Adding Year-Round Interest to Your Garden
By Ava Green
Spring brings excitement and the hope of fresh beginnings, but also the harsh reality that our gardens can look a little…well…blah, in between seasons. Even when you have evergreens, well shaped trees, shrubs or perennials with “good bones” (strong framework or structure) a garden can look bare off season. This is when garden features and ornaments can really make a dramatic difference!

Do you have a spot in the garden where plants struggle to grow? Or an area where you feel like your garden is missing something?
Items like benches, patios, ornamental urns, decorative fencing, statues, a pond, gazing balls, birdhouses and birdbaths add beauty and function in every season. In Southern Ontario’s long shoulder seasons (early spring, late fall, and the longest of all - winter) these permanent elements help to make your garden look inviting all year.

A garden filled with colourful annuals and perennials can be stunning, but without a focal point, it can feel visually overwhelming. A garden focal point like a bench, statement urn, a piece of statuary, or a water feature draws your attention, and creates a sense of purpose.
Focal points guide movement through the garden and help tell a story, leading visitors toward a destination. While naturalized gardens and wildflower areas don’t always require structure, for gardeners who prefer a more organized look, incorporating a focal point can create a sense of order and transform your space.

Many gardeners naturally gravitate toward favourite plant forms. Tall, spiky perennials like coneflowers, salvia, and Black-eyed Susan are popular in Ontario gardens but they can feel repetitive when planted together.
Introducing contrast changes everything. A round birdbath nestled among upright perennials adds softness and contrast making it more visually interesting. In shady gardens dominated by hostas, a tall iron obelisk or trellis creates height and drama. Mixing plant textures with garden features like lighting instantly elevates beds and borders.

Gardening is a creative process, and experimentation is part of the joy. Moving plants to find the right light or shelter often leads to surprising combinations and successes. Garden features allow you to express that creativity even further.
Statuary, ornaments, and structures, whether handcrafted or purchased, add personality and meaning. From whimsical accents to bold architectural elements, these features bring height, structure, and style to your garden in ways plants alone can’t.
Flowers bloom and fade with the seasons here in Southern Ontario. Garden features provide continuity, offering year-round interest, structure, and charm. With just a few additional elements, your garden can look beautiful in every season, not just when it’s in bloom.

By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer
Got cabin fever? Perhaps you’re going a little stir crazy looking out the window and seeing the drab, limited pallete in your seemingly lifeless outdoor space. It’s important to embrace this time of year as the composting and cleansing part of Earth’s cycle before spring’s renewal – but that doesn’t mean we should be trapped inside forever. Here’s a winter/early spring list of activities, divided by indoor (Part 1) and outdoor (Part 2), for the gardener and yard keeper.
☝️ First, let’s quickly note the important activity happening under the snow – and how your actions now will affect the summer garden!
Before heading out to attend to these jobs have a look at the ground beneath you.
If it is frozen hard you are good to go but avoid treading on the crowns of perennials.
If it has been warm and sunny and the soil is warm and dry, consider laying down a few planks to walk on.
If the soil is soggy then postpone those tasks until it has dried. What we are trying to protect is not your shoes but the soil itself.
Ideally, soil is comprised of 50% solid materials such as minerals and organic matter in various stages of decomposition, and 50% open air space. Water from rain or melting snow enters the soil, displacing the air. Wet soil is easier to squish down and that process is called compaction.
While walking on wet soil would not seem to have much effect, it occurs within the depth where annuals, perennials and lawn grasses have their roots. Compaction makes it harder for roots to grow through the soil. Roots can grow stronger to push aside the soil particles, but tougher roots are less effective at drawing in nutrients and moisture. Removing air spaces makes it more difficult for water to percolate down so compacted soils remain wetter. Plants don’t grow as well and are more prone to insect damage.
The freeze/thaw cycles of fall, spring, and winter heave the soil relieving compaction and aerating the soil; a good way to start the growing season. Preventing further damage to the soil is relatively simple. Stay off it when it’s wet. Later, consider using pavers or pathways in heavily travelled areas of the lawn. Aerate the lawn with a machine that removes small plugs of soil and redistributes them over the surface. In beds and borders, add compost and use a thick mulch layer to absorb some of the pressure.
And stay off it when it’s wet.
With this in mind, we can appreciate Earth’s renewal capabilities, as well as prevent destroying our yards and gardens!

Yup, it’s bleak out there. It’s time we make that herbal tea and turn our attention to creating a lively, green indoor environment, even if just to get us through the winter. Here’s a to-do list for trapped gardeners and plant enthusiasts to make the most of our wintry sentence.



Suit up!




We hope these suggestions help you stay green this spring and winter! For more gardening activities, see our other blogs here. We hope to see you this spring (March 5th, 2026) at Eising Greenhouses and Garden Centre! 🌱❄️
By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer
This is a question we hear daily during the spring, summer and, especially, the fall. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not see any adverse changes occurring in their trees until they look dead, or nearly so.

The discolouration and dropping of evergreen needles are a natural phenomenon and the main cause of needle loss in the wild. Evergreen needles, as the name implies, survive for a lengthy period, and in fact usually have a life span of five to seven years on healthy trees, however, they must be shed. The needles first start to die in the central and lower part of the tree, and this change progresses upward over time. You will see spruce trees naturally lose needles as they get older.
Age is an important factor here in causing needle loss and branch death, however, in landscape plantings of coniferous evergreen trees, pests and disease are likely the major cause of needle loss and dying branches. If there is a sudden fall of a very large number of brown needles and leaves, this signals to us that there is something drastically wrong!
This can happen as early as a year or two after a tree is planted. This is especially true in Haldimand and Eastern Norfolk County where heavy clay soils predominate. Spruce trees, for example, do not grow well on clay soils.

Here are some of the more common problems, apart from natural aging that afflict spruce trees, the probable causes and ways of treating the problem.
☝️Unfortunately, these majestic trees, the most popular evergreen planted on our residential properties, incur many other pest and disease problems not dealt with here.
Likely causes:
1. Internal fungus disease (called Cytospora or white blister canker). This creates cracks in the bark causing resin to drip and leave grey-white dripping streaks on the bark. The fungus also causes open wounds or blisters on tops of branches. These wounds can be greyish white or greyish blue in colour, eventually turning brown and black.
2. Feeding by spider mites which leave fine, poorly formed webs in the needles, especially near the ends of the twigs.
Best treatments:
1. Properly aerate and fertilize tree out to a distance of half its height in all directions, where possible.
2. Pressure wash thoroughly once a month with water only, all needles and branches as high as possible on the tree. Water pressure dislodges spider mites.
Likely cause:
Spruce bud worms which develop in the needle cluster that arises from a bud.
Best treatment:
Spray the biological pesticide, BTK (eg. Dipel), onto the entire tree when feeding is first noticed in early spring, to kill the young caterpillars.
Likely causes:
1. Spruce bud scales, ball-shaped insects, initially light brown in colour but eventually turning black. Often two to five scale balls cluster in one location on the twig; honey dew excretions from scales become infected with sooty mold.
2. An overhanging shade tree such as oak, maple or elm may have heavily infested leaves with aphids whose honey dew secretions become infected with sooty mold.
Best treatment:
1. Pressure wash tree using water only to dislodge young scales (called nymphs) in May and early June while they are in the crawling stage. Scale nymphs fall to the ground where they cease to be a threat to the tree.
2. Spray shade tree in early spring with insecticidal soap to control aphids. The problems of other coniferous evergreens such as pines, firs, cedars and junipers can usually be treated with correct diagnosis, though some diseases are lethal.
We hope these help you troubleshoot common issues often found in evergreen trees! For more information - and evergreens – visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre! 🌲
By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer
As plant people, we’ve all experienced that moment when we realize the novelty phase of that plant we brought home from the garden centre has worn off. The plant isn’t standing quite as tall, the flowers aren’t as bold, and the leaves are unravelling smaller or not at all. What is this magic they perform in the greenhouse? Perhaps you’ve provided sufficient lighting and adequate watering; there’s just one thing that is often overlooked because dirt is dirt, isn’t it?
97% percent of plant tissue is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen pulled from the air and water, the remaining 3% is comprised of 16 other elements taken up from the soil. The quality of soil then is crucial to your plant’s health. Whether your plants are in pots or in ground, each soil type you could provide your plant offers something unique and may lack in another.

*Clay particles are even smaller than silt particles.
There’s bags and bags of rocks, sand, bark, manure, and moss on the shelves, yet the common buyer seems to always opt for potting mix. It’s fair; organic matter is usually great for plants and simple to use. However, most people don’t realize it’s merely an ingredient.
Strictly using potting mix is like attempting to make a loaf of bread out of only flour. All those bags of other materials on the shelves are also components for a successful plant diet!
Potting mix is a great base material, however, alone it presents risks of compacting, becoming waterlogged, can mold easily, and over time will become depleted of nutrients. Consider mixing the following ingredients into your pots, ground and raised beds to meet your plant’s required nutrients, pH level, and volume of moisture.
🖱️Use our Plant Finder to find some details on your plant! We try our best to keep this updated!

👍 Rule of Green Thumb: Plant roots can help you to determine the medium needed – thick, robust roots (i.e., yucca) typically enjoy chunkier materials, and smaller, delicate roots (i.e., begonias) enjoy finer materials.
🖱️ See more on mulching here.






Perhaps we’ve crafted the perfect soil type for your plant – your plant thanks you – but over time, we will end up in the same staling predicament. Why? Because with each thorough watering, we leech the soil of the provided nutrients. Best we use the plant-specific required fertilizer for your plant to prevent nutrient loss.

Organic sources of fertilizer such as bonemeal, composts, and manures, along with the application of lime, will improve the physical condition of the soil in terms of water and element holding ability. Unfortunately, in many cases though, manures and lime alone cannot be depended upon to provide enough available nutrients in soils with low essential element reserves.
Let’s talk about commercial fertilizers, which can help target your plant’s exact needs much like vitamins and supplements!
Of the essential 16 elements your plant pulls from the soil, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are the most critical for good plant growth. You’ll recognize the three numbers appearing on your commercial fertilizer labels known as the fertilizer analysis of the product, representing the percentage of each of the three "macronutrients" in the order of N, P & K.

Nitrogen (N) is necessary for green leafy or vegetative growth which is important in crops like corn, cabbage, and potatoes.
☝️ It is important to remember that you should not use a fertilizer which is high in nitrogen late in the summer on your perennials, as it may cause a boost of growth which will only freeze as the cold weather sets in. Also, too much nitrogen in the analysis could cause too much lush, leafy growth thus inhibiting the desired flowering aspect of a plant species.
Phosphorus (P) promotes the development of flowers, fruit and roots. Crops like tomatoes, cauliflower and garden flowers.
Potassium (K) boosts plant hardiness, stem strength, resistance to disease and drought which is important to all crops, but especially in potatoes, celery and rhubarb.
👍 Rule of Green Thumb: For foliage plants, provide them with shade and lots of nitrogen, and for flowering and fruiting plants, provide them with lots of sun and lots of phosphorus!

Hello Haldimand and Eastern Norfolk!
We’re presented with the challenge of compacted, often shallow and waterlogged clay, which proves difficult but not impossible.
Clay becomes compacted and waterlogged as it is the smallest soil particle – smaller than a grain of sand, and even smaller than silt – with rough edges that allow it to interlock and bind. In this instance, roots cannot penetrate further into the soil, are susceptible to root rot, and air pockets are slim to none.
This, however, can be fixed with the addition and renewal of the above materials.
Mindful that you don’t create a watery bowl in the ground (score the edges the area being worked), you can add organic matter (i.e., manure, compost, and potting soil) for nutrients, as well as mulch, sand and perlite for aeration and drainage. Annual soil particle aggregation in clay soils increases air porosity (air pockets) and is accomplished by the incorporation of organic matter that breaks down to form humus.
🖱️ See more here for planting trees in clay.

We hope this soil and fertilizer guide helps you provide all the vital nutrients to your beloved plants in ground and above ground! For more information - and soil – visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre! 🌱
By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer
Starting the first week of January, seed packets of many vegetable garden delicacies began arriving at your local garden centres. It’s a great time to plan your gardens and purchase your seeds while the selection is good but don't sow your seeds too early!

If started too soon, your plants will be leggy and overgrown long before you can transplant them into the garden. The general rule of thumb (even if yours isn't green), is if the seed packet recommends sowing four to six weeks before the last frost date, it's better to pick the four - rather than the six-week date (to calculate the sowing date, count back from the third week of May).
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the proper timing of the beneficial companion planting practice, to ensure an organic triple-play of pesticide reduction, nutrient sharing, and the fruits of your labour actually tasting better!
The use of companion plants is an organic approach embracing plant diversity that involves growing certain different types of plants near each other. By mixing a variety of plants together you confuse harmful insects (i.e., the ‘Three Sisters,’ corn, beans, and squash). When you plant certain vegetables together or alongside flowers or herbs, you can often camouflage the scent of a given plant so that its potential enemies can't find it. For example, if you plant onions and carrots together, the Carrot Rust Fly can no longer detect the scent of its "prey," the carrot.

☝️ Plants also share nutrients and amend the soil below ground – in the instance of the Three Sisters, beans fix the nitrogen content of the soil for corn, who has long lost its ability to produce its own nitrogen.
Instead of grouping them all together in a corner, plant them in among your vegetables. Tarragon and marjoram give off a scent that repels most insects. Sage, rosemary, and thyme repel insects that feed on the different plants of the cabbage family. Plant these herbs near your cabbage, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. Coriander attracts parasitic wasps that are very useful in controlling all sorts of pests.
🖱️ See more on companion planting with herbs here.

Nothing will make your vegetables happier! Plant borders of alyssum and cosmos; these attract beneficial insects and repel certain harmful ones. Marigolds protect tomatoes from threadworms, and nasturtiums and petunias attract aphids. If you plant them near your tomatoes, the aphids will choose the flowers instead of your tomatoes.
Plant friends are plants that can be grouped together because they mutually help each other grow. Basil stimulates the growth of Tomatoes and enhances the quality of the yield. Chamomile improves the growth and taste of cabbage and onions. It has been found that peas and beans enhance the growth of cucumbers and potatoes. Peas and beans also repel the Colorado Potato Beetle that commonly attacks potatoes and eggplant.
Once you’ve decided who is going where, it’s time to focus on when who is going where.
It is important to know when the last spring frost date is for your area. Many plants need to be planted after the last frost, so that they don't freeze their little buds off! Follow this guide so that you can have healthy, sturdy little plants that will become good friends in your garden this summer.
| Ten Weeks Before Last Frost Sow indoors: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, peppers, and onion |
| Eight Weeks Before Last Frost Sow indoors: tomatoes Sow outdoors: spinach |
| Five Weeks Before Last Frost Sow indoors: marigolds (do not transplant until after last frost) Sow outdoors: peas Transplant: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onion |
| Four Weeks Before Last Frost Sow indoors: cantaloupe, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, squash, and watermelon |
| Three Weeks Before Last Frost Sow outdoors: carrots Transplant: brussels sprouts, hardened off frost-hardy herbs like chives and oregano |
| Week of Last Frost Sow outdoors: pole beans Transplant: cantaloupe, eggplant, lettuce, okra, peppers, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, and watermelon |

🌱 To ensure success it is always best to use fresh, sterile seed-starting mixture (available from garden centres). Moisten mixture about an hour before sowing; it shouldn't be soggy, just as damp as a wrung-out sponge.
🌱 Follow the information contained on seed packets in terms of timing, lighting requirements, sowing depth, and optimal germination and growing temperatures.
🌱 Lightly water freshly sown flats, then cover with plastic dome lid, or if reusing containers try placing them inside a plastic zip-lock bag. At the first signs of germination, uncover or remove from plastic bag.
🌱 As the seedlings develop, wait until the top of the soil looks dry, water carefully using a small watering can with a fine spray. Avoid over watering: soggy soil and poor air circulation can lead to damping off, a fungal disease that can kill seedlings.
🌱 Locate your seeding flat in a bright window but grow lights or cool fluorescent tubes are better. Keep seedlings about eight to 10 centimetres from light source to prevent plants from becoming too spindly. Plug lights into an automatic timer set for 16 hours on, eight hours off. Be careful if you’re using the windowsill method though, as extremes in temperature may occur from hot drying sunny days to frigid evenings.
🌱 When seedlings have two sets of true leaves (the first leaves are called cotyledons — or seed leaves — so wait for the true ones, start feeding once a week with a balanced (20-20-20), water-soluble fertilizer at half-strength, working up to full strength after a few weeks.
🌱 Finally, the plants which have been raised under sheltered conditions must now be hardened off (see more here) before planting out. Gradually lower the temperature and reduce the watering while exposing the plants to brighter light for seven days prior moving them out to a cold frame. Keep an eye on the weather as sudden changes, as it often happens in spring, could spell disaster to your young plants.
We hope your garden is biodiverse and fruitful this year! For more information – and companion plants – visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre this spring! 🌿
By Ava Green
The Eising Holiday Gift Guide has become a popular tradition, and this year, I asked staff members to share their favourite gifts. We have some great picks to brighten anyone’s holidays: family, friends, teachers, hosts/hostesses, the cat sitter, the dog sitter - anyone you would like to wish a Merry Christmas to!



What looks good every year? Everlasting decorations! Kirsten’s favourites are natural wreaths with just a bit of an embellishment. Elegant, timeless and oh-so-festive!
An ornament from our Giving Tree is Arlene’s choice because she can gift the beautiful glass cardinal, and the proceeds go to the local toy drive. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving!


We also have lots of beautiful everlasting garlands, and Lindsey’s favourites: holiday-themed decorative containers to choose from. These festive plant pots transform any houseplant into a Christmasy gift or are perfect for holding other treasures if you’re creating a gift basket.



There’s an entire team of decorators, no…creators, no….elves, no…very talented staff members who spend the holiday season making the most beautiful urns, planters, and fresh greenery centrepieces. Donna and I are holding two of our favourites. Mary stopped making festive urns just long enough for this photo to be taken! She really pours her heart into it.



As always, Courtney has a phenomenal selection of tropical plants to choose from. Do not ask her which one is her favourite. Trust me. Too many to count.
Ely is hoping for some gardening tools under the tree this year, and what gardener couldn’t use an array of trowels?!
Lori is ready for a party with her favourite hostess gifts - Amaryllis bulbs. Apparently, the Grinch likes plants, too. Who knew? Cindy Lou Who, possibly, and Lori.

Donna is wearing and holding some of her favourite clothes, jewelry, accessories, and products from Sassyfras Boutique inside Eising Greenhouse. Yes, she has many favourites. In her defence, who can pick just one thing from Sassyfras?! Not us.

Finally, this is THE most flexible item in the guide, our Eisings gift card. It can also be the perfect solution for the person who has everything already and is hard to buy for. Why is this Lucas’s favourite? Eising gift cards can be used for plants, landscaping, trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, seeds, tropicals, decor, pots, garden tools, and any other items sold in the greenhouse. And that’s not all! Gift cards can also be used for anything in Sassyfras Boutique. So many options!

During this season of abundance, Henry and all of us at Eisings hope you get all of your favourite things, but mostly we wish you a safe and happy holiday season! ✨