AI has moved into the world of gardening! In this encore presentation of Down the Garden Path podcast, Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing speak with Dale and Carrie Spoonemore, creators of the new garden AI app, Seed to Spoon.  Here are some of the questions and topics covered in this episode: Why did you decide to create this app? Where does the gardening information come from? Who is this app geared towards? Is it North-America based only? Can users customize their profiles so the app remembers their location? How does it differ from Google search? Find From Seed to Spoon online: www.s ..read more

In this encore presentation of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing discuss how to design with native plants and strike a balance in your garden between natives and the foreign ornamentals we love so much. When people think about native plants, they often think of a wild meadow or an unkept urban lot. But natives offer many design opportunities and benefits to our gardens and landscapes. Here are some of the questions and topics covered in this episode: How do you define native? Where to look for native plants? How should I start going about designing with native plants? Usi ..read more

In this encore presentation of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw and Matthew Dressing show you how to keep your garden and landscape cool and colourful in the summer heat with tips and tricks and do’s and don'ts for your July garden. Here are some of the questions and topics covered in this episode: Pros and cons of the recent hard fast rain and things to consider with your garden and containers. Lawns The importance of watering deeply but less frequently The best type of fertilizer for your lawn situation The best time to fertilize Staying on top of weeds Perennials/Annuals in the Garden ..read more

In this encore presentation of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw welcomes Tom Watson from BOLD to discuss landscape lightning. About Tom Watson Tom Watson is a Senior Business Development Manager with BOLD (Best Outdoor Living Design), focusing on his territory in Central Ontario. After working in business operations for over nine years, leveraging cutting-edge technologies for strategic growth and process improvement, Tom entered the outdoor lighting industry. Here are some of the questions and topics covered in this episode: Tell us more about BOLD, the new industry-leading landscape l ..read more

In this episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw welcomes Carla Bailey to discuss Women in Landscaping, a supportive community for green professionals that encourages women to enter the profession. About Carla Bailey An HR professional for over a decade, Carla Bailey honed her expertise working for a leading landscaping company in London, Ontario. Dedicated to creating a positive work environment and resolving employee matters, her commitment to staff growth led her to discover and implement various government initiatives to support employee development. In 2018, Carla and three other gree ..read more

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw welcomes Natalie Green from DynaScape Software to discuss their newest product, Creator. About Natalie Green Natalie is the Director of Product Development at DynaScape, working to understand the needs of landscape designers and build easy-to-use, modern solutions to efficiently create beautiful, functional, accurate plans for outdoor spaces. DynaScape builds landscape software specifically for the landscaping industry. They are committed to developing tailor-made solutions for landscape professionals and continue to expand the products and servic ..read more

This solo episode of Down the Garden Path is a bit of a rant! Recently, I heard landscape design referred to as a luxury product, giving the illusion that only the wealthy need one. I disagree. Despite the initial investment, I believe landscape design will save you money in both the short and the long run. And I am confident that after working with a landscape designer, your project will be even more successful. Luxury or necessity? Tune in to hear Joanne discuss landscape design. Things to consider: Your landscaping project most likely contains hardscaping (patio, walkway, garden walls) and ..read more

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw welcomes author Alan Heeks to the podcast to discuss his self-help book, Natural Happiness: Use Organic Gardening Skills to Cultivate Yourself.  About Alan Heeks Alan Heeks is an inspiring guide to helping people cultivate their well-being through parallels with Nature. After a Harvard MBA and a successful career managing building materials businesses, Alan has spent 30 years creating nature-based learning venues, and leading groups there. In 1990, he started Magdalen Environmental Trust, converting 130 acres to a mixed organic farm. Since 19 ..read more

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw welcomes author Mariam Pirbhai to the podcast to discuss her creative nonfiction book, Garden Inventories: Reflections on Land, Place and Belonging. About Mariam Pirbhai Mariam was born in Pakistan and lived in England, the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines before her family immigrated to Canada in the late 1980s. She completed her Ph.D. in English at the University of Montreal and received the Governor General’s Gold Medal. Mariam lives and works in Waterloo, where she enjoys photographing and painting the natural landscapes of southwester ..read more

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne Shaw welcomes Julia Dimakos back to the podcast to discuss growing tomatoes. From starting tomatoes from seed to transplanting the seedlings into the garden, Julia shares her tried-and-true tricks to growing them successfully from seed.  About Julia Dimakos Julia Dimakos’ 7000 square foot kitchen garden is in Mono, Ontario, on 25 acres on the Niagara Escarpment. Julia has been growing vegetables and writing about gardening for over 13 years. She was twice published in Canadian Organic Grower magazine and became a published author in July 2022 ..read more