If asked to define an Italian garden, many of us would mention symmetry, shades of green and statuary with classical themes. La Mortella does not conform to these stereotypes. Rather, it is a garden with an international flair that sings to those with ears to hear. Located on the island of Ischia, in the Bay…
As I prepare for another season at Glen Villa Art Garden, I’ve been thinking about other gardens I’ve visited. What lessons can I take from them, that I can adapt and apply to my own? Asking those questions has led me to reflect on something different. Why do some gardens stand out as clearly as…
I rarely share links with other websites, whether garden related or not. But this morning, I read an article that I found truly thought-provoking. It is called “Head (and eyes) in the clouds” and appears on the Substack blog, Why It Works. Written by Chris Young, landscape designer and consultant and former editor of The…
Recently, I spent a very enjoyable hour speaking online with Heather Andrews, the Thoughtful Gardener. Her emphasis is on helping gardeners to create sustainable gardens that attract wildlife, support pollinators and increase vegetable yield using native plants. You can find her at Garden Thoughtfully. The website is well worth a look — she shares lots…
This special blog post is an excerpt from Autobiography of a Garden, the book about the creation and development of Glen Villa Art Garden, published by McGill-Queen’s University Press. Questions to Ask Yourself When Visiting a Garden Context How does the garden relate to the world around it? Is the location special in…
You are invited! On Thursday, I’m launching Autobiography of a Garden from 5-7 at the Visual Arts Centre, 350 Victoria Ave, Westmount, Quebec. Wine and cheese will be served! Autobiography of a Garden tells the story of my 25-year journey, as a conventional country property became a landscape that challenges what a…
When I was a girl, you grew flowers in a flower garden, vegetables in a vegetable garden. Never the twain did meet — at least not if you were in tune with fashions of the day. But there is a long history of growing companion crops, and today flowers and vegetables are often grown together,…
Tonight I’m officially launching my new book, Autobiography of a Garden. Date: Friday, July 29Place: Studio Georgeville20 Carré Copp, Georgeville QCTime: 5-7 Tomorrow night is the second book launch of the weekend. So if you can’t come tonight, do join me tomorrow. Date: Saturday, July 30Place: Gillygooly Gallery96 Hatley Centre RoadCanton-de-Hatley, QCTime: 4-6 Everyone is…
The Open Garden Day at Glen Villa Art Garden on June 25 was a huge success. People from the area and from far afield admired the garden, the art and the experience. A huge thank you goes out to the volunteers who worked at the registration desk, introducing the Massawippi Foundation, answering questions and explaining…
What a wonderful thing it is to fulfill a life-time ambition! I’ve wanted to visit Levens Hall since the early 1960s. That summer, a young English girl arrived in Virginia to spend a year living with me and my family and, as a gift, she brought us a book about English gardens. On the cover…