The Avant-Garden Shop: Your Garden & Bird Store

Fair trade + fair wages = good choices

artFrom coffee and clothing to fabrics and original arts and craft works, you may be noticing more and more products on store shelves (ours, anyway) that are marked as “fair trade” items. So, what does fair trade mean? Fair Trade Explained The best way to define fair trade is as a movement seeking social, economic … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 299 – Canadian Made Wall Art! (Aug 16, 2024)

You won’t find any empty wall space at Avant-Garden shop! These walls are packed with beautiful Canadian made wall art. These are all quality made pieces, most of which are powder coated and won’t rust if you want to hang them outdoors. New pieces arrived recently but they don’t last long so come have a … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 298 – Messy Moose Socks! (Aug 2, 2024)

  Messy Moose socks! These socks are super fun for kids of ages 6 months to 4 years! The bottoms have rubber anti-slip treads so your little runners don’t slide all over the floors. Lots of new designs just came in! We also have lots of great toys and tools to get your kids outside … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 297 – New handmade glass art! (July 19, 2024)

In this week’s episode Brenda is highlighting some new products that recently arrived at the shop! The first is by an artist named Kathy from Cookstown Ontario. Kathy fuses glass together by cutting, layering and melting it at high temperatures. These sweet little birds on wood bases make a great gift or addition to your … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 296 – New & Beautiful Metal Art (July 5, 2024)

New art from Asheville North Carolina just came in! These hand painted copper pieces are very unique! They’re crafted by artisans in a 5000 square foot studio that is right near the Blue Ridge Mountains. We received some that are on stakes for the garden and some pieces that hang on the wall. There are … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 289 – Indigenous Collection (March 22, 2024)

Indigenous Collection is a division of Canadian Art Prints. This Canadian company specializes in indigenous art by working directly with indigenous artists from across North America. All the beautiful designs are authentic and the artists are paid a royalty on each sale. We recently received some new designs of puzzles, mugs, cards, bookmarks, and stickers! … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 287 – Books From Local Authors (March 1, 2024)

Today we’re highlighting some books in the shop written by local authors! First up is Nature in the Kawarthas by the Peterborough Field Naturalists. This book presents a wealth of information about the birds, mammals, insects, flowers, reptiles and amphibians that inhabit Peterborough and the Kawarthas. This book is also a fundraiser for the Field … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 285 – Local Photographers Tracy Waddington & John Ashdown Stop By (Feb 2, 2024)

Today our guests are two Peterborough based photographers sharing their love for birds. Tracy Waddington & John Ashdown have taken many amazing pictures of birds and frequently share them with our community on a couple groups on Facebook. They are amazing photographers that like to look for birds near Trent University, along the Otonabee river, … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 284 – Susan Robertson Pottery! (Jan 19, 2024)

Susan Robertson is an and artist and potter from Broderick Saskatchewan. She has been creating beautiful pieces for over 35 years. We have carried her items in the shop for many years. Her pottery is made from stoneware clay so they are dishwasher and microwave safe. We have a variety of designs available in mugs, … Read more

The Avant-Garden Shop