Down The Garden Path Podcast

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.

Find Kathy Jentz online:

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

Resources mentioned during the show

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

Groundcover Revolution

GardenDC Podcast: Groundcovers vs. Ground Covers

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

Are you a landscape or gardening expert?

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.

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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.

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

Are you a landscape or gardening expert?

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.

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 Shaw speaks with Deb McKee Kelly from Frontier Mushrooms, a leading producer of high-quality, sustainably grown mushrooms.

About Deb McKee Kelly

Deb is a longtime grower and passionate advocate for reconnecting with the natural world. Based in Grey County, Ontario, she has spent years cultivating gardens, food crops, and for the past 10 years, gourmet mushrooms. Today, her work with mushrooms and mycelium focuses on sustainable growing practices, education, and innovative uses for fungi in food systems and beyond. With a deep respect for nature's intelligence — and a belief that fungi hold keys to a more resilient future — Deb and her growing partner Darin share their knowledge with growers, makers, and curious minds alike.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

• Overview of Frontier Mushrooms: a family-run mushroom farm
  • Deb's background and how she got into mushroom cultivation
• Types of Mushrooms Grown at Frontier Mushrooms
  • Focus on specialty mushrooms: Shiitake, Oyster, Lion's Mane, and more
  • Discussion on the unique qualities and flavours of each type
• The Mushroom Growing Process
  • Step-by-step explanation of mushroom cultivation
  • Importance of substrate and environmental controls (humidity, temperature, light)
  • Challenges faced in mushroom farming (pests, contamination)
• Health Benefits of Mushrooms
  • Nutritional value: protein, fibre, vitamins (B, D), minerals
  • Medicinal properties: immune support, cognitive benefits (especially Lion's Mane)
  • Myths and facts about mushrooms' health impacts
• Cooking and Using Mushrooms at Home
  • Tips for storing and preparing fresh mushrooms
  • Simple recipe ideas shared by Deb
  • Advice on maximizing mushroom flavour in dishes
• Buying Local and Supporting Small Farms
  • Benefits of sourcing mushrooms from local growers
  • How Frontier Mushrooms connects with the community (farmers' markets, local stores)
  • The importance of sustainable and organic practices
• Common Questions from Listeners
  • How to grow mushrooms at home: starter kits, best varieties for beginners
  • Shelf life and storage tips for fresh mushrooms
  • Identifying edible vs. wild mushrooms (safety tips)
• Deb's Favourite Mushroom Varieties and Recipes
  • Personal recommendations for cooking and eating
  • Unique uses for lesser-known mushrooms

Learn more at www.frontiermushrooms.com.

Find them on Facebook @frontiermushrooms and Instagram @frontiermushrooms.

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

Are you a landscape or gardening expert?

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.

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 speaks with Erin Alladin and Sean Patchett about their podcast, Plants Always Win.

Plants Always Win Podcast

Plants Always Win is a podcast where two Ontario gardeners dive down plant-fact rabbit holes, answer audience questions, interview intriguing guests, and compete to bring you the most interesting stories and information.

Erin Alladin, a.k.a. Earth Undaunted, is a professional communicator with a love for gardens, especially garden ecosystems. She's known online for her writing and videos about gardening with chronic illness and disability, as well as her background in permaculture and community garden-organizing. While chronic illness has kept Erin from making gardening her livelihood, she leaps at any chance to bring it into her work as an author, copywriter, and editor.

Sean Patchett, a.k.a GardenGuyMuskoka, is a professional gardener, horticulture technician, and member of the Master Gardeners of Ontario. Sean completed the Horticulture Technician C.O.D.A. Program at the University of Guelph's Kemptville Campus and went on to build a landscaping design and maintenance business in Northern Muskoka. When he learned of The Master Gardeners in 2020, their mandate of freely learning and sharing plant knowledge inspired him to join. Sean continues to do public speaking and community projects.

Sean and Erin discuss the origins of their podcast, the community they've created and Erin's latest children's book:

• The podcast began with Sean's initial attempts at podcasting, which later evolved after he connected with Erin through TikTok. Their shared interests and local proximity led to a partnership, and after experimenting with different formats, they officially launched the podcast in December 2024.
• Episodes alternate between:
  • Plant face-offs, where each host champions a particular plant or gardening concept (e.g., Borage vs. Cosmos) and encourages listeners to vote for their favourite.
  • Guest interviews, featuring experts from related fields such as entomology and forestry.
• Topic selection is guided by a spreadsheet, trending questions from social media, and input from their Patreon supporters, who are given advance notice of upcoming episodes to submit relevant questions.
• Plants Always Win has an active and growing community, including a Discord group. They regularly solicit listener questions and feedback, encouraging corrections and further inquiries at the end of each episode.
• Sean and Erin discussed the importance of context and nuance in their research, highlighting the need to evaluate sources critically and avoid spreading misinformation.
• They believe in fostering a love of nature in both children and adults, advocating for hands-on experiences and the benefits of getting "dirty" in the garden.
• Erin is also a children's book author. Her books, Outside, You Notice, and Wait Like a Seed, aim to connect children and adults with nature, emphasizing the importance of outdoor exploration and environmental awareness. They are available everywhere books are sold.

Find Sean and Erin online:

Website: www.plantsalwayswin.com

TikTok: @plantsalwayswinpodcast

You can find Sean online as @GardenGuyMuskoka.

Erin's blog, www.earthundaunted.com, makes the big ideas behind regenerative agriculture accessible to home gardeners.

Find her on TikTok at @earthundaunted.

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

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

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 discusses growing fresh staples like lettuce, spinach and potatoes with "The Gardening Girl" Julia Dimakos.

About Julia Dimakos

Julia Dimakos' 7000 square foot kitchen garden is in Mono, Ontario, on 25 acres on the Niagara Escarpment. Julia has been growing vegetables and writing about gardening for over 14 years. She was twice published in Canadian Organic Grower magazine and became a published author in July 2022 with her first book, Tea Gardening for Beginners.

In this episode, Joanne asked Julia about a few things we can grow ourselves instead of buying from the grocery store.

Lettuce

• If we start now, lettuce is one of the fastest-growing options.
• Julia explains how easy it is to grow and which varieties to grow throughout the seasons.
• It is important to start with fresh seeds, so buy a new packet instead of using seeds from an old package.
  • Multi-sowing is an easy way to get started.
  • Fill a small, shallow container with soil, a moist seed starting mix.
  • Compact the soil. Sprinkle a generous amount of seed on top of the soil.
  • Julia explains how and why to sprinkle a layer of vermiculite on top of the seed, then water gently.
  • Label and date your tray, then add a dome or clear cover. Put them under a grow light 2 inches above the soil to prevent the seedlings from stretching toward the light.
  • Grow lights should be on a timer, 16 hours on and 8 hours off.
  • Get a multicell container ready for when true leaves start to grow on the seedlings.
  • Take the cover off when you see germination. Carefully lift out the seedlings by the leaf before their true leaves form to make it easier to separate and to successfully grow in the cell.
• Lettuce produces more roots than you think, and they do not like competition.
• Julia explains the best way to succession plant a continuous crop. They go from seed to plant in the ground in 3 weeks.
• They can be planted successfully in an ornamental garden shaded by other plants.
• Julia also discusses how to save your own seeds, and recommends buttercrunch, iceberg, Lollo, oak leaf varieties are perfect growing in the cooler spring weather.
• In the summer, try romaine varieties like little gem, shady spot or merlot.
• Grow in partial shade and or under other plants, e.g. tomato plants.
• Harvest right into a bowl of ice-cold water. Clean in a salad spinner.
• You can store freshly harvested lettuce in a Ziplock bag full of air for 1 week.
• In August, start growing the cooler varieties again, up until a hard frost.

Spinach

• Julia explains how growing spinach is different from growing lettuce: it is not interested in any heat at all.
• Spinach is good to start now in cold temperatures, 2 to 3 seedlings per cell.
• It can grow right now in the garden or inside in a dome and quickly move outside.
• It will stop growing in the summer heat.
• In August, you can start sowing it again; it will grow for the fall, and then it will grow again in the spring
• The same plant will return and be ready for you to harvest the leaves.
• Spinach plants are small, only about a foot high.
• Julia also explains why spinach could be the best plant for spots where you grow your annuals.
• You'll never have to worry about E. coli or salmonella when growing your own lettuce and spinach—no recalls!

Potatoes

• Homegrown potatoes are successfully grown without the chemicals that commercial growers use.
• Start with seed potatoes
  • Why it is best to purchase true seed potatoes and not use potatoes from the grocery store, even the organic ones.
  • Buying seed potatoes ensures that you are growing tested and healthy potatoes.
  • Plant the seed potatoes whole for a stronger plant instead of cutting them.
• Julia recommends pre-sprouting the seed potatoes. Use an egg carton or shallow box, place the seed potatoes eye side up and tail down.
• Place them in the light with no soil to sprout. The goal is to grow short, stubby green stems.
• Julia prefers the no-dig method. Use a dibber or handle of a trowel to create a deep hole in the garden or raised bed and place a potato in the hole, cover lightly with soil and then a layer of straw. No need to hill or mound.
• Determinate varieties of potato make potatoes on one layer in the garden, so soil can be grown in a shallow container, and indeterminate varieties make many layers of potatoes, which will require deeper soil.
• How to grow potatoes in a grow bag or container, even a recycling bin makes a great container. And you can line your driveway with them!
• The best way to harvest the potatoes and what to do for pest control.

Find Julia Dimakos online:

Website: www.juliadimakos.com

Instagram: @juliadimakos

YouTube: @gardeninggirl

Check out past shows with Julia and hear more of her great tips for growing herbs and more:

All About Tomatoes

Microgreens & Sprouting

Tea Gardening for Beginners

Growing Under Lights

Growing Herbs

Digging Deep with Veggies

Growing Indoors

Autumn Edibles

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

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

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 also catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw speaks with Ed Lyon, president-elect of the Perennial Plant Association.

About Ed Lyon

Throughout his public garden administration roles and green industry experience, Ed has been as passionate about education as he is about horticulture. He has had roles in public garden education departments and served as director of three public gardens for twenty years. He retired from public garden service in 2024 and currently sits on the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) board as president-elect.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

• The challenges of managing botanical gardens in different regions.
• The Fling, in Memphis, June 5-8
• The Perennial Plant Association Annual Symposium in Asheville for the organization's 40th anniversary
  • Includes educational sessions, tours, and networking opportunities for horticulture professionals
  • Covers various aspects of the industry, from plant breeding to wholesale operations
• The association focuses on herbaceous plants that come back year after year, excluding annuals, tropicals, and woody plants.
• PPA's role in promoting perennial plants through marketing and educational programs, including the selection of the Perennial Plant of the Year
• The perennial plant, Big Bluegrass, specifically the variety Blackhawks
  • A native grass known for its dark purple to black stems
  • Featured on PPA's website
  • A potential winner for next year's award
• The concept of native plants and their classification
  • Native plants can mutate and change
  • The term "native" does not necessarily imply purity
• The challenges of finding plants that are both native and non-invasive
• The importance of considering climate change in plant selection
• The PPA's role in promoting plants that are readily available, hardy, and drought-resistant
• The process of selecting plants for the Perennial Plant of the Year award
• The PPA website: a valuable resource for gardeners seeking accurate information
• The value of attending horticultural symposiums and visiting gardens for education and inspiration
• How learning from other gardeners' experiences is often more valuable than books or online resources
• Staying updated with the latest horticultural research, as practices like tree planting methods have changed over time
• Climate change's impact on gardening and how the PPA symposium addresses these timely issues through expert speakers and research presentations

Learn more about the Perennial Plant Association at perennialplant.org.

Register for the 2025 PPA National Symposium here.

Find them on Facebook @PerennialPlantAssociation and Instagram @PerennialPlantAssociation.

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

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

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 Shaw welcomes Art Vanden Enden to the podcast to discuss exploring a career in horticulture.

About Art Vanden Enden

Art Vanden Enden is self-employed as a Horticultural Advisor and Horticultural Technical Instructor at Landscape Ontario and Loyalist College. He also serves on the board at Landscape Ontario, Communities in Bloom and Garden Centres Canada. He has a long history in the garden centre industry, starting with Weall & Cullen and then Sheridan Nurseries until his retirement in 2022.

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

• The Pandemic's Positive Impact on the Younger Generation
  • The positive impact of the pandemic on the younger generation, particularly in terms of their appreciation for outdoor activities
  • Art shared his work with Landscape Ontario, focusing on training and working with various age groups, primarily those in their 20s and early 30s.
  • The importance of teaching basic gardening skills and practical training to help them enter the industry
  • The Grow Program, which provides introductory courses for those interested in the industry, and the role of job developers in matching students with employers
• The Landscaping Industry's Versatility and Benefits
  • The industry offers year-round work opportunities, from using lawn mowers in summer to snow blowers in winter
  • Adapting to various weather conditions and being able to pivot when necessary
  • Joanne's experience entering the industry as a second career
  • Working at an independent garden centre provides an excellent learning environment for those interested in the industry
• Gardening Practices and Climate Change
  • How gardening practices have changed over the past 30 years
  • Sustainability and the need to adapt to climate change
  • The shift in plant hardiness zones and the impact of invasive plants
  • The need for progressive change in the industry and the role of influencers in promoting better gardening practices
  • How reducing demand for invasive plants would lead to their eventual decline
• Native Plant Promotion and Challenges
  • The challenges of promoting native plants and the importance of being patient and supportive when advising gardeners
  • The distinction between aggressive and invasive plants and the need for balance between native and non-native plants
  • Joanne expressed her struggle with finding the right native plants for her clients, while Art shared his journey towards having 70% native plants in his garden
  • The issue of invasive plants and the need for more research on creating sterile versions of these plants
• Supporting New Gardeners and Best Practices
  • The need for experienced gardeners to be good coaches, stay current with best practices, and be open to change
  • The importance of being welcoming to new Canadians who may have gardening experience but are unfamiliar with local plants

Learn more about Art at www.communitiesinbloom.ca.

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

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

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 podcast, Joanne Shaw speaks with Bri Petersen of Urban Gardening Canada about her new course, Adapt & Thrive: Gardening in a Changing Climate.

About Urban Gardening Canada

The vision of Urban Gardening Canada (UGC) is to provide accessible gardening advice to all Canadians, regardless of location, housing type or budget. Food security and sustainability are two of the main pillars of UGC. Bri believes that gardening should be accessible to all.

Here are some of the topics covered in this episode:

• Bri left her job in finance to chase her dreams as a gardener.
  • Has been gardening for nine years, with her garden expanding every year as she falls deeper into her gardening obsession.
  • A Canadian gardener and course creator, she owns a blog and a YouTube channel that teach others how to grow vegetables in an urban setting during the cold Canadian season.
  • Started Urban Gardening Canada as a climate activist, aiming to raise awareness about climate change through gardening.
  • Created a course on gardening in the face of climate change, which she initially presented to horticultural societies.
• Bri emphasizes the significance of healthy soil in storing carbon and maintaining plant health, suggesting practices like cutting plants at the base instead of pulling them up to preserve soil bacteria in the soil.
• Adapt & Thrive: Gardening in a Changing Climate is a self-paced course on gardening, which includes multimedia content, checklists, and workbooks.
  • A good fit for late beginners to intermediate gardeners, who would benefit from the comprehensive information provided in the course.
  • Includes the entire gardening cycle, from seed starting to harvesting, and offers lifetime access.
  • Covers various topics, including the importance of removing peat from gardens due to its carbon impact.
  • Designed to be actionable, with 100 specific tasks for implementation.
  • Tested globally, receiving positive feedback from participants in Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
• Joanne encourages listeners to consider Bri's course for step-by-step guidance from an experienced gardener.
• Bri emphasized the importance of considering climate change in gardening practices and highlighted the need to avoid synthetic fertilizers and peat moss in soil.
• Joanne encouraged listeners to check the ingredients of bagged soil and avoid certain companies that prioritize fertilizers over soil health.
• Bri discusses her personal gardening challenges with rabbits, particularly how they eat her plants despite thorns and can reach higher areas due to snow accumulation.

Find Bri Petersen online:

Website: www.urbangardeningcanada.com

Register here for Adapt & Thrive: Gardening in a Changing Climate.

Instagram: @urbangardeningcanada

Facebook: @hellourbangardeningcanada

YouTube: @urbangardeningcanada

Pinterest: @urbangardeningcanada

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

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

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 podcast, Joanne Shaw speaks with Bevin Cohen of Small House Farm about his latest book, Herbs in Every Season.

About Bevin

Bevin Cohen is an award-winning author, herbalist, owner of Small House Farm and host of the popular Seeds & Weeds podcast. He offers workshops and lectures across the U.S. on the benefits of living closer to the land through seeds, herbs, and locally grown food. Bevin is a food and garden writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications including Mother Earth News, Modern Farmer Magazine, and Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company catalogue. He's the author or editor of more than 10 books, including Saving Our Seeds and The Artisan Herbalist. Learn more about Bevin's work at www.bevincohen.com.

Here are some of the topics covered in this episode:

• Bevin's book, Herbs in Every Season, which is available for sale on March 25th
  • He explores herbs from various angles, including history, folklore, medicinal uses, culinary applications, and growing/gathering/processing techniques
  • Suitable for both experienced gardeners and new herbalists
  • Emphasizes seasonal gardening and container gardening, as well as the ease of using herbs for cooking and other purposes
• The challenges of gardening, such as dealing with pests like squirrels, and the importance of learning from mistakes
• Tips for growing dill, including planting in partial shade, mulching, and succession planting
• The various uses for dill, such as making pickles, dressings, and infused vinegar, as well as its medicinal applications
• The aesthetic value of herbs in gardens, mentioning bronze fennel as an example of an attractive and versatile herb
• The benefits of introducing wild, native plants into landscapes for their low maintenance and diverse appeal
• How matching plants with their preferred environment and adapting to changing garden conditions are important lessons to learn from gardening
• Bevin's podcast "Seeds and Weeds" where he discusses various plant-related topics with guests
  • The current season aligns with the theme of his book, focusing on the seasons
• Joanne shared her excitement about starting seeds for luffa plants using a new "snail" method, which allows for extensive root growth and efficient use of space

Find Bevin Cohen online:

Websites: www.bevincohen.com and www.smallhousefarm.com

Order a copy of Herbs in Every Season here.

Instagram: @small_house_farm Podcast: Seeds & Weeds

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

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

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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 podcast, Joanne Shaw speaks with Nathan Gill of EcoLogic Horticulture Ltd. about native plants used for urban naturalization.

About Nathan Gill

Nathan Gill owns EcoLogic Horticulture Ltd., a nursery operating on 25 acres east of Calgary. The nursery focuses on producing horticulture products to accelerate ecological restoration and urban naturalization. Drawing on his 15 years of experience in the construction sector, Nathan brings a unique perspective to his horticultural work, blending environmental stewardship with practical, construction-based knowledge to provide site-appropriate plant material at scale for restoration and green roof projects. Nathan is also a passionate home vegetable gardener and wild seed collector.

Here are some of the topics covered in this episode:

• Native plants used for urban naturalization
• Many municipalities are switching over their seed blends and public space requirements to incorporate Native Plants.
• EcoLogic Horticulture has developed some unique formats to support this transition:
  • NaturesTurf™
  • EcoPatch
  • SedumTurf
  • ThymeTurf
  • DirtBags
• The importance of engaging nurseries early in the project planning process to ensure the desired plant material can be grown in time.
• The need to educate designers and government agencies about the availability of native species and the best methods for their propagation and use in restoration projects.
• Nature'sTurf™ Growth and Challenges
  • The growth and development of Nature'sTurf™ over the last 8 years
  • The challenges of growing native plants, which usually have deep root systems, and the importance of maintaining the right amount of water
  • The increased use of Nature'sTurf™ due to the growing interest from municipalities in naturalizing boulevards and large areas
  • While more costly to produce, Nature'sTurf™ could significantly reduce maintenance costs in the long run
• Perennial Gardens
  • The challenges of replacing a lawn with sedum turf, a popular alternative in the Alberta area
  • Homeowners should consider creating perennial beds within their lawn area before making a drastic change
  • The initial higher maintenance compared to a lawn but the eventual benefits of a well-designed native garden
  • How a well-maintained mulched perennial area could be less work than a lawn, but requires more initial effort to establish
  • Alternative ground covers vs. traditional turf lawns

Find EcoLogic Horticulture Ltd. online:

Website: EcoLogicHorticulture.com

Instagram: @ecologichorticulture

Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?

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

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

Down the Garden Path Podcast

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.