I'm not the only one who noticed fewer butterflies this summer. Both on Facebook and in the media, others have made the same observation. It's disappointing, but is it cause for concern? What's going on? Populations of insects do fluctuate from year to year. Since there were so many butterflies last year, perhaps this year … Continue reading Butterfly shortage →

Over the past year and a half, I've taken hundreds of pictures of flowers, insects and birds in the garden. Originally, I used the photos to record and identify wildlife. To my delight, I've also been able to capture interesting behaviours and interactions. Most of my photos just sit unorganized and unseen in electronic folders. … Continue reading More photos on Facebook and Instagram →

In 2017, before I even finished digging out the grass for our pollinator garden, I put up a pollinator habitat sign. I felt a bit strange doing something so different with our front yard, so the sign explained the method to my madness. I was pleasantly surprised when so many people stopped to talk about … Continue reading DIY plant labels →

Last summer, I began to notice more moths in the garden. Although I haven't seen any large, spectacular ones, the moths I spotted have been diverse and interesting. Some don't even look like moths. Unseen, but important pollinators Recently, UK researchers studied what plants moths visit and how they behave, compared to more well-known daytime … Continue reading Night shift: moths in the garden →

After months stuck indoors because of cold weather and then the pandemic, spring's arrival has been especially welcome this year. I've particularly enjoyed early spring bees in the garden. Like a doting godparent, I fretted, fussed, and followed them around with my camera. After all, they're daughters of last year's bees -- my old garden … Continue reading Daughters of old friends: early spring bees →

Edit: The webinar was recorded and you can watch it at the Canadian Wildlife Federation's WILD Webinars page, or on their YouTube channel. A Two-spotted Bumblebee queen visiting 'PJM' Rhododendron flowers in our backyard garden. (May 16, 2020) Had you planned to attend one of my pollinator gardening talks this spring? There were obviously all … Continue reading My Canadian Wildlife Federation webinar →

The calendar may say that it's spring, but the weather tells a different story. Today, April 9th, it actually snowed in Ottawa. While I wait for a chance to putter outside without my winter coat, I'm catching up on some reading. Soon, I'll see Hepatica blooms in the garden again (April 30, 2019). Since Christmas, … Continue reading Waiting for spring reading →

After I created our front yard pollinator garden, I realized it has one big problem -- there's no place to sit and watch the bees, birds, and butterflies. We have to stand on the driveway, or on the sidewalk a few feet from speeding traffic. I now recognize the value of seating in a garden. … Continue reading A front row seat to the garden →

Now that my seeds are organized, I know what I've got and what I need to do with them. It's time to get to work. Planting seeds indoors Even though the ground is still frozen outside, I can plant seeds inside. The Pussy Willows in our backyard are also impatient waiting for warm spring weather … Continue reading Getting my act together, part 2: stratifying and planting →

I've been growing pollinator plants from seed for four years now. I'm embarrassed to admit that my seeds and planting process are always a disorganized mess. Now that I have some unexpected, extra time on my hands, I've resolved to sort this out once and for all. A small selection of the native seed packets … Continue reading Getting my act together, part 1: organizing seeds →