Monthly Archives: June 2011

Epic battle: the vine vs. the lilac

Posted on June 30, 2011 by bloomingreverend

For several years I tried to kill the huge green vine at the side of the house. I hacked at it every spring as it sprang to life with its long, green tentacles, cutting branch after branch with an enthusiasm usually reserved for quackgrass in the vegetable … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Time to stop and eat the flowers

Posted on June 29, 2011 by bloomingreverend

Eating food fresh from the garden is a wonderful treat. It’s not just that the food tastes better when you grow it yourself–although it’s true–it’s the fact that the food is fresher than anything you will ever find in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Everyone needs a watering can

Posted on June 24, 2011 by bloomingreverend

Last week, the gardens got very dry. It seems to be the one down side to my raised beds out front: they drain very quickly. Since I now have three rain barrels, however, I managed to water them every few days by … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Meeting celebrities

Posted on June 24, 2011 by bloomingreverend

At Canada Blooms, I was delighted to meet Alexander Reford of Reford Gardens in Quebec. I couldn’t believe my luck, not only getting to say hello but having a few moments of his time to hear about what he does and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I have a new clothesline. Yippee!

Posted on June 22, 2011 by bloomingreverend

Project Laundry List, an organization “that leads the air drying and cold water washing revolution”, says that there are a huge number of reasons to put up a clothes line. Among them: It saves money. Clothes last longer (Where do you … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Are professionally designed gardens better?

Posted on June 20, 2011 by bloomingreverend

Last Saturday a friend and I went on the Toronto Botanical Garden’s fundraising garden tour, “Through the Garden Gate” in Swansea. The weather was perfect, the company engaging and the gardens absolutely stunning. I was quite taken aback, however, by how … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

I found a good reason to cut my peony blooms

Posted on June 18, 2011 by bloomingreverend

The congregation where I serve is a happy place. It is casual and very down to earth, full of people who are genuine and joyful. Monica was one of those people. Helping and giving were Monica’s favourite things to do. She … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Garden Update

Posted on June 14, 2011 by bloomingreverend

It has been a couple of months since I put in the new front yard vegetable beds and I have begun to relax and enjoy them since the bylaw officer didn’t come back. They are coming along quite nicely and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Iris from generation to generation

Posted on June 12, 2011 by bloomingreverend

My grandfather, Sydney Nicholls, came to Canada from England when he was 17 and worked in the Collingwood shipyards until he could open his own florist business. He built large greenhouses behind his home on St. Marie Street and grew all manner of flowers in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Sabbatical martini

Posted on June 11, 2011 by bloomingreverend

Growing up, my parents had wine with dinner most days. We always sat down together as a family, and just a glass of red or white wine seemed to make the meal a little more substantial, and a little less … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments