The Avant-Garden Shop: Your Garden & Bird Store

GARDEN GATE: Episode 283 – The best winter bird seed! (Jan 5, 2024)

The weather is getting colder and the birds are busy working hard to keep warm. Changing your seed to a hulled variety really helps them get their food quickly. It saves them energy not having to remove the shells, and also keeps things tidy at your feeders. We sell the hulled sunflower seeds, hulled peanut … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 282 – Last minute gifts for bird lovers! (Dec 22, 2023)

We all have a friend or family member who is hard to shop for at Christmas time! If the don’t need or want anything but they love watching and feeding the birds, we have some ideas for you! Mixed seed trees and balls make great gifts that the birds will love as well. Top quality … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 281 – Holiday Cards! (Dec 8, 2023)

There’s still a good selection of holiday cards available at the shop as we get closer and closer to the end of the year. More Quilling cards came in recently with beautiful designs. We even got some tiny ones! These one of a kind cards make great gifts themselves, as they can be framed and … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 280 – Solmate Socks! (Nov 24, 2023)

Solmate socks are always super popular in the shop and for good reasons! Aside from the fun patterns and bright colours, they’re mismatched with love. The company uses sustainably sourced, eco-friendly fibers. This means that textile waste that would have gone to landfill is upcycled into quality yarns without adding any additional dyes to keep … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 279 – Squirrel Buster Suet! (Nov 10, 2023)

It’s getting colder so that means it’s time to get out your suet feeders! Suet is easily digestible fat and calories which provides fast energy for hungry birds. In this episode the Squirrel Buster Suet is in the spotlight. This is a great feeder to keep the squirrels from devouring all the tasty suet before … Read more

What do trail mix and feeding birds have in common?

Imagine a bowl of trail mix in front of you. Assuming no nut allergies, you may be faced with peanuts, cashews, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and M&Ms. Many people “high-grade,” sifting through and picking out favourites and leaving the rest behind. I know I end up eating a lot of peanuts and sunflower seeds if … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 278 – Setting Up a Feeding Station (Oct 27, 2023)

Fall is the perfect time to set up a bird feeding station. The weather is just starting to change and it’s best to get the poles in the ground before it freezes. Unlike a shepherds hook, with our pole system you can customize the height with extensions and even add additional hangers. This can be … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 277 – The Importance of a Clean Feeder (Oct 13, 2023)

It’s the time of year when we’re seeing a lot of different birds migrating through the area. Some are heading south from here, some coming from the north to our feeders for winter, or simply passing through. It’s really important to have good quality seed, and to make sure your feeders are clean. Birds don’t … Read more

Helping birds with the challenges of migration

The birds continue their southward movement for the winter. Some have already finished, others are passing through, and still others are yet to come. Migration’s a tough slog filled with risks, including window strikes, cats, and starvation. Window strikes are a bigger issue with high-rise office and apartment buildings. Most passerines migrate at night, using … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 276 – Fragrance for your home (Sept 29, 2023)

As we begin feeling cooler temperatures and start closing our windows, we start thinking about different ways to fragrance the home. Michel Design has many beautiful soap bars that when put out on a soap dish provide a nice lasting scent. Or choose from one of many lovely foaming soaps. Candles are always a nice … Read more

The Avant-Garden Shop