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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.

Strawberry seeds

Fresca strawberry seeds

Strawberry seeds grow inside small hard yellow shells that dot the outer surface of strawberries. The seeds grow best after they’ve experienced the cold temperatures of winter and can then germinate in a sunny, moist location with well-drained soil. Most…

Eversweet strawberry

Eversweet strawberries

Are you on the lookout to start growing your own Eversweet strawberries? If so, then you have come to the right place! The Eversweet Strawberry is an everbearing garden strawberry cultivar known for its heat tolerance and tasty bright red…

Quinault strawberry

Quinault strawberry

Strawberries seem to be the ultimate summertime treat, especially when they’re big, red, and ripe. There are actually quite a few different varieties of strawberries – and the Quinault Strawberry is one of the best! The Quinault Strawberry is an…

Honeoye strawberry

Honeoye strawberry

Looking for a bumper crop of shiny red strawberries that grow on cold-hardy plants? It’s time to try Honeoye strawberries! The Honeoye strawberry is a June-bearing garden strawberry cultivar known for its very large, bright red strawberries. These plants produce…

Strawberry varieties

Strawberry varieties

There are hundreds of different named varieties of strawberries, with more being introduced every year. No matter where you go, you can find a whole plethora of great strawberry plants that are juicy and sweet. Read on to learn all…

Halcyon hosta

Garden blogger mary jane duford holding hosta

Halcyon hosta is a popular blue hosta variety known for its beautiful heart-shaped dusky blue-green leaves. This medium-sized cultivar grows to about 40 inches wide and 18 inches tall. It has matte, pointed leaves and grows best in partial shade…

Francee hosta

Francee hosta

The Francee hosta is a medium-sized variegated hosta cultivar known for its dependable green leaves with thin white edging. Grown for its quick growth, low-maintenance upkeep, and tolerance of shady locations, this plant takes about five years to fully mature…

Patriot hosta

Patriot hosta

The Patriot hosta is a popular variegated variety with deep green leaf centers and white edges. This cultivar is medium-to-large in size, creating a foliage mound 3-4 feet wide and up to 2 feet high. These plants are known as…

What to plant in the fall

Fall is a fantastic time to plant many types of trees, shrubs, flowers, cool-weather vegetables, and ornamental landscape plants. Let’s look at some of the best plants to add to your yard this autumn. Trees to plant in the fall…

Summer crops

Summer crops in the garden

Summer crops are often the most exciting season in the vegetable garden! Whether you’re starting a garden of your own or just want to be more informed about which crops and produce are in season, it’s good to have an…

When to plant flowers

When to plant flowers

Wondering when to plant flowers? Fortunately, there are so many different types of flowers that there’s always something to plant! Most flowers are planted in the spring, simply because that’s when flowers are well-stocked in garden centers. Some types of…