As we peer out the window this time of year, we are grateful for the birds that visit the seed heads of the ornamental grasses that we let stand over the winter. We are so glad that we resisted the temptation to cut them down this past fall. For the birds in your yard, now
This week marks the peak performance of your garden. From this day forward, through the fading days of autumn, your garden will be in decline. While there are some fabulous early spring flowering plants that you have enjoyed and other plants that bloom best in October that are ahead of you, many vegetable and fruit
The Theme for 2021 is 'Secret Garden'! As we approach our 25th Festival, it is interesting to point out that Canada Blooms itself was considered an Anniversary Gift...
In 2020 Canada Blooms reached out to celebrities and artists to see if they would help us to create a Gnome Garden for Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto. Margaret Taylor, who is a member of the Garden Club of Toronto, an international floral design competitor and winner, an instructor and floral judge, took on the project
On March 12, The Home Show and Canada Blooms made the decision to cancel the Home Show and the Canada Blooms Festival, held at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, due to public health concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Each year, Canada Blooms garden builders show not only their craftsmanship but also creativity
We are looking forward to the year ahead. Some suggestions that will get your gardening season off to an early and fine start.
Garden Experts Mark and Ben Cullen give us their list of things to do to get your gardens ready for winter.
The decline of the honeybee and monarch butterfly population has our attention. As gardeners, our goal is to plant something that helps to attract and nurture the beneficial insects in our neighbourhood, provides natural beauty and colour AND is low maintenance. Our solution: planting native plants in our outdoor space. This will provide a source
Delivery of hundreds of plants to Cummer Lodge marks 12 years of donations to City of Toronto by Canada Blooms Residents and staff at the City of Toronto's Cummer Lodge long-term care home were joined by Deputy Mayor Councillor Michael Thompson (Councillor for Ward 21 Scarborough Centre)
Did you know the Christmas Cactus is originally from the tropical rainforests in Southeast Brazil?
Winterizing Tips Those of us who love the outdoors and enjoy puttering around the yard are always looking for an excuse to do something in the fresh air. If you thought you were done with this year’s lawn and garden, we have a question: Have you taken care of the following? Wrapped cedars with
We are always happy to hear from gardeners who have jumped on the ‘grow your own’ band wagon. Many first-time veggie gardeners are contacting us to find out what to do with their abundance of tomatoes, squash, carrots and the like.
You have heard the phrase “good things come in small packages”, well whoever coined the phrase must have been thinking about miniatures. You know, those little arrangements that capture the imagination and fit into our ever-growing smaller living accommodations.
The Bobo® dwarf panicle hydrangea has been turning heads since it was first discovered in trial gardens in Belgium years ago! This variety is exceptionally floriferous with a compact frame that is smothered with large, lacy, white coned shaped blooms every summer.
When you have a hit or miss in your garden where are you going to celebrate it? In the Three Year Garden Gratitude Journal: Part Diary, Part Personal Growing Guide by Donna Balzer and Chelsie Anderson (2018).
Canada Blooms and City of Toronto celebrate 11 years of donations. At a March 20th celebration residents and staff of Bendale Acres joined celebrity gardener Ben Cullen to accept more than 600 plants donated by Canada Blooms and transported by Procter's Cartage.
Fall is a fabulous time to tackle landscaping tasks in your yard. In fact, some seasoned gardeners believe fall rivals spring when it comes to the number of gardening opportunities. Don’t put away that garden spade just yet — you’ve got some planting to do!
Daffodils are the sunniest, most upbeat spring flowering bulbs. Their nodding heads, with the trumpet-shaped cup surrounded by a ring of petals, seem particularly full of personality. William Hrycan from The Gardener Magazine provides us with great tips for daffodil care.
Part of the joy of gardening is seeing what others are doing: How are they using certain plants? What colours are prominent this year? Do I need to incorporate some non-plant elements like a statue or bench? Is fragrance important?
As a landscape designer and certified horticulturalist, I come across a lot of misconceptions when it comes to gardening.
National Tree Day will serve as a celebration for all Canadians to appreciate the great benefits that trees provide us - clean air, wildlife habitat, reducing energy demand and connecting with nature.
Rain gardens provide a good habitat for butterflies, birds and other wildlife and it requires little upkeep because it will contain native plants.
Canada Blooms is pleased to announce that it has chosen the ‘Garvinea Sweet’ series of gerberas as its 2016 plant of the year.
Get the latest from Garden Guru Mark Cullen about pollinators and what we can do to make our gardens friendlier.
Every year we receive emails asking if we recommend the use of real trees vs. artificial for Christmas. This is an opportunity to finally set the record straight on this issue.
UNILOCK THE ORIGINAL AND STILL THE BEST: For almost fifty years, Unilock has been helping people create beautiful outdoor spaces that become treasured places to build lasting memories. It all started when our founder brought a revolutionary new paving method to North America, called the Uni-Stone.
As we are welcoming the warmer temperatures and sunshine, you and your family want to spend time outside. But, while outside we want carve out a space that is just for us, out of sight so that we can relax and enjoy the day in our backyard or garden.
In the chorus that is a living garden, our favourite section is the singing birds. A breeze through tall grass, the crunch of gravel underfoot and a frog croaking, all play their part in this living soundtrack.
Canada Blooms provides tips for selecting the right floral arrangement for your loved one Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about how you will celebrate with your special someone. Flowers are one of the most romantic gifts that someone can receive, and one of the most popular
When you come to Canada Blooms in March, make sure to look for Gilda’s (Club) Gnome Garden. 20 adorable gnomes, painted by local celebrities and artists, will be planted in the garden, and ready for bidding on in a silent auction. Money raised from the auction will go to Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto, an
UNILOCK® knows that choosing the right colour of pavers for your home can be a daunting task, so here is some advice to consider for projects you may be considering around your house.
This year's colour of the year is Pantone 16-1546 (Living Coral) so you can expect to see a number of pinky/orangy/coral plants in the garden centres this year.
Drop by the Proven Winners "Must See Plants" Showcase at Canada Blooms for a peak at what is new and exciting for the 2019 growing season.
On your next visit to the Australasia Pavilion at the Toronto Zoo, keep your eyes peeled in the walk-through aviary for a very special coniferous tree. Planted beside the soft-needled Norfolk Island pines in the first garden bed (between the pathway and the tree kangaroo exhibit) is a Wollemi (“WALL-em-eye”) pine
The Canada Blooms Volunteer Appreciation Event took place at The Toronto Botanical Garden in late September. We would like to thank all the volunteers who were able to join us, and those who were unable to come out, for all the hard work and dedication that they have shown Canada Blooms over the years.
What makes Canada Blooms an International Event? It is the competitors that come from around the world to enter a design. The 2019 International Class title is “Relatively Speaking”.
Fall is the best time to start a new lawn from seed or to lay sod. It is the best time to over-seed established lawns to fill in bare patches and thicken your grass.
We are on the continental divide of the gardening season. On your right is the last four months that you invested and the flowers and fruit that your garden has produced to date. On your left is another four months (or so, depending on where you live). This is when apples ripen and tomatoes are
The polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) 'Hippo Rose', produced by Proven Winners, is a bright and beautiful plant, with spotted leaves that stand out, especially next to other plants.
Jill Jensen Botanicals says "time to decorate your home for the holidays! With a wide range of plants out there, lets look at some great alternatives that can be used year-round and dressed up or down depending on your style needs.
In planning for 2018, Floral Designer Justine De Bouvier, of Fleurishes by JuJu, thought to shake things up a bit and give Hollywood, and the visitors of the Canada Blooms Show, something to remember!
What happens when you’re in love with the design aesthetic of Fiddle Leaf Fig plants (Ficus lyrata) but not sure how to care for it? Get tips from Randy of Jill Jensen Botanicals.
Groundcovers can add a whole new dimension of colour to your garden through their foliage, texture and abundant bloom. Many, with their trailing nature can soften hard stonework when tucked in crevices, or be encouraged to spill down the front of retained beds giving an “aged” feel.
Sixteen years into her career, Jennifer Harvey loves doing freelance event work one day, and on the next, either helping a shop customer choose just the right sympathy arrangement or demonstrating a technique to a crowd.That desire to enjoy and share all her job has to offer makes her an enthusiastic champion for the floral and horticultural industries.
Earlier this year, Honey Nut Cheerios launched Bring Back the Bees, a campaign that aims to educate and engage Canadians on the issue of unstable bee populations and inspire them to join Honey Nut Cheerios in its mission to plant 35 million wildflowers to help bees thrive across the country.
Canada Blooms offers a new spin on an old favourite Valentine’s Day is nearly here, and with it comes the pressure of giving your special someone the perfect gift that tells them what they mean to you. While Valentine’s Day is one of the most romantic days of the year, it can also be the
The festive season is upon us. Many of us now to turn our thoughts to decorating our houses and even our businesses for the joyous season ahead. A very traditional and beautiful method of doing so is to adorn both the exterior and interior of our dwellings with freshly cut branches and boughs of evergreens.
In Canada, poinsettia are the most popular of all Christmas houseplants. Millions of poinsettia are purchased each year during the Christmas season by people who enjoy the colour and warmth they provide to the home. Proper selection will help to ensure a long lasting plant that you will enjoy throughout the Christmas and winter months.
Canada Blooms is excited to announce the Canada Blooms Plant of the Year for 2021 is the Aurora Borealis™ rose from Vineland Research and Innovation Centre’s 49th Parallel Collection. The bright dancing lights of the aurora are captured in the blooming clusters of this dramatic sunset pink rose set against dark green and glossy foliage. This low-maintenance rose measures
The Toronto Zoo remains a top destination for both plant and animal lovers, with an expansive plant collection that can be currently seen both in all the indoor tropical pavilions and outdoors along the over 10 km of walking trails. Here at your Toronto Zoo we are committed to connecting people, animals and conservation science to fight extinction.
Here are some things you should be thinking about in June
On March 12, The Home Show and Canada Blooms made the decision to cancel the Home Show and the Canada Blooms Festival, held at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, due to public health concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Each year, Floral Alley: The Professional Floral Designers Showcase and the Toronto Flower Show
UNILOCK® knows there's more to successful project than what you see on the finished surface. Discover 10 Reasons to Choose Unilock
Canada Blooms is excited to announce the Canada Blooms Flower of the Year for 2020 is the Sincerity Dahlia (Dahlia x hybrida) from Syngenta Flowers North America.
Garden Experts Mark and Ben Cullen give us their list of things to do to prepare your September Garden
Step 1. Fertilize. There is a reason why your lawn looks its best early in spring. Our climate suits the needs of quality grass very well. There is lots of moisture in the ground in spring. The soil and evening air is cool. Grass is a ‘cool season’ crop.
Let’s reflect together for a moment on the very popular tradition of giving long stem cut roses on Valentine’s Day. We know that this is a crowd pleaser, but then, are you trying to please the crowd or your sweetheart?
Vegepod, it’s easy to set up, simple to fill and requires little ongoing maintenance. The ideal solution for the busy householder who wants a vegie patch but doesn’t have the time or effort required to build one.
November is not normally a month that is looked forward to. It just is not an exciting month. It is grey and it looks dirty outside. November also gives us hints that winter will soon start. In the flower business...
Canadian gardening gurus Mark and Ben Cullen lend their brand to the country’s largest garden and floral festival They have been involved with Canada Blooms since it was started some 23 years ago; now, they are attaching their brand to the marquee. Canadian gardening gurus Mark and Ben Cullen have reached a five-year agreement to
Canada Blooms is please to announce its 2019 Plant of the Year – Electric Love™ Weigela from the Bloomin’ Easy® Date Night™ series from by Van Belle Nursery.
We are in the middle of the “dog days of summer”. This means that there is an abundance of Ontario cut flowers available to you. Gladioli are such a favourite as they are nostalgic and come in a rainbow of colours.
Make your garden come to life with Sunfinity Sunflowers that thrive and bloom continuously all season long. Sunfinity Sunflowers have lots of blooms that can be cut and used indoors, with no mess and without damaging the outdoor plant.
When does the Toronto Flower Show begin planning for the next show? We start before the current show is even set up! By June of the prior year, we are in full swing – drawing up construction plans and nagging others for information so we can develop a floor plan.
Increasingly homeowners are turning to river rock as part of their decorative landscaping. River rock has a number of practical uses, and once properly installed it requires the least amount of maintenance of any ground cover and is a permanent landscape solution.
Now our beautiful tulips have bloomed and peaked, and we were wondering what to do with them so we reached out to Carolyn de Vries from Tradewinds International for some advice.
Good news: Every homeowner can make a difference! Rain gardens capture rainwater and allow it to filter down where it is needed, preventing serious problems.
As much as we try to prepare our equipment to take on winter’s worst, some of us are left with costly repairs and barely cleaned driveways as a result of misusing our snow throwers. Keep your snow thrower winter ready by following these top 5 tips and tricks.
Just because you don’t have deep pockets doesn’t mean you can’t get into agriculture. It’s a venture filled with both obstacles and opportunities.
Flowers are used to celebrate every occasion. Whether it is a birthday, wedding, or a special holiday, flowers show loved ones we care, and help celebrate life’s important milestones. During Canada Bloom’s 20th anniversary, the festival will showcase that ‘Life is a Celebration,’ and flowers are there every step of the way to help celebrate.
Enjoy a video on the Gardens of Canada Blooms 2015
Revisit the Gardens of Canada Blooms 2014
