Often times our customers will wonder why they aren’t getting birds to their feeders. On this episode I show you some different trees, shrubs and perennials that you can add to your garden to attract a wider variety of birds. Birds are not attracted to yards with only grass. They find food in trees, shrubs … Read more
The two most recent Garden Gate episodes were filmed in my backyard. The first is about setting up a squirrel-proof bird feeding station. It aired recently and is now on the Avant-Garden Shop’s YouTube channel. The second is about including trees and shrubs in your landscaping plans to attract birds and provide shelter. It may … Read more
Setting up a squirrel proof bird feeding station can be done! You just need to be smarter than the squirrels! And I think you are! Squirrels can climb poles, clothes lines, shepherds hooks and they can jump up 4-5′. Squirrels can also launch themselves 10-12′ from deck rails, gazebos, your roof, trees, clothes lines etc. … Read more
It’s fun to watch the birds but it’s also great to be able to photograph them to share with friends and family. Cell phones are ok, but having a good camera with an additional zoom lens makes your pictures even more interesting. My go to camera shop is Peterborough Photo in downtown Peterborough. The staff … Read more
Hulled peanuts, hulled sunflower seeds, suet are the perfect food to offer at this time of year. Whether you spread a bit of suet on some tree bark or offer it in a feeder, there are all kinds of options! Check out this episode for more information. Thank you to Tanya Jones for the use … Read more
We’ve carried this line of tea cups and coffee mugs for many years. They are very popular gifts that are beautifully packaged. Tall grande mugs are available singly, other tea cups in sets of two and also sets of four. Many designs include our Canadian artists from The Group of Seven. Tom Thomson, Lawren Harris, … Read more
We have so many beautiful gifts in the shop it’s hard to narrow it down to 2 minutes! Beautiful hand made ornaments, tea cups and mugs. Aprons, oven mitts. Pewter from Nova Scotia. We carry a lot of Canadian made items and also support many Canadian and local artists. Always worth a trip to the … Read more
This crazy year had brought us all back to the basics. Including puzzles! We’ve been challenged to find unique beautiful quality puzzles. And we think we have some very nice ones! Currently we have 4 lines of puzzles. Pomegranate, Galison, Algonquin and the most recent addition from Indigenous collection. Get through those long winter nights … Read more
New feeders, pole systems, and baffles to keep squirrels away? Check! New, fresh, high-quality bird seed? Check! Binoculars, identification guide, and excited anticipation about all the birds you’re going to see? Check! Birds? … insert cricket sounds here … So what’s up with that? There are plenty of reasons why there aren’t any birds coming … Read more
Last month’s blog post talked about the arrival this winter of Evening Grosbeaks. Another grosbeak, the Pine Grosbeak, is also showing up, which is exciting, because these large, beautiful finches rarely come this far south. If I recall, the only time I’ve ever seen Pine Grosbeaks was in the Hudson Bay Lowlands during the breeding … Read more