On this episode I highlight the fun and quirky work of J.P. Schoss and Brenda Tucker, owners of and creators at Dog Bite Steel. JP and Brenda met blowing glass at The Ontario College of art 30 yrs ago. Brenda was a professional porcelain artist and already had a successful business. JP integrated into that … Read more
At The Avant-Garden Shop we carry as much Canadian made product as possible. We know it’s important to support local! We also look for quality products that are going to last! On this episode I talk about quality concrete, plastic and UV protection. If you’re going to invest in a product, it’s worth investing a … Read more
“Water is the driving force of all nature.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci All life needs water. This summer has been extremely dry, which can make it challenging for birds and butterflies to find water for drinking and bathing. Adding a couple of water features to your yard is an easy way to help them … Read more
Providing birds with water is an important part of any garden. Both for drinking and for bathing. Birds are especially attracted to moving water, so if you can add a dripper, spraying hose or water wiggler, you`ll attract birds more quickly to the bath. In addition moving water prevents mosquitoes from laying their larvae in … Read more
We carry a wide variety of hats. All made in Canada! UVA/UVB protection, fun, colourful and hey-you’ll look good! Mad Cap Hats, Tilley hats, Puffin gear, Lorainne Wake (BC), Sanibel (QC) and Flapjack hats for kids! Keep your head, ears and neck covered to protect from sunburn! Hat designs change regularly so we don’t normally … Read more
William boyd fraser (bill) is a sculptor from Bethany, Ontario. Bill has received Ontario arts council grants for his making and teaching. and has completed university education to the point of a master of arts in contemporary art history. We’ve had a few different items in the shop from Bill with these beautiful birds being … Read more
Keeping squirrels away from feeders can be a constant effort. They eat a lot of seed, which makes maintaining your feeder more costly. They also dominate the feeder, scaring the birds we want to attract away. There’s another good reason to reduce squirrel and chipmunk access to your bird seed: they eat bird eggs and … Read more
We’ve all heard it: the unmistakable thump of a bird smashing into a closed window. We rush outside to assess the situation. With luck, there’s either no bird there or it’s resting on the ground, panting and dazed, and flies away in a few minutes. Sometimes, the little one’s not so lucky. Window strikes are … Read more
On this episode of The Garden Gate Brenda chat’s with Heather Nisbett from “Intricate greetings” about this beautiful and fascinating item now available in the shop! A couple years ago, Heather and her husband embarked on a holiday to Vietnam, excited to experience the culture, scenery, history and food, and they were not disappointed! They … Read more
On this episode of The Garden Gate I offer a few tips about hummingbirds and some tricks to help you attract them! A hummingbird flaps its wings up to 70 times per second; its heart rate can reach 1,260 beats per minute. Hummingbirds can extend their long, skinny tongues twice as far as the bill, which helps them reach nectar deep inside … Read more