Young birds were the highlight in the garden this week. The only birds that nest in our yard are sparrows and American Robbins. However, once baby birds leave their nests, other bird families visit our yard. It's been quite hot and humid, so there's been lots of activity at the stream too. Bees visiting New … Continue reading This week in the garden: June 19 – 25, 2022 →

This week I had more time to sit by the stream, so I took lots of photos of birds. The highlight was a small flock of Cedar Waxwings that hung around the yard eating berries and visiting the stream. Sick Swamp Milkweed plants (June 12, 2022) I continue to battle Milkweed Yellows Phytoplasma, a bacterial … Continue reading This week in the garden: June 12-18, 2022 →

I take a lot of photos of plants, insects, and birds in our garden that I post on Facebook and Instagram, but never make it to my blog. I've decided to make some "This week in the garden" blog posts to share my observations with you here. I'm starting with what I saw and posted … Continue reading Last week in the garden: June 5-11, 2022 →

"I don't know where to start." I've heard this statement many times from neighbours who stop to chat while I work in my front pollinator garden. How can I help novice gardeners get from simply being interested in having a pollinator garden to actually creating one? With this problem in mind, I made a few … Continue reading Two-and-half hour pollinator garden →

I used to think Pussy Willows were only good for branches in Easter flower arrangements. I had no idea that the grey, furry buds would become nectar-rich, pollen-covered catkins that attract many pollinators and early migratory songbirds. That was before I planted our backyard hedgerow that includes Pussy Willow shrubs in the far corner. Now, … Continue reading Pussy willows: pollinator and bird magnets →

I have a confession to make. Almost 20 years ago, I had the opportunity to add free native plants to my garden. My generous friend had let her front lawn grow out and dotted native plants within it to create a meadow. Some of her neighbours were horrified and very vocal in their condemnation. I … Continue reading Short and sweet: new sidewalk pollinator planting →

Recently I've noticed a burgeoning interest in butterfly gardening, spurred by the David Suzuki Foundation's Butterflyway Project. The goal is to create more than 1000 pollinator gardens across Canada. Several Ottawa-area Butterflyway 'Rangers' have contacted me for advice as they start planning. Here are my top tips, based on research and my experience with a … Continue reading School butterfly garden update →

Even though there were fewer butterflies in the garden in 2020 than in 2019, at least there was an interesting mix -- and even some new ones. As I grow a greater variety of native plants, I am attracting a greater variety of butterflies. White Admiral In June, a White Admiral hung around drinking nectar … Continue reading Butterfly diversity in our 2020 garden →

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 →

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 →