All of the predictors including the Farmer’s Almanac are saying the summer ahead of us is going to be a dry one. That means we are going to have to look after watering our outdoor spaces. When it comes to watering the lawn and the garden, there are some many myths and facts floating around (pun intended) that I thought it might be time for a refresher for all of the homeowners and gardeners out there. 

The best time to water your plants and the lawn is not at dusk, it’s only at dawn. When we water at night, the leaves of the plants have less opportunity to dry off fast, promoting fungal growth in our plants. The worst offenders include powdery mildew and anthracnose, which both need damp leaves and warm temperatures to invade a garden.

The proper amount to water the yard varies because your plants all have different needs. During the cooler months, your lawn needs approximately 1” of water per week. The best way to measure this is with a rain gauge, but if you don’t have one, 20 minutes of watering from the sprinkler 3 times a week is about right. During the hot summer months, your lawn needs twice as much water. 2 inches per week in July and August is the best way to ensure your lawn stays as green as possible. There are a few plants that flower all summer, but you’ve probably noticed that you get more flowers early and again heading into fall. This is because these tend to be cooler months and there is more moisture available to the plants.

When your plants are in bloom, they often need more water, which is partly why most of our gardens are in flower in May. When it comes to the plants, most of your garden perennials need 2 inches per week. This is a general rule of thumb only! There are hundreds of varieties of plants that do very well with less water and many that require more. Your vegetable garden is a perfect example. Veggies need the most amount of water in the yard, coming in at 2.5 inches. To be successful with your tomatoes and peppers, be diligent and water often in the early morning and keep the moisture on the roots instead of the leaves.

There is one more myth I want to address. I promise, there is no such thing as sunburnt grass or plants. Watering in the full sun has been shown to have no impact on your plants. Growing up I was taught that the water droplets would act as little magnifying glasses and scorch the lawn. Even though this is a complete myth, it does serve a great purpose. We should never be watering in the full sun because it’s a waste of water. More water is evaporated when exposed to sunlight before it gets to the roots and on hot and sunny days, you need twice as much to water to care for your plants. 

The best answer, water your plants when they need it. They will give you signs of stress like brown patches, wilted leaves, and drooping flower stems. The better you pay attention…the happier your garden will be.

Have you’ve ever gotten into a gardening funk? Gone a full week without having any motivation to get outside and do yard work? With all of the hot weather happening across the country, more and more yards are starting to show some neglect as homeowners would rather be in the air conditioning than outside under the hot sun.

I am currently in one of those funks. I know that there is lots I should be doing, not just for this year but also in prep for 2023’s vegetable garden as well. Luckily for me, the lack of water in my area has slowed down a lot of the plant growth including the grass, which buys me a little extra time. Also working in my favour, I’ve been through this before and I know exactly how to get out of it. I’ve done my research on this topic and tried all of the different solutions. Here are a few that work for me.

Stop trying to do something outside. Even just taking on the small stuff tends to get me more frustrated about the bigger jobs that I should be doing. Instead, leave the property and go somewhere that has beautiful gardens that someone else is paid to take care of. I love going to parks, arbouretums, even golf clubs and see what other experts are doing in their outdoor spaces. Sometimes just being surrounded by happy and healthy plants is enough to kick start your engine.

Read books, magazines or go on gardening websites to look at pretty pictures. I am a huge fan of going onto Houzz.com and doing random searches of backyard spaces. I’ve also had a subscription to several great gardening magazines from the UK including Fine Gardening. My creative juices start to flow looking at amazing pergolas covered in wisteria or even a picture-perfect shaded space where the designer has blended plants in pockets of sunlight. I’ll also go to a bookstore and buy a bunch of magazines. There is something about sitting in the shade and looking at hi-gloss pictures that helps me love plants again.

If all else fails, start shopping for next years seeds. Sounds a bit grim already thinking about next year, but planning your new project is a great way to motivate yourself into getting some of the preparation done this year. Seeds often go on sale now so stocking up is a great way to save some money and to put a little pep back into your gardening mojo. I’ve already started getting seeds delivered to the house of some of the new tomatoes I want to grow. 

Try a few of these motivational techniques and before you know it, you’ll be excited to get back into your outdoor space. Just make sure to put on lots of sunscreen…its going to be a long summer ahead of us.

The garden shed has made an amazing transformation over the last few years. No longer are homeowners satisfied with a little wooden shed in the back corner of the yard. Sheds now have to look good, as they are becoming a focal point in our outdoor living spaces with faux finishes, painted trims and decorative window boxes!

There are two reasons why this is happening. The first, backyards are getting smaller as homes are getting bigger. The available space outside is shrinking, which means that we can’t hide our beat-up tins sheds behind a large bush anymore. The other main reason has to do with our need for more. With all of the fantastic tools, backyard games and outdoor furniture available, our need for storage has increased dramatically as we acquire more things. This means that our sheds are getting larger, making them even harder to keep discrete. 

Instead of helping my clients hide their sheds, I am bringing them front and centre. Here are two perfect examples of how sheds can be so much more in your backyard space than a spot to put the wheel barrow or the lawn mower.

Tracy’s shed

I used this saltbox roof styled shed to both anchor Tracy’s backyard, but also to hide the neighbour’s 2-storey house which towered over the back fence. The average height of a peaked roof on these new sheds is 12-15’ and by adding a pair of lattice panels topped with a decorative arbour, I was able to create instant privacy that is beautiful and functional at the same time. My favourite part of this transformation is that the shed not only holds all of the tools, but Tracy’s kids have hijacked the space as their playhouse, making it multi-purpose for the whole family.

Shoana’s shed

Shoana, like Tracy, wanted a shed at the back of her property but for a very different reason. Shoana wanted to use her shed as a backdrop for a long and linear space. With a modern aesthetic, Shoana wanted her shed to blend with the grey tones of her patio and fire pit, but also to have character and personality that is often lacking in modern design. In this case, I covered a simple asymmetrical panel shed with a stone veneer. The stone took about 5 hours to install, but completely changed the look of the shed. 

With so many ways to make your shed more than a storage space, why wouldn’t you want to make a change? Try something different this summer and make sure you send me a picture. I’d love to see what you are able to create with a little imagination.

It was about 10 years ago that real estate agents and experts starting warning homeowners about the risks of having swimming pools in the backyard and how they can lower the value of the property. Thankfully for all of us who like to take a dip in the comforts of home, this stat no longer holds water (pun intended). We now know that while some buyers prefer to not have a pool in the backyard, there is a completely separate market of ones who do.

When buying their county home, Stew and Rebecca overlooked the weeds and neglected backyard when purchasing their home because they saw the potential of the saltwater swimming pool that was already installed. They just needed to take a really BIG step towards creating the space of their dreams. In this case, this backyard just needed a really big deck to cover over absolutely everything. With all of the different elevations and slopes around the pool, there really wasn’t any useable space. Adding a massive wood deck is the easiest, and most affordable to get them enough room for lots of neighbours all summer long. 

Although adding a deck was an easy solution to many of the problems in the backyard, there were a few design elements that had to be incorporated.

First was the choice of wood. I was pretty adamant that MicroPro’s Sienna was used for a couple of reasons. Sienna wood has been endorsed by several registered environmental agencies to be safe for use in areas that include water and children’s playgrounds. I also felt that it was important for homeowners to have a pre-stained wood so that it’s easy to maintain with an application of a water repellent.

I also wanted the linear lines in the space to help make the yard feel even bigger. Too often with backyards that have pools, the pool visually dominates the area. In this situation, I wanted the deck to be prominent enough so that it wasn’t dwarfed in the yard.

Even though we went with a wood deck, it was important to have a stone coping around the edge of the pool. This bullnose coping from Rinox is perfect for getting in and out of the pool with ease and it visually creates the perfect transition between the wood and the water. 

Even if you don’t have a pool in your backyard, use some of these design principles to help make your space look bigger and last longer as well. Just replace the pool with gardens or even a lawn and the stone coping with the rounded bullnose is prefect as a transition between a deck and a garden bed.

Its officially time to prune your fruit trees! I know it seems like an odd time to be pruning your apple, pear, plum, peaches, cherries (and any fruit trees I may have missed) but the deep part of winter is the perfect time to start trimming. The reason...if you prune a fruit bearing tree when it's not dormant, the tree immediately sends growth hormones to that area to replace what was lost. Unfortunately, the new growth is in the form of suckers which are canes that grow straight up and rarely produce any fruit.

This year I have to take it one step further than just a little trim on my own trees. I unfortunately have lost a leader on one of my dwarf Empire apples. There is an incorrect belief that if you cut the tree’s central vertical stem, called the leader, the tree will stay small and more easily managed. Unfortunately, this not true. You will however end up with a poorly shaped tree that will struggle throughout its growing period to re-establish a new leader! In my case, I had the central leader of my tree split due to some severe freezing temperatures followed by unseasonably warm temperatures. There are some rules when pruning an apple tree, especially when you are doing some damage repair like I have to.

Start by removing all of the dead, damaged and diseased wood. Another benefit of pruning in the winter is that all of the trees sap, the fluid that transports nutrients from the roots to the shoots, is safely protected in the ground. If you prune in spring or even in summer, some of this sap would be lost before the tree can naturally form a scab over the cut wood.

The above-ground parts of a tree are broken down into three main components.  The trunk of the tree is the part that connects the leafy greens to the roots. Much of a tree’s stability comes from the trunk. As a tree grows and ages, the trunk gets thicker, making it structurally stronger. The leader of the tree is the top part of the trunk that grows vertically. In my case, I have to train a new branch to take over this role. Luckily, I have a branch that is already growing somewhat vertically near the centre of the tree that I am able to train into a new leader.

From the leader/trunk of the tree are the scaffold branches. These are the primary branches that form a trees canopy. When pruning these branches look to remove crossing and rubbing branches then identify the best shape for your tree and remove the small branches that form on the trunk around the desired scaffold branches. The strongest scaffold branches grow at between 45 and 60 degrees from the trunk

From the scaffold branches are the lateral branches. These are the secondary branches that grow out from the scaffold branches. Sometimes called twigs, the lateral branches of a tree support much of the leaf and fruit development.  REMEMBER!!! It is important to never remove more than 30 percent of these branches per year otherwise it will hinder the tree’s ability to replenish sap and food stores via photosynthesis.

Pruning your apple trees is never a one-and-done situation. It takes time, done over many years so be patient. As long as you give your tree time to grow in between trimmings, you can always avoid doing any serious damage. 

One of the most popular additions to the backyard is the outdoor fire pit with seating around it. Having an area for entertaining that is separate to the patio table has been featured in magazines, websites and all types of social media. Even the designs that I’ve been doing for homes in downtown areas seem to always include high-end wood or gas burning fixtures.

Before you go any further in exploring if an outdoor fireplace is right for you, check your municipal bylaws. Some areas ban outdoor burning altogether. Others allow outdoor fireplaces, but regulate the smoke to ensure that your neighbours are not disturbed. Some municipalities require that grills be in place so that these fire pits fall under barbeque laws. Just because a store in your area sells you a fireplace doesn’t mean that you can actually use it.

If however you’re like me and love the smell of burning wood, the sound of crackling logs and can spend hours watching flames and coals, then there is nothing like an outdoor wood-burning fireplace. That said, burning wood always comes with lots of risks and rewards. Live fires are unpredictable and as a result, can be dangerous if not handled properly.

When it comes to fire safety, make sure that you allow for at least 6ft. of space between the edge of the fireplace and the chairs. Sparks can easily fly from natural burning fires. If you don’t have sufficient clearance, choosing a natural gas or propane option would be a safer solution. If you do go with wood burning, then make sure you have either a source of water or a fire extinguisher nearby. 

Also consider where the best spot is for you fire pit and what surface it is going on. The best surface solution is always stone. Whether its manmade pavers, natural flagstone or even gravel, stone is perfect for dispersing heat or flying sparks. I have created fireplaces on wood decks but I always make sure that the area under and around the fire pit is either gravel or concrete. When it comes to locations, wood-burning fire pits need to be away from the house. Smoke always seems to get into open windows or patio doors. You’ll want to choose a spot that is away from large trees or anything that is burnable.

Having an outdoor fireplace can be an amazing way to spend a summer night or even host an après ski party. Just make sure you do your research first.

Want tulips or daffodils next spring?  NOW is the time to plant your bulbs.  

Here is my foolproof way to plant bulbs that will last for many years of enjoyment.

1. Choose the right bulbs! Whether you are shopping at a retail store or ordering online, make sure to look at the growing specs of all of the options. Not all tulips are the same! A few years ago I planted white tulips from big healthy looking bulbs. I didn’t realize that these tulips were giants, growing over 4’ tall. Unfortunately, I planted them in front of a basement window. (They have now been moved) 

2. Flat bottom holes work best. When planting your bulbs, I often group them in clusters in larger flat bottom holes that have good drainage. Bulbs can easily rot if they are in saturated soil. The depth of the hole should be about three times the height of the bulb. On average, I aim for 3" deep!

3. Delayed Flowering. Bulbs prefer to be planted ‘Tips Up, Roots down’. I’ve found that if you lay some bulbs on their sides, it takes them a little longer to bloom because they have to grow just a little further. This is an easy way to extend the flowering time from two weeks to three!

4. Amendments and squirrel deterrents. Often, gardeners will add fertilizers, bone meal or other products at this stage to help growth or to prevent squirrels from stealing your tubers because they don't like the smell. Even leftover chicken wire with 1 or 2” holes works well as a covering for your bulbs. After you dig the hole and put in your bulbs, cover them with the wire and then back fill with soil. The tulips have no problem growing through the mesh and the squirrels are unable to get the bulbs out from under it. 

5. Back fill and Disguise. Bury your bulbs and chicken wire with soil, being careful to not pack it down too firmly. Once this is done, spend a few minutes to disguise your planted space. Squirrels are attracted to disturbed soil because they think a rival has hidden a nut in that location. I like to add mulch to the whole bed at this point to keep the little critters guessing.

Bulbs really are the perfect way to pre-plan for an amazing spring. Whether you love them for you or looking to add a little curb appeal, do the work now and enjoy the rewards after the snow melts. Just make sure that you wait for the cooler weather…bulbs like soil that is 4C or colder. I NEVER plant bulbs before the first frost. Be patient, I promise that they are worth it.