Urban Cottage Landscapes

These quintessential classics are seen throughout Canada's vast landscapes - and there's a place for them in your home landscape too. https://www.urbancottagelandscapes.com//top-classic-canadi

Trees reveal so much information to us by their fall colours. Each tree has an individual path it follows, an internal process of readying itself for the long winter ahead. Read Martin's latest blog post . . . https://www.urbancottagelandscapes.com//selective-leaf-col

They gave their tomorrows so we could have our today. Lest we forget.

Trees need comfort too.

I am so grateful for the beautiful end product and the respectful engagement in co-creating a design that was ideal for my small city yard. My urban cottage landscape has helped restore an atmosphere and experience of tranquility bringing back memories of the cottage of my childhood. Taking time to find my own pace and process was important in establishing the perfect sanctuary. So many new creative ideas have been put in place by Urban Cottage Landscapes. I am thrilled with their work. -Guelph, ON, 2020 Background: Barbara lives in a condo unit and although her outside space is not very big, it is a little paradise now! She added rocks to the bottom of her pond that she collected over the years, mostly from Lake Huron. They each have a story so it's very personal and soothing when she sits next to it.

Planting events with Trees for Guelph starts Saturday! Sept. 26: Clair Rd., west of Bishop Mac High School Oct. 3: Howden Cres Park, along the west-side soccer pitch Oct. 17: OConnor Lane Park (west-side of Swift Cres -Fuller Dr. entrance)... https://www.guelphtoday.com//trees-for-guelph-moving-forwa

Happy National Tree Day! This day (part of National Forest Week) "serves 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." Read more: https://treecanada.ca/engagement-research/national-tree-day/

Join us for our annual tree walk! #downtownguelph #urbantrees #treewalk

Botanical Nerd Word - Aestivation: The arrangement of sepals and petals in a flower bud before opening.* There are several different types of aestivation patterns. This Hibiscus bloom reveals a typical twisted aestivation pattern as it opens. *Allaby, M. (2006). A dictionary of plant sciences (Revised ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

We want to know: What are your fave things about trees? How do they benefit your health & community? Let us know in the comments! ... #7 on our countdown of 'Top 20 Benefits of Trees' Colour, Flower & Fruit

We can learn a lot about tenacity from roots!

Just around the corner!! Is it looking like fall where you are?

Botanical Nerd Word ~ Silique: A dry, dehiscent fruit of the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) typically more than twice as long as wide, with two valves separating from the persistent placentae and septum.* The long seed pods seen protruding below the flowers of Cleome (spider flower) are siliques. Because Cleome produce siliques, they were originally classified in the Brassicaceae (Mustard) family. Recent DNA tests have shown, however, that Cleome belongs in its own family, Cleomaceae. *Harris, J.G., Harris, M.W. (2001). Plant identification terminology: An illustrated glossary (2nd ed.). Spring Lake: Spring Lake Publishing

These handy fact sheets from Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association profile individual tree specimens and help you to choose the right tree for the right location. https://landscapeontario.com/trees-for-urban-landscapes #LandscapeOntario

What happens if you cut down all of a city's trees? Explore what makes trees a vital part of cities, and how urban spaces throughout history have embraced the importance of trees. #fightagainstclimatechange #healthytrees #healthypeople #healthycities #healthytreeshealthylives #urbantrees #urbanforests #biodiversityforwildlife

How to fight plants - with plants! Great suggestions on hardy plants to help reclaim habitat from invasive species. https://www.humanegardener.com/how-to-fight-plants-with-pla

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We're continuing our countdown of favourite ways that trees benefit our health and our communities. 6 "Trees Connect Us All" ~ As children we are drawn to the wonder of trees and that wonder stays with us in all our years... [read more on our blog]

When designing, always consider the serene haven that dappled light provides.

Botanical Nerd Word ~ Floret: One of the individual small flowers of a clustered inflorescence, e.g. sunflower.* Coneflowers, Echinacea purpurea, are in the Asteraceae (sunflower/daisy family). Like all members of that family, their flowers are actually made up of many closely packed florets. Each petal around the edge comes from a separate floret, called a ray floret. The ones in the centre which produce the seeds are called disc florets. *Allaby, M. (2006). A dictionary of plant sciences (Revised ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Promising research into how plants shut the door on infection; findings a major step toward understanding plants' defence mechanisms. https://www.agdaily.com//research-plants-shut-door-infect/

~ Why Tree Growth Slows and Stops in August ~ "It seems odd that a tree would stop growing so far ahead of the cold winter months, but there are other factors at play which are not obvious. What is essential for the long-term health of a tree is to be able to gather resources to enable it to survive until the following spring when new growth renews..." ... Read Martin's latest post, on our blog ... #treehealth #urbancottagelandscapes See more

Botanical Nerd Word: Petrichor: A pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather. The rain smell we enjoy is actually the smell of certain plant oils present in the soil. These oils are released by the moisture and impact of the rain.

Hope you get up to some fun this weekend!

Interesting read about this man's crusade for allergy-friendly plantings! As a life-long allergy + hay fever sufferer, I would applaud a conscious effort to incorporate this with large-scale plantings.

New database reveals plants' secret relationships with fungi #mychorrizae #fungalnetwork #fastfungi #wovenmat

#strongwinds #smarttrees #natureisamazing

Be like a tree

Botanical Nerd Word: Salverform: (Of flower shape) a narrow tube with petals bent abruptly outward at right angles. This blue star creeper, Isotoma axillaris, growing in a container, has salverform blooms. Some other examples of plants with salverform flowers are primroses, phlox and pentas.

We're on TikTok! Give us a follow if you are, too :) ~ Healthy plants & gardens - a mini garden tour with Judy ~ #urbancottagelandscapes #pocketwoodlands

"Together, our private green spaces could become the largest national park in the country." #climatechange #biodiversity #wildlife #plantnative #itsyourlandscape #greencities #urbancentres

Botanical Nerd Word: Lanate: Clothed with woolly and intergrown hairs.* From Latin lana = wool. Check out the young Salvia argentea plants growing in the garden! *Jackson, B. Daydon. (1928). A glossary of botanic terms with their derivation and accent. (4th ed.). New York: Hafner Publishing Co.

You say you want a revolution... Wildlife diversity over grass ... Every city/municipality should strive for this! Simply breathtaking!

Shadow, light, and the passage of time: Considerations in our landscape designs. http://ow.ly/bw0t50AQwmb #urbancottagelandscapes

Botanical Nerd Word: Bifid: Deeply two-cleft or two-lobed, usually from the tip.* The petals of this snow-in-summer (Cerastium) are bifid. Each one has a deep cleft at the tip. *Harris, J.G., Harris, M.W. (2001). Plant identification terminology: An illustrated glossary (2nd ed.). Spring Lake: Spring Lake Publishing.

Ontario trees are swarming with invasive gypsy moth caterpillars. "That pitter-patter sound isnt rain or them eating..."

#AfternoonZenMoment We're grooving to the serene sounds of this backyard pond that Martin recently installed for a client (who sent us this video!). ...Flora and fauna to follow!

"To a child fortunate enough to grow up with trees, it brings to their young lives a sense of wonder like no other they experience." Read more via link below: