During the month of May, local garden centres are receiving their stock of trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens, roses and perennials – often the best selection you’ll find throughout the entire year.

A master gardener is an extensively trained amateur gardener. First formed in 1985, and incorporated as a registered charity in Ontario in 1998, the Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc.

While we were worshiping to the sun gods back in February, some of us may now be getting fed up with the heat. With high temperatures come increased UV rays, so it makes sense to seek out shady spots that provide some reprieve.

If I could come back to earth as a plant, I would be a ground cover – a useful one, of course. I love rich, organic soil, so by being a ground-hugging plant I could feel the rhythms of the earth, as well as the movement of the lifegiving earthworms beneath my roots.

It’s been said that there are two types of people in the world – those who love to garden and those who love to look at gardens. If this is the case, then introducing Garden Tourism into our lexicon, is long overdue.

Trying to extend outdoor time in our seasonal climate, and squeeze as much living as possible out of our backyards, has become a national preoccupation. With the addition of fire pits, heaters, deep-seated sectional sofas, dining areas and lots of lights, it’s easy to accomplish.

Whether you follow the farmers’ almanac, the pundits of global warming, or listen to the long range forecast, this summer is bound to be a hot one. So, the burning question is, “How do you enjoy a great-looking garden in the heat?”

Recovering from the heavy weight of snow on their branches, the cedars are now bent over. The local rabbit population have nibbled the bark on your young apple tree, and the yew hedge is burned on the south and west sides. This may not describe your garden, but these are things I’m witnessing in mine.…