In this episode . . .A frost narrowly avoided. Changing leaves, and beautiful Boston ivy. The local woodchip and leaf economy. Some cutting back (but mostly not). Surprise radishes. Cold frames and improvised low tunnels. Native seed sitting. Bulb planting tips. And a goodbye, or maybe a see you later.Otherwise this week, I’m . . .Savouring: The colours of the leaves and their crunch underfoot.Tending: Cutting back diseased plants, planting spring bulbs, digging up and dividing dahlias.Harvesting: Parsley, sage, kale, chard, green onions.I said it in the podcast, but I’ll say it again: if you have feedback on this experiment, this season, I’d love to hear it. I’m not sure if Gardening Out Loud has a future, but feedback from devoted listeners will help determine that. And the episodes will nevertheless remain online if you need a dose of the growing season during the winter. Thanks, from the bottom of my heart, for your attention this season. xoJen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

In this episode . . .Return of the juncos. Winter’s call to rest. Harvesting bean seeds. Late season harvests. The beauty of stolen yard waste. My compost cycle. Starting new beds. Specific plant varieties mentioned: Coyote tomato, Gem marigold series, Silver Years dahlia, Lakeview Peach Fuzz dahlia, Be a part of Gardening Out Loud!It’s as easy as recording a voice memo on your phone. Record your name, where you live, and then describe a moment in the garden or in nature that mattered to you this year. Send them to [email protected]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

Welcome back to another guest episode. This time I headed northwest on my bike up to the home of Mikael Walter-Campbell, the owner and maker at Sage & Thistle Handmade Goods, where she makes all kinds of wonderful soaps, infused oils, masks, soaks, and more. I wanted to see the garden that provides many of the botanicals for her products and learn more about what she grows for skincare and how it makes the transition from plant to finished product. Along the way we also talk about the importance of having something to nurture, gardening with kids, gardening in community, making mistakes, and cultivating an aesthetic that’s just a little bit wild. If you’d like to learn more about Mikael and Sage & Thistle, check out her website and her Instagram, or drop by her shop at 2A Rogers Rd. in Toronto. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

In this episode . . .Retreat recovery. The beauty (and practicality) of asters and goldenrod. Time to label dahlias and move or divide perennials. Specific plant varieties mentioned: White snakeroot, large-leaved aster, wood aster, cardinal flower, bonesetBe a part of Gardening Out Loud!It’s as easy as recording a voice memo on your phone. Record your name, where you live, and then describe a moment in the garden or in nature that mattered to you this year. Send them to [email protected]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

In this episode . . .Shift in the seasons. Time to top tomatoes. A minor squash victory. Focus on ripening he fruits you have. Compost bin fungi and other surprises. Gardening as act of faith.Specific plant varieties mentioned: Blue Kuri squash, Cosmos Apricot LemonadeBe a part of Gardening Out Loud!It’s as easy as recording a voice memo on your phone. Record your name, where you live, and then describe a moment in the garden or in nature that mattered to you this year. Send them to [email protected]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

In this episode . . .A tree full of birds. Tuning in by slowing down. The delights (and practicality) of the New England aster. Guest appearance by a marauding squirrel. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

In this episode . . .In praise of Canada goldenrod. Strategies for savouring summer. A magical harvest dinner. Saving cosmos, nasturtium, and calendula seeds. My squirrels love honeynut squash. A taste of the tropics with ground cherries. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

Most of Gardening Out Loud focuses on gardeners, but in Toronto there are a few ingenious folks farming in people’s gardens. Sylvia Cheng of Growing Tkaronto Floristry is one of those people growing gorgeous blooms on borrowed land, creating little pockets of abundance beside busy city streets.I came to Sylvia for her perspective on farming in gardens, working with landowners, and, of course, growing beautiful dahlias. On a beautiful late summer day, we checked out her home plot, one growing in the neighbour’s backyard, and hopped our bikes to visit a front yard dahlia plot just exploding with colour.Tune in to learn a bit about some challenges of urban floristry, tips for healthy dahlias, and why growing local flowers matters. If you’d like to learn more about Sylvia and Growing Tkaronto, check out her website and her Instagram. I hope you enjoyed this little peek into urban flower farming and have a new understanding of why some of why local bouquets have higher price tags. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

In this episode . . .On embracing creativity as an adult and finding flow state. A tour of all the plants and flowers I use in arrangements. Basic tips for bouquets and arrangements. The benefits of growing your own cut flowers. The book that taught me so much about arranging seasonal flowers: A Year in Flowers by Erin Benzakein. I get my spring bulbs from Flowerbulbsrus. (Not sponsored.) Specific plant varieties mentioned: Black Knight scabiosa, Costa Silver snapdragons, Black Prince snapdragons, Little Lime hydrangea, cosmos Apricot Lemonade, cosmos Snow Puff, ninebark Diablo, geranium Rose of Attar. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

In this episode . . .A passionfruit-scented rose. Tomatoes, beans, cukes. The squash plants persevere. Sprouting broccoli lessons. Planters are not litterboxes (and yet . . .) Surprise cucamelons continue. Attack of the 11-foot tomato plant. Some container successes. Specific seed varieties mentioned: Purple Peacock pole beans, Blue Lake pole beans, dahlia Hollyhill Black Beauty, dahlia Lakeview Peach Fuzz, dahlia Karras 150, cosmos Apricot Lemonade, ninebark Diablo, Aspabroc sprouting broccoli, Mesclun mix, Duke blueberry, geranium Attar of Roses, Coyote tomato, Fall Gold raspberries. The ruffled tomato in the container I couldn’t remember is called Costoluto Fiorentino. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com