We found some old shut off valves on site and decided to fill them with coloured recycled glass and outdoor epoxy to complement the metal work.

.The Aquilegia chrysantha (Colorodo columbine) pictured above was planted at David Archer Coop last year. After trying all my regular suppliers (and failing), I purchased every single last one that Humber Nurseries had grown. I believe it was 51! Unlike 2×4’s sourcing plants can be time consuming as you need to know the quality, size,…

I reluctantly agreed to accompany my wife to new york last weekend. I was nervous to leave Toronto so close to opening day, so you can imagine my delight when 8″ of snow fell the day before we left. In any case we had a great time and I came back with a new blog…

Pictured here is Rachel filling containers for the Parts and Labour rooftop garden project, installing a xeroflor greenroof in the beach and planting the woodland garden at Canada Blooms. Rachel started working with Ecoman in fall 2009. She has recently completed the class portion of the Horticulture Technology diploma at Humber College and is working…

While strolling the City of Toronto display I came across this great woodland garden installed by Landscape Design students from the Chang School at Ryerson University. According to Rachel Weston, student and Ecoman employee, this garden was installed by the “Art and Management of Planting Design” students taught by Michelle Reid. Although the pictures do…

One of the more interesting displays was the pollinator garden conceived by Clement Kent. Although these pictures do it no justice they illustrate a point. Today is March 20th and only the earliest spring ephemerals are flowering in the garden. Most designers at Canada Blooms make use of plants supplied by nurseries that have been…

Alex Zalewski is grandson of the founder of Parklane, a landscaping company that has been around since 1958. According to Alex, Parklane helped to organize Canada Blooms and has been an exhibitor ever since. This years exhibit was really special, they won an award for best use of water, I thought this sculpture/water feature really…

This is Reid Snow owner of VRS Masonry, they built this magnificent dry stack stone structure in 3 days with only hammer and chisel! This was one of the highlights for me at Canada Blooms. People with the skill and craftsmanship required to build something like this are few and far between. Master tip from…

Last summer a new client had requested a garden cleanup and during the course of our conversation it came up that the tree pictured here had been a mystery to the homeowner for years. The client had gone so far as taking cuttings to the local nursery and they too were unable to identify it….

Walking back from a brunch with friends, I happened upon this garden with these incredible geometric shapes. It would take many years of painstaking work, an architectural eye combined with masterful skill with a pruner to achieve this look. Whether you like this aesthetic or not you have to credit this mystery gardener for their…