New Naturalism, by Kelly D. Norris Some books are just a joy to read- this is one such book. Norris has an engaging writing style, the book is replete with stunning photographs of naturalized gardens and there are a plethora witty and engaging engaging quotes. The book encourages gardeners to re-think their approach to gardens
Climate change is the challenge of the century. You hear about it, read about it, worry about it. Rising global temperatures are caused by our overuse of fossil fuels in combination with widespread destruction of forests, grasslands, peat bogs and other flora. The average temperature of Earth is rising because our polluted atmosphere traps heat
Not able to attend the Gardening 101 session at the Stratford Public Library? Here is a summary of the presentation. Before you begin: What type of garden do you envision? What will be planted? Flowers, vegetables, shrubs, herbs, or a combo? Who will use the space?- Friends, family, kids, pets? Purpose of garden?- privacy, relaxing,
Jim Fitzgerald, one of our Master Gardeners, gave a presentation on Soil Health at the Seedy Sunday in Stratford on February 17 2019. After the presentation, he was asked if he would share his reference material. Here it is! Improving Your Soil: By Keith Reid (an Ontario soil scientist) – A practical Guide to soil Management for
You may have heard the word “permaculture” and wondered “What’s that all about?”. The term was coined by Australian Bill Mollison from the words permanent and agriculture. It refers to plans which provide food, water, energy and shelter and do not degrade, but are designed to last. Permaculture uses systems and designs which regenerate soil,
By Lester R. Brown- a book review “Food is the new oil,” writes Brown. With that he says food will become the pressure point for global insecurity. He makes the case by citing statistics documenting the rising of food prices, the shrinking stores of foods, the growing population, and people moving up the food chain,
Did you know that the earth needs 500 years to produce 1 inch of topsoil? David Montgomery, a geologist and professor at The University of Washington, posits that soil is the most overlooked and crucial material on earth. He presents a cultural history of soil degradation and how soil exhaustion has shaped the course of