The Growing Season

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

"What's wrong with my [FILL IN THE BLANK]?"  "I water it routinely, it’s fertilized on a six week cycle, I prune it religiously and it’s not thriving!

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland hear this ALL. THE. TIME.  In fact, the correlation between over-caring for your plant materials and their failure to thrive is a strong one.  

On this episode of The Growing Season,  the McFarland's guide you through the ins and outs of "Overs,"  as in over-watering, over-pruning, over-fertilizing and over-salting.  

What are some simple guidelines for fertilizing your plant materials?  What does stress from overdoing it look like and I can I correct it?

The trio discuss plants that are "over-tolerant" and how to design a garden with these plants in mind. 

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Is it a blessing? Is it a curse?

It’s a…it’s a… corner lot!

One of the most challenging properties to design and beautify is the dreaded corner lot. Visible on all sides, the corner lot has to be designed just-so to make it shine.

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland corner you with advice that will make everyone, including your neighbours, happy.

What plants are recommended for a corner lot?  What are the special circumstances that make this type of property unique?

Salt tolerance, urban pollution tolerance and animal urine issues are all discussed.

Let The Growing Season help you design your corner with flair.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

THERE'S MORE???

The Growing Season dives into the plant materials that give you not ONE but TWO blooming cycles per season. 

Let's get this straight - there are plants that will bloom more than once?   

YUP.  In fact, there are many.

Bloomerang Lilac, Sonic Bloom Weigela, Japanese Kerria, Daylilies, Yarrow and Black Eyed Susans are just some of the plant materials that are discussed in the 54 minutes that Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland spend chatting.

Why is the fall colour coming so early this year?  The trio try to get to the bottom of it.

When should you stop the fertilizing regiment you've been using on your flower beds?  The McFarland's offer some suggestions.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

That looks like a lot of labor!

On this weeks episode of The Growing Season, the McFarland’s chat about the most labour intensive parts of both landscaping and gardening.

What are some of their most hated tasks? Are there ways of mitigating the enormous amount of labour and pain associated with those tasks? Jack, Lynne, and Matt will take you through all the ins and outs and reveal some of the industry tips and tricks from their 100+ years in the horticultural field.

River pebbles. Yuck!

Improper design and maintenance causing horticultural nightmares is a task that gets Matt all riled up.

What is the proper sequencing when undertaking a large landscape project? Matt outlines how he plans a project out for clients to keep ease in mind.

The history of Labour Day is discussed, and you’ll be surprised to know that it’s a Canadian innovation!

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Orange you glad you tuned in?

We know, it’s an eye-rollingly terrible joke BUT it’s super topical.

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland discuss the colour orange in horticultural terms on this week’s episode of The Growing Season.

Coneflower, quince, nasturtium, day lilies and some of the most gorgeous azaleas around are a fraction of the plant materials discussed.

Potentilla has been given a name change and Matt rants about it. The McFarland’s highlight the orange variety as well as its groundcover  option.

Companion colours to orange and how to design with them are discussed. 

How do you keep your produce crisp for long periods of time?  We fill you in on the how’s.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

It’s all about the style! 

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland set sail on a new series for The Growing Season, entitled “Being Stylish.”

Focusing on various styles of landscape design and and install  the first entry out of the gate discusses modern landscape design.

What makes a design modern?  How do you achieve the sleek lines, minimalist features and make it look cohesive? 

Don’t fret, The McFarlands have you covered.

Plant selection, tree selection and paving ideas, this week’s episode takes a step by step approach to breaking down modern design.

The trio laugh and entertain their way through 54 minutes.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Soooo...uhhhh... what if it doesn't flower?  Is there another option that can provide colour and interest that isn't flower based?

Ohhhh yeah.   

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland chat about spots, stripes and variegation and how you can use plants that feature these to dress up your garden. 

Harlequin maple, caladium, coleus, hosta, lung wort, birch, dogwood and many more are used to help insert interest into your garden.  Variegated weigela is fawned over.

Tibetan cherry.   Have you ever seen one of these things?   GOOGLE IT!  The McFarlands chat about the wonders of it.

A special guest wrangles control of the microphone.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

Why not get Jurassic Park with it?

Hostas - some of the most unique and prehistoric looking plants are front and centre in this week's episode of The Growing Season.  

Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland dive into the ins and outs of one of the most versatile plants you can incorporate into your landscape. 

Do you have the dreaded "shade/drought" scenario?   No matter, we have a solution.

Halcyon, June, Captain Kirk, Mouse Ears, Touch of Class and many more Hosta varieties are discussed in length.  

Lynne's neighbour Judy stops by to liven up the proceedings.  

Want to really make those hostas happy?  GIVE THEM A BATH!  Kinda.   You'll see.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

NOT THESE BUGS AGAIN!

The McFarlands guide The Growing Season into another entry of their BUGSENSE series.  This week Jack, Matt and Lynne chat about the critters that BUG you when you're out in the garden.

Japanese beetles and mosquitoes are the focus this week.

On the first half of the show the trio chat about how to deter mosquitos naturally, when they are the most active and what exactly are they doing here, on earth?

The second half features a discussion on this years big, buggy monster - The Japanese Beetle.  The McFarland's assist you with a fight plan and discuss the ins and outs of these pesky pets, partaking in patrolling your plants profusely. 

All that and more on The Growing Season.

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE. 

“Questions, concerns, queries?” Lets chat!

"I'm sorry Kate, but there are going to be times in your garden where green is going to be the only colour..."

Why?   Why does this have to be the way that it is?  Kate! Get a second opinion.

Jack, Lynne and Matt discuss long blooming plants and how to bloom phase so that your garden is colourful from March to early November. 

It's possible and The Growing Season tells you how to do it.

Sedum, tickseed, phlox, weigela, rose of sharon and the legendary potentilla are all spotlighted in an effort to keep the colour coming consecutively. 

Tips For Success From The Growing Season features tips on how to prolong the length of blooms on annuals, perennials and flowering shrubs. 

Lynne discusses frustrating your annuals on purpose to keep them blooming for ever and ever. 

Matt gushes over Yarrow - and why wouldn't you?   THIS THING BLOOMS LIKE STINK!

Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.

What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.

Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.