Joie De Vivre
Life lived in Grand style
SPRINGTIME IS SURELY a time of hope and optimism – especially for the gardener. Hope for the future and the season ahead is at the heart of all gardeners.
Whether a cottage garden with a profusion of flowers spilling over paths and walkways or a formal rose garden with its supreme performance in June, we all have a vision of what we’d like our garden to be.
In flux from season to season and year to year, gardens are by nature a series of “moments” that never seem to last for long. Hence the famous gardener’s lament, “You should have been here last week!”
By contrast, good garden tools remain a constant. I’ve always believed in great design, and garden equipment is no different. Top-quality tools are like a good friend – reliable and more cherished year after year.
Every year, just as it seems our long Canadian winter will never end, our thoughts return to the garden. Nothing lifts the spirits like planning for the season to come. After all, winter will indeed end, but a garden is never finished.
HAWS WATERING CAN
The Haws watering can is the Rolls Royce of watering cans. I have had my own Haws “Professional” and “Traditional” models for close to 25 years.
In 1884, John Haws, an avid gardener, noticed the conventional watering can designs of the day were awkward to use and carry.
Haws invented a new style of watering can with a long spout and cross bar. The “Professional” model, a patented design, is more balanced when full of water and enabled gardeners in Victorian greenhouses and large estates to water seedlings on shelves without undo strain on the back.
Today, this model is made exactly as it was when the company started. Produced in the U.K., it is cut from galvanized steel, shaped and rolled on machines, and parts are joined by interlocking flanges and spotwelded by hand.
Other models have been introduced, including the “Traditional” model launched in 1984, purpose->>
WHEN IT COMES to shopping for plants, tools and supplies for my home garden, I find the “big box” garden centres, with what seems like three football fields of merchandise, overwhelming. I prefer what I call “boutique” garden centres that offer a more personal approach and focused selection. Here are a few of my top picks from our area:
The Living Outdoors Garden Store, 486 Main St., Cambridge; 519-622-1861.
Doug Pennings developed a love for gardening while working part time at a tree nursery in his youth and then went on to obtain a degree in horticulture. After graduating, he worked at a larger garden centre in Kitchener and then started his own landscape company.
When Doug noticed a niche in the market, he decided to open a retail business offering high quality garden plants, unusual garden ornaments and garden accessories, and in 2006 the Living Outdoor Garden Store was born.
Throughout the year, the retail shop offers garden accessories and gift ideas, including chimes by Woodstock Chimes and “gazing balls” by Krista Art Glass.
In garden season and over Christmas, there is a pleasant outdoor nursery where music plays, and Doug and his staff are on hand to help you create your own garden statement.
Sheridan Nurseries Kitchener/ Waterloo Garden Centre, 100 Elmsdale Dr., Kitchener; 519-743-4146.
Although part of a larger chain, the smaller size and level of service at this location make me classify it as “boutique.”
There is an excellent selection of unusual orchids, superb quality garden plants and trees, and an extensive range of gardening aids, products and tools. Planters can be custom designed and made to order here by on-site designers.
However it is the courteous, dedicated and knowledgeable staff that really set this garden centre apart.
Spencer Hauck, a certified horticulturalist, amicably dispenses first-rate plant advice. Angela Noe-Cameron enthusiastically oversees the indoor retail store, which goes beyond gardening to everything from home décor to a myriad of gifts. John Huber, a most helpful and jovial fixture in the outdoor area, has worked for Sheridan Nurseries for close to 40 years. Staff refer to customers as “guests,” which pretty much says it all.
Ontario Seed Co. (Home Hardware), 16 King St. S., Waterloo; 519-886-2990.
This specialty seed company began as a small store in uptown Waterloo in the late 1800s and is now a fifth generation familyowned business. The head office and main packaging plant is in Kitchener, but the retail division is at the back of the Home Hardware on King Street South in Waterloo.
A mind-boggling variety of seeds are displayed, rack upon rack, and store managers David Radke and Mike Copland can assist in their selection.
Also on offer are high-end accoutrements such as made-in-England Burgon and Ball tools, the U.K.’s longest standing tool manufacturer, and don’t miss the separate pavillion out back with its fascinating wall of wood seed drawers from earlier days and its unique treasures for the garden enthusiast.