The Garden Shift

Do you like a Q & A ? This is an episode full of interesting details - everything from phytotoxins, phenology, flower color pigment, herbivory and it's effects on plants and a whole lot more. If you get to the end you'll hear about Ryan's trip to Iceland and some pretty wild plants. Plants For A Future iNaturalist - Cornus canadensis ,Does The Munch Matter National Phenology Network Black Fora...

Brand new to birding? No problem with Project Feeder Watch. Winter is coming and you can join a community project that will deepen your connection to nature. Andrea Gress, Special Projects Coordinator for Birds Canada tells us all about the birds she loves -Plovers to Evening Gross Beaks, and the birds you can get to know. Brand new to birding? No problem with Project Feeder Watch. Watch a mini ha...

Rooted in science and guided by biology Colleen wants you to activate your soil. As a certified Soil Food Web Laboratory Technician she will show you the microbial life in your soil. She produces hig quality compost , teas and extracts and conducts analyses of garden, forest and agricultural soil samples. Her advice is targeted to your garden. Rewild Soils is a gardeners dream resource. Rewild Soi...

This episode is filled with stories, from Kevin's early life in Quebec working summers in bogs and wetlands propagating blueberries  to fundraising and advocacy work while at the University of Toronto with the Botany Conservation Group. Kevin then spent years working for National Conservation organizations like World Wildlife Fund and Nature Conservancy of Canada.  Today if you go to Kevin's nurse...

Audrey Martel wants you to find your place in nature. Having worked with The Nature Conservancy of Canada and now as an ecology writer for the well known Laidback Gardener blog she has developed a unique way to communicate science. Her articles are full of charm and joie de vivre. We talk about a restoration project at her local lake in Granby Quebec, making friends with unloved critters, the bene...

Phenology explores the timing of cyclical events in nature. Your garden is part of the natural world. Rebecca Last Guenette is a scientist and Master Gardener. She wants you to know that if you tend your garden and pay close attention to how it works and develops during the seasons that you're a 'phenologist'. She says , "Scientists today are increasingly turning to phenology to u...

iNaturalist is like Facebook for people who want to be in nature and help collect data on everything wild , like animals and plants. Friend of The Garden Shift Pat Concessi joins to talk about her experience as a user of this social network and public database. There is a fun quiz at the end and keep listening after the goodbyes to hear a special 'in the field' clip where we make observations and...

Rebecca Davis Scott has found magic in her career in horticulture. As Program and Volunteer Manager at Green Thumbs Growing Kids her fascination with insects and their associations with plants has become part of her work day. We discuss why growing food, food literacy and nature connections are so important in the curriculum she brings to children and youth. We also talk about a 10,000 square foot...

Speaking to Blaine Pearson, CEO and Co-Founder of Seedark quickly reveals a person with a creative edge. In this episode we explore a few of her initiatives like Squiirrel a mobile app that connects people who use seeds and people who collect and buy seeds. On the day of recording Blaine is at her home and flower farm in the hills of Mulmur ,Ontario ,where she grows flowers slowly and for sale loc...

Welcome to Season Three. This episode was recorded onsite at the Toronto Plant Market. As ecological gardeners it's important to know where your plants come from- who grows and sells them. If you are in and around Toronto this is the place to go. You will meet the owner Jonas and his terrific staff. When you visit go with questions and leave with answers. Plants are organized by ecological referen...

You may remember Douglas from Season 2. His storm infiltration boulevard in Etobicoke is well documented. Douglas joins to continue the conversation about all the critters who visit this garden space- grasshoppers, damselflies, wasps, bees and birds to name a handful few. We talk about how creating a garden is an opportunity to watch a dynamic ecosystem and learn about all the associations between...

Season 2 closes with Kirstin Hicks of Tidal & Timber Studio -she brings the flora and fauna of coastal and boreal landscapes closer to home through her art. Working in Thunder Bay she has spent much of her professional career in natural resource management. Inspired by the forests of Northern Ontario, Lake Superior and nature walks with her field golden retriever- her art communicates an intim...

This episode was first shared in Season One. It's one of my favorites because it's filled with good advice. Lorraine wants you to get started right where you are. Small changes in your garden can bring big results. Host plants for birds, allowing diversity of species in your lawn, planting up a hellstrip, it's all about reconciling with nature. Enjoy this jam packed episode and Lorraine's story ab...

Are you a cottage owner, conservation practitioner, or lake association? Laura Thomas, owner of Hidden Habitat wants you to grow the right native plant in the right place. Visit her at the nursery and she will show you how. We talk about shoreline seed mixes, seed orchards and plant sex. Hidden Habitat Muskoka Conservancy

Can this be the year your meadow dreams come true? New Directions in American Landscapes Designer Larry Weaner has wise words for gardeners who dream of a  meadow  "By understanding nature’s next ‘move’... we are better able to make intelligent decisions resulting in less maintenance requirements and a more successful end result". In this episode Toronto Master Gardener Tena van Andel will share h...

The Garden Shift invited Pat Concessi for an impromptu chat-between gardening friends. Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), Large-Leaved Aster (Eurybia macrophylla) and Golden Alexander (Zizea aurea) are all making an appearance.

Ewa Bednarczuk knows habitats, she worked on prairies, forests, woodlands and wetlands across Ontario. Now with her online course you can learn to restore and do your part in your own yard. We talk about the lessons, Q & A Hub and community support that will make you a restorer of habitat. Ewa knows soil, plants and interactions and wants you to be a force for good. Neighbourhood Habitat Soil...

The Paw Paw tree, Asimina triloba, is a Carolinian tree that needs our attention. Perfect for a home or community garden, this tree has suffered habitat loss and may be further suffering from bad public relations. In this episode The Garden Shift welcomes Dan Bissonnette - he talks ecological importance of this native species. We learn how to grow from seed and what this tree needs to produce deli...

You may know Sayeh Beheshti from Underhill Seed Sitters, Don't Mess With the Don or North American Native Plant Society. In this episode, hosted by Pat Concessi they talk about the gift economy and how society improves when we give our time to those in need. Sayeh shares her garden with all the creatures that have been there long before she started gardening. Learn about nature journaling, bac...

Mosquito fogging, cooking fiddleheads, arsenic and more. Join my guest Dianne Azzarello for an insightful look at the potential risk associated with natural elements, in our gardens. Dianne has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 38 years. Xerces Study- Mosquito Fogging Mosquito Bucket Health Canada- Food Safety for Fiddleheads Using Pesticides in Ontario Silent Spring, Rachel Carson

The RHS is the UK's leading gardening charity- founded in 1804. In this episode we are joined by Leigh Hunt. Leigh is the Principal Horticultural Advisor at Wisley Garden where he works with over 150 scientists to help deliver gardening advice to their members. We talk about Bringing Nature Home Initiative (2026), Jennifer Owens' 30 year bug study, resilience in plants, primroses, slugs, hedgehogs...

Learn about agroecology and growing seed crops with my guest, seed farmer and author Dan Brisebois. We talk about 'First Seed Mindset' and building a relationship with a plant. What species make a good seed crop, will there be cross pollination, what's a F1 seed, don't be afraid of Brassicas, and lots of vegetable tips will be shared. Ferme Tourne-Sol Co-Op The Seed Farmer , New Society Publisher,...

Junaid is an ecologist who knows nature can heal. His journey starts in Pakistan where nature was always somewhere else. Moving to Canada and now living in Peterborough he sought out a connection to the land through both traditional indigenous learning and alliances with community groups and organizations. Junaid reflects "I see my work is to weave together people's understanding of what it is to...

Would you like to collaborate with a team of volunteers while enjoying some nature therapy? Toronto Nature Stewards may be the organization for you. Pat Concessi is a caring citizen and she wants you to get to know the ravines. Learn why some plants are harmful in the ravine ecosystem and need to be removed, what species may appear in your garden and how to identify , remove and dispose them. http...

Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) Canada is a registered Canadian charity widely recognized as the pre-eminent authority on the bird-building collision issue. Millions of birds die every year from collisions with windows. What can we do to safeguard birds in our yards. Michael discusses option for our windows and placement of our bird feeders. https://flap.org/ Global Bird Collision Mapper http...