Composer’s Garden
Keeping time with the weeds amongst the vegetables & garden Labyrinth provides a perpetual rhythm on summer days. I garden for the little creatures in nature, seeding Bronze Fennel for the Swallowtail larvae, and encouraging varieties of milkweed for the Monarchs, and Blue Vervain (Native Verbena), and globe thistle, attracting numerous pollinators! From Hosta beds, Vegetable beds, an Apple Tree guild, a White garden bed, Heartstone bed, Woodland & Meadow beds, and Labyrinth, I am thoroughly blessed with nature’s glory. Through the summer my backyard is full of many varieties of bees, and butterflies.
I began dreaming of gardening as a child, when my mother escaped her children to work in the garden, where we were not allowed! She created beauty in our backyard, which often graced our home in lovely floral bouquets.
When my husband was traumatically injured, and recovery to walk took over eight years, I began gardening. As we had three young girls, and it was essential for me to remain close to home to care for the family, my social commitments ended and my passion for gardening began.
When the family moved to Lakefield, on the corner of Deyncourt & Clementi, I rototilled the front yard and brought 5 trailer loads of plants from my former garden. Eventually moving from there to travel overseas for work, the mayor declared my garden a “Village Treasure”, to the new owners, and insisted that it be maintained.
Through my work as a teacher, I’ve created pollinator/native species gardens with children in a few KPRDSB schools (Chemong P.S. & Apsley P.S.), and recently supported Amanda O’Rourke (Belmont Farnstead) in planting some raised beds at Havelock P.S. (Spring 2025).
I’ve worked part-time and full-time during summers for Landscape Gardening companies and Greenhouses. I was inspired by a friend, Jennifer Sprague, with her knowledge of horticulture and later by Elyn & Peter Green (Greenhouse on the River, Lakefield), and Ann Jakins (Stonethrow Two, Lakefield). I continue to build gardens and learn more about growing vegetables & now involve my grandchildren in growing plants & garden adventures.
