Common Ground Regenerative Gardens

A garden for the bees! This is the last project during our stay here in Hawaii. We prepped a bed by adding organic matter for the soil health and mulch to the paths. Then, we planted flowers and herbs including Basil, Fennel, Nasturtiums and Sunflowers. Vetiver grass and Comfrey will line the edges. The picture of the root is a Comfrey cutting that Cass prepared. Buckwheat seed was planted last as a living mulch! Family projects, with a united purpose are such a great way to... spend the days. As our time comes to a close in Hawaii we are reflecting on all we’ve experienced and learned. We can’t wait to bring our knowledge back to Saskatoon to share with our community. Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

Kava harvest! It’s also known as Awa in Hawaiian. Awa root has been used, for centuries, in ceremony and as medicine by the aboriginals of the South Pacific Islands. It has been used to calm anxiety, stress and ADHD. We started by digging the Awa out and then propagating it. Then we processed it by chopping, cleaning and organizing. Next it will be ground and then sent to it’s destination. Learning how to process and turn a plant into a usable finished product has really be...en connecting us to our ancestors. So many of us have lost touch with growing our own food and being able to process it. This was something that was passed down for generations until recently. The fast paced, consumer based society we live in has made it easy to forget and put aside these practices. However, we think its one of the most important things we can do to connect to our lineages and the land. What do you do to stay in touch with and connected to the land?

Learning new skills in Hawaii. One of our first projects involved thinning bamboo. This was new for us and surprisingly, very challenging. We couldn’t believe how heavy the bamboo poles were! Bamboo is an evergreen perennial grass that grows in thick clumps or thickets. Most of the newer varieties don’t sucker or spread which makes management much easier. This plant is abundant and has many human uses. The most widely known usage is for a strong light-weight building materia...l. Its been a pleasure to have an opportunity to meet this plant and work with it. Lono, or the rains, are here in Hawaii. Hydrating the land and all her inhabitants. We’ve been enjoying slowing down, going within and learning. Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

Perennial food systems! Here in Hawaii, we are witnessing so much abundance. We are full of gratitude to be visiting a property that has what feels like limitless food growing on the trees. In this post we want to bring awareness to the importance of fruit trees as a main crop on any piece of land whether it be out in the country or in a city setting. Trees meet so many needs for humans and wildlife, why not invest in trees that grow food? Fruit-based agroforestry is a huge... practice in the tropics. We can leverage this with permaculture and plant guilds that support our crops and bring disease prone monocultures to an end. What we strive to build are human guided food systems with fruit trees and other edibles. Here, is a picture of a Meyer’s Lemon growing on the property. This is in it’s infancy and doing really well. Now it’s time to establish a guild that will support it and foster further growth. What fruit trees can you plant in your yard? Do you already have some planted? Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

Loving the moment and each other. As Autumn has come in the Canadian Prairies we are slowing down and wrapping up our season. Watching the leaves fall and feed the soil to eventually foster growth for new life. This is happening within us as well. We’ve been cultivating our vision for next season and have lots of surprises coming your way. ... It’s time to expand and grow. It’s time to create a new, interactive model to share information about the earth with those who need and want it. Community is a very important theme right now. We want to foster and support our community through our business. We have lots of ideas on how we’re going to do this and we can’t wait to share some of these ideas in the coming months. As we both change, we are creating a new theme for this business that is an extension of us! Enjoy this time to reflect on all of the fruits of this summer. How have you been of service? How will this lead you to the next doorway? Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor Photo Credit: the talented man @velasquezyxe

Aloha!! Here we are, in Hawaii, standing in front of a Mexican Sunflower! We are so glad to be here, breathing in the fresh island air and able to have our hands in the soil. Traveling and even living right now can be stressful. We finally feel like we have overcome jetlag and all of the stresses that have come along with getting here. We have come to Hawaii to tour the island and experience different ways of living. But more importantly, we’ve been called here to increase o...ur knowledge and understanding of permaculture, when it’s applied in different climates. We also want to offer our gifts and be of service, all year round. We’ve already learned many lessons in the short two weeks we’ve been here. We have just finished quarantining on Star Seed Ranch, thanks to the lovely Erika & Dash over at @hipagriculture. Thank you for welcoming and opening your home to us. We’re excited to explore the island and get more in touch with the sacred land we’re living on. We are already learning so much about the food, medicine and native plant inhabitants of this land. We are so excited to share with everyone as we expand and grow this winter. Our hope is to be able to create more resilient and regenerative systems for the cities that need them. We’ve been in awe at all of the positive change and impact we’ve had in the city of Saskatoon this past season. Thank you to our clients, friends and family for all being so supportive as we embarked on our first season running Common Ground together. We’re stoked to announce some coming changes over the next few months. These past few weeks, we’ve been on the verge of change, experiencing a threshold. This has been felt by the collective, and we have been grateful to witness this unfolding as it has come. We know things may feel tense right now, but hang tight. The lows never last, as nothing is permanent. We’ve planted the seeds and we will watch them grow. Seeds need time to grow into the mighty trees they become...and so do we. Mahalo & Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

We can turn forgotten spaces in your yard into functional gardens! Cut flowers, food, medicinals? What are you dreaming of? Our client wasn’t sure what to do with this weedy space near her alley. It was too steep and not enough soil fertility for anything but weeds to grow. Her vision included cut flowers for vases and a nicer view from her home. We knew we could help her. We weeded thoroughly and opened up the compacted soil, letting it breathe in new life. Amending the soil... is number 1! Next, we graded and created a terrace. We brought in some rocks to create a retaining wall that provides natural beauty to the space. Lastly, it will be covered in organic matter for the winter and ready for plants next spring! This client was such a pleasure to work with and we are looking forward to helping her with more projects in her yard! Alley gardens can be spaces we utilize. What can you grow in your forgotten, untouched and unkempt space? Also, can you spot the awesome compost bin Cass built a few years ago!?

Check out this full property garden installation we did out in Shields, Saskatchewan. This space was designed to flow and naturalize over time. The path and lawn will soon be home to the mighty White Dutch Clover. This project is complete for now. However, the plants are just getting rooted. This is our version of beauty in form. Get in touch with us via email or send us a message! We’re now booking for the 2021 spring season. Thank you to @aniccadevelopment for the footage of this project!

Winter projects! It’s that time of the year where we are now filling spots for the 2021 season. We’re designing over the winter, placing our plant orders and picking your date for the spring! For more details, to ask questions or to book a consultation, reach out via email or give us a call! We’re looking forward to connecting. Keep Growing,... Cass & Taylor See more

Here are some backyard pictures of a project we’ve completed out in Shields! This was a full property renovation and being part of the transformation was magical. Our clients wanted privacy and windbreak for their space. Once the trees & shrubs get growing, they’ll have a mini forest in their backyard. This will meet and even exceed their needs. The lawn will soon be seeded with clover to support it and a fire pit area will be installed next season! We love yards that are a ...work in progress. We also loved being able to contribute to the growth of this special family’s property. Check out Blackstrap lake on the horizon in the first picture. Imagine being this close to the lake but part of the countryside at the same time, all the time? Sounds like heaven to us. Shout out to our brother over at @aniccadevelopment for these amazing photos. Drone footage coming soon!

Fall cleanups! Our last offering for this season will help to ensure your yard is ready for the winter. Reach out to us via email or give us a call. Here’s a photo of Cass doing what he loves to do. Thank you @velasquezyxe for this amazing shot.

Some close ups of our latest installation of the season! For this front yard, our clients had a clear vision for what they wanted. We loved working with them to create this front yard that stands out when people walk by. Working in their yard is always fun. They even shared some really yummy gluten free muffins with us. For plants, we decided on low maintenance and hardy varieties. We chose to incorporate a few evergreens for texture and all season interest. We’re so excited... to see these plants grow and fill out their space. We may be done with installations for the season but we are still offering yard cleanups for the fall! Let us know if you need any help. Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

The theme of this summer has definitely been installations. This picture highlights the feeling after we transform a space. Joy, accomplishment and satisfaction are words that come to mind to describe the feeling after completing a project. Working alongside nature allows us to create beauty in form. Maya obviously feels it too! As the first frost has come and passed, it is time to prepare for the winter. Our gardens need to do this as well. We want to remind everyone that w...e provide maintenance for all gardens. Reach out via email or give us a call. There’s only a few more weeks in September for this opportunity. It’s always exciting to connect with new people. Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

The summer of installations. Here are some pictures from our latest project in the lovely community of Shields, right by Blackstrap Lake. These are pictures of the front and side yard regenerative transformations. To transform this space, we removed a lot of sod, prepped the beds & path, added local compost, planted and then topped everything off with our favorite natural spruce mulch. Large boulders and rocks were also added for texture and plant support. We were even able ...to find some beautiful Black Obsidian to add to their landscape. Our clients wanted low maintenance and stress free options. We decided to remove their high maintenance lawn and create an ecosystem that will thrive on its own. The path will soon be covered with the mighty Clover and the Lilac hedge will provide beauty, texture, privacy, windbreak and a view from their large side window. The plants we chose support the themes of low maintenance and beauty. Some specifics are wind tolerant trees, winter interest shrubs, small edibles and lots of native flowers. In a few years from now, this yard will be an oasis for picking berries, sitting on the porch and enjoying the pollinators. It was such a pleasure working with this family. They spoiled us with coffee, treats and lots of love for our puppy Maya. The days are getting shorter but it’s not too late to plant the garden of your dreams. We are excited to reveal this transformation. Backyard pictures coming soon!

Fall cleanups! Before the season ends, we’re offering our services to help prepare your yard for the winter months. As we approach this time of the year we can feel the shifts taking place...the tides turning. How can we create a practical plan? How can we ensure our gardens will be ready to go for next springs seed sowing and sprouting!? We can help you! Reach out to us to book a date or request more information.... Photo credit: @velasquezyxe

Summer is turning into fall as the days get shorter and the nights get longer. Chilly nights and high winds are here. We made the best of the summer by creating gardens for the people of Saskatoon! We had so much fun expressing ourselves through our craft. As the seasons change, we can still live and play alongside our gardens. The flowers turn to seed and the bugs look for winter homes. There is always enough time to enjoy nature and her dance. Here is a flower that remind...s us of the peak of the summer sun. It feels as if this time of the year goes by so fast in Saskatchewan. So a little reminder of the fiery sun is important for forward action. Her name is Black-Eyed Susan and she is a native wildflower. The bees and other insects love her. This hardy plant is a very versatile being. It is usually seen growing in disturbed areas and can tolerate dry conditions. On a deeper level, she reminds us to focus on the self. The strong Leo sun urges us to do this which is why you’ll see her flowering during the hottest part of the year. She helps us face our fears and move past anything that’s holding us back. Symbols associated with this flower include strength, vitality, encouragement and motivation. An animal totem we’d link to this flower would definitely be the Lion. A question she brings up for contemplation is...What are our gifts and how can we offer them to the world? As we reflect on this season, we hope to have some fresh new insights to share. Our creativity is still flowing and we have lots to offer! Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

Watering the gardens of the future. Get in touch for any last minute fall cleanups or projects you’ve put off. We still have a few spots open for anyone needing help! [email protected]... Photo Credit: @velasquezyxe Keep Growing, Cass & Taylor

Yesterday we did some maintenance at one of our first installs of this season! It was exciting to hear that our clients had already harvested some Strawberries and Cherries from their tree. Even with the prairie wind and sun, the plants and our favorite mulch from @burncolandscape are doing great. Here is a close up of a plant combination that shines. Look at the way the plants absorb the light and enhance the space. This new garden is only a few months old. Imagine how it will look in a few years. These plants are Blue Sage, Artemisia and Yarrow! The end of the season is approaching. If you have any last minute yard projects or ideas you haven’t acted on, send us a message! Fall is a great time to plant and we’re also taking bookings for next Spring.

We strive to build ecosystems. Even in a small space, whether a front or backyard, we can usher nature back in. Back to where life is abundant and we are working with nature. This is a benefit to all. Today while doing some maintenance at a garden we installed this spring we happened upon a little friend. It isn’t everyday that you see a salamander in the city. Our gardens are very inviting to all life, big and small. Amphibians are an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. We hope that we are making a difference in the world.