I love hearing Brian Minter talk. Here we are in the grip of freezing temperatures, blistering rain, sunlight deprivation and the want of a beach vacation, while on the popular CBC’s noon hour show Brian is happily extolling the virtues of winter gardening.

The bones of my garden are visible now. The leaves have fallen from the deciduous trees and shrubs. Some perennials, if left for the birds, are spindly sticks topped by seed heads.

Do you have poor soil? Does your back complain as you bend over to garden? Are you eager to jump-start your garden in spring? One solution to these problems is raised bed gardening: the use of garden beds raised above the natural level of your garden.

The crisp, often warm sunny days of early fall are perhaps the very best for getting out into your garden and planning for the next season.

It's been a tough summer for red tomatoes. Find out how to turn green into red.

They’ve done it again. Deer, squirrels, mice or rabbits – it doesn’t matter. This winter, Point Roberts critters have chewed through 75% of the tulip bulbs planted in my little cottage garden. And, quite frankly, I can’t afford to indulge their expensive appetites.

It’s one of those oft-asked, top 10 questions gardeners get from friends and neighbors: “What’s the difference between annuals and perennials?” For those who are launching into a garden project, it’s right up there with “What kinds of plants should I buy for my garden – annuals or perennials?”

Bugs in the garden … ick! Or not? You actually want some bugs in your garden to keep it healthy.

June means more than roses here on the Point, as many gardeners are busy planting tasty things to eat.

Planting season is finally upon us, and we are once again faced with challenges in acquiring new plants for our gardens.

In the wake of the profound devastation and loss faced by the people of Japan, it seems fitting to take an “In the Garden” moment this month to honor the tremendous cultural contribution that the Japanese have made to the evolution of west coast gardening style.

With seed catalogues out and nurseries poised to open, March is a great time to plan your kitchen herb garden.

It’s high time for gardening outside the comfort zone.

Now that your garden is put to bed for the winter, it’s time to put thought into garden planning, particularly for challenging areas of your yard.

Just about every culture around the world celebrates the end of the local growing season and the gathering of mature crops with a harvest festival or ritual thanksgiving for the earth’s edible bounty.

No, all the work in the garden is not finished with the arrival of fall.

As summer memories on the Point go, I’d say this year is definitely shaping up to be a bumper crop.

The Point Roberts Garden Tour is back in a big way!

Rockeries Got sandy soil? Got rocky soil? Then maybe a rockery is for you! While the old saying is to plant a one dollar plant in five dollar soil (make that at least $5 and $25 in today’s world), some plants grow best in poor but well-drained soil.