Welcome to the GVAG Blog

IMG_8678.jpg

The Aqueduct, Part 4: Fine Tuning

Plugging The Leak is not really fine tuning, but before we can fine tune — or indeed, before we can do anything more on The Aqueduct — we have to do it. We thought the problem was the drain that enters the small holding pond below the driveway. We dug up a section along the…

Read more
IMG_4477.jpg

The Aqueduct, Part 3: Planting It

Spring in Quebec comes late. It was mid-May before the ground was dry enough for trucks to cross the lawn. And we needed trucks to complete The Aqueduct. The Aqueduct on April 6. Snow still lingers in shady areas and everything is a mess. The reflecting pool went in — first concrete blocks, then steel…

Read more
aquaduct__76.jpg

The Aqueduct, Part 2: Building It

In my last blog post, I wrote about why we decided to build The Aqueduct (The Aqueduct, Part I: Why We Built It). I explained that we wanted to see and hear the stream that ran down the hill near the house, to replace some dangerous steps, and to create a water feature that harmoniously…

Read more
garden_20100722006.jpg

The Aqueduct, Part 1: Why We Built It

When my husband and I bought Glen Villa in 1996, we moved from a little lakefront cottage into the house next door. We acquired a property that had been loved and looked after beautifully. We counted ourselves lucky indeed. We often sat on the deck looking out towards the magnificent linden tree at the end…

Read more
Westbury_Court_2013_48.jpg

Rills and Why I Like Them

Water features are an important element in many gardens. Understandably so. Water can reflect the sky, enlarging the space to infinity; it can reflect surrounding buildings or trees, adding stimulating contrasts. It is an ideal environment for certain decorative plants. It cools the air and its movement over rocks or cascades adds a refreshing note.…

Read more