Last summer (2011), I was honoured to consult on Toronto Botanical Garden’s website redesign. I worked with a fabulous team and I’m so proud of the end result!

My 2010 trip to the Keukenhof in Holland continues to inspire. This fall, as I was trying to think of where to plant my bulbs in my new gardens, I looked to the photos I had taken at the Keukenhof for ideas. This led to a slideshow of tips that I published on the Canadian Gardening website. Read more »

In the summer of 2010, I toured Maritime Quebec. As a garden writer, the highlight for me was a trip to Reford Gardens. What I loved about this property was the contrast between the traditional gardens, conceived by the feisty Elsie Reford, and the innovative concepts presented in the International Garden Festival space. Read more »

Watching container connoisseur Paul Zammit put together an arrangement is like observing an artist at work—plants in a range of green hues are his medium. A walk around the property that he shares with his partner and fellow gardener Uli Havermann in Toronto reveals a keen eye for combining texture, shape and a bold aesthetic. Pops of colour in the form of purple, bronze and chartreuse are interspersed among a lush, green canvas of perennials, along with terracotta pots that Paul enthusiastically collects. [read full article] Read more »

In this double-page spread for the May 2011 issue of Style at Home magazine, I compiled a list of gardening stores across Canada and garden-inspired favourite things. Read more »

Experience acres of multi-coloured, spring-flowering bulbs at this magical flower park

I’m standing at the gates to the Keukenhof, listening to the cheerful, tinkling sounds of a barrel organ. This colourful park with its extensive gardens is home to over seven million flowering bulbs. And it’s my very reason for being in Holland. My visit falls between the opening and closing of the Keukenhof—a short window of bloom-filled opportunity that lasts from about the third week of March until almost the end of May. (This year, it’s open from March 24 to May 20.) I set off with my guide, Elisabeth, eager to put my new camera to work. [read full article] Read more »

From blossoms and bulbs, to eco-friendly landscaping, this year’s show provided endless inspiration for gardeners Read more »

We thought it might be hard for landscape designer Robert Myers to encapsulate the gold-medal winning garden he designed for the 2010 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in just one word. How do you describe something that is at once lively and peaceful, colourful and monochromatic, wild and orderly? When he answered “elegant” we were a bit surprised, but as we explored the elements of his design—one where even the shadows were planned—we had to agree. [read full article] Read more »

With a little special attention, a beautiful arrangement can hold its own through the cold season. We asked Jim McMillen, president of Landscapes in Bloom, to create lush planters that will last until spring. Read more »

Since 2008 I have been writing a novice gardening blog called The Budding Gardener on CanadianGardening.com. Coined by former Canadian Gardening editor-in-chief Aldona Satterthwaite, it was created as a column of sorts where I would write about all my adventures in the garden. As someone who is new to gardening, everything is still fun and fascinating and fresh to me. Read more »