Gardening Tips


Family gardening

Gardens bring joy to many, a sense of accomplishment when having successfully grown a thriving garden that looks welcoming and peaceful.  It can also be cause for much frustration when your efforts fall short, and your garden is just not looking so great.  Keep these tips in mind when planning your garden and you’ll be sure to have a beautiful garden this summer!

Keep it in sight

Make sure you create your garden in a place you will often see.  Out of sight, out of mind applies to gardening too, and you definitely don’t want to forget about tending to your garden!

Watch the sun

Before planting your garden, pay attention to how many hours of sunlight the space you’re considering gets.  Many plants require at least 6 hours of sun, such as most edible plants like vegetables, herbs and fruits. 

Pick your plants wisely

Before heading out to your local garden centre, do some research to understand the best type of plants for the areas you want to plant, and for where you live.  Make sure you can provide enough space for your plants, as some prefer lots of room to grow, or a trellis to climb. 

Don’t plant too early

Research when the last average spring frost occurs so that you don’t accidentally kill your newly planted plants.  The same goes for identifying your first average fall frost date if you are planning to get your plants harvested or moved indoors before the cold arrives.  

Add mulch

Apply a layer of mulch that is 2-3” thick around each plant.  This will help prevent weeds by blocking out the sun, and reduce moisture loss through evaporation, so you can water less.  

Use your finger

The best way to tell if your plants need watering is to push your finger an inch down into the soil.  If your finger is dry, then it’s time to water!


For products to help you start or tend to your garden throughout the year, browse our website or reach out to us and let us know what you’re looking for!

Source: https://www.miraclegro.com/en-ca/library/gardening-basics/10-top-gardening-tips-beginners

Happy Inspire Your Heart With Art Day!


Did you know that January 31st of each year is Inspire Your Heart With Art Day? Regardless if you’re an art connoisseur, hobby painter or just a doodler, art has had some influence in all of our lives. Since ancient time art has been regarded as a significant influence in reflection upon inner selves:

We hope you take some time on this day to appreciate art and what it truly means to us as a creative outlet. Here are some ways we encourage you to fill up your heart with art:

We hope you get your fill this national #InspireYourHeartWithArtDay! Feel free to share this day with colleagues, friends and family!

Tips for Using Watercolour Paints


No matter how busy you are, artistic expression would do you good. Creating art relieves stress, improves cognitive function and has the same effect on the brain as meditation. So whether you’ve got five minutes a week or twenty minutes a day, consider putting it toward an art project.

Watercolour Techniques

This fall, we’re learning to use watercolours. And the best thing we’ve learned about the process so far? You don’t have to be a master to love it. Here are a few ways we’re getting creative with colour.

Creative uses for watercolour paints

  • Add salt. Create texture, like snow or leaves, by sprinkling salt onto freshly painted watercolour. Don’t be too heavy-handed; the goal is not for the salt to stick, but to sit on top of your paint. When the paint dries, simply wipe the salt away.
  • Dye flowers. This is a fun experiment to undertake with the kids. Add a dime-sized amount of watercolour paint to a vase of white flowers. You can even divide the flowers into several vases, using a different watercolour base for each one. Over several days, watch the flowers take on colour.
  • Spray it out. Fill a spray bottle with water and add a few dollops of watercolour paint. (More paint will result in strong colour, and less paint will give you subtle hues.) Create different patterns by spraying from varied distances.