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Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a quintessential Canadian gardener. An engineer by trade, she tends to an ever-expanding collection of plants. In her world, laughter blooms as freely as her flowers, and every plant is raised with a dash of Canadian grit. Mary Jane is a certified Master Gardener and also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. She's also a proud mom of three, teaching her little sprouts the crucial difference between a garden friend and foe. When she's not playing in the dirt, Mary Jane revels in her love for Taylor Swift, Gilmore Girls, ice hockey, and the surprisingly soothing sounds of bluegrass covers of classic hip-hop songs. She invites you to join her garden party, a place where you can share in the joy of growing and where every day is a new opportunity to find the perfect spot for yet another plant.

Sarah Bernhardt peony

Sarah bernhardt peony

The Sarah Bernhardt peony is a large, delightfully fragrant, double-bloom variety with soft rose-pink petals. These low-maintenance herbaceous peonies bloom best when grown in full sun and well-drained soil, giving the peony roots access to plenty of moisture. Sarah Bernhardt…

Festiva Maxima peony

Festiva maxima peony

The Festiva Maxima peony variety is a brilliant white double peony with delicate thin pink streaks. These herbaceous perennial plants grow to be between two and three feet tall, with ornamental deep green foliage. Festiva Maxima prefers full sun and…

Pink Hawaiian Coral peony

Pink hawaiian coral peony

The Pink Hawaiian Coral peony is a vibrant herbaceous peony with coral-pink petals and a yellow center. The blossoms of Pink Hawaiian Coral have a rounded cup-like shape with delicate cream-yellow stamens in the middle. It starts with light pink…

Euonymus

Euonymus

Euonymus is a beautiful choice for an ornamental plant to add some depth and interest to your landscape. Euonymus is a group of flowering ornamental plants, most of which take the form of medium-sized shrubs or woody vines. Many are…

Hydrangea tree basics

Hydrangea tree in late summer

Hydrangea trees are hydrangea plants that have been pruned and trained into a tree-like form. Also called standard hydrangeas, these plants are low-maintenance flowering trees that make a feature statement in the garden. Hydrangea trees are available in a variety…

Zucchini plant

Zucchini plant

Zucchini is a popular plant in the garden as they’re relatively easy to grow and can be eaten fresh or cooked. Zucchini plants are very easy to grow and produce delicious Italian summer squash. These productive vegetable plants are part…

Scary pumpkin faces

Scary pumpkin face with wide mouth

What’s Halloween without some really great scary pumpkin faces!? Here are 45+ different jack o lantern ideas for frighteningly spooky carving ideas, from evil-grin pumpkin carving templates to prop-filled diabolical pumpkin creatures. Let’s look at this big gallery of scary…

Hydrangea arborescens

Hydrangea arborescens, also known as smooth hydrangea, is a flowering shrub native to the USA. These low-maintenance plants grow naturally around moist streambanks or sloping hills. Most cultivars of Hydrangea arborescens have large white flowers, but some newer varieties have…

Autumn Joy sedum

Autumn joy sedum

Looking for an easy-care plant to brighten up the fall garden? Time to plant Autumn Joy Sedum! Autumn Joy sedum is a flowering perennial plant in the Sedum genus (known commonly as “stonecrops”). Autumn Joy is among the most popular…

Cucamelon

Cucamelons

If you are a fruit lover, you may be familiar with many different kinds of fruit, but have you ever heard of a cucamelon? Cucamelons are popular fruits with home gardeners, but what are they? Cucamelons are small fruits that…

Vegetables to plant in August

Vegetables to plant in august

The best vegetables to plant in August are generally cool-season veggies with short time-to-harvest periods. Common crops planted in the vegetable garden during the month of August include carrots, spinach, peas, broccoli, radish, and overwintering cover crops. Plants get a…