Grand Erie Master Gardeners

10/19/2026

Yesterday South Coast Gardens’ Kevin Kavanagh and Dylan Cowan together with Birds Canada’s Gregor Beck and Leanne held a very successful Gardening for Birds Event at the beautiful Birds Canada Headquarters in Port Rowan. Grand Erie Master Gardeners Lynne Goulet-smith, Kayleigh Meyer and Laura Rodger were very pleased to support this wonderful event for gardeners who came to learn how to garden for our birds.

10/14/2026

No tricks, just trees! 🌳🎃👻

Join us for a spooky Halloween Tree Planting in Paris! Dress in your best (planting-friendly) costume and help us put down some roots for the future.

Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Watts Pond (113 Hartley Ave, Paris)
Age: All ages

✔️ No registration required, just drop in
✔️ Don’t forget your shovel, gloves, closed-toe footwear, and rain gear (just in case)

Special thanks to the Grand River Conservation Authority, the Brant Tree Coalition, the Brant Waterways Foundation and Grand Erie Master Gardeners for their time and efforts!

10/13/2026

Good advice (except for the hedgehog shelter since we are not in the UK 😉)

10/12/2026

Happy Thanksgiving from the Grand Erie Master Gardeners!

10/11/2026

It is lovely to unexpectedly come across some late blooming roses at this time of year. David Austin rose “Charles Austin”, unknown white rose, Yellow shrub rose “Golden Wings”.

10/10/2026

Dahlias… did you know that dahlias are native to mountainous regions of Mexico, Central America and northern parts of South America? Naturally they are not frost hardy here in Ontario and the tubers must be lifted and stored over winter. They have been heavily hybridized - Dahlias have 8 sets of chromosomes versus the usual 2 - and there are about 59,000 varieties now!

10/10/2026

While Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum - native to Europe) is not yet on any official invasive species lists in Ontario, there is concern that it has invasive plant characteristics. Fortunately it is relatively easily dug up and here it is being replaced by native Hairy Wood Mint (Blephilia hirsuta) which supports many native pollinators. Hairy Wood Mint spreads by rhizomes and can be quite aggressive but was chosen for this shady area where it should hold its own against the equally aggressive native Canada anemone to help provide a succession of bloom.

10/08/2026

Grow with us!
The Brant Tree Coalition invites you to a community planting day to restore habitat, and plant for our native pollinators.
Hosts: Grand Erie Master Gardeners, Brant Tree Coalition, Brant For Nature, Paris Lions Club. No registration necessary!

10/08/2026

This native aster is absolutely covered in pollinators. This monarch butterfly and bee stood out as they shared the buffet right beside each other. Don’t be afraid to fill your garden with native asters - they are glorious in the fall and so beneficial to our beleaguered pollinators.

10/07/2026