Kavassalis: A Master Master Gardener! – September 2021
- Claudette Sims: Champion of Change – December 2021
- David Marshall and Master Gardener in Training – June 2021
- Garden Evolution: or Why I stopped maintaining my garden – August 2024
- Gardening With Children – May 2022
- Hamilton Public Library – Site Consultation – June 2021
- Indigenous Medicinal Plants – March 2023
- Public Gardens of Halton – Inspiration Close to Home July 2022
- Travel Through Australia and New Zealand – December 2023
- Tropical Rain Forests – March 2020
- With Spring Comes Hope and Gratitude – March 2024
- Wildlife in My Garden – March 2021
General Horticultural Information
- General Info:
- The Gardening Splurge – July 2023
- Give Your Garden Time, Not Money – April 2023
- Right Plant, Right Place: On Being an Informed & Satisfied Consumer – October 2023
- Ontario Gardening in 1947: Plus ca Change? – September 2022
- Genome Editing Plants for a Changing Climate Spotlight on Science – February 2026
- Botany & Identification
- Conifer Identification – December 2022
- Google is Your Friend (Identification) – September 2021
- Memory Aids for Gardeners – June 2022
- Plant I.D. Apps: How Accurate Are They? Question of the Month – August 2026
- Using Scientific Names: You Say Tomato and I Say “Solanum lycopersicum” – December 2024
- Gardening Tools
- Garden Tools: Off to a Good Start: getting tools ready for the season – March 2021
- Hori Hori Knife – February 2023
- Well-Travelled Trug – December 2021