American Toad: Not So Warty, a Laidback Gardener’s Friend
I say “wart” and you immediately think… toad! This little creature, often disliked because of persistent myths, is in factContinue Reading
Author: Audrey Martel
Audrey Martel is a biologist who graduated from the University of Montreal. After more than ten years in the field of scientific animation, notably for Parks Canada and the Granby Zoo, she joined Nature Conservancy of Canada to take up new challenges in scientific writing. She then moved into marketing and joined Leo Studio. Full of life and always up for a giggle, or the discovery of a new edible plant, she never abandoned her love for nature and writes articles for both Nature sauvage and the Laidback Gardener.
An Ode to Stones
I have a big rock. I love it. It’s my rock! It’s there naturally, covered by moss and surrounded byContinue Reading
Flowers That See the World Upside Down
I once read a comment advising you to cut off the unsightly flowering stems of hostas, as their flowers areContinue Reading
My Baby Plum Trees and Their Tough Start in Life
This is my fifth summer in this house and I haven’t done my landscaping yet. I spend much more timeContinue Reading
Earthworms: Friend or Foe?
Chances are, if you’re an outdoor gardener, you come across lots of earthworms during the summer months. Little ones, bigContinue Reading
In Mother Nature’s Garden: Stinging Nettle
Stinging nettle and its bad reputation! It stings, it burns, it’s dangerous, it’s invasive… And yet, it’s also an absolutelyContinue Reading
Foraging: The Good and the Bad
Our ancestors practiced it for generations and it’s only in the last hundred years that we seem to have almostContinue Reading
The Highs and Lows of the Biodome’s Rainforest
Recently, I went to the Montreal’s Biodome. It’s funny, because most people go there to see the animals, but forContinue Reading
In Mother Nature’s Garden: Lilacs
Have you ever eaten lilac? I have, out of curiosity. I can confirm that the taste has nothing to doContinue Reading
In Mother Nature’s Garden: Wild Garlic
Sensitive subject in sight: a plant vulnerable to harvesting, regulated in Quebec, but not in Ontario, and whose presence isContinue Reading