Forbidden Fruit!

My elderly Italian neighbour hollered out from her opened basement window. She had noticed me on my back patio, cleaning up the dead summer flowers. “What are you doing in the freezing cold, Rita? Picking the frozen grapes?” I laughed and teased her, “Yes, I was thinking of making ice wine.” To tell you the…

If You’re Married to a Gardener…

It starts innocently enough, the way many soft addictions do. I tell my Mom I’ll pop by the garden centre to buy her mulch. But, while I’m there…my heart quickens and endorphins are boosted as I take in all the plants and seed packages and flowers surrounding me. I forget all about the mulch until…

Be a ‘Real’ Gardener!

I consider myself a half-decent gardener but for some reason my forsythia bush stopped blooming about ten years ago. Maybe even longer. Actually, it only bloomed the year I bought it! The first time I saw no blossoms, I convinced myself it was just a late bloomer. But, yellow flowers never appeared. I chalked it…