The Garden Shift – Details, episodes & analysis

The Garden Shift is back for 2026.

In this episode we define & explore common botanical terms used in ecology and horticulture. What is a weed? What makes a plant invasive? Is a naturalized plant bad for an ecosystem? Ryan Godfrey, Senior Conservation Research Associate Specialist at WWF Canada, makes sense of it all.

Use the chart found in this link to follow along:

https://wwf.ca/stories/botanical-terminology-invasive-ornamental-plants/

Listen in as we close the year with TMG Pat Concessi and Tena van Andel. This is a tell all- as we share real stories from our own gardens. Don't miss the last few minutes when we are joined by researcher David Lawrie from the Toronto Region and Conservation Authority- he will outline the work to create safe passage for an endagered species who you might recognize from The Garden Shift podcast cover.

https://wildones.org/about/honorary-directors/larry-weaner/

https://trca.ca/conservation/environmental-monitoring/searching-for-salamanders/

It's early August-what are you observing in your garden? Toronto Master Gardener and Native Steward Pat Concessi is my guest today. We talk caterpillars and more.

Tena Van Andel has been a Toronto Master Gardener since 2003. An amazing writer, lecturer on all things horticultural. You can find her at The Toronto Public Library, the Toronto Botanical Gardens and many private speaking engagements.

We discuss making the Shift, the myth of 'Autumn Clean Up' and starting native plants from seed.

https://landscapeontario.com/invasive-asian-jumping-worm-spotted-in-ontario

Botanist Ryan Godfrey of botanicallyspeaking.org shares insights and stories of plant relationships. He asks us to use 'botany eyes' to reframe our human relationship with plants. We cover growing in containers, where to get plants and a wild wild bee story.

Are you ready to make The Shift? Nature needs guardians and this podcast will get you inspired.

Dorte Windmuller has been gardening in Scarborough for over 15 years. Part of The Cliffcrest Butterflyway-a citizen-led group under the umbrella of the David Suzuki Foundation with the aim to bring back more bees and butterflies to our gardens, schools and public places. Listen and get inspiration on creating an oasis for wildlife by planting native.

Pollinator Garden by Dorte Windmuller for bees and birds and butterflies https://www.pollinatorgarden.ca/

www.Cliffcrestbutterflyway.com 

What’s the Rush? Doug Tallamy, Co-Founder Homegrown National Park® - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3KQW2BKtx4 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K3KQW2BKtx4

The Chelsea Chop - Credit Valley Conservation https://cvc.ca/the-garden-post/the-chelsea-chop/

Merlin Sheldrake https://www.merlinsheldrake.com/entangled-life

Do you love growing plants from seed, ever thought of starting a local native plant nursery? Sundaura Alford Purvis of A Cultivated Art in Ottawa, will tell you all about the magic of growing. We talk unsustainable horticulture practices, plant associations, the importance of wild gathered seed and so much more. This episode is jammed pack with detail- but don't worry included below are great links and resources . And who said you can't listen to the episode more than once?

A Cultivated Art - acultivatedart.com

VASCAN - data.canadensys.net

Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to do is Ask: Anishinaabe Botanical Teachings, Mary Siisip Geniusz (2015)

Plant List- see Resource Library thegardenshift.com

Toronto Master Gardener Dianne Azzarello returns to The Garden Shift. Part accidental, part luck and mostly experimental the results are a four season garden that provides a healthy amount of habitat services and a beautiful boulevard appeal. Included in this episode and found on thegardenshift.com in the Resource Library is her native plant list. Lots of easy to grow plants that you will want to know and grow.

Notes: https://onplants.ca/shop/geum-triflorum/, https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/invasive-species-awareness-initiative/

Lorraine Johnson , writer, author and Cultivation Activist. With 40 years of garden know-how Lorraine Johnson brings people together to enhance their communities.

lorrainejohnson.ca