Hand blown glass from Fergus Ontario. The colours reflect beautifully when hanging in the garden or under a tree. We have a variety of sizes and styles. Some are on our website, but not all. 3″ glass hearts, 3″ Blossom balls, 3″ Tree of Life and larger 6″ tree of life. We even have … Read more
Tis the season to d ecorate and refresh your outdoor space. Time to change from those worn out shaggy mats and flags, remove the dried out winter decorations and brighten things up! We recently received a new order of beautiful quality outdoor mats and flags. We’re so happy to have this line in again … Read more
If you’re bringing birds to your garden by feeding them or planting lots of native plants, then you also want to make sure that you aren’t creating hazards for them. Birds hitting windows kill millions of birds every year. On this episode I share a few tips on how to reduce or eliminate birds strikes. … Read more
Besides bird feeders and bird baths, some birds also need nesting boxes. We carry a few different lines from different suppliers, but they’re all made in Canada. Our most popular are the practical designs by Animal House Creations in Lakefield, Ontario. We have houses for chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, owls, blue birds, robins, doves, butterflies and … Read more
In the colder months, suet and peanuts are excellent sources of fat for the birds. This helps to keep them warm during long cold winter nights. Our peanut ring is one feeder that customers (and the birds) love! These can be filled with whole peanuts and also our perfectly sized suet balls (available in 6 … Read more
Once we hit March, the grackles and starlings are starting to show up at feeders again. They can be so annoying and will take over your bird feeders and scare away all the more appealing birds. On this episode I show you some different feeders, and seed that you can offer to help eliminate them … Read more
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