Wildlife can multiply backyard pleasure

Attracting wildlife is a rewarding experience. Before taking the steps to bring new friends to your yard, keep in mind that wildlife is truly wild and unpredictable. Ask yourself: Do you really want more wildlife around than you already have, . . .

Posted: 2008-06-08

GARDENING: Love food? We dig it

Manitobans cultivate their tastebuds with edible gardens

Adding edibles to the landscape can be addictive. It might start with a few carrots and tomatoes, perhaps a bit of basil and some dill or green beans -- just enough for adding fresh homegrown flavour to your recipes. A small . . .

Posted: 2014-05-31

Raise a glass to these backyard beverages

Imbibers have plenty of locally produced drink options

Can I interest you in a glass of artisanal rosé-style wine made with the sweet-tart flavours of Prairie-grown haskap berries, or would you prefer mulled or chilled white honey mead brewed by an estate winery in Killarney?Or perhaps you would . . .

Posted: 2016-12-24

GARDENING: Mini pops

Small plants add colour, variety to your garden

The world of gardening just got smaller. Plants with Lilliputian proportions are taking North American gardeners by storm. As recently as two years ago, only a small area in local greenhouses may have been allocated to an assortment of miniature . . .

Posted: 2014-04-05

Now we're cooking

Colleen Zacharias on outdoor ovens

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose... This holiday season, a growing number of outdoor cooking enthusiasts may be humming the lyrics to this classic song composed in 1946 by Mel Torme and Robert Wells, as . . .

Posted: 2014-12-20

Royal flush

Some folks will shell out up to $6,500 for an ultra-fancy toilet

I was washing my clothes in a bidet in a pension in Paris when I heard a knock at the door. It was the concierge, a lovely older woman in her mid-30s, who asked me in English if the room was . . .

Posted: 2014-06-21

Pretty BELLS

HEUCHERA a beautiful plant, but only if you grow it right

I know for certain that all of my hosta plants will eventually re-emerge from their winter sleep at some point this spring. The only thing that might spoil the perfection of the furled-up leaves of hosta as they poke through . . .

Posted: 2015-04-11

Get kids outside with varied, fun activities

Safety comes first in summertime play

If you have kids at your house, you will inevitably want them to go outside. That's right, turn the TV off and play! Here are tips and recipes that will make summer exciting and safe. 1. In recent years, outdoor . . .

Posted: 2008-06-15

The queen of vines

Clematis belongs to a genus of more than 250 species around the world

Even if you are not growing clematis in your garden, most likely you are familiar with Jackmanii clematis. The most popular clematis variety in the world, Jackmanii, with its prolific royal purple blooms, traces its proud lineage to the mid-1800s . . .

Posted: 2016-04-02

Edible delights

Grow your own healthy vegetables and herbs

With cooler temperatures this weekend that could put a damper on your outdoor activities, why not take the time to visit your local garden centre and browse through the rows and rows of herbs and veggies? Edibles now take up . . .

Posted: 2016-05-14