Signs your Garden Needs some TLC

Although the weather has been going up and down, with the official Spring date approaching, I can't stop thinking and planning the outdoor space and the garden! I find that it is important to keep up with the garden especially in the beginning when the weather warms up and we start planting. This way there is less work to do during the season and we can keep enjoying the green space. Here are somethings to keep in mind.

Summer Gardening with Plantables

We found using Plantables to be a convenient way to order plants online for our summer garden this year and got them delivered right to our doorstep! 

Quick and Easy Bean Salad made with Garden Fresh Beans

This bean salad needs to be made ahead of time, at least 2 hours before serving, for the flavours to marinate.

Little Women at Stratford Festival

This iconic city hall is a national historic site located in the centre of Stratford, Ontario; a charming small town well-known for its theatre, art, and music. We love visiting Stratford, which is a couple of hours from the GTA to watch outstanding theatrical performances at Stratford Festival. We enjoy walking along the river and surrounding area to admire the beautiful gardens and the overall atmosphere, as well as exploring businesses and restaurants in downtown Stratford.

Ideas For Improving Your Outdoor Space

When you own a home, there is always work to be done on the exterior of the home and property. Instead of calling it work, think of it as an opportunity to enhance the outdoor space. Having this type of mindset can inspire to think creatively and give us an opportunity to have fun. Here are some ideas to consider when planning DIY and renovation projects for the outdoor space.

Winter Garden Maintenance

Most of the time, during the cold season we neglect our gardens, only to face a huge amount of effort preparing the garden once the sun begins to shine. We all look forward to garden parties, barbecuing, playdates, catch-ups, and to relax and enjoy ourselves in the summer. So why not make it easy to jump right into the fun by preparing a few items ahead of time?

Creative Art Books

Creative art books are not only inspiring to get us back to our favourite hobbies, but they are also a good way to detox and pay attention to our mental health and well-being. Here are three books that we are inspired by: Paint Every Little Thing, Drawing Lessons for Beginners Cute Animals, and Creative Gouache.

Ways To Add Quality of Life and Financial Value to Your Home

If you are looking to sell your property, then you are probably looking for maximum value. A bit of investment such as a finished basement, patio, decking, or a home spa could lead to a potentially significant return on investment. These additions can not only have a financial gain but also contribute to quality of life.

Tips For Improving The Curb Appeal of Your Home

There are many reasons why people plan on improving the curb appeal of their home. Either because they have just moved in and want it to suit their own liking, or to make the home more attractive to buyers, or simply for a change. No matter the reason, there are a few simple ways the curb appeal can be improved without costing much. 

Gardening in Small Spaces and Giveaway

Gardening is one of our favourite hobbies. In the past years, we have passionately done a variety of DIY projects and improved our gardening to become a backyard oasis. We have built a variety of different gardening structures, put in a pond with aquatic plants, made spaces for birds, planted fruit trees, invested in different types of perennials over the years, and more. When it comes to growing vegetables, we usually buy transplants from garden centres and put in a few seeds directly in the garden.

Win this Inspiring Embroidery Book

I love embroidery work and enjoy doing them often, it is a satisfying and calming activity to do. Freshly Stitched Modern Embroidery for Absolute Beginners by Celeste Johnston is a colourful book that anyone who enjoys embroidery will find it fun to look through and get inspired to stitch the designs. This book combines my love for gardening and needlework, and I am sure it will inspire you too.  

Gardening 101

Despite taking up the most considerable portion of most properties, yards go criminally underused. Although a sprawling green yard can be nice, mixing it up with plants can be both beautiful and functional. Here are a few gardening tips that every home gardener should know.

Sustainable living and gardening

The weather is finally warm and we have spent most of our time preparing the garden. DK books Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century and Indoor Edible Garden has inspired us to do a few projects this spring like building a compost bin and getting our seeds started indoors.

Get Ready to Garden by Winning Your Own Dig It® Gloves

We are excited the time of the year for pruning, cleaning, and digging has begun. For over five years, we have been using Dig It® gloves for these jobs and more, and love its comfort and uniqueness! Once you start using Dig It® apparel, I assure you that it is hard to turn to any other gloves. We use these gloves for all our outdoor jobs in spring, summer and autumn. These durable gloves are designed to protect our nails from dirt and moisture.   

Our Garage transformation using Rust-oleum Epoxy Shield #DIY

We have a detached garage, which we haven't made use of much other than storing belongings. Last summer, we realized the value of having an extended separate space especially as our interests and hobbies have grown. Due to our love for DIY projects, woodworking, gardening, and crafts, we decided to change our garage space to fully utilize and accommodate these interests.

Kuhn Rikon Tools are Useful in Our Kitchen

I have been using a few Kuhn Rikon kitchen tools that have helped my tasks around the kitchen a little easier and more eco-friendly. 

Everything You Need at Giant Tiger and Giveaway

My family and I enjoy shopping at Giant Tiger because it is a one-stop shop for us. They have a variety of products from food items to beautiful home décor, gardening, fashion, outdoor, and more at reasonable prices.

Spend Time Crafting this March Break and Giveaway

My family and I enjoy doing do-it-yourself and craft projects because it allows us to make unique pieces we can add to our space. I find when we handcraft items, we appreciate it and care for it more because it does not carry monetary value. The books at DK Made by Hand Boutique are an inspiring collection with lots of ideas, which children and adults will enjoy.

Win Your Own Copy of What Plant Where Encyclopedia

This time of the year, my family and I spend lots of time gardening, shopping for the garden, tending the plants, and weeding to keep our garden a clean and well maintained space. For us gardening is exciting, tiring, and relaxing. We love reading books about gardening, trying a variety of different plants and flowers every year, growing to love some plants more than others, talking about plants, recommending our favourites and our tips to family, friends, and neighbours. Recently, I got a wonderful book from DK that tells all about what plants go where in our garden.

Get Closer to Real Food This Gardening Season

We have started to put down seeds and plant vegetables and herbs in our garden. A survey done by Kashi Plant it Forward, shows that less than half of Canadians have ever actually grown fresh fruit or vegetables. Although, we may think farmer’s markets are bridging this gap, the survey results have shown that one third of Canadians will not even visit a farmer’s market or community garden this year. I am glad that Kashi and Evergreen have partnered for a second year in a row on the #PlantItForward initiative encouraging Canadians to “Give. Get. Grow” and celebrate all the little farmers in each of us.