My backyard is having a bit of an identity crisis. It’s not its fault; it’s picking it up from me. I can’t decide what I want it to be. Is it a garden? A farm? Or an outdoor room? When I say, “backyard,” I mean a 180 sq.ft square currently covered in concrete pavers, surrounded […]
Design assistant
It’s another soggy day here in Vancouver, and because the weather report tells me I won’t be spending any time in my garden this weekend, I’m substituting actual gardening with the online version of a garden tour. I’m talking about Design Assistant, from CoastalLiving.com. It features all kinds of interior and outdoor rooms and treatments […]
Welcome, spring!
Yesterday, the first official day of spring, I went for a late afternoon walk around my East Van neighbourhood. The wind was still rather cold, but the sun was low and creating some great light, so I tried to capture what I think is the unique quality of the ‘hood: the juxtiposition of commercial and […]
Looking for love. Loveseats, that is.
I’m looking for an outdoor loveseat for my third-floor balcony. I know, I know. Sounds suspiciously like I’m wanting to create an “outdoor room,” right? And they have been so overdone and overexposed lately. “What’s next,” you’re asking, “the behemoth barbecue, the outdoor shower?” Well, no, just the loveseat. And maybe an ottoman. And a […]
A brief history of the seed ball
Since readers have asked, I thought I’d explain a bit more about seed balls (also known as “seed bombs,” among a multitude of other names). Seed balls, simply put, are a method for distributing seeds by encasing them in a mixture of clay and compost. This protects the seeds by preventing them from drying out […]
How to make seed balls
seed balls, seedballs, guerilla gardening
I spy…
something that is fabulous. I’m not the only one who stops traffic to snap a picture of a nice garden, right? Well, this one made me slam on the brakes. Keep in mind that this is March, so the garden isn’t even in its prime. But if this is what is meant by a four-season […]
Three workshops at the MOBY garden
Vancouver locals, you won’t want to miss these workshops. Garden Ninja presents: March 24: Soil/compost/mulch Exposed soil is wounded soil. Soil is a living skin. This session lays out the basis of soil components and their functions – bacteria, fungi, and carbon-nitrogen ratios – for a holistic perspective of how fertility is built and maintained […]