Harmony Gardens Landscaping
P.O. Box 855 K0A 2Z0 Richmond, ON, Canada

After yesterday's snowfall, we thought this was a timely reminder

Interested in starting up a community garden? There are two virtual learning sessions happening this week! Visit https://justfood.ca//two-dates-in-february-2021-workshop-/ to secure your Zoom seat!

A reminder from the Ottawa Heart Institute... Reminder : For most heart patients, snow shovelling is not recommended. If possible, arrange for someone else to do the snow removal for you. If you are going to shovel, consider the following guidelines to make the activity safer: Warm-up before the activity.... Cool-down gradually afterwards. Allow plenty of time to avoid rushing and stress, and take breaks as needed. Wait one hour after a meal before snow shovelling. Use a light, smaller shovel. Limit the amount of snow in the shovel. Don’t lift the shovel too high. Use your leg muscles to assist in the activity, do not just use your arms. #heartinstitute #snowshoveling #snow #winter #Ottawa #letitsnow

Coming up next week from the Ottawa Hoticulture Society a FREE webinar about growing plants from seed. Details on how to access the session can be found at https://ottawahort.org//all-from-a-little-seed-online-pre/

For the love of gardening #Garden #Gardening #SeedSavers #SpringIsComing

Declutter now ... so you're ready to go when spring arrives

With the first major snowfall comes the "need for heat"... which is why this article by Mark Cullen, Canada's Gardening Guru is so timely!

It's wonderful to see more urban and community gardens sprouting up

Harmony Bear has another important autumn reminder: it's time to apply "K" (aka: potassium) to your perennial beds and as a corrective for lawns. In fact, newly seeded and sodded lawns can benefit from an application of K-Mag. K-Mag is 0-0-21. It has Magnesium at 10.5 percent plus Sulfur at 21 percent. As with spring bulbs, Bone Meal applications to lawns and flowerbeds is also highly beneficial. No time to handle these important applications? Call us now to book your fall l...awn and garden services. We can be reached at 613-838-4066. #harmonygardens #landscaping #nativeplants #yarddesign #themoreyouknowthemoreyougrow #ottawa #yow #landscapingservices

Important Reminder from Harmony Bear Newly planted trees want to grow up to be big and strong. Be sure to keep watering newly planted trees right until freeze-up. Learn more about autumn/winter watering at https://arbordayblog.org/treecare/winter-tree-watering-tips/

These young gals loved the colouring sheets and meeting Harmony Bear. So imagine how excited we are to learn the girls now have their own HUGE CareBears! Harmony Bear does love their CareBears and what they stand for: harmony, peace, joy, kindness, compassion, and love

Spring-blooming bulbs can now be planted. If you require assistance, please contact Harmony Gardens Landscaping. We'd love help bring spring colour to your landscape

If you have not already done so, now is the time to get you birdhouses in place and ready for the spring mating and nesting season

Did you know the sun delivers more total energy to the Earth every second than we could use in a year? Needless to say, Harmony Bear had to stop for a photo op when the team came across solar panels on a weekend ATV trip #solarenergy #cleanerenergy #harnessingthesun

It's bulb planting time Harmony Bear shares a reminder to get your spring-blooming bulbs planted now! There are plenty of amazing options available, including the stunning Canadian Celebration tulip (commemorative of Canada's 150th birthday). When planting new bulbs, take care to use bone meal to promote good root growth. Plus, if you're looking to keep squirrels away, add some bloodmeal. It contains high levels of nitrogen and ammonia which acts as a squirrel repellent! ... #harmonygardens #landscaping #springbulbs #timetoplantbulbs #yarddesign #themoreyouknowthemoreyougrow #ottawa #yow #landscapingservices

Be prepared to marvel at the elegance of nature

Creative & Beautiful

Do you or someone you know love being outdoors and have an interest in the environment? Do they live in the Toronto, Hamilton, Muskoka, or Kawartha regions? Sign up for the Green for Life information sessions and learn how you can start a career in the #landscape and #horticulture industry by participating in the GROW program. GROW is a 6 week training program funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario with no costs to participants. Training includes 4 weeks of technical and soft skills followed by a paid two week job placement.

Harmony Bear gets very excited when the HGL Team is doing fall leaf clean up... and wants to remind children to have fun in the leaves Speaking of leaves, it's fine to leave a light layer in your gardens and on your lawn as mulch, as long as you remove them in the early spring. Beware that a very thick layer of leaves can cause moulds and fungus in flower beds and leaves left on the lawn can kill it. So a proper fall leaf cleanup is recommended! Harmony Bear Pro Tip: For t...hose who want to attract wildlife and insects, you can pile your leaves in the back corners of your yard #harmonygardens #landscaping #nativeplants #yarddesign #themoreyouknowthemoreyougrow #ottawa #yow #landscapingservices

#DYK The soil food web refers to the complex relationships between the diverse groups of fauna and flora found in soil. These groups include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, microarthropods, and the larger plants and animals found in and around soil. The composition of each specific web is greatly influenced by biological, chemical and physical forces in the environment. A healthy soil food web offers great ecological importance to all landscapes, rangi...ng from small backyard gardens to old growth forests. Soil contains countless microorganisms continuously performing varied functions that help maintain healthy ecosystems. When we improve the biology in the soil, we are promoting vital ecosystem services that are used by society at large. Harmony Gardens Landscaping offers soil testing and other lawn/bed care solutions as part of the #soilfoodweb and #greenforlife movement. We invite you to call us at 613-838-4066 to learn more. & ..

Harmony Bear met up with Washington, a green monkey friend. These two adventure buddies know how important it is to get fresh air. They want to encourage everyone to #getouside and #exploremore. And don't forget ... when exploring, it's essential to always have a buddy with you. Safety first

Last week, the Harmony Gardens team undertook a complete front yard and back yard landscaping project. We know many of you enjoy seeing the before, work-in-progress and after photos, so we hope you enjoy this gallery! #before #workinprogress #after #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa #landscapers

Want a lush lawn next spring? Now is the time to prepare The HGL Team is hard at work doing topdressing and overseeding lawns. The ground is moist, damp and cool, perfect for receiving and helping the seeds to germinate. Plus, the morning dews and autumn rain help keep the seeds moist. A win-win! Call 613-838-4066 now to book in for an organic composted topdress, diversity mixed grass seeding, and fall-winter fertilization. ... #harmonygardens #landscaping #nativeplants #yarddesign #themoreyouknowthemoreyougrow #ottawa #yow #landscapingservices

What fun! Were having Harmony Gardens Landscaping signs made by the wonderful team at Trailwest Custom Designs. #buylocal #supportlocal #yowbusiness #ottawa #ottawabusiness

Autumn is one of our favourite times of year... and we love getting our hands dirty knowing that a beautiful spring showing takes root now! When you book one of our popular Fall Flower Bed Clean Ups, we put great emphasis on ensuring weeds don't reseed, we cut back your perennials, and make sure that spring bulbs are planted. Give your flower beds the best chance at success. Connect with us now at 613-838-4066 to schedule your appointment!... #harmonygardens #landscaping #nativeplants #yarddesign #themoreyouknowthemoreyougrow #ottawa #yow #landscapingservices

Harmony Gardens Landscaping is highly recommending that all our customers have a fall core aeration of their lawns due to the drought we had this summer. Because we have applied turf-maize weed seed inhibitor last week to most customers lawns there is no increased chance of weed infestations with this falls core aeration since the weed seeds cannot germinate. Core aeration is the process of removing plugs of soil from the lawn. Its purpose is to increase oxygen flow around ...the root zone of the grass, stimulate microbial activity and to improve soil structure and water flow. Aeration is particularly beneficial for clay-based and compacted soil. Aeration is best done when the ground is moist in either the spring or fall. It should be avoided in the heat of summer. Spring aeration should not take place until the ground has firmed up after the winter to avoid damage to new shoots of grass. Mechanical core aeration removes plugs of soil approximately 7.5 cms. (3 inches) in length and deposits these on the lawn. The plugs usually breakdown and disappear in about a weeks time. Aeration is a technique that is excellent to combine with top dressing, seeding and fertilizing as the holes allow good distribution of the material. Some aerating tools poke holes into the ground rather than remove plugs. This hole poking method does not improve soil structure; air circulation is improved around the hole but the soil beneath the hole is further compacted. Core aeration is recommended yearly for high traffic areas and for properties that are just starting or maintaining a natural lawn care approach. If you would like to proceed with core aeration of your lawn this fall please call 613-838-4066 or email us at [email protected] so Jeannette can ensure you are on the work list.

Now is the time of year for planting milkweed seed and starts. Common (Asclepias syriaca) and Swamp (Asclepias incarnata) Milkweeds, necessary for Monarch survival, are not only beautiful additions to the garden, they smell heavenly!!

Landscape Ontario has introduced three new pilot programs to help GROW the industry

Harmony Bear has noticed that plants and trees are releasing their seeds to continue their cycle of life. These photos are examples of milkweed and witch hazel seeds that are ready to go and that will germinate to become a plant or tree sapling next spring. Harmony Bear Reminder: Milkweed is a native plant and a superb pollinator-friendly addition to any landscape

Harmony Bear got to participate with the HGL team when they planted a "Baby Blue Eyes " Spruce This beauty was 225cm tall with large ball and burlap wire basket root ball. Its weighted over 800lbs at the time of planting! #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa

Have you been harvesting your cold weather crops, like kale, leeks and carrots? These veggies often taste sweeter after the cooler weather sets in! Added bonus: these ingredients make for hearty and warming meals

Mark Cullen, Canadas Gardening Guru, shares his tips on how to grow healthy turf.

Harmony Bear and members of the HGL team enjoyed some time off on the weekend. And... since we never tire of spending time in nature, we visited some local trails and took in the last hurrah of autumn's glory Did you get out and explore this fall? Feel free to share your favourite photos with us in the comments!

Long weekend adventures saw Harmony Bear help with finishing touches on the HGL greenhouse project! The double layer plastic is on and the inflator fan is working. Next up: lights and the furnace. #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa

What a wonderful idea

Harmony Garden clients have been telling us about their adventures in canning. From peaches ... to pickles ... and everything in-between If youve been preserving the bounty from your garden, wed love to know what youre making! Feel free to share your favourite recipes or pictures in the comments

Days are getting shorter. The morning and evening temperatures are cooling. Rainy days are a frequent occurrence. Sugar maple leaves are starting to show their colours. All of these signs point to one thing: Fall is on the way For those who are eager to get started on their garden tidy up, you can take advantage of post-rainy days to dig up and divide summer perennials that have flowered for the season. What to do after dividing your plants? Consider replanting the divisions around your yard, gift some to your neighbours, or share on a Buy Nothing group in your community.

Of all natures miracles, trees seem most profound

! Help Landscape Ontario celebrate the dedication of healthcare professionals and frontline workers. Share stories of friends, neighbours or family members who have helped to improve the lives of those in their community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Those nominated will have a chance to win one of nine $5,000 garden makeovers or the grand prize valued at $25,000! Visit https://landscapeontario.com/hero before August 31, 2020 and ...follow the link to nominate YOUR hero! #greenforlife #landscapeontario #communitysupportingcommunity

The joy and work of gardening is never ending. The wondrous turning of the seasons brings on new beauty but also new tasks, new approaches to try, and more rewards to harvest. Gardening requires a mix of labour, love, and learning and the Ottawa Public Library / Bibliothque publique dOttawa is at the ready to help foster your love Explore the courses and register in advance at https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/blogs/garden-fall-opl

Garlic lovers are rejoicing right now, as the 2020 crop is spectacular! Do you have a favourite recipe that showcases the magnificent flavour of fresh garlic? Feel free to share it in the comments! #harvesttime #garlic #freshgarlic #wardoffvampires #gardening #ottawa

A few members of the HGL team took a weekend trip to scenic Tweed, Ontario. Harmony Bear went along for the ride and got to explore the beautiful, nature-rich region. There was also a stop at Potter Settlement Artisan Wines Inc. This incredible vineyard blends old world charm with modern day organically-grown grapes perfectly. Cheers!

Join Communities in Bloom - Collectivits en fleurs experts Paul Brydges, Bob Lewis and Alain Cappelle as they provide Outstanding Community Examples and Best Practices on Urban Forestry & Environmental Action to all Canadian & International Communities. Have your questions ready so they can answer them during this interactive webinar! Reserve your spot by clicking on the registration link! https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qP8O0l2UQlKOuoK0Sn6nYA

The Ottawa Public Library / Bibliothque publique dOttawa is hosting an online series about gardening Dont miss out on this weeks session, as Kira Burger speaks about native and non-native pollinators, as well as garden design, plant selection, and garden maintenance practices to attract and support them with Pollinator-friendly Gardens. Sign up in advance at https://biblioottawalibrary.ca//pollinator-friendly-gardens

In The News // A beautiful example of community supporting community

If you have not already done so, this weekend is the perfect time for seeding kale, leaf lettuce, swiss chard and mesculin mix. All of these hold up really well in the cool-to-cold weather, so its worth your time and effort if you want to continue enjoying fresh food from your garden!

Did you try your hand at growing garlic for the first time? Consider this your friendly reminder that it should be dug up (if not already done) by now. Check out this handy guide on The Spruce for how to properly dig, dry, cure and store garlic after it is harvested: www.thespruce.com/harvesting-garlic-1402402

Did someone say its snack time?! #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa

Talk about some incredible volunteers

Harmony Bear got a lesson from Calvin in how to plant a hedge of Wichita Blue Junipers #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa

Vermicomposting transforms kitchen scraps into black gold and one Ottawa-area company is making headlines thanks to its beautiful and easy-to-use "Worm Studio".

The Harmony Gardens team is hard at work today at 48 Colonel Murray Street in Richmond. Weve had a lot of people ask us if they can come take photos (at a distance!) with Harmony Bear, so please feel free to pop by. Believe us, Harmony Bear would love to show off the excavator and the loader Oh, in case youre wondering - that is a HUGE pile of concrete left in the customers lawn by the builder. Rest assured Harmony Bear is making sure its responsibly removed and taken to the dump! #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa

Several years ago we designed and planted this front yard garden. Its always a delight to visit and see how much its filled in and grown. #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa

Ever wonder what Harmony Bear gets up to on the weekends? Truth be told, the HGL mascot takes great pride in having a work/play balance. So with the fire ban off at the cottage, Harmony Bear was able to kick back, relax and enjoy a campfire

It is possible to enjoy a fabulous garden while minimizing the use of water and the time spent watering. Ben & Mark Cullen share their tips in this Sudbury Star article.

In early June we planted these urns for a client. Look at how much theyve grown and filled in - beautiful! #hardscaping #landscaping #gardens #gardening #flowers #nature #gardendesign #gardenlife #greenforlife #harmonygardens #ottawa

For those who have yards, gardening with native plants provides habitat and food sources for birds. Offering a variety of native plants that bear berries, seeds, or nectar or support native insects keep birds fed and attract them to your yard all year round. Do some research to find out which plants are native to your area and where to get them. Your local naturalists club can be a great place to start. Non-native invasive plants crowd out native plant...s and can have negative impacts on native wildlife, including birds. Remove these plants if you find them on your property. Again, species vary from region to region, so find out which ones are a concern in your area. Possible examples include: dog-strangling vine, Phragmites, burdock, Japanese knotweed, and garlic mustard. Dont be too tidy. Let some flower heads go to seed to feed the birds. Leave a brush pile in the corner, and when it is safe to do so, leave dead trees standing both provide shelter for birds. Check carefully for nests before you prune bushes, trees, and hedges. For additional ways to help birds, please visit: https://www.birdscanada.org/help-birds-this-summer

"This time last year I turned into a garden grinch, insisting that after 35 years of keeping the backyard plucked and pruned, I wanted nothing more to do with outdoor work." Perspective and circumstance have a way of changing our thinking

Love photographing birds? Then this contest is for you... but hurry, the submission deadline is this Friday!

Rain has finally come to the Ottawa region, so this is a timely reminder to prop-up your tall-growing perennials with stakes. Rudbeckias, coneflowers, and hydrangea all have heavy flowering heads and the heavy rainfall makes it hard for them to rebound. Give them a helping hand

"What if each landowner made it a goal to convert half of his or her lawn to productive native plant communities?"

In need of a smile? This video should do the trick!

In the news ...

Your garden has just hit its mid-season: somewhere between planting and harvesting. Mark and Ben Cullen share their eight top food gardening tips for mid-summer to help you hold it all together

Have a kid who loves to garden? They will love 15 year old Emma Biggs website!