Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Down The Garden Path Podcast

In this episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne shares simple tips for planting garlic, from choosing the right cloves and preparing your soil to protecting your plants through winter.

Topics discussed:

How to Grow Garlic

Learn the basics of growing your own garlic, including when to plant it in the fall and how to select and prepare garlic cloves for planting.

Soil, Sunlight and Winter Protection

From choosing a sunny location to preparing well-draining soil, get practical tips for giving garlic the best chance of success. Joanne discusses proper planting depth, spacing, mulching and watering, while sharing her own experience with garlic that struggled because of competition from neighbouring plants.

The Benefits of Growing Your Own Garlic

Learn what to expect in spring, how to harvest garlic scapes and how to turn them into delicious homemade pesto.

Growing Garlic

Garlic Gardening

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down the Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has designed beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Is your garden soil giving your plants everything they need to thrive?

Last November, Joanne welcomed Amy Ellard-Gray to the podcast to explore why soil testing is one of the smartest steps you can take toward a healthier garden. Discover how understanding your soil can help you solve plant problems, avoid costly mistakes and take the guesswork out of gardening. 

About Amy

Amy runs The Hobby Homestead in suburban Guelph, where she cultivates over 100 varieties of native plants to support the local ecosystem. Through her YouTube channel, Instagram, website, and in-person consultations, she helps people design and troubleshoot their own food-growing spaces. Her mantra, "growing food in harmony with nature," guides everything she does, from tending soil life to welcoming wildlife into the garden.

Topics discussed in this episode:

Understanding Your Soil: Why Testing Matters: Amy and Joanne discuss why healthy gardens start with healthy soil and explore the benefits of professional soil testing.

Building Healthy Soil for Better Gardening Results: From choosing quality triple mix to using compost, mulch and organic matter, Joanne and Amy share practical ways to improve soil health. They also discuss raised beds, container gardening, crop rotation and how working with nature can create healthier, more productive gardens with less maintenance.

Growing More Food in Small Spaces: Amy explains how thoughtful planning, good soil and sustainable gardening practices can help homeowners grow more food, even in smaller yards, raised beds and containers.

Find The Hobby Homestead at www.thehobbyhomestead.com and on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down the Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has designed beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Have you ever wished you could save your favourite annuals instead of replacing them every spring? In this episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw shares three ways to save your annuals, from bringing entire plants indoors to growing new plants from cuttings and storing dormant tubers. Learn which methods work best for popular plants like coleus, geraniums, begonias and million bells, along with practical tips for keeping them healthy through the winter. It's a great way to stretch your gardening budget and give some of your favourite plants a second season.

Topics discussed:

How to Save Your Annuals Over the Winter

Many annuals can survive the winter indoors and grow again next spring. Joanne explains how to bring plants inside, prepare them for dormancy and care for them through the colder months.

Three Methods for Overwintering Annuals

Learn how to save annuals by keeping the whole plant indoors, propagating new plants from cuttings or storing dormant tubers and bulbs. Discover which methods work best for plants such as coleus, geraniums, begonias, million bells and cigar plants.

Save Money and Grow More Plants Next Spring

Overwintering annuals can help reduce gardening costs while giving you more plants to enjoy or share. Get practical tips for managing light, watering, humidity and temperature.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden h3>Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Is October really the time to cut everything back and put the garden to bed? Not necessarily. In this episode, we've gathered some of Joanne's best tips for October in the garden. She shares why October can actually be one of the easiest months, with just a few simple tasks to focus on and plenty you can leave alone.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

Do less this fall: There's no need for a major fall cleanup. Most perennials can be left standing, leaf litter can remain, and spent plant material provides a winter habitat for beneficial insects.

Prepare for next year: October is a good time to assess the garden, take photos, identify gaps, water newly planted trees and shrubs deeply, mulch fallen leaves into the lawn, and plant garlic.

Bulbs and lawn care: Discover why you should buy spring bulbs now but wait until late October or November to plant them. Learn more about fall lawn care, including reseeding, leaving grass taller, fertilizing and dealing with weeds.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more. Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Not sure what to do with your roses this fall? This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne is joined by master gardener and author Cauleen Viscoff to talk about making rose care a little less intimidating.

They cover fall rose care, winter preparation, planting and moving roses, climbing roses, common pests and, of course, pruning. Cauleen also shares the story behind her upcoming book, Pruning Roses: From Mystery to Mastery, and why understanding how a rose grows is the key to knowing how to prune it.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

Fall Rose Care and Winter Preparation: Why fall is not the time for major pruning, how mulch can help, when winter protection is actually necessary, and why choosing hardy roses suited to your zone makes a big difference.

Choosing, Planting and Growing Roses Successfully: Learn more about hardy shrub roses, carpet roses, hybrid teas and climbing roses, including companion planting, moving roses in fall, proper watering and how to train climbing roses for better flowering.

Taking the Mystery Out of Rose Pruning: Cauleen explains how learning the different growth habits of roses makes pruning much easier and shares how her own sketches became the foundation for her upcoming book and pruning reference cards.

To learn more about Cauleen and her upcoming book, visit lush-gardens.com.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Have you considered adding native ornamental grasses to your garden? They're often overlooked but add colour, texture, and movement while providing food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. This week on the podcast, Joanne takes a closer look at a few standout varieties that can bring interest to the garden well beyond the summer months.

Why Native Ornamental Grasses Belong in the Garden

How native grasses add structure, movement and seasonal interest while also providing food and shelter for birds and other wildlife.

Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem and Their Cultivars

Joanne compares these native grasses and highlights varieties such as Standing Ovation, Blackhawks and Red October, including their size, colour and growth habits.

Getting More Seasonal Value from Ornamental Grasses

Leave grasses standing through fall and winter for visual interest, wildlife benefits, and stronger garden structure.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Looking for a hydrangea that gives you plenty of colour without taking over your garden? This week on the podcast, Joanne shares three dwarf hydrangeas she has grown in her own garden: Fire Light Tidbit®, Little Lime Punch® and Invincibelle Limetta®. She looks at how each one grows, where it performs best, and why these smaller varieties can be such a good fit for today's gardens and smaller spaces.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

Three dwarf hydrangeas for smaller gardens: Fire Light Tidbit®, Little Lime Punch® and Invincibelle Limetta®  offer long-lasting blooms and strong garden impact without taking over the space.

Choosing the right dwarf hydrangea for your conditions: Joanne compares the size, colour, bloom style, sunlight needs and growth habits of each variety, helping gardeners understand where each dwarf hydrangea is likely to perform best.

 Using dwarf hydrangeas in your garden design: Learn how smaller hydrangea varieties can work in perennial beds, shade gardens, mass plantings and compact landscapes, making them a versatile option for townhouses, newer homes and gardens where space is limited.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Wondering what you can still get done in the garden before the season wraps up?

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne explains why fall is still a great time to add compost, plant new perennials, divide and move existing plants, and even start a brand-new garden bed. She also shares an easy, low-maintenance way to create a new garden using cardboard, compost and mulch so you can be ready to plant when spring arrives.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

It is not too late to add compost or soil to your garden.

Organic material is best. You probably have enough soil, and if you want to increase the volume or improve the soil, adding compost or manure is best.

It is not too late to plant new plants.

You can safely add plants to your garden until the end of October.

It is not too late to move your existing plants or to divide plants and relocate them in your garden.

Peonies especially prefer to be transplanted in the fall, and it just makes sense for spring-blooming plants so that you don't miss out on the blooms.

It is not too late to start a new garden.

Removing sod, adding triple mix plus more compost, then adding the plants really gets you ahead for next year. And if you don't want to remove the sod, consider Hellstrip (aka lasagna) gardening.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise, along with their combined experience helping others create and maintain thriving gardens, into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Thinking of buying mums for your fall garden? In this encore episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne reviews the pros and cons of fall mums and shares why asters may be the better choice.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

The pros and cons of fall mums: While mums are incredibly popular for fall colour, they can be higher maintenance than people expect, especially when planted in the garden or purchased too early in the season.

Asters as a better long-term fall garden choice: Consider asters as a perennial alternative that can return year after year, bloom late into the season, and work in a range of garden conditions.

Supporting pollinators with late-season plants: Asters provide important late-season food for bees and butterflies and serve as host plants for many caterpillars, which in turn support birds and the wider garden ecosystem.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more. Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes.

As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise, along with their combined experience helping others create and maintain thriving gardens, into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Late August and early September are important times for migrating butterflies like monarchs, swallowtails, and painted ladies, and the plants in our gardens can make a real difference. This week, Joanne shares simple ways to support butterflies by providing the right host and nectar plants, even if you only have a small garden, a patio, or a few containers.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

Host plants are just as important as nectar plants: Learn the difference between plants butterflies feed from and the specific host plants they need for laying eggs and feeding caterpillars.

Late summer is an important time to support migrating butterflies: The garden season may feel like it is winding down, but late-August and early-September butterflies still need reliable food sources before migration.

A butterfly-friendly garden is part of a healthier, more biodiverse garden: Reducing harsh chemical use — and tolerating some caterpillar feeding — will help create a diverse garden that supports butterflies, other beneficial insects and ultimately birds as well.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Looking for something beyond hostas for your shade garden? This week, Joanne shares three standout shade-loving perennials that bring height, texture, colour, and serious foliage interest to darker garden spaces.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

Adding height and structure to a shade garden: Larger perennials like Sun King Aralia, Bugbane, and Rodgersia can give a shade garden the height and presence of shrubs while still dying back as perennials each winter. They work especially well behind hostas, groundcovers, and other lower-growing shade plants.

Using foliage, not flowers, to create impact: The real appeal of these plants is their foliage: chartreuse, burgundy, large tropical-looking leaves, different textures, and contrasting shapes. These are plants you choose primarily for their leaves and the visual interest they bring to darker areas of the garden.

Creating a shade garden that changes through the season: These later-emerging plants can take over visually after early-season favourites such as bleeding hearts and columbine begin to fade. This creates a more intentional transition through spring and summer rather than leaving gaps once early perennials are finished.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Does your August garden need a fresh burst of colour? In this episode, Joanne shares three of her favourite white perennials for sunny spaces that add contrast, brighten the garden at dusk and keep blooming well into fall.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

White perennials bring late-season impact
White flowers brighten an August garden, create contrast against darker foliage and remain visible at dusk. They can also fill visual gaps after spring and early-summer plants finish blooming.

Three reliable perennials for sun

• 'David' tall garden phlox: tall, sturdy and mildew-resistant
• White Wands Veronica: compact, long-blooming and pollinator-friendly
• Calamintha nepeta: softly mounded, fragrant, pollinator attracting and resistant to deer and rabbits

August is not too late to plant
You can keep adding perennials through late summer. Even when plants are not displayed at garden centres, customers may be able to order fresh stock through the perennial manager, a grower or a landscape professional.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

What does your garden need this August? After the heat and stress of July, many lawns, containers, vegetables, shrubs and trees could use a little extra attention. In this episode, Joanne shares practical advice for watering, pruning, feeding and refreshing your garden while preparing for the season ahead.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

Reviving and maintaining a heat-stressed garden

Learn the importance of deep watering, replenishing depleted soil, removing damaged growth, monitoring for mildew and pests, and recognizing when plants need attention rather than replacement.

August maintenance

Get practical advice for refreshing herbs, succession planting cool-season vegetables, trimming tired annuals, controlling crabgrass, pruning shrubs properly and avoiding lawn fertilizer during dormancy.

Preparing for fall while still enjoying summer

August is both a maintenance month and a planning month. It's time to start researching fall bulbs and garlic, identify gaps for late-season plants, and photograph your garden for future planning.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this mid-summer tips episode, Joanne answers some commonly asked questions about managing your lawn and garden.

Some of the topics covered:

Practical mid-season planting advice:
You can still plant trees, shrubs, and perennials in July, provided they are watered consistently. When purchasing discounted plants, check the roots rather than judging them by their above-soil appearance.

Managing common summer garden problems:
 Learn more about Japanese beetles and crabgrass, including how to properly position beetle traps, interrupt the beetles' life cycle, remove crabgrass before it sets seed, and avoid spreading weed seeds while mowing.

Choosing native plants thoughtfully: Add native plants gradually and intentionally rather than removing healthy, established non-native plants. Choose the right plant for the right location while considering pollinator value, growing conditions, and how aggressively a plant may spread.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Wondering what to do in your garden in July? This week on the podcast, Joanne reviews the essential July garden tasks every gardener should know, including deadheading, weeding, pest control, smart watering, and summer lawn and vegetable care.

July garden maintenance: The cooler spring, heavy rain, and sudden heat have left many gardens behind schedule, with some plants blooming weeks later than usual. Gardens will catch up, so focus on practical July tasks like deadheading, cutting back perennials, and staying on top of weeds.

Managing perennials, shrubs, evergreens, and pests wisely:
Do you know what to prune, what not to prune, and when to act? Joanne explains deadheading for second blooms, the Chelsea chop for tall/floppy perennials, careful handling of spring-blooming shrubs, and pest control tips for box tree moth and Japanese beetles.

Watering, lawn care, and easy edible gardening in July: Fast, heavy rain does not always soak into the soil, so gardeners still need to check moisture levels, especially around new or expensive plantings. Let lawns grow longer in hot weather, and if you want to try growing vegetables, Joanne suggests easy vegetables like lettuce, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, and potatoes.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Peony season may be over, but there's still plenty to learn about these garden favourites. In this episode, Joanne explores the different types of peonies and explains what makes each one unique. She also shares practical tips for planting, supporting, deadheading, and caring for your peonies so they return beautifully year after year.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

The three types of peonies: Learn the differences between herbaceous peonies, tree peonies, and Itoh/intersectional peonies, including how they grow, bloom, and how deeply each type should be planted. 

Planting, moving, and caring for peonies: Discover the best practices for proper planting depth, fall transplanting, careful handling of the roots, watering deeply, and avoiding burying the crown with soil or mulch.

Post-bloom peony care and support: Joanne explains what to do after peonies finish blooming, including deadheading, choosing proper supports for herbaceous peonies, and helping the plant put energy back into its roots for next year.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Do you have a lilac bush in your garden? If you've ever wondered when or how to prune it, don't miss this week's episode. Joanne shares timely tips for caring for your lilacs and explains why now is the perfect time to prune.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

The importance of pruning lilacs right after they bloom

Lilacs bloom on old wood, so timing matters. The best time to deadhead or prune is immediately after flowering, usually in June, before the plant puts energy into seed production or begins setting next year's blooms. 

How to rejuvenate older, woody lilacs

Two approaches: a drastic cutback of very old, unproductive lilacs, or a slower three-year rejuvenation plan in which the oldest stems are gradually removed. Remember to use sharp pruners, not hedge trimmers, and be intentional about which branches are removed. 

Understanding different lilac varieties and their care needs

Joanne compares common/French lilacs with newer repeat-blooming varieties like Bloomerang, as well as dwarf types like Miss Kim. Even repeat bloomers benefit from deadheading after the first flush so they can produce more flowers later in the season.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this episode of Down the Garden Path, we revisit last spring's conversation with Ernest Williams from Aquascape about how pondless water features can bring the beauty, movement, and soothing sound of water into your yard.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

Pondless water features offer beauty with less maintenance: Pondless waterfalls, fountainscapes, spillway bowls, bubbling rocks, urns, basalt columns, and disappearing streams allow homeowners to enjoy the sound and movement of water without the maintenance and safety concerns of a traditional pond.

Water features can transform the feel of a yard: Water adds calm, sound, movement, and atmosphere to outdoor spaces. Use water features to create a backyard oasis, improve curb appeal, attract birds and wildlife, soften traffic or neighbour noise, and make your home feel more like a cottage retreat.

Water features can also solve practical landscape problems: Pondless features, aqua basins, aqua blocks, and rainwater collection systems can help manage runoff, wet areas, downspout water, drainage challenges, and stormwater concerns.

To learn more about pondless water features and everything Aquascape offers, visit them at www.aquascapeinc.com and view their videos on YouTube.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Thinking about starting a landscape project? In this popular episode from last summer, Joanne shares practical advice from her years as a landscape designer, including how to plan with confidence, choose the right materials, and work with professionals to avoid costly mistakes.

Some of the topics covered in this week's episode:

Observe what works in real life

Look at nearby homes to see what materials, colours, layouts, and garden styles you like before starting your project. This is often more practical than relying only on online inspiration because local examples show what is actually available and realistic.

Do your homework before choosing a landscaper

Ask for referrals, review past work, and check websites or social media before choosing a landscaper.

Use design and planning to avoid expensive mistakes

Use a design, sketch, or simple plan to avoid mistakes with layout, sizing, materials, maintenance, and future upgrades. Planning helps create a project that looks good, functions well, and avoids costly fixes later.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this popular episode from last spring, Joanne speaks with author and fruit tree care educator Susan Poizner about her book, Fruit Tree Pruning: The Science and Art of Cultivating Healthy Fruit Trees, and shares Susan's practical advice for growing healthier, more productive fruit trees.

About Susan Poizner

Susan Poizner is an award-winning author, journalist, urban orchardist, and fruit tree care educator based in Toronto, Canada. She trains arborists, master gardeners, and community and home orchardists in fruit tree maintenance through in-person workshops, online courses, and webinars. Her books include Grow Fruit Trees Fast, Growing Urban Orchards, Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone and Fruit Tree Pruning.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

Fruit Trees Are a Long-Term Relationship, Not an Impulse Purchase

Fruit trees require planning, patience, and ongoing care. Instead of grabbing a pretty tree from a garden centre, research disease-resistant varieties, pollination needs, rootstock size, hardiness zone, and the right nursery source before planting. 

Proper Pruning Is Essential for Healthy Trees and Better Fruit

Susan explains why young bare-root trees should be pruned the day they're planted, how formative pruning shapes a tree for life, and why mature trees can often be restored with thoughtful pruning. Learn the difference between trimming and pruning, especially how over-trimming can create dense, unhealthy canopies. 

Healthy Soil, Smart Placement, and Natural Care Lead to Better Harvests

To thrive, fruit trees need full sun, enough root space, compost or quality mulch, annual cleanup, dormant spray, and attention to soil health. Good care reduces disease pressure, improves fruit quality, and makes fruit trees more productive without relying heavily on chemical sprays.

Find Susan Poizner online at orchardpeople.com and Fruit Tree Pruning: The Science and Art of Cultivating Healthy Fruit Trees on Amazon. You can also check out her YouTube channel or listen to the Orchard People podcast.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne explains why mulch matters in the garden, how to choose the right kind, and why proper mulching can make a big difference for your soil, plants, and trees.

Mulch is Practical, Not Decorative
Mulch should support the garden, not steal the show. Its real purpose is to help control weeds, keep soil cooler, retain moisture, and gradually break down to add nutrients back into the garden.

Quality Matters When Choosing Mulch
Natural mulch is a better choice than dyed bagged mulch. Dyed mulch can fade, stain, blow around, and may be made from lower-quality wood waste. Consider more natural options like composted pine, shredded bark, hemlock, wood chips, or even compost for smaller gardens. 

Mulching Trees and Using Alternatives Wisely 
Use the "3-3-3 method" for mulching around trees: three inches deep, three feet wide, and a three-inch gap away from the trunk. Avoid creating mulch volcanoes and consider alternatives like shredded leaves and living "green mulch" groundcovers, including creeping thyme, sedums, sweet woodruff, epimedium, and wild ginger.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on the podcast, Joanne speaks with Bri Petersen from Urban Gardening Canada about her new e-book, Gardening Basics for the Beginner Gardener.

In this episode:

Beginner Gardeners Need Updated Advice, Not Outdated Rules
So much common gardening advice is based on old habits, like turning over the soil every spring, cleaning up every leaf, or planting by a fixed calendar date. Bri's e-book encourages beginner gardeners to understand how gardening has changed with the climate and why weather, growing zones, and local conditions matter more than old rules.

Bri's E-book Gives New Gardeners the Foundations They Need
Gardening Basics for the Beginner Gardener is designed specifically for beginners, with 13 chapters covering core topics like annuals, perennials, herbaceous plants, growing in containers, raised beds, in-ground gardens, watering, fertilizing, and vegetable gardening. She also includes practical guidance on insects and pests, helping gardeners identify what they are seeing and manage problems without immediately turning to chemicals.

Gardening Success Comes From Curiosity, Confidence, and Practice

One dead plant does not mean you have a "black thumb." Learn what went wrong, adjust next season, understand your garden's conditions, and keep going. New gardeners feel less intimidated and more confident as they build knowledge year after year.

Find Bri Petersen online:

Website: www.urbangardeningcanada.com

Order a copy of her e-book here.

Instagram: @urbangardeningcanada

Facebook: @hellourbangardeningcanada

YouTube: @urbangardeningcanada

Pinterest: @urbangardeningcanada

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

What if you could walk through acres of blooming peonies and cut your own bouquet to take home? In this episode, Joanne welcomes Valérie Chort of Fleur de Roy to share the story behind Southern Ontario's largest pick-your-own peony farm and its short but spectacular bloom season.

In this episode:

• How did a conservation property become a pick-your-own peony farm? Valérie shares the story behind Fleur de Roy, a Southern Ontario peony farm located on a 150-acre property near Lake St. Clair, where conservation, family, and a love of flowers came together in a surprising way.
• What does it take to grow thousands of peonies for one short, spectacular season? Joanne and Valérie discuss the patience, planning, timing, and care behind growing peonies, including why these plants take years to establish and why the bloom window is so weather-dependent.
• Why is Fleur de Roy's Peony Bloom Festival becoming a must-visit local experience? Valérie explains how the farm has shifted from wholesale flower production to welcoming visitors for a pick-your-own peony experience, with confirmed 2025 opening dates from June 1 to June 8, with the possibility of extending on either side depending on the bloom season.

Visit them online at www.fleurderoy.com or on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.

Tickets are now available. Purchase them here.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne discusses do's and don'ts for your May garden, and walks you through what to do now, what to wait on, and how to give your garden the best start for the season ahead.

Be patient and let the May garden guide your timing.
May can be unpredictable, especially after a cool, wet winter. Instead of rushing into cleanup, planting, pruning, seeding, or mowing, gardeners should pay attention to soil moisture, insect activity, nighttime temperatures, and frost risk. 

Focus on smart spring maintenance for perennials, shrubs, evergreens, and lawns.
Learn what to clean up, what to leave alone, and what to handle carefully. Topics include: pruning spring-blooming shrubs too early, lightly cleaning up evergreens, feeding soil, waiting to seed lawns, and mowing high.

Start vegetables, herbs, annuals, and containers thoughtfully.
Get excited about growing food, herbs, and seasonal containers, but with a practical approach. Topics include: hardening off vegetables, planting cool-season crops like lettuce and spinach, using herbs to attract pollinators, involving kids in gardening, and choosing larger containers so annuals can thrive through the season.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Thinking about growing your own lettuce, spinach, and potatoes this spring? In this April 2025 encore episode, Joanne chats with Julia Dimakos about successfully growing these popular vegetables at home.

In this episode:

• How to grow lettuce successfully for fresh, continuous harvests

  Julia explores the basics of growing lettuce from seed, including the importance of starting with fresh seed, giving seeds light to germinate, transplanting early, spacing plants properly, succession sowing every couple of weeks, and choosing varieties for cool weather versus summer heat.
• Why spinach is a cool-season crop with a very different rhythm from lettuce
  Unlike lettuce, spinach prefers cold conditions, struggles in heat, bolts quickly in warm weather, and does especially well when sown now and again in mid-August for fall and even overwintered harvests.
• How to grow healthier, homegrown potatoes
  Growing your own potatoes can be healthier and more rewarding than buying them. Julia explains the importance of seed potatoes, pre-sprouting, planting whole potatoes rather than cut pieces, choosing between determinate and indeterminate varieties, and growing in raised beds, grow bags, or containers.

Find Julia Dimakos online:

Website: www.juliadimakos.com

Instagram: @juliadimakos

YouTube: @gardeninggirl 

Check out a few of her past episodes: 

All About Tomatoes

Microgreens & Sprouting

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne chats with Manny Lavrador about the growing interest in native trees and how to choose the right one for your property.

• Why are native trees such an important topic right now? More gardeners and homeowners are looking for plants that support the environment, work well in local ecosystems, and respond to growing concerns about invasive species.
  
  
• What is the most important thing to remember when choosing a native tree? That even a native tree still needs to be the right tree for the right place, based on the space, conditions, and goals of the garden.
  
  
• Are native trees always the best choice for every yard? Not necessarily. This episode demonstrates that while native trees have many benefits, hybrids and nativars can sometimes be a better fit for smaller urban lots or for homeowners looking for lower-maintenance options.

You can find Manny Lavrador on LinkedIn.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Have you been hesitant to add roses to your garden? This week on the podcast, Joanne talks with Paul Zimmerman about Jackson & Perkins' expansion into Canada, what it means for rose lovers, and why these cold-hardy, Canadian-grown roses may be easier to grow than many gardeners think.

In this episode:

• Roses are becoming more accessible for Canadian gardeners.
  Jackson & Perkins roses are now available in the Canadian market, with roses being grown, tested, and shipped within Canada through their partnership with Bakker.
• Modern roses are not as high-maintenance as many people think.
  Paul challenges the old idea that roses are fussy and chemical-dependent, explaining that many newer roses are bred for better disease resistance and can be grown sustainably with good soil, smart plant choice, and realistic expectations.
• Choosing the right rose for the right purpose is key.
  Roses should be selected based on their role in the garden, whether for height, spread, colour, season-long interest, or vertical growing, rather than just choosing one because the flower looks pretty in the pot.

Learn more at jacksonandperkins.ca. Find them online on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram.

Find Paul Zimmerman online at paulzimmermanroses.com and watch his how-to videos on YouTube.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

After a long winter, it's tempting to get outside and start tidying, digging, and checking everything off our spring to-do list. But April is such a gentle, in-between month in the garden, and it really asks us to slow down, pay attention, and let nature lead a little. This week on the podcast, Joanne reviews what you should and shouldn't be doing in your April garden.

Why is patience so important in the April garden?

Because early spring gardening depends more on weather and soil conditions than the calendar. Joanne emphasizes waiting for the ground to dry, the frost to leave, and nighttime temperatures to rise before raking, planting, digging, or cleaning up too much. Acting too early can damage lawns, compact soil, and disrupt beneficial insects.

What garden jobs can you safely do in April?

April is a good time for gentle, low-risk tasks such as starting seeds indoors, refreshing spring containers, adding compost to the vegetable garden, sharpening tools, and lightly cleaning up only when conditions are right. Joanne also suggests using April to plan, take photos, and observe what is happening in the garden rather than rushing into heavy work.

How should gardeners handle pruning and cleanup in early spring?
Carefully and selectively. Joanne warns against pruning spring-blooming shrubs too early, cutting back perennials before insects emerge, or shaping evergreens in April. Instead, she recommends watching for insect activity, removing only winter damage where needed, and timing pruning based on the type of plant so gardeners do not sacrifice blooms or stress plants unnecessarily.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This month on Down the Garden Path, Joanne welcomes five talented landscape designers, each with their own style, story, and specialty. What connects them all is a shared passion for creating beautiful, thoughtful outdoor spaces for their clients. Tune in each week in March as they share their experiences, perspectives, and the many ways landscape design can shape how we live outdoors.

In this episode, Joanne speaks with Abby Rupsa, founder and lead designer of Botanical Living in Colorado, about her path into landscape design, the evolution of her "design bid" service model, and what it really means to offer a high-touch, client-focused experience. Their conversation explores the value of professional planning, collaboration with contractors, material and plant choices, and how thoughtful landscape design can create beautiful, functional outdoor spaces that add lasting value.

• Abby explains her "design bid" model, in which she stays involved throughout construction without doing the installation work herself.
• She says many homeowners do not understand the design process and need help seeing the full picture.
• Unlike traditional design-build firms, Abby focuses on the best outcome for the client rather than pushing sales.
• She emphasizes "value engineering" so projects can be built realistically within budget.
• Abby now works closely with one trusted contractor to create a smoother client experience.
• Contractor meetings happen with the client, designer, and builder together to review the estimate in detail.
• Joanne notes that this shared meeting format reduces confusion and speeds up decisions.
• Abby says landscape designers are educators and problem-solvers, not just creatives.
• She explains that homeowners often become blind to problems and miss better possibilities for their yard.
• One project revealed major structural problems that required a more honest renovation approach.
• Abby says trust and authority matter because clients need confidence in the guidance they receive.
• Good design sometimes means challenging what a client asks for to create a space that truly works.
• Abby uses software and furniture layouts to show how a space will function in real life.
• Joanne stresses the importance of planning the whole landscape before adding features in stages.
• Abby agrees, noting that early planning avoids rework and prepares for future additions.
• She describes her "white glove" approach, with 3D presentations and a more thoughtful client experience.
• Abby wants the process to feel easier and more supported for homeowners.
• She uses digital lookbooks and physical samples to help clients compare materials.
• 3D visuals help clients picture the finished landscape and feel excited about the result.
• Abby discusses xeriscaping in Colorado and the need for drought-tolerant, climate-appropriate planting.
• She explains that xeriscaping should still feel lush and intentional, not just rocky and sparse.
• Her planting designs balance structure, blooms, texture, evergreen interest, and lower maintenance.
• Abby also educates clients about plant establishment and care in Colorado's dry climate.
• Her design packages are detailed enough for any contractor to build from.
• She notes that 3D renderings require clear communication so clients understand that plant growth takes time.
• Even unbuilt landscape plans can add appeal and value if a homeowner decides to sell.
• Joanne and Abby close by discussing how landscape design can improve both lifestyle and property value.

• Start with a full landscape plan before making construction decisions so the entire space works together cohesively over time.
• A good landscape designer does more than make things look pretty. They solve problems, educate clients, and help prevent costly mistakes.
• Design decisions should be based on how a space will actually function, not just on what sounds good in theory or looks fine on paper.
• Bringing the designer, contractor, and client together early can improve communication, speed up decision-making, and create more realistic budgets.
• Value engineering is not about cutting corners. It is about spending wisely and making strategic adjustments that protect the integrity of the design.
• In dry climates, xeriscaping should focus on smart plant choices and water stewardship, not simply replacing everything with rock.
• 3D renderings can be powerful tools, but homeowners should understand that mature landscapes take time to grow into the vision shown.
• Investing in professional landscape design can improve not only daily enjoyment and function, but also long-term property value.

Find Abby online at www.botanicallivingdesigns.com, and on Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This month on Down the Garden Path, Joanne welcomes five talented landscape designers, each with their own style, story, and specialty. What connects them all is a shared passion for creating beautiful, thoughtful outdoor spaces for their clients. Tune in each week in March as they share their experiences, perspectives, and the many ways landscape design can shape how we live outdoors.

In this episode, Joanne speaks with Jeff Collins of Ottawa's REWILD Landscapes about ecological landscaping, native plants, edible gardens, and outdoor spaces that support both people and wildlife.

• Jeff Collins is the owner of REWILD Landscapes, a queer-owned ecological landscaping company in Ottawa.
• Their work combines horticulture, landscape design, food security, and ecological restoration.
• Jeff's childhood experience with food insecurity strongly influenced their interest in growing food and building community through landscapes.
• They studied horticulture at Algonquin College, where they focused on urban agriculture, sustainability, and native plants.
• Their landscape philosophy centres on creating spaces that support life from the soil microbes up to people and wildlife.
• Jeff encourages homeowners to rethink the role of the front lawn, replacing it with meadows, native gardens, rain gardens, and habitat-rich planting.
• They focus primarily on native plants and also incorporate non-invasive edible plants where appropriate.
• One of their favourite plants is the pawpaw, a native fruit tree they describe as delicious and underappreciated.
• Jeff looks for plants that do more than fill space; they should also provide ecological function, food value, or habitat.
• They often replace invasive plants with alternatives that match both the look and the ecological role of the original plant.
• Examples of native replacements discussed include serviceberry, sweet crabapple, switchgrass, little bluestem, and false sorghum.
• Jeff often uses plugs instead of one-gallon nursery plants for large-scale planting projects.
• They explain that plugs are more affordable, easier to plant in large numbers, quicker to adapt to site conditions and better at forming strong root systems over time.
• While plugs require patience, Jeff believes they create a more resilient, cooperative plant community.
• They encourage clients to accept a more natural look and allow landscapes to evolve.
• A recurring theme is that larger garden beds can be lower-maintenance than tightly packed, narrow planting strips.
• Jeff challenges the common assumption that "small garden = less work."
• They emphasize that native gardens often become easier to care for as plants establish and fill in naturally.
• Joanne and Jeff discuss how homeowners often begin with hesitation, then become more engaged as they notice wildlife, seedlings, and seasonal changes.
• Jeff sees gardens as a way to rebuild a connection to nature, food, childhood memories and place. They talk about the emotional pull of foraging, berry picking, and growing food at home.
• Jeff notes that many clients are motivated not just by food prices but also by a desire for meaningful outdoor experiences.
• Their three common client groups include families with children, professionals seeking a restorative retreat at home and retirees wanting to give back and reconnect with nature.
• Water management is another major focus of Jeff's work.
• They incorporate features such as rain gardens, permeable bases and dry creek beds and deep-rooted plantings that improve infiltration.
• They explain that lawns do a poor job of recharging groundwater compared to diverse plantings with deeper roots.
• Joanne and Jeff discuss Ottawa's Rain Ready rebate program and how it helps create opportunities for stormwater-friendly landscapes.
• Jeff uses flagstone and cedar structures rather than interlock whenever possible, aligning hardscape choices with their ecological values.
• Joanne reflects on the importance of sharing knowledge among landscape designers, rather than reinventing the wheel.
• Jeff shares their experience appearing on Dragon's Den, where they pitched their business as an ecological, food-focused, inclusive landscaping company.

Takeaways and Tips

• Replace at least part of your lawn with planting that provides habitat, beauty, and ecological function.
• Do not assume a smaller garden is easier: well-sized planting beds are often lower maintenance.
• Native plants can support pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects while also reducing long-term upkeep.
• Consider adding edible plants to create a stronger personal connection to your outdoor space.
• Use rain gardens and deep-rooted plants to help manage water and reduce runoff.
• For larger naturalized projects, plugs can be a smart and affordable planting strategy.
• Be cautious about accepting shared plants from friends and neighbours, since invasive species can spread that way.
• Focus on creating a garden that invites you outside to observe, harvest, explore, and participate.
• A thoughtful design plan can save money, reduce mistakes, and help you build your landscape in phases.
• The best gardens are not just decorative; they help people feel more connected to the natural world.

Find Jeff online at www.rewildlandscapes.ca, on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This month on Down the Garden Path, Joanne welcomes five talented landscape designers, each with their own style, story, and specialty. What connects them all is a shared passion for creating beautiful, thoughtful outdoor spaces for their clients. Tune in each week in March as they share their experiences, perspectives, and the many ways landscape design can shape how we live outdoors.

This week, Joanne welcomes Rita Nugent, a landscape designer in Southern Ontario, and owner of Rita Nugent Landscape Design.

• Rita's journey from solving problems in her own garden to becoming a professional landscape designer
• How compacted soil, mature trees, pools, pets, and family life shaped her practical design philosophy
• Why Rita focuses on design-only services and how that helps homeowners stay in control of projects and budgets
• The importance of planning both hardscaping and softscaping together, rather than treating planting as an afterthought
• How thoughtful design considers entertaining space, traffic flow, privacy, recreation, and future phases of a project
• The rise of virtual landscape design and how Rita uses Dynascape, client photos, surveys, and Google Earth to make it work
• Why designers often notice bigger issues homeowners may miss, including neighbouring trees, conservation land, municipal regulations, and permit-related planting requirements
• How municipalities are increasingly focused on tree canopy, flood mitigation, and sustainable planting
• Why starting with a landscape design can help avoid costly mistakes, bylaw issues, drainage problems, and neighbour disputes
• The role of landscape designers in helping homeowners choose plants that will actually thrive, not just survive
• Why good design saves money by helping contractors quote accurately and reducing changes later
• Sustainable landscaping ideas, including enlarging garden beds, using natural mulch, amending soil, reducing unnecessary lawn, harvesting rainwater, and supporting pollinators
• Rita's insight that gardening and landscaping are "the purest form of optimism"
• The impact professional landscaping can have on property value, resale appeal, and long-term enjoyment
• Common homeowner requests such as low-maintenance gardens, privacy solutions, deer resistance, and goose deterrence
• Rita's current favourite plant choice: a unique Japanese maple, chosen for beauty and year-round enjoyment

• Start with a professional landscape plan before hiring contractors or installing patios, decks, pools, or planting beds.
• Treat the landscape as a whole system rather than separating hardscaping from planting.
• Think beyond your property line. Neighbouring trees, conservation land, drainage patterns, and bylaws can all affect your project.
• Ask about future phases of your yard so today's choices do not create tomorrow's headaches.
• Use accurate measurements and documentation to avoid design and installation mistakes.
• Consider virtual design if you live outside your designer's local area or need a more flexible process.
• Choose plants based on your site conditions, climate, and maintenance goals, not just online inspiration photos.
• Preserve and support mature trees whenever possible. They add beauty, shade, environmental value, and property value.
• Harvest rainwater and direct it into your garden, where possible, to support healthier plants and reduce runoff.
• Low-maintenance does not mean no-maintenance, but smart plant choices and proper installation can dramatically reduce the workload.
• Before digging, always arrange for utility locates through Ontario One Call
• A well-designed landscape is not just attractive. It can improve privacy, function, sustainability, resale appeal, and day-to-day enjoyment.

Find Rita online at www.ritanugentlandscapedesign.com.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This month on Down the Garden Path, Joanne welcomes five talented landscape designers, each with their own style, story, and specialty. What connects them all is a shared passion for creating beautiful, thoughtful outdoor spaces for their clients. Tune in each week in March as they share their experiences, perspectives, and the many ways landscape design can shape how we live outdoors.

This week, Joanne welcomes John Bright, a certified landscape designer in London, Ontario, and owner of BRIGHT Design Studio.

• Why landscape design matters (for homeowners)
  • John compares exterior projects to interior renovations or building a home: you wouldn't start without drawings; outdoors shouldn't be any different.
  • A plan helps homeowners avoid expensive mistakes before "dig day," especially when space is tight.
• What makes landscape design uniquely challenging
  • Designers work with living things that change over time (plant growth, seasonal interest, variability in nursery stock).
  • Outdoor spaces must function across four seasons, not just look good in summer.
  • Microclimates, soil, sun/shade, and neighbouring conditions are all part of the design reality.
• Small-space design: why it's harder than it looks
  • John's specialty is small-space landscapes, influenced by his Toronto experience and today's shrinking lots.
  • In small yards, every inch counts and being off by even a foot can ruin furniture clearances and functionality.
  • Strategy: prioritize needs vs. wants, then get creative to fit the wish list.
• How to make a small yard feel bigger
  • "Go up" with pergolas, trellises, archways, and vertical structure.
  • Use larger-format pavers and thoughtful laying patterns to change how the eye reads the space.
  • Darker fences/screens can help the background "disappear."
  • Use a few anchoring shrubs/trees and keep the plant palette simpler for a cleaner, more expansive feel.
• Why designers bring value beyond the property line
  • John and Joanne talk about "borrowed landscape" (benefiting from neighbours' trees) and the risk of relying on neighbours for privacy or shade.
  • Designers look at the whole context, including what could change next door.
• John's process and how he tailors deliverables
  • Starts with a short discovery call and then a deeper consultation on-site.
  • He adapts to how clients "receive information":
    • Technical clients: plans, CAD drawings, details/sections
    • Visual clients: concept sketches and/or 3D visuals
  • Tools: AutoCAD (plans/details), hand sketching (idea exploration), SketchUp (3D & grading/spot elevations).
• "Design in a Day" (and what it really means)
  • It's more like an accelerated intro, often 24-72 hours, depending on scope.
  • Best for smaller areas (like a front garden) and for clients who want quick concepts or a DIY jumping-off point.
  • If clients continue into a full package, the initial investment can roll forward (rather than starting over).
• Materials and palettes as part of design
  • John treats exterior materials like interior selections: coordinated colour palettes, wall stone, caps, pavers, decking options, etc.
  • Contractor preferences and client budgets shape what's realistic, but the goal is always a coherent plan.

• Treat outdoors like a renovation. If you'd never renovate a kitchen without a plan, don't rebuild a backyard without one.
• Small yards need more planning, not less. Tight spaces amplify mistakes, design prevents "we're off by a foot" problems that become expensive fixes.
• Start with needs, then earn the wants. Sorting the wish list into must-haves vs nice-to-haves makes the design process faster and smarter.
• Make small spaces feel larger with a few key moves: go vertical, simplify the plant palette, choose bigger-format hardscape materials, and use placement to guide sightlines.
• Don't borrow privacy from your neighbours. Neighbours change; trees get removed; pools get installed. Build privacy and shade into your plan when possible.
• Expect the landscape to get better with time. Planting often looks "new" at install; maturity is the real finish line.
• If you can't visualize plans, ask for the right format. Some people need detailed drawings; others need sketches or 3D. A good designer adjusts how they communicate.

You can find BRIGHT Design Studio online at www.brightds.ca and on Instagram.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne welcomes master gardener Ingrid Janssen to the podcast to discuss the inspiring work being done by Little Forests Durham, a nonprofit organization focused on planting Miyawaki mini forests throughout Durham Region.

Little Forests Durham is a volunteer-run community non-profit organization based in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada, focused on giving tools, knowledge, and support to people, communities, organizations and local authorities to plant Little Forests in their neighbourhoods and communities.

• Ingrid's background as a Durham Master Gardener, seed collector, and advocate for native trees
• How Little Forests Durham was founded in 2024 and inspired by Little Forests Kingston
• What a Miyawaki mini forest is and how the method aims to compress forest succession into 20-30 years
• Why these forests are planted using dense layers of native trees and shrubs to mimic a natural forest community
• The importance of soil preparation, including cardboard, compost, and mulch to suppress weeds and build fungal-rich soil
• How sites are chosen through collaboration with municipal staff, parks departments, and local partners
• Why publicly accessible land is a priority for Little Forests Durham projects
• The logistics behind site prep, including access for trucks, compost delivery, mulch spreading, and volunteer coordination
• How volunteers help with planting days, often in large numbers, making it possible to plant hundreds of trees and shrubs in a short time
• Why planting design still matters, even in a more naturalized system, with careful placement of canopy trees, understory trees, and shrubs
• The realities of maintenance, including weeding, invasive species removal, tree protection, fencing, and monitoring for drought
• How mini forests help address climate change by increasing biodiversity, cooling urban spaces, and creating habitat for wildlife
• The role of partnerships with organizations such as Rotary Clubs, conservation authorities, Green Communities Canada, Greenbelt Foundation, and Trees for Life
• The group's ambitious goal of planting 30 mini forests by 2030 in Durham Region
• How listeners can support the effort through volunteering, joining the team, donating, or helping bring projects to their own communities
• The idea that homeowners can create smaller-scale versions in their own yards, known as pocket forests
• Ingrid's love of native trees, with a special mention of her flowering dogwood, grown from seed she collected herself

• Mini forests do not require huge spaces. Even a small corner of a park or a backyard can support a meaningful planting.
• Native trees and shrubs matter. They support biodiversity, wildlife, and long-term ecological health.
• The Miyawaki method is about community. It brings together people, plants, fungi, wildlife, and local organizations in one shared effort.
• Good site access is essential. Successful projects need room for compost, mulch, tools, and tree delivery.
• Volunteer-friendly planning makes all the difference. Clear layouts and simple planting instructions help create a positive experience.
• Soil prep is key. Cardboard, compost, and mulch help suppress weeds and create better conditions for young trees to thrive.
• Maintenance matters. The first few years require protection from rabbits, trampling, invasive weeds, and possible drought.
• Climate action can be local. You don't have to wait for large systems to change. Communities can begin by planting trees where they live.
• Small efforts add up. Whether it is joining a planting day, donating materials, or creating a pocket forest at home, every action helps.

You can find Little Forests Durham online at www.littleforestsdurham.ca and on Instagram, and Facebook.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne welcomes Madison House of Bloomin' Easy Plants to the podcast to talk about what makes gardening feel "easy" for newer gardeners and what's new in their plant lineup this year.

Bloomin' Easy finds stronger, more compact, longer-blooming genetics (often from European breeders), then trials plants for years in Canadian conditions before they ever reach garden centres. They also build support tools around each plant, such as QR-code care reminders, an app, a 24/7 chatbot ("Ask Miss Diggs"), and even "mental reality" previews, so shoppers can feel confident choosing the right plant for the right spot. 

• What Bloomin' Easy Plants is (and who it's for): a brand built to help casual/new gardeners succeed with approachable plants and simple guidance.
• How plants get to homeowners: breeders → Bloomin' Easy trials → propagators create "baby plants" → finished container growers → local garden centres/big box stores.
• Why "grown locally" matters: plants supplied by growers near your garden centre are more likely to be adapted to your climate (better survival and performance).
• Plant genetics and long trialing: many varieties are trialed 3–10 years to confirm hardiness, disease resistance, compact habit, and flowering performance.
• Support tools for success: QR tags with care reminders, an app, "Ask Miss Diggs" chatbot (with info backed by credible sources/universities), and "see it mature" preview tech.
• Boxwood challenges and replacements: discussion of boxwood blight and boxwood tree moth concerns, plus plants that can be shaped and used as alternatives.
• New/featured plants and why they stand out:
  • Blue Box® (Rhododendron / "small-leaf rhodo") as a boxwood-like replacement with early blooms (magenta or light pink) and evergreen structure; prune right after flowering to avoid removing next year's buds.
  • Hydrangea "Bubble Bath": a compact, mophead-style look; zone 3–8, 2–3 ft tall/wide; lime-tinged blooms fading to creamy white; great in pots due to tidy shape.
  • Perennials expansion: Bloomin' Easy launched perennials about two years ago due to grower demand; perennials follow the same "compact and easy" standard.
  • "Forged by Fire" (Silene): early spring bloomer with dark foliage and bright red flowers; compact (about 12–18 in), and noted as a native option with improved garden behaviour.
  • Garden phlox varieties (e.g., Center of Attention, Confetti Cake): selected for long bloom and powdery mildew resistance in damp coastal trial conditions.
  • Rudbeckia "Solar Sisters": a standout for rich colour and season-long bloom; treated as an annual in cooler zones if it's not hardy where you live.
• Industry-side support for garden centres: in-store display materials, a pro portal for assets, and staff/customer education events at partner garden centres.
• Zones are nuanced: even within the same neighbourhood, microclimates matter; tags include temperature info to make zone guidance easier.

• "Right plant, right spot" beats "green thumb." Start with sun requirements, mature size, and your hardiness zone—most frustration comes from a mismatch, not failure.
• Buy within your zone (and your microclimate). If your yard is windy, exposed, or freeze/thaw heavy, choose hardier options or protect tender plants.
• Look for locally grown stock when possible. Plants finished by nearby growers are more likely to be tuned to your region's conditions.
• Use the tag tools. Scan QR codes for planting depth, spacing, and care reminders—especially helpful for first-timers.
• Boxwood alternative pruning tip: if you choose a spring-blooming "boxwood look-alike," prune right after it flowers so you don't remove next season's buds.
• Pot-to-ground trick for tender perennials/shrubs: enjoy them in containers, then plant them in the ground before freeze-up to overwinter (or treat as seasonal "annuals" if they're not hardy).
• When shopping, don't assume "perennial section" is hardy for you. Always check the tag for zone; some plants may be sold as seasonal colour in cooler climates.
• Find a retailer near you: Bloomin' Easy offers a retailer map on their site—use it to track down specific new varieties locally.

You can find Bloomin' Easy Plants online at www.bloomingeasyplants.com and on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In the fourth episode of Down the Garden Path's "Houseplant Chat" series, Joanne discusses the basics of fertilizing houseplants.

• When to start fertilizing
  • Wait until days are noticeably longer (sometime after daylight savings time) when plants begin active growth again.
• How to read fertilizer labels (N-P-K)
  • The three numbers represent Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K).
  • Leafy plants may benefit from higher nitrogen; flowering plants often need more phosphorus.
• Choosing an "all-purpose" fertilizer
  • Balanced blends (e.g., 10-10-10) can work for many houseplants, especially as a baseline.
• Three common fertilizer formats
  • Water-soluble liquid: mix into watering can; easy to apply while watering.
  • Granular: sprinkle on the soil surface; dissolves as you water (Joanne notes it can feel less precise).
  • Slow-release pellets: dissolve gradually; may only need reapplying every few months.
• Frequency & control
  • Liquids are immediate and routine-friendly; granular and slow-release can be less frequent but require awareness of plant needs.
• Start gently
  • Use half-strength for the first few feedings at the start of the season to ease plants in.
• Organic vs. big-box options
  • Joanne prefers organic options (often lower N-P-K numbers) and mentions the appeal of local/smaller brands, while acknowledging "use what you have" if it's already in your cupboard.
• Check expiry dates
  • Expired fertilizer is usually not harmful—just potentially less effective.
• Know your special plants
  • Spot-check care requirements for "can't-risk-it" plants: heirlooms, cuttings, orchids, sentimental favourites (she shares the example of a long-loved rubber tree).
• Homemade fertilizer recipes (with caution)
  • DIY approaches (tea/coffee grounds/fish emulsion) exist, but beginners should stick to products with known N-P-K values.

• Don't rush it: Start fertilizing when daylight increases (typically after daylight savings), not in the dead of winter.
• Half-strength first: For the first few fertilized waterings, go 50% strength to avoid shocking plants waking up from slower winter growth.
• Match fertilizer to the goal:
  • Leaf growth: consider a more nitrogen-forward option.
  • Flowering: look for a higher middle number (phosphorus).
• Pick a method you'll actually remember:
  • If you're consistent with watering, liquid can be easiest.
  • If you forget steps easily, slow-release may be safer; just add a reminder so it doesn't get missed.
• Follow the label (seriously): Package directions matter more than brand debates.
• Research your "VIP plants": If a plant is sentimental or pricey, do a quick care check so you're not guessing at feeding needs.
• Use what you have, smartly: If you find old fertilizer, check the expiry date; it may still work, just a bit weaker.
• Keep it measurable: If you're newer to houseplants, prioritize fertilizers with clear N-P-K numbers over DIY mixes until you've got a baseline routine.

Getting the Light Right

Soil and Watering Tips

Propagation Made Simple

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In the third episode of Down the Garden Path's "Houseplant Chat" series, Joanne discusses propagation, a simple and rewarding way to expand your plant collection.

• Quick recap of Houseplant Chat #1 and #2: winter light, soil refresh/repotting, and watering
• What propagation is (and why it's easier than starting from seed)
• Best beginner-friendly plants to propagate: pothos and philodendrons
• Fixing a long, "leggy" trailing plant by trimming and replanting rooted cuttings back into the base to fill it out
• How to take cuttings: clean tools, cut around leaf nodes, and root in water
• How long rooting can take (and why patience pays off, especially for woodier plants)
• "Mother plant" strategy: pruning the original plant and using the cuttings to rebuild a fuller shape
• Gift and budget-friendly uses: making plants to share, sell, or give as gifts
• A reminder that plants are more resilient than we think, and even cut stems can be decorative in water
• Using propagation as décor: greenery in vases for low-light areas and windowless rooms

• Start with easy wins: pothos and philodendrons root quickly and are beginner-proof.
• Always cut near a node: that's where roots are most likely to form.
• Use clean, sharp tools: cleaner cuts make for healthier cuttings.
• Re-fill leggy plants: root cuttings, then plant them back into the pot to thicken the base and make the plant look brand new.
• Don't panic if something snaps off: trim it neatly, pop it in water, and see what happens.
• Water propagation can double as décor: a vase of cuttings adds life to dark corners, and you can pot them up later.
• Expect slower rooting on woody plants: they can still work, but they take longer.
• Experiment without fear: some cuttings won't take (and that's okay) because the learning is part of the fun.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In the second episode of Down the Garden Path's "Houseplant Chat" series, Joanne focuses on soil and watering techniques during the winter months.

• Joanne emphasizes the vital role that soil plays in the health of our houseplants.
• Steer clear of potting soils with added fertilizers or unnecessary ingredients, as houseplants generally do not require fertilization during this period.
• Instead, opt for a basic, nutrient-rich potting mix that supports healthy growth without overwhelming your plants.
• For those with existing plants, it's essential to check if they need repotting. Signs include roots sticking up in the pot, visible roots at the bottom, or soil that dries out quickly after watering.
• When repotting, Joanne suggests using a pot that is one size larger than the current one, as jumping too many sizes can lead to overwatering issues.
• The pot-in-pot method is a practical solution for those who struggle with overwatering. By placing a smaller, drainage-friendly pot inside a decorative pot, you can monitor how much water your plant is receiving. If water collects in the bottom, simply remove the inner pot, dump any excess water, and replace it. This method not only protects your plants but also prevents them from sitting in standing water, which can lead to root rot.
• Joanne shares her experience as a chronic overwaterer, noting that it's common to either neglect plants or drown them with too much water.
• She advises checking the soil moisture before watering, suggesting using a water meter for peace of mind.

• Assess whether your plants need repotting based on visible root growth and soil absorption.
• Consider using the pot-in-pot method to prevent overwatering and maintain healthy roots.
• Use a water meter to accurately gauge soil moisture before watering.
• Choose a quality potting soil without excess additives, especially in winter.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne kicks off the 12th season of the Down the Garden Path podcast with the first episode in her "Houseplant Chat" series: Getting the Light Right.

• Joanne emphasizes the importance of light for houseplants, especially in January, and shares practical tips for ensuring plants receive adequate light.
• She discusses her personal experiences with moving plants around her home to optimize their light exposure and highlights specific plants that thrive in low-light conditions, such as the ZZ plant and snake plant.
• Joanne addresses the importance of keeping plant leaves clean to enhance light absorption, suggesting simple methods for dusting leaves.
• She introduces the concept of grow lights, explaining how modern options have evolved to be more aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly, often featuring timers for convenience.

• Consider the light your plants are getting during winter.
• Moving plants around can help them get more light.
• Dusting leaves improves light absorption for better health.
• Grow lights have evolved to be more user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
• Using a timer for grow lights simplifies plant care.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne welcomes horticulturist Stephen Biggs back to the podcast to talk about his latest project, the newly expanded Canada Gardener's Journal.

About Steven  

Steven was recognized by Garden Making magazine as one of the "green gang" making a difference in Canadian horticulture. His home-garden experiments span driveway straw-bale gardens, a rooftop kitchen garden, fruit plantings, and an edible-themed front yard. He's a horticulturist, award-winning broadcaster and author, and former horticulture instructor with George Brown and Durham Colleges in Ontario, Canada. His other books include Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, Grow Lemons Where You Think You Can't, Growing Figs in Cold Climates, Grow Figs Where You Think You Can't, and No-Guff Gardening, available at foodgardenlife.com.

• Started 34 years ago by Margaret Bennett Alder
• Inspired by her father's paper booklets he used to manage tasks and meds
• Margaret used the format to track garden tasks, neat plant sources, and observations
• First year: ~50 copies printed; grew to 500 the next year
• By the 25th edition (2017), and her retirement at age 90, over 18,000 copies sold
• Margaret passed away at 98; the journal is part of her gardening legacy

• Originally the Toronto Gardener's Journal, then the Toronto & Golden Horseshoe Gardener's Journal
• Taken over by Helen and Sarah Battersby (TorontoGardens.com), who expanded its geographic scope and won awards
• Now passed to Stephen, who has turned it into Canada's Gardener's Journal

• Now Canada-wide and bilingual, with information relevant across the country
• Includes average first and last frost dates using the most recent Environment Canada data
• Expanded sources list featuring Canadian suppliers that ship across the country (seeds, nursery stock, etc.)
• Ongoing plan to update sources as new nurseries and seed companies are suggested

• Old version: weekly tasks tied to the Toronto area and similar zones
• New version: season-based task lists (spring, summer, fall, winter)
  • Includes outdoor tasks and indoor prep (seed starting, planning, etc.)
• Better suited to different climates and zones across Canada (and similar U.S. regions)

• Previously: a dated, year-specific planner (e.g., 2024, 2025) with fixed calendar weeks
• Now: a perpetual, undated week-by-week layout
  • Gardeners can start using it at any point in the year
  • Can stretch use over more than one year if desired
  • Focuses on periods of active gardening rather than wasting pages in off-months

• Designed by a gardener for gardeners—light on theory, heavy on practical prompts
• Space for gardeners to record:
• What they planted and when
• Weather patterns and unusual seasons
• Successes, failures, and plant sources
• Acts as both a planner and a historical record for future decision-making

• Memory is unreliable: gardeners quickly forget how wet/cool or hot/dry a season actually was
• Notes and photos together help explain:
  • Why certain plants thrived or struggled
  • How changing climate and shifting zones affect timing and plant choices
• Useful for:
  • Answering client questions (for designers like Joanne)
  • Tracking long-term trends in weather and performance
  • Diagnosing issues (e.g., why tomatoes didn't ripen as usual)

• Growing zones and frost patterns are shifting with climate change
• The journal uses the latest Environment Canada frost-date data
• Stephen expects ongoing updates in future editions as data and climate continue to change
• Honouring Founder Margaret Bennett Alder
• Margaret was passionate about a plant-based diet, which she linked to her longevity
• The journal has long included pages of her favourite plant-based resources
• Stephen has expanded this section with new Canadian sources in her honour

• Price: $19.95 – positioned as an affordable gift or stocking stuffer
• Available via foodgardenlife.com under the books section
• Some specialty garden retailers carry it; retailers are listed on the website
• Stephen encourages buyers (especially Christmas shoppers) to email him via the site if they're unsure about shipping timelines
• Although now truly Canada-wide, gardeners in northern U.S. border states with similar zones may also find it very useful

Check out Stephen's books and Canada's Gardener's Journal on foodgardenlife.com. You can also find @foodgardenlife on YouTube.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon. Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on the podcast, Joanne discusses soil testing with The Hobby Homestead's Amy Ellard-Gray, who grows 75% of her family's fruits and vegetables in her Guelph backyard. 

About Amy

Amy runs The Hobby Homestead in suburban Guelph, where she cultivates over 100 varieties of native plants to support the local ecosystem. Through her YouTube channel, Instagram, website, and in-person consultations, she helps people design and troubleshoot their own food-growing spaces. Her mantra, "growing food in harmony with nature," guides everything she does, from tending soil life to welcoming wildlife into the garden.

Topics discussed in this episode:

"How much compost is too much?"

• Amy questioned the popular "just pile on compost" / no-dig approach (e.g., growing directly in municipal compost).
• After consulting an agronomist, she learned you can overdo compost, especially because compost often has high soluble salts that can stress plants.
• General rule of thumb from the agronomist: for established beds, about ½ inch (1 cm) of compost as a top-dressing per year is usually enough, but every garden is different.

Why test compost and soil?

• Amy now plans to lab-test her own compost (about $20) for salts and nutrients before using it widely.
• Lab tests are often similar in price to store-bought kits and usually include a quick consult to interpret results.
• Soil tests are especially valuable for:
  • New builds or new-to-you properties.
  • High-value plants (e.g., Japanese maples, fruit trees).
  • Chronic problem areas like failing lawns or veggie beds.

Home test kits vs lab tests

• Simple garden-center test kits can be unreliable, especially if old or poorly stored.
• Nitrogen is hard to test accurately because it changes quickly in the soil; even lab reports often base nitrogen recommendations on plant symptoms, not just numbers.
• Labs can tailor tests to what you're growing (lawn, ornamentals, vegetables, etc.).

pH: the quiet troublemaker

• Amy's big lesson: pH controls nutrient availability.
  • Low pH can lock up phosphorus.
  • High pH (common in parts of Ontario) ties up iron, manganese, and zinc.
• Just adding fertilizer won't help if pH is off and plants can't actually access those nutrients.
• Raising pH with lime is relatively straightforward; lowering pH (for blueberries/azaleas) is hard, requires repeated sulfur, and soil tends to drift back—Amy has nearly given up on blueberries because of this.

Choosing soil: bulk vs bags, municipal compost

• Amy strongly prefers high-quality bulk triple mix from a trusted supplier (often with nutrient analysis available).
• She's wary of:
  • Bagged soil/compost of unknown origin, age, and quality.
  • Municipal compost giveaways, due to uncertain inputs (treated lawns, herbicides, diseased plants) and inconsistent processing.
• Leftover bulk soil gets used in pots, extra beds, or stored for future top-ups—she never feels like she has "too much soil."

Building and maintaining soil in raised beds & pots

• Raised beds: start with good triple mix, then top up yearly with a thin layer of compost and mulch (leaves, straw, chop-and-drop).
• Containers: use potting mix or triple mix plus perlite for drainage; reuse soil but amend and top up rather than dumping it every year.
• She only uses extra fertilizer (like fish emulsion) when pushing density in containers (e.g., many beets in a small pot).

Rotation, disease, and "messy" gardens

• Classic crop rotation is more critical at farm scale; in small backyards, many diseases are airborne, so simply shifting crops a few feet often doesn't prevent them.
• Rotation still matters for certain soil-borne diseases (Amy rotated tomatoes after Alternaria collar rot), but it's not the magic solution some make it out to be.
• Leaving more plant material, leaves, and roots in place supports soil life and natural pest-predator balance, instead of resetting everything with a "clean" fall garden.

Amy's message for gardeners

• Shift your mindset from "feeding the plants" to "feeding the soil."
• Healthy, living soil is what ultimately feeds healthy, productive plants.

Find The Hobby Homestead at www.thehobbyhomestead.com and on Instagram and YouTube.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more. 

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can also catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne shares her passion for indoor gardening with practical winter houseplant care tips and a reminder that there's always something new to learn and grow.

Topics discussed:

1. From Annuals to Houseplants

• It's time to turn your attention to houseplants as gardening shifts indoors.
• Don't rush out to buy new plants: friends and family often have extras or cuttings to share.

2. Winter Care Basics

• During shorter days and lower light levels, houseplants slow down their growth.
• Do not fertilize in winter; they're not actively growing.
• Keep watering moderately: it's better to underwater than overwater.
• Use a moisture meter or finger test to check the soil before watering.

3. Refresh and Repot

• Check plants for dryness, dust, or signs they've outgrown their pots.
• Wipe dusty leaves with a damp cloth to help them absorb light.
• Consider repotting if roots are showing through the drainage holes.
• Use potting soil, not garden soil, and choose soil types suited to plant varieties (succulents, orchids, etc.).
• Avoid decorative pots without drainage for valuable plants.

4. Easy Propagation and Gift Ideas

• Take cuttings from plants like pothos, philodendron, and peperomia.
• Start them in water using clear containers to monitor root growth.
• Plant swaps are a fun and inexpensive way to expand your collection.
• Propagated plants make meaningful, affordable holiday gifts.

5. Learning and Experimenting

• Joanne shares her experiences with low-maintenance plants (snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos).
• Recently inspired to try more demanding varieties like Alocasia.
• Discusses challenges like insect issues and learning about proper soil mixes.

6. The Joy and Benefits of Houseplants

• Houseplants add life, colour, and calm to indoor spaces during the winter.
• Handling soil can improve mood and mental health.
• Every room benefits from having at least one plant.
• Notes the outdated NASA air-purifying study—plants don't clean air significantly but do add humidity and beauty.

Resources Mentioned in the Show: Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with me on my website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne welcomes Ellen Zachos, author of 11 books on plants, including her latest, Mythic Plants: Potions and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods.

About Ellen

A Harvard graduate, Ellen's first career was on Broadway (Les Miz), but the gift of a peace lily on opening night opened her eyes to the wonderful world of plants. Ellen taught at the New York Botanical Garden for many years and also served as Coordinator of the Gardening Department in Continuing Ed, before moving to Santa Fe, NM. She was named a Great American Gardener by the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Her 11th book, Mythic Plants: Potions & Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods, was published this year.

Inspiration & Research

• Grew from Ellen's Greek heritage and lifelong love of mythology and plants.
• Greek mythology felt personally significant; she wasn't drawn to Norse or Indian myths.
• Extensive research across historical texts; citations couldn't fit in the print book, but are available online.

Plant Stories & Mythology Connections

• Nepenthe (Poppy):
  • In Homer's Odyssey, Helen of Troy prepared Nepenthe—an "anti-sorrow" drink of wine and opium poppy.
  • Calmed grief temporarily. Linnaeus later named the tropical pitcher plant Nepenthes after this myth, believing its beauty could lift sorrow.

• Moly (Snowdrop):
  • Hermes gave Odysseus "Moly" to protect him from Circe's spells.
  • Described as a plant with black roots and white flowers—likely the snowdrop (Galanthus).
  • Contains galantamine, which counters hallucinations—aligning with the myth's antidote effect.
  • Modern research explores galantamine for Alzheimer's treatment.

• Fig:
  • Valued food in ancient Greece, consumed fresh or dried before refrigeration existed.
  • Special laws governed fig harvesting; penalties for theft were severe.
  • Ancient figs required complex pollination (caprification).
  • Some myths surrounding figs are notably "saucy."

• Pine Tree:
  • Associated with violent origin myths, but also practical uses.
  • Pine nuts were a staple food; pine resin sealed wine vessels, the origin of Retsina wine.
  • Modern Retsina has a milder pine flavour, enjoyed especially in Greek summer settings.

• Aconitum (Monkshood):
  • Misunderstood as poisonous to touch—false. Dangerous only if ingested.
  • Blooms beautifully when few others do; it is resistant to deer and rabbits.
  • Ellen wishes for a "Plant Mythbusters" show to debunk misinformation about plant toxicity.
• Daffodil (Narcissus):
  • Linked to the myth of Narcissus falling in love with his reflection.
  • Also central to the Persephone story, Zeus created a daffodil to lure her before Hades abducted her.
  • Explains the origin of winter and spring cycles through Demeter's grief and renewal.

Themes & Insights

• Plants in Greek mythology were deeply symbolic, medicinal, and magical.
• Many ancient uses align with modern scientific knowledge.
• The book groups plants thematically into short, easy-to-read chapters, ideal for bedtime or book clubs.
• Appeals to gardeners, historians, herbalists, and mythology enthusiasts.

Ellen's Life & Work Today

• Now based in Santa Fe with a small, fully edible garden.
• Enjoys discovering new drought-tolerant plants in a vastly different climate.
• Former rooftop gardener in New York City; designed and maintained terrace gardens.
• Also teaches and speaks across the U.S.—including the upcoming Herb Society of America Conference in Texas (April).
• Other popular books: How to Forage for Wild Foods Without Dying, Backyard Foraging, The Wildcrafted Cocktail, The Forager's Pantry.
• Advocates for safe, informed foraging and appreciation of wild edibles.
• Mythic Plants features beautiful botanical illustrations by Lisel Ashlock.

Mythic Plants makes a great gift and is available on Amazon! Find Ellen Zachos on Instagram.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on the podcast, Joanne welcomes Brandie, the Suburban Gardenista, an avid gardener passionate about supporting pollinators with native plants.

Brandie is Pollinator Stewardship Certified by Pollinator Partnership Canada and loves sharing her learnings through podcasts, workshops, and social media. 

You can find her online on YouTube and Instagram @thesuburbangardenista.

Brandie's Gardening Journey

• Began gardening ~20 years ago after moving into a home with no plants
• Inspired by her mother's lush gardens
• Discovered native plants through growing Obedient Plant — her "gateway" plant
• Realized the importance of planting natives to support local ecosystems and pollinators
• Certified through Pollinator Partnership Canada (Pollinator Stewardship Certification)
• Shares gardening insights via YouTube, Instagram, and workshops

Native vs. Non-Native Plants

• Native plants provide critical support for specialist pollinators (those reliant on specific species)
• Non-natives mainly support generalist pollinators
• Balance between natives, non-natives, and invasives is key
• Common aggressive natives: Canada Anemone, Obedient Plant, Common Milkweed
• Alternatives like Butterfly Milkweed and Swamp Milkweed are more contained

Managing Aggressive or Invasive Species

• Important to research before planting
• Remove known invasives such as English Ivy, Vinca/Periwinkle, Lily of the Valley
• Learn plant behaviour (spreading, seeding, etc.) before adding to the garden

Designing with Natives in Small Spaces

• Small gardens can host a wide variety (Brandie has 70+ species)
• Focus on the right plant, right place, rather than "low maintenance" alone
• Use design creativity: logs, natural materials, and container plants to fill early gaps

Community and Education

• Shares excess seedlings with neighbours; encourages community planting
• Label plants with signs to spark curiosity and conversation
• Promotes pollinator education through advocacy and her YouTube channel

Pollinator Partnership Canada Certification

• The program includes 3 components:
  1. Education: 8 in-depth classes
  2. Habitat Creation: Build pollinator-supportive space
  3. Advocacy: Share learnings through outreach (e.g., YouTube video)
• Highly recommended by Brandie; new cohorts start in February
• Includes regional eco-guides and plant-pollinator charts

YouTube & Monthly Garden Tours

• Started in 2020 to document native garden progress
• Monthly updates show plants' life cycles and seasonal variations
• Helps gardeners identify seedlings and avoid weeding out young natives
• Encourages patience and learning through real-life, imperfect gardening videos

Key Takeaways

• Start small—one native plant at a time
• Do research: focus on scientific names, avoid hybrids if aiming for ecological impact
• Natives can thrive in containers and urban spaces
• Real gardens are messy, evolving, and full of learning opportunities
• Supporting native pollinators starts with curiosity and one plant

Brandie's Favourite Natives

• Obedient Plant (despite its unruly habits)
• Swamp Milkweed – fragrant and pollinator-friendly
• Eastern Redbud Tree – long-term vision for beauty and ecosystem support

How to Support Pollinators

• "Start with one plant. Once you see the pollinators arrive, you'll be hooked."
• Gardening with natives isn't about perfection—it's about participation in the ecosystem.

Native Plant Resources Mentioned

• Books:
  • A Garden for the Rusty Patched Bumblebee 
  • Gardener's Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region
• Online Resource:
  • Rick Gray's interactive North American map of native plant sources
• Organizations: Pollinator Partnership Canada

Please let me know what other topics you would like me to discuss.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with me on my website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

If your summer containers still look surprisingly lush, don't toss them out just yet. This week on the podcast, Joanne discusses how, with a little care, you can enjoy them again next year.

Topics discussed:

• Many annuals are still looking great in mid-October — don't toss them yet!
• You can successfully overwinter several annuals to save money and enjoy them again next year.
• There's no single foolproof method; success depends on the type of plant, growing conditions, and care.
• Joanne shares three main methods: bringing the whole plant indoors, taking cuttings, and storing tubers.

Method 1: Bring the Whole Plant Indoors (Treat as a Houseplant)

• Works well for mixed containers where some plants still look healthy.
• Steps:
  • Scoop out healthy plants, repot in fresh soil.
  • Use a tray or boot tray with gravel to create humidity.
  • Lightly water (avoid soggy soil).
  • Treat with Safer's insecticidal soap, diatomaceous earth, or Bios Nutrients herbal plant soap to remove insects.
  • Keep in a cool location with indirect light (e.g., basement or bright garage that doesn't freeze).
  • Reduce watering through winter; keep soil barely moist.
  • Trim plants back slightly.
  • Begin fertilizing lightly again as days lengthen (Feb–March).

Examples:

• Coleus
• Geraniums (Pelargoniums)
• Million Bells (Calibrachoa) — heavy feeders; need more light

Method 2: Take Cuttings

• Ideal for plants like Coleus, Cigar Plant (Cuphea ignea), Geraniums, and others with soft stems.
• Process:
  • Take small cuttings (3–4 inches).
  • Remove lower leaves.
  • Root in water until roots form.
  • Pot rooted cuttings in small pots (3-inch) with fresh soil.
  • Use Ziploc bags or plastic covers to maintain humidity if needed.
  • Grow under indirect light or with grow lights.
• Benefits:
  • Saves space compared to bringing in full plants.
  • Allows propagation of multiple new plants.

Method 3: Save Tubers (Overwinter Dormant)

• Best for plants like Tuberous Begonias, Canna Lilies, and Dahlias.
• Steps:
  • Let the plant naturally die back (reduce watering).
  • After foliage dries up, gently remove tubers from soil.
  • Do not wash — just brush off soil and roots.
  • Allow to dry completely.
  • Store in paper bags, cardboard boxes, or vermiculite/newspaper.
  • Keep in a cool, dark, dry location all winter.
  • In late February/March, inspect tubers for rot or mildew.
  • Pot them up with fresh soil and water lightly until new growth appears.

General Tips & Insights

• This process helps extend your garden budget and reduce spring costs.
• Overwintering annuals is an experiment — expect variable results.
• Minimal maintenance: check occasionally for dryness or rot.
• Grow lights can improve success, especially for tropical plants.
• Try both full-plant and cutting methods to compare results.
• Share propagated plants with friends and neighbours!
• Think ahead when choosing annuals next spring — pick varieties worth saving.

Final Thoughts

• Overwintering annuals is low-cost and low-risk — a great winter experiment.
• Use it as a way to stay connected to your garden through the cold months.
• Even if you missed the window this year, plan to try it next fall.
• The reward: saving money, learning new skills, and keeping your garden thriving year after year.

Resources Mentioned in the Show:

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Please let me know what other topics you would like me to discuss.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with me on my website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on the podcast, Joanne discusses the importance of watering your trees and evergreens throughout October and November.

Topics discussed:

• This summer was the driest summer on record, with only 96 millimetres of rain
• Although 2024 had more rain, half of it came in a single storm: our rainfall patterns are inconsistent and insufficient
• By late July or early August, many people give up on watering their gardens and lawns due to the dry conditions
• Water trees, especially a the drip line rather than just the trunk, once or twice a week until the ground freezes
• Consider using tree bags for young trees to provide slow, consistent watering
• Provide winter protection for Japanese maples by staking and wrapping with burlap
• Pool owners, pay special attention to the trees surrounding your pool, as there is generally not a lot of space between the pool patio and the garden, and the trees take a lot of abuse
• While many people may not consider it their responsibility to water city trees, doing so benefits the entire community
• How to water trees effectively, including targeting the drip line and using tree bags for young trees
• Evergreens and ornamental trees need to be watered well before winter, as they may not show signs of stress until it's too late
• Be proactive in caring for your trees: the investment in water is worth it for the long-term health and beauty of the trees in your yard

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Please let me know what other topics you would like me to discuss.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with me on my website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this encore presentation of October in the Garden, Joanne Shaw reviews some of the tasks you can do this month, but don't worry, it's not as labour-intensive as you think!

Tasks you can do this month:

Vegetable Gardens

• Clean up and remove the old stems of your tomato or pepper plants that have stopped producing.
• Sow cool-weather plants like lettuce and some spinach: they grow better in the shoulder seasons, late spring /early summer or fall.
• Buy plants at a garden centre or start seeds and sow them right into the garden.
• Top up the vegetable garden with some compost or manure to get ahead of next year.
• Take pictures so you know where plants are because next year you may need to put things in different places.
• Plant a cover crop.

Containers

• If you want to take advantage of the nice weather at the beginning of October, take your vegetables out of their containers and pop in an aster.

Annuals and Perennials

• Annuals: With no frost anytime soon, annuals are probably still doing okay. They may be a little bit leggy or sad-looking. Perk them up with water and fertilizer.
• Perennials: No need to cut them back. You can do some deadheading if things are really looking brown and not necessarily attractive.

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

• Trees:
  • It is important to water deciduous trees, especially young ones, certainly ones that you just planted this year.
  • Water them deeply every week.
• Evergreen shrubs:
  • Enjoy the fall colour and shape of your shrubs. Cutting them back now is not necessary.
  • Keep newly planted shrubs well-watered. They need some extra time to get established. Being in a drought situation as they go into dormancy in winter is never a good thing.

Seeds and Bulbs

• It's a good time to buy and plant your garlic.
• Spring bulbs: find and buy bulbs – just don't plant them until the end of October, or the beginning of November!
• I recommend not planting tulips, but instead looking at the interesting varieties of daffodils or alliums
• Daffodils and alliums are poisonous to squirrels and other rodents, so they will leave them alone.

Lawn Care

• Time to apply fall fertilizer.
• Pay attention to the weeds, especially crabgrass which is prolific this time of year
• Apply corn gluten to act as a preemergent, preventing the weed seeds from germinating. It's best to apply during spring and fall.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Please let me know what other topics you would like me to discuss.

Email your questions and comments to downthegardenpathpodcast@hotmail.com, or connect with me on my website: down2earth.ca

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this encore episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne discusses how to extend the blooming season in your garden by adding asters.

Topics covered in this week's episode:

• Gardens don't have to stop blooming in September. We can extend the season to October and November.
• It's very important to have because the pollinators still need something blooming.
• There are over 30 different species of asters.
• They have a huge variety of growing conditions, so there is an aster for whatever challenging growing condition you have.

Here are the five asters discussed:

• New England Aster, Symphyotrichum nova-angliae
  • The showiest, and likely the one you're most familiar with
  • Native to most U.S. states and provinces
  • It is large and very showy, with a bright, cozy blue flower with a yellow centre
  • The leaves on the stem are densely arranged on the stem
  • Prefer soil moist and they can grow in part shade
  • One of the larger varieties: up to six feet tall
    
• Whitewood Aster Eurybia divaricata
  • Delicate looking flowers
  • Grows in dry shade which means it makes a wonderful addition to the shade garden
  • Not super showy like most shade plants
  • Found in Ontario in dry, deciduous forests
  • So that's exactly what we want in our garden. If you have maple trees, pine trees, or something like that where the soil underneath is very dry and it's very shady, then this is something worth giving a try to
  • Only gets two to three feet tall
    
    
• Smooth Aster Symphyotrichum laeve
  • Similar to the New England Aster, it has leaves that are very smooth, lavender and blue
  • Has a daisy-type flower with a yellow centre
  • Blooms from August to October
  • A huge pollinator for butterflies and a larval host for the pearl crescent butterfly
    
    
• Heart leaf Aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium
  • Lavender to light blue
  • It is one of the latest ones to bloom and actually goes into November
  • An excellent pollinator for butterflies and bees at late in the season
  • Spreads slowly by rhizomes and it lightly self-seeds
  • Two to three feet tall, sandy to loam soil, and part shade to full shade
    
    
• Panicled Aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum
  • This one blooms with sprays of white flowers, open spreading form, so also known as floppy
  • Best grown with other plants to kind of support it
  • If you already have a native garden, or if you're planting a native garden with other large tall plants, then this could be an addition if you want that
  • Prefers moist soil, but it likes full sun
    
    
• You can purchase seeds from Wildflower Farm and you can again, sprinkle them or plant them in your garden this fall
• You can also start them like you normally would do if you wanted them to grow in February/March under lights and go through that type of thing indoors and then put them out next year

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Fall Mums and Asters

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more. Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne welcomes Aaron Deacon from BIOS Nutrients back to the podcast to discuss the newest addition to his product line, a game-changing plant fertilizer in collaboration with Ryzome and the ZooShare Cooperative.

You can learn more about Aaron and BIOS Nutrients here.

Natural Fertilizer Innovation and Philosophy

• Aaron started BIOS Nutrients five years ago after being laid off during COVID, initially focusing on making natural fertilizers and pesticides for cannabis growing.
• Expanded from houseplants to gardening and commercial growing, developing a commercially registered liquid fertilizer made from food waste.
• Aaron explained his fermentation-based approach to creating fertilizers, which mimics natural soil decomposition processes and emphasizes the importance of microbial diversity in soil health.
• Healthy soil is more important than new soil, and local organic compost is crucial in building soil ecosystems that are adapted to specific local conditions.

BIOS + Rysome New Plant Fertilizer

• BIOS Nutrients has a new partnership with Lexi, who runs Rysome, a company that repurposes construction waste into plant fertilizers. Together, they developed a new liquid fertilizer that provides immediate nutrient availability, unlike their original dry formulation.
• BIOS Nutrients' collaboration with the Toronto Zoo's digester facility, which processes food waste into a fertilizer byproduct
• The development and testing of the new liquid plant fertilizer, "BIOS +Rysome," which has shown promising results with soybean farmers.
• The challenges of transitioning from synthetic to natural fertilizers, and the need for education and practical solutions for farmers.
• The importance of soil health and the use of cover crops like clover for nutrient replenishment.
• Aaron's shift from focusing on indoor cannabis growing to outdoor agriculture and houseplants was driven by a passion for teaching others about sustainable soil practices.

Natural Gardening Solutions with Yucca

• The benefits and uses of yucca extract and plant soap for gardening.
• Yucca extract is a natural soil rehydrator and wetting agent that can improve the effectiveness of fertilizers and pesticides by lowering surface tension.
• Plant soap made from deep-fried herbs in canola oil serves as an insecticidal soap and fungicide. Aaron recommended the plant soap for pest control while cautioning about its high pH and proper use.

Natural Gardening Products

• The benefits and affordability of natural gardening products, particularly liquid fertilizers and sulphur-based products.
• BIOS Nutrients has plans to offer commercial-sized liquid fertilizers in various volumes and Aaron highlighted the advantages of their sulphur product, which is more environmentally friendly and effective than traditional lime sulphur solutions.
• Aaron shared tips on cost-effective soil building using natural and free resources.

Plant-Based Packaging and Shipping Challenges

• Aaron explained that shipping costs and environmental concerns led them to focus on selling concentrates rather than premixed products.
• Sustainable packaging options, including aluminum and glass, and the challenges of recycling.

Sheridan Nurseries Product Expansion

• Aaron discussed his journey of getting BIOS Nutrients products into Sheridan Nurseries, a major gardening retailer in Ontario. His company's products, including plant soap, yucca, liquid and dry fertilizers, are now stocked in all seven of their locations.

Order from BIOS Nutrients online at www.biosnutrients.ca

Find BIOS Nutrients on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

Listen to Aaron's previous appearance on the Down the Garden Path Podcast here.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon. 

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne Shaw discusses rain garden design with Michael Albanese, owner of AVESI Stormwater and Landscape Solutions and author of The Modern Rain Garden: Scrape, Shape and Plant.

About the Book: The Modern Rain Garden: Scrape, Shape, and Plant 

The updated and expanded second edition for 2025 builds off the amazing success of the original release of Modern Rain Garden. As a professional rain garden builder, Michael gives an in-depth account of his experience designing, building, and managing rain gardens over the past 15 years. Readers will feel empowered to take ownership of their rain gardens so decisions can be made with confidence. The second edition also covers more topics and goes deeper into why and how the Scrape, Shape, and Plant method is one that lets nature do the work. This method has evolved by regularly assessing what's essential, effective, and improvable -- prioritizing simplicity over complexity.

Rain Garden Design and Benefits

• Michael explained his approach to rain garden design, emphasizing the importance of shaping the landscape to create a water-absorbing vessel rather than focusing solely on plant selection.
• Rain gardens can solve specific problems like water pooling; they also offer environmental benefits by managing stormwater and promoting biodiversity.
• The potential for rain gardens to help homeowners better manage water on their properties, especially in areas with extreme weather changes.
• Rain gardens can serve both problem-solving and environmentally sustainable purposes, catering to different client needs and preferences.

Rain Garden Construction Strategies

• Strategies for managing water on residential properties, focusing on the concept of active rainfall versus inactive rainfall.
• Michael explained his approach to rain garden construction, emphasizing the "scrape and shape" method which involves minimal soil disturbance and uses existing site materials.
• He described how this method avoids the resource waste and over-engineering often seen in traditional rain garden installations.
• The challenges of planting in different soil types and the importance of allowing plants to naturally improve soil conditions over time.

Rain Garden Design and Management

• Joanne and Michael discussed rain garden design and water management in residential landscapes. Rain gardens rely on infiltration rather than pond liners; its important to use materials properly.
• The challenges with new subdivisions where shared drainage systems can cause issues if not properly managed.
• The misconceptions about rain gardens and native plants.
• Rain gardens are typically dry and do not require water-loving plants, contrary to popular belief.
• The importance of proper maintenance and the challenges of using native plants, including issues with invasiveness and the need for regular care.

The Modern Rain Garden

• Michael discussed his journey of writing a book on rain gardens, sharing insights from his experience and the evolution of the second edition, which is more comprehensive with additional photos and content.

Landscaping Challenges and Solutions

• The challenges with new residential developments in areas like Brooklyn, where clay soil and tight spaces make landscaping difficult, and Joanne shared that she recently installed irrigation at her own property to manage water flow more effectively.

Landscape Contractor Oversight Challenges

• Joanne shared her frustration with contractors bullying clients into starting landscape projects without proper planning, leading to disappointed homeowners and suboptimal results. She emphasized the importance of design and proper execution, highlighting cases where clients regretted not having a detailed plan.
• Michael agreed, noting that post-planting management is crucial for a design's success, and shared a challenging case where neglect led to the failure of a rain garden installation.
• Both discussed the need for better contractor oversight and client education to ensure satisfaction with landscape projects.

You can find AVESI Stormwater and Landscape Solutions on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

The Modern Rain Garden: Scrape, Shape and Plant

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon. 

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this encore episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne shares tips for choosing fall mums and asters.

Topics covered in this week's episode:

• Chrysanthemums, many horticultural varieties and cultivars exist including tender florist mums (a favourite of mine because of how long they stay blooming in a vase).
• Or Garden mums, more commonly known as fall mums.
• All Chrysanthemums are native to East Asia and Northeastern Europe. They became popular in North American gardening during the early to mid-20th century.
• Overall, fall or autumn gardening in the U.S. became particularly prominent in the 1950s and 1960s. Their popularity grew thanks to their vibrant colours of mums—ranging from deep reds and oranges to yellows and purples—this made them a popular choice for fall displays.
• Their ability to bloom late into the season and withstand cooler temperatures also contributed to their popularity in autumn gardening.
• Fall mums grown for our gardens are fertilized and pruned heavily to maintain their dense growth while in containers.
• It is possible to overwinter them in the garden but without regular maintenance, they can get quite large (tall and wide over a season or two).
• You often hear of gardeners or articles mentioning mid-summer to cut back or pinch back the foliage on garden mums that are being grown in the garden to slow down their growth and size.
• If growing in the garden, they benefit from mulching to protect them from the freeze and thaw most of us experience in our Ontario gardens or gardens in zones 4-6.
• They can be prone to spider mites and aphids as well as powdery mildew. Mildew especially if they are allowed to get large in the garden and then crowd with other plants and especially when there is high humidity and/or overhead watering.
• The downside of mums:
  • As a designer, my goal is to create gardens that are all season with something happening at all times and for there really not be a need for high-maintenance annuals. I do realize that there are times and places in the yard where one might want a pop of colour -- even me!
  • Potted mums perform much better in cooler temperatures. Unfortunately, garden centres seem to start selling them earlier and earlier each season.
  • They are thirsty plants when in pots, especially in the heat.
  • If the pots aren't watered regularly they die very quickly and I think homeowners think they can revive them.
  • Once they have dried out, they are a throwaway plant. Don't get me started on the plastic waste they generate!
• A better plant option for fall: asters!
  • There are 32 different species of aster in Ontario and over 100 species in North America.
  • There is a place for one in every garden or even a pot if you choose!
  • While some pollinators might visit garden mums for pollen that is where the benefit ends.
  • Asters not only supply pollen for honeybees and native bees, they also feed adult butterflies and we all want more of those in our gardens.
  • They are host plants or over 100 species of caterpillars, nature's bird feeders. Where there are caterpillars, there will be birds!
  • You may be lucky to find New England asters in pots at your big box store.
  • They are transplantable and will overwinter in the garden.
• In addition to the New England asters, there are several other native varieties that are sold in the perennial section of your garden centres.
• There is a variety of aster for every garden.
  • New England Asters Symphyotrichum novaeangliae: (purple, light purple) Full to part sun, blooms August to October, moist average soil.
  • Swamp Aster Symphyotrichum puniceum: (purple, light purple) Full to part sun, August to October, wet garden area
  • White Wood Eurybia divaricate: Part shade to full shade, September to October and will grow in a garden from moist to dry.
  • Heart Leaf Aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium: (lavender to light blue) Part shade to full shade, September to October, medium to dry soil
• Note: It is also recommended to pinch back or cut back asters in June to prevent them from getting too big and floppy.

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon. 

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.