Three Favorite Shrubs

Coming from cold harsh northern Alberta to BC’s mild and moist coast meant I had to learn a lot of new stuff about which plants worked and which didn’t. Every landscape needs shrubs, and over the years as I worked on landscaping around our home, I kept discovering new ones that I’d never seen [...]

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15 Reasons to Go Organic

Reprinted from Care to Healthy Living author Michelle Schoffro.
1. In study after study, research from independent organizations consistently shows organic food is higher in nutrients than traditional foods. Research shows that organic produce is higher in vitamin C, antioxidants, and the minerals calcium, iron, chromium, and magnesium.
2. They’re free of neurotoxins–toxins that are damaging to [...]

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7 Questions to Answer Before Choosing a Greenhouse

One of the major decisions a home gardener makes is that of installing a greenhouse. Since this can be a major expense, it is vital to explore all the options available. After all, you will have to live with your decision for a long time!
Use these 7 questions to decide on the best greenhouse for [...]

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5 Fast Growing Groundcovers for Difficult Spots

There are times when any gardener needs a quick growing type plant for fast covering of bare soil in beds or on a sloped bank. Perhaps you have just started a new perennial bed, and would like a way to fill in the bare spots until the perennials have reached their mature growth. Or you [...]

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Rhododendrons – My Favorite Flowering Shrub

Rhododendrons have become one of my favorite shrubs. These gloriously flowering evergreen shrubs come in colors and varieties to suit almost any region and any garden. They are quite hardy, but need to be placed properly in the garden . Like their relatives, azaleas, they are woodland plants, so must have particularly good drainage, an [...]

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8 Tips for Growing a Low Risk Garden

As vegetable gardeners, many of us expect a heck of a lot from our small planted areas. Because the plants are often close together and fertilized beyond what nature would, they are more susceptible to a wide range of ailments, from pests to disease.
Insects and garden pests are always present in gardens, and it’s not [...]

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How to Create a Butterfly Garden

People who love to garden also tend to enjoy watching butterflies flitting about. After all, butterflies are just as pretty to look at as the flowers that they visit. Gardeners can entice even more butterflies to visit their gardens by creating gardens specifically for butterflies.
It’s quite easy to create a butterfly garden. You may even [...]

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Feeding the Soil

The vitality and health of the plants you grow depends on more than feeding them during the growing season. To have healthy plants your soil must have reserves of plant foods and nutrients. These nutrients not only maintain plant growth, but encourage the growth and activity of the micro-organisms in soil that contribute to plant [...]

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