In this encore episode of Down the Garden Path podcast, landscape designer Joanne Shaw offers mid-season advice for your lawn and garden.

Topics covered in this week's episode:

YES, you can still plant this summer. You do not need to wait until fall.

• Summer is always a good time to pick up a good sale on plants, just check that the roots are healthy.
• The roots are the most important thing to look at in mid-summer, especially on discounted plant material. It may not do much this year, but it will be even better next year.
• Tree and shrub planting is fine, but you need to be around home to water in case of drought.
• If you are away for a few days, that is fine. Consider using a tree watering bag for your trees or even timers for sprinklers. The important thing is to be around to keep an eye on your newly planted trees.
• Also, remember the sign of too much water is the same as not enough. So, check the soil deeply if your plant appears to be struggling.

Mid-summer is Japanese beetle season.

• I want to reassure you that Japanese beetle traps work, when used according to instructions. Read the instructions! Place the trap far away from the garden and plants (including your neighbours’ plants)
• Communicate with your close neighbours; you don’t all need a trap.
• Follow the distance guidelines in the instructions and you will be fine. The key is to capture as many as possible before they lay their eggs in your lawn, which turn into grubs.

Native Plants

• There’s so much talk about native plants and only using them in your garden.
• If it is overwhelming, don’t worry. There are a lot of non-native plants that pollinators love.
• There is no need to remove plants or shrubs to add native plants -- unless you have invasive plants, or you want to.
• I suggest a few mid-season native bloomers that can be added now. Many native plants are spring or fall bloomers and many can become invasive or spreaders, so keep that in mind when choosing them.
• Removing seed heads will help with their spread.

Mid-summer is also crabgrass season.

• It is important to pull it out before it goes to seed.
• Try not to cut grass when it has gone to seed because that spreads the seed to create more weeds for next year.
• If you have a large lawn and or a large amount of crabgrass, consider bagging your grass for the rest of the season to try to prevent as many weeds as possible for next year.

Permeable Landscaping Products with David Maxwell from Romex

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe!

You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this encore presentation of Down the Garden Path, Joanne discusses some of the issues you may be experiencing with your hydrangeas this month and what you can do about them.

Topics covered in this week's episode:

Hydrangeas not blooming?

• Knowing what variety of hydrangea you have is the first step
• In Joanne's experience, if you have a nice large green bush but no or few flowers then you have a Macrophylla variety
  • They bloom on old wood that is unfortunately susceptible to late spring frost damage
  • The buds form on the old wood in early spring, and then a late frost comes and kills the buds
  • The plant still grows nice and lush and you don’t know anything is wrong until it doesn’t flower.
  • Extra water and fertilizer provide a nice full-leaved plant, but no blooms
  • I have tried all the techniques to try and prevent this and protect the plant, but I gave up and replaced it with a hardier variety
• If you are in an area where you often get a late frost after a nice warm-up, then consider swapping to another variety
• Hydrangeas discussed:
  • Macrophylla
  • Paniculata
  • Quercifolia
  • Serrata
  • Arborescence
• Which hydrangeas grow on old or new wood

Hydrangeas getting too large/floppy?

• Preferred pruning practices 
• Smaller variety recommendations of each type to have a hydrangea that stays smaller:
  • Munchkin Oakleaf Hydrangea
  • Invincibelle Wee White Hydrangea
  • Invincibelle Limetta
  • Little Lime or Bobo Hydrangeas
  • All are a great way to have more hydrangeas in a smaller space

Tips To Extend The Blooming Season Of Your Endless Summer Hydrangea

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas Part One

Hydrangeas Part Two

BLOG POST -- Hydrangeas: When They Don’t Work And What You Can Do About It

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this encore presentation of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing show you how to keep your garden and landscape cool and colourful in the summer heat with tips for your July garden.

Here are some of the questions and topics covered in this episode:

• Pros and cons of the recent hard, fast rain and things to consider with your garden and containers.
• Lawns
  • The importance of watering deeply but less frequently
  • The best type of fertilizer for your lawn situation
  • The best time to fertilize
  • Staying on top of weeds
• Perennials/Annuals in the Garden
  • Deadhead perennials to clean up or encourage new growth 
  • It may be time to clean up your annual containers and replace individual plants if they are dead or not growing well
  • Make sure the annual containers are not being overwatered or underwatered
  • Time to fertilize containers as well
• Shrubs: Pruning spring bloomers after flowering
• Trees: Fertilizing shrubs and trees, the best timing depending on the weather.
• Best ways to deep-water trees: do not rely on rain only
• Matthew and Joanne’s vegetable garden

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

You can also email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect with Joanne via her website: down2earth.ca

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Joanne Shaw welcomes Carla Bailey back to the podcast to discuss how Women in Landscaping empowers women in the landscaping industry through networking and mentorship opportunities. 

About Carla Bailey

An HR professional for over a decade, Carla Bailey honed her expertise working for a leading landscaping company in London, Ontario. Dedicated to creating a positive work environment and resolving employee matters, her commitment to staff growth led her to discover and implement various government initiatives to support employee development.

In 2018, Carla and three other green professionals founded Women In Landscaping to introduce women to green professions and provide a community to help them thrive.

Here are some of the topics covered in this episode:

• The need for a Durham chapter of Women in Landscaping, which is a registered nonprofit
• The success of chapters in other regions, like Toronto and Ottawa, emphasizes the importance of local champions reaching out to contacts
• Carla explained their funding model, which relies on donations from contractor and vendor companies
• Joanne and Carla discussed their experiences with customer service, particularly focusing on gendered treatment and communication challenges
• The growth and expansion of Women in Landscaping, and their transition from quarterly sessions to monthly drop-in events at local venues
• Women in Landscaping’s success in reaching 4,500 attendees annually, and their plans to expand into new communities across Ontario and potentially Alberta and BC
• The upcoming Congress 2026, which will feature two events: a Landscape Ontario women's event during the day and a WiL-hosted evening reception
• Empowering Women in Landscaping: the importance of promoting landscaping as a career for women and the need for support networks within the industry
• The benefits of having a community of women in landscaping, where they can share experiences, provide support, and collaborate on projects
• Joanne emphasized the value of networking and learning from each other, while Carla noted the unique open-book mentality in Ontario's landscape industry, which fosters innovation and collaboration
• Initiatives and events organized by the National Association for Landscaping Professionals and Landscape Ontario to support women in the industry
• They highlighted the importance of retaining women in the workforce and shared strategies for creating a more inclusive and flexible work environment
• Carla emphasized the need for transparent wage structures and career advancement opportunities, while Joanne shared her personal experience of balancing work and family life
• The upcoming women's luncheon and networking events, including a cocktail reception followed by a tailgate party at Landscape Ontario's Congress
• They explored challenges faced by new entrants to the landscape design industry, particularly regarding business skills and insurance needs, and agreed that supporting young professionals through mentorship and education is crucial
• The importance of business acumen and market awareness for landscape designers operating in different regions, and the value of women's networks in the industry
• Women in Landscaping's monthly meetings, which take place on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7pm local time, with locations varying between local cafes and bars
• The group has chapters in London, Ancaster, Ottawa, and Toronto, with attendance ranging from 10-15 people per meeting
• Landscape Ontario is hosting Touch A Truck events across the province on July 19th, with the London event being co-hosted by Women in Landscaping. Learn more here.
• The group is seeking sponsorship to create a professional website, and Carla encouraged listeners to follow them on their social media platforms

You can find Women in Landscaping on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw speaks with Barbara Pratt about the 29th annual Gardens of Uxbridge Tour, taking place this Saturday, June 21st, 2025, from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Gardens of Uxbridge Tour

On this self-guided driving tour around the Uxbridge countryside, participants view eight private residential gardens in both town and country settings. The gardens featured change every year and offer a variety of sizes, designs, unique plantings, and inspiration for your own garden. A charitable fundraiser, produced in partnership with The Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario, this tour benefits the local National Historic Site commemorating this Canadian author of Anne of Green Gables fame.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

Lucy Maud Montgomery Society 

• Barbara Pratt is one of the founding members of the Lucy Maud Montgomery Society
• Montgomery lived near Uxbridge for 15 years, and her journals were published in five volumes by Oxford University Press

Gardens of Uxbridge Tour

• The annual Gardens of Uxbridge Tour is a major fundraiser for the Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario
• Barbara explained how the society restored the Leaskdale Manse, where Montgomery lived as a minister's wife, using her historical photographs to guide the restoration
• The tour, now in its 29th year, was originally run by Community Care in Uxbridge before being taken over by the society, which continues to maintain both the house and gardens to attract international visitors interested in Montgomery's life and work
• The tour focuses on showcasing personal and unique garden styles, overcoming obstacles, and providing inspiration for gardeners
• This year’s tour will take place on June 21st, featuring eight gardens (4 in town and 4 in the countryside) that can be visited in a single day
• Participants receive a passport with a map and descriptions of the gardens, along with a list of interesting side trips, such as Richters Herbs in Goodwood
• Tickets must be purchased online at gardensofuxbridge.org, with all proceeds supporting local community projects
• This year, due to road construction, the Lucy Maud Montgomery Society will serve refreshments at Showbrook Gardens instead of the manse, where they will offer their signature tea and scones along with displays
• The tour will highlight various artists, including Linda Virio for encaustic painting, Daniella Boerhof for metal sculptures, and Anja Kooistra for fabric sculptures.
• Barbara discussed the upcoming two-day conference in Leaskdale dedicated to Lucy Maud Montgomery, which will attract attendees from around the world, including South Africa, the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Lucy Maud Montgomery Summer Events

• Barbara discussed the Lucy Maud Montgomery Society's summer activities, including weekly Wednesday teas at the historic Leaskdale Church
• Learn more at LucyMaudMontgomery.ca.

Get your tickets for this weekend’s Gardens of Uxbridge Tour at www.gardensofuxbridge.org.

Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible.

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

In this episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw speaks with author Susan Poizner about her latest book, Fruit Tree Pruning: The Science and Art of Cultivating Healthy Fruit Trees. 

About Susan Poizner

Susan Poizner is an award-winning author, journalist, urban orchardist, and fruit tree care educator based in Toronto, Canada. She trains arborists, master gardeners, and community and home orchardists in fruit tree maintenance through in-person workshops, online courses, and webinars. Her books include Grow Fruit Trees Fast, Growing Urban Orchards, Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone and Fruit Tree Pruning.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

Fruit Tree Pruning and Care

• Pruning techniques for both mature and newly planted fruit trees
• How to approach neglected trees
• Susan mentions her previous book on fruit tree grafting and discusses whether homeowners should be encouraged to plant fruit trees, given the maintenance involved.
• Planting a fruit tree is a long-term commitment
• Avoid impulse purchases at garden centres
• Research disease-resistant varieties suitable for your climate and order from specialist fruit tree nurseries
• Start with younger, bare-root trees that can be shaped through pruning rather than older potted trees
• The importance of proper site selection, ensuring full sun and space for root growth
• Susan recommends annual mulching with compost to nourish the tree and advises against planting other plants directly under the tree
• Pruning timing: wait a year for transplanted potted trees, but prune bare-root trees immediately upon planting in spring

Fruit Tree Pruning Basics

• The importance of pruning fruit trees from the day they are planted
• The first three years of formative pruning are crucial for shaping the tree's structure
• Two main tree shapes: central leader (Christmas tree shape) and vase-shaped (goblet)
• Remove healthy branches to improve air circulation, sunlight penetration, and fruit quality
• Thin fruit to ensure better size and flavour
• For mature trees, focus on improving air circulation by removing congested branches, limiting removal to 20-25% of the living canopy per year
• Prune after blossom time to avoid disease spread and encourage the tree to invest energy in fruiting buds rather than new growth
• Fruit tree pruning is a DIY activity that anyone can learn, emphasizing that even arborists often lack specific training in fruit tree care
• Learn proper pruning techniques before hiring professionals
• Use the right tools, such as Japanese handsaws and pole pruners, and maintain them properly
• Conduct a soil test before planting fruit trees and use compost for regular feeding, with occasional foliar sprays like diluted blackstrap molasses to boost tree health
• Susan recommends a dormant spray of lime sulphur and dormant oil in early spring before bud break as a preventative measure against pests and diseases

Fruit Tree Education and Community

• Fruit trees are generous, providing food for generations with a single planting
• Susan shares her experience at community cherry harvesting events
• Pests and critters: With proper planning, there's usually enough fruit for both humans and animals
•  Susan mentions her books on fruit tree care, including titles on pruning, fast-growing techniques, urban orchards, and grafting, which can be found on her website orchardpeople.com or on Amazon.

Find Susan Poizner online at orchardpeople.com and Fruit Tree Pruning: The Science and Art of Cultivating Healthy Fruit Trees on Amazon. You can also check out her YouTube channel or listen to the Orchard People podcast.

Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible.

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne speaks with horticulturist and author Steven Biggs about his latest book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can’t: How to Grow an Olive Tree in a Pot. 

About Steven Biggs

Steven was recognized by Garden Making magazine as one of the “green gang” making a difference in Canadian horticulture. His home-garden experiments span driveway straw-bale gardens, a rooftop kitchen garden, fruit plantings, and an edible-themed front yard. He's a horticulturist, award-winning broadcaster and author, and former horticulture instructor with George Brown and Durham Colleges in Ontario, Canada. His books include Grow Lemons Where You Think You Can't, Growing Figs in Cold Climates, Grow Figs Where You Think You Can't, and No-Guff Gardening, available at foodgardenlife.com.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

Growing Olives in Cold Climates

• Olive trees are well-suited for cold climates
• They can live for hundreds of years
• Olive trees are available at garden centres
• Steven recommends the self-pollinating variety, Frantoio, for home gardens
• Can be used for screening or framing garden spaces

Olive Tree Care in Containers

• Growing olive trees in pots: the importance of full sun, well-draining soil, and regular pruning for size control and fruit production
• You'll also need a simple all-purpose fertilizer and amending potting soil with garden loam and sand for added weight to prevent toppling
• Store potted olive trees in a cool, dark place over the winter to satisfy chill hours for flowering and fruiting
• Joanne noted that olive trees can be brought indoors as houseplants during the winter and taken outside in the spring after new growth has hardened off

Olive Tree Care, Propagation and Pruning

• Steven shared his experience growing olive trees, including a method used by a Vancouver Island grower who protects his trees with horticultural fleece and Christmas lights during cold weather
• Olive trees can be propagated through cuttings, air layering, or by taking advantage of suckers that naturally develop at the base of the tree
• Olive trees are relatively easy to care for, but common issues include overwatering in winter, leading to root rot and letting the soil dry out in summer
• Steven’s potting technique: root pruning every 3-4 years by lifting the tree from its 14-inch pot, trimming the roots, and replacing the soil
• Olive trees need bright light indoors and can be pruned to minimize alternate bearing, which causes heavy crops in one year followed by none the next

Find Steven Biggs online at www.foodgardenlife.com and Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't on Amazon.

Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible.

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne discusses strategies to prevent a box tree moth infestation and explores the moth’s continued impact on boxwoods in Durham Region.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

• The impact of the box tree moth on boxwoods
• Its discovery in Ontario in 2018 and its recent appearance in Durham Region
• Box Tree Moth Life Cycle: The adult moth has a short lifespan of 14 days but is a strong flyer, making it challenging to control
• The challenges in controlling the pest are due to its rapid reproduction and ability to survive cold winters
• Presents a significant threat to boxwoods and may be here to stay
• Be aware of its presence and consider protective measures for your plants
• Inspect boxwood plants for signs of box tree moth infestation, including webbing, chewed leaves, and caterpillars
• Explore treatment options, focusing on the need to kill caterpillars at the appropriate stage
• The only current control method is biological, using BTK spray, which must be applied diligently from mid-May onwards, ensuring thorough coverage, including the undersides of leaves
• Avoid moving boxwood plants to new locations to prevent spreading the box tree moth
• Explore alternative plants such as yews, globe cedars, strongbox holly, Japanese pieris, dwarf hydrangeas, dwarf mock orange, or dwarf lilacs as replacements for boxwood.
• Focus on ornamental areas rather than hedges when replacing boxwoods

Find more information about the box tree moth:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Landscape Ontario

The Box Tree Moth in Southern Ontario

What’s Wrong with Your Boxwood?

Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

The traditional lawn has received a lot of heat over the last few years with many recommending alternatives such as micro-clovers and specialized lawn blends. In this encore episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing speak with Kathy Jentz, author of Groundcover Revolution, about the groundcover plants you can use to create a beautiful lawn alternative of your own.

About Kathy Jentz

Kathy Jentz is the editor and publisher of the award-winning Washington Gardener magazine, based in Washington, DC. She hosts the popular GardenDC Podcast and is co-author of The Urban Garden and author of Groundcover Revolution.

Here are some of the questions and topics covered in this episode:

• What inspired you to write about groundcovers and lawn alternatives?
• Can you define the term groundcover?
• Do you consider step-ability?
• What zones do you cover?
• What benefits do groundcovers provide to our gardens?
• What is green mulch?
• How do we transition from groundcover to green mulch?
• Do you have favourite groundcovers?
• Do you need to prune or cut back any during the year?
• To quote Kathy's book “so many plants, so few pages.”
  • How do we start narrowing down our choices when selecting the right groundcovers?

Stepping Stones Listener questions:

• Is groundcover expensive?
• Does the groundcover get very big? What is the average height?
• Does planting groundcover help with erosion? If so, what is the best to plant for this issue?
• Doesn't groundcover attract rodents in your yard? It leaves a nice place to nest and hide.
• I hear the term "carpet forming" regarding groundcover. What does this mean exactly?

Tips to take the next step in your gardening journey.

• The best selection of fruit trees and shrubs is at your local independent garden centres right now.  
• Trees and shrubs can be planted now, but softer herbaceous material is still too tender and should be brought in at night.
• Sod is available and ready for planting. Be sure not to let it dry out as it will take a few weeks to fully root and access the water in the ground below.

Washington Gardener Twitter Feed:  @WDCGardener 

Washington Gardener Instagram Account: @wdcgardener

Washington Gardener Pinterest Account: @wdcgardener

Washington Gardener Facebook Page: @WashingtonGardenerMagazine

Washington Gardener Youtube: @washingtongardenermagazine

Washington Gardener Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/wdcgardener/  

Washington Gardener BookShop Store: https://bookshop.org/shop/WDCgardener 

Washington Gardener Podcast: GardenDC Washington Gardener

TikTok: @wdcgardener 

Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden

Groundcover Revolution

GardenDC Podcast: Groundcovers vs. Ground Covers

Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.

Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.

Get your copy today on Amazon. Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe!

You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on the podcast, Joanne Shaw speaks with Ernest Williams from Aquascape about the popularity of water features in landscaping, including pondless designs, fountainscapes, and natural swimming ponds.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

• Pondless Water Features in Landscaping
  • Increasingly popular in landscaping for their low maintenance and safety
  • Enhances curb appeal and attracts wildlife
  • Provides the sound of water without the upkeep of traditional ponds
  • Preferred by homeowners seeking aesthetics and simplicity
• Pondless Water Features Design and Functionality
  • Mimics natural water flow; includes bubbling elements and disappearing streams
  • Built with similar mechanics as ponds but without standing water
  • Water recirculates through a hidden basin, minimizing runoff
  • Can integrate downspouts and rainwater harvesting for stormwater management
• Design and Maintenance
  • Mini spillway and aqua basin designs allow features to fit any yard size
  • Water should remain in basins during winter to prevent cracking/freezing
  • Maintenance includes removing pumps before freezing temperatures
  • Naturalistic design is achieved using varied rocks
  • Proper maintenance and design extend feature lifespan
• Noise Reduction
  • Water features help block unwanted sounds (e.g., traffic)
  • Creates a soothing outdoor environment
  • Watching water can lower blood pressure and heart rate
  • An affordable and visually appealing way to improve outdoor spaces
• Installation
  • Both professional installation and DIY options are available
  • Certified landscape companies offer installation and customer service
  • DIY products available for homeowners
  • The Aquascape University program provides contractor training and certification
  • Aquascape YouTube channel offers homeowner experiences and advice
• Construction and Materials
  • Quality materials (granite, field stone) prevent calcium buildup and algae
  • Kits are available for efficient construction
  • Not all yard rocks are suitable for ponds
  • Existing ponds can be converted to pondless features for less maintenance
  • Aqua blocks allow efficient use of space and are load-bearing
• Pondless Features and Natural Pools
  • Redesigning or converting old ponds to pondless features reduces maintenance
  • Existing rocks can sometimes be incorporated into new designs
  • Recreation ponds (natural swimming ponds) are eco-friendly pool alternatives
  • Suitable for swimming and environmentally conscious homeowners
  • Many specialized contractors are available in Ontario and Quebec
• Water Conservation in Yard Design
  • Pools can be converted into natural swimming or recreation ponds
  • Water collection systems (e.g., aqua blocks) help manage yard water issues
  • Systems collect/filter water, reduce stormwater runoff, and address muddy yards
  • Emphasizes the importance of water conservation and management in landscaping

To learn more about pondless water features and everything Aquascape offers, visit them at www.aquascapeinc.com and view their videos on YouTube.

Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect via her website at down2earth.ca.

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Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.