The mailbox is a funny thing. Boring and bland, and no one will think twice. However, a unique mailbox design, and your letter carrier will do a double take. Almost anyone walking by notices a creative mailbox post sitting in the front yard. You could even say the mailbox connects our homes with the outside world. They stand on every…
Soil vs potting mix, is there a difference? These terms are often used interchangeable, however, they really shouldn’t be. What is soil? Natural soil is a mix of silt, clay, and sand. It contains organic matter, gases, liquids, and an extremely diverse array of micro- and macro-organisms. Soil is part of earth’s pedosphere, which has four major functions. Healthy soil…
Every year fall sneaks up on us and before you know it, it’s time to prepare the garden for winter. We winterize everything else in our lives, from our cars, to boats, to homes, thus is seems only natural that we also prepare our garden for winter. Many of us live in gardening zones that receive frost, freezing temperatures, or…
What’s going on guys and gals! If you haven’t noticed from the many different posts in the last week, I am getting married! I had the idea a few months back that it would be a great idea to build a DIY wedding arch for our ceremony. It would be a unique meaningful piece, that could then be repurposed in…
Welcome back to Tool School! This week on Episode 3 I want to focus on my favourite landscaping tool- the Hori Hori knife. What is a Hori Hori knife? If you are thinking, what in the world is a Hori Hori knife, you are not alone. Just a few years back, I was in that exact same boat. Then, I…
Yesterday we posted an update on the small yard landscaping at the Beige Bungalow. Although it was completed a few months back, it took me a while to get around to writing the post. So I figured it was time for an update to show you all what a few months of growing time can do for a new landscaping…
A few months ago we finished up another project at the Beige Bungalow. This time around it was adding some much needed curb appeal to the house as we tackled the front garden. But I wanted to share with you guys how easy it is for anyone to tackle a project such as this one in a weekend. Plus it…
Last week’s blog post discussed the importance of including winter interest when landscaping, and has led to several emails from readers highlighting a common theme. The most repeated statement has been, “I have lots of evergreens but they are too big.” Further into our conversations the real problem often presents itself. It is often not the size of their trees/shrubs, but their location amongst their…
Many folks in the northern regions like Edmonton often forget about winter interest shrubs in their landscaping plans. Plants enter a period of rest, bright fall foliage dissipates, and then the snow flies, leaving a bleak landscape full or whites and greys. However, it does not have to be this way. This is where establishing a landscape plan becomes crucial. A…