Welcome to the GVAG Blog

The road separates two parts of the so-called trout pond. The pond was the first obstacle of a 9-hole golf course that was part of Glen Villa Inn.

Repairing the Dam(n) Damage

No, this isn’t a political post, although governments are involved. The non-political damage that needs to be repaired involves the dam at Glen Villa, my garden in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, and the pond the dam created. The pond dates back well over 100 years, to about 1870 or so, when a stream was dammed…

Read more
Photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia.

Remembering the Dead

With Remembrance Day fast approaching, I’m remembering people who were important in my life and looking at how the Memory Posts I painted in their honour are faring. The inspiration for my Memory Posts came from a visit to the National Gallery of Australia and its Memorial Hall.  Created by indigenous artists from Central Arnhem Land in Australia’s…

Read more
Our house and boathouse are dwarfed by the hills that rise behind.

The Colours of Autumn

I missed the peak of autumn colour this year in the Eastern Townships of Quebec — where colours are as good as (or better than?) any place in North America — because of some trips that took me away from home. So when a friend sent me a photo he took a week or so ago of the hills…

Read more
Formally clipped trees line a perfectly edged walkway in front of Ascott house.

Ascott: A Garden Review

Note: Recently I became aware of a technical glitz that was causing problems with the delivery of this blog. It has now been resolved. To those of you reading a blog post for the first time, even if you subscribed many months ago — my apologies for the delay and welcome to the Site and Insight blog! I…

Read more
The cottage retains its original strongly contrasting paint colours.

Prospect Cottage: A Garden Review

  The garden at Prospect Cottage, located in Kent on England’s east coast, was created by the late Derek Jarmon, a filmmaker, diarist and early advocate of gay rights. It is a garden that sits lightly on the land while simultaneously conveying a powerful sense of place. It is also one that elicits a strong response from…

Read more