Canada's Local Gardener Podcast

In this episode, Shauna sits down with Ryan Statham, arborist with the Davey Tree Expert Company, for a deep and practical look at the state of our trees in a time of rapid climate change. They start by talking about the difference between climate and weather, and how extreme swings—like sudden jumps from freezing to 30°C—are becoming more common across Canada. Ryan shares recent examples from Ontario, highlighting how unpredictable winters and erratic storms stress urban forests. From there, they explore the threats that keep arborists up at night: pests and diseases like spongy moth, aspen leaf miner, cedar leaf miner, southern pine beetle, and more. Warmer winters mean less die-off for these pests, allowing their populations to explode and damage more trees. Ryan explains how some infestations defoliate entire forests and why healthy, well-maintained trees are far more resilient. They also dig into the big picture. Canada has vast forests, but trees alone can’t “save” us from climate change. Ryan explains the limits of carbon sequestration, the importance of planting for the future, and why species diversity is crucial—something Winnipeg learned the hard way after Dutch elm disease and now emerald ash borer. The conversation also turns to Winnipeg. The city’s canopy has shrunk to about 17%, and the city removes roughly twice as many public trees as it plants. Unlike Ontario or B.C., there’s no private tree protection bylaw there, and funding and staffing for urban forestry remain limited. But it’s not all bad news—Ryan shares actionable tips for homeowners, like choosing the right species for your site, contacting an arborist for guidance, and the right way to mulch without inviting pests. Whether you have a single tree in your yard or care about the health of our whole urban forest, this episode will give you a better understanding of what’s at stake—and what you can do to help. Support the show

Artist and gardener Terrie Shaw has spent more than a decade journaling in words and watercolours. In her new book, Garden Journey , she captures not just the look of her Sherwood Park garden, but the feeling of it: the hum of bees around her grapevine café, the rich colours of calendula and sorrel, and the laughter of her grandchildren inventing stories around a mysterious purple door in the yard. Terrie sketches everything — plants, recipes, even moments with her family — in pen and ink before bringing them to life with watercolour. Over the years she has filled five journals, beginning in 2013 with tentative lines and simple sketches, and gradually building confidence and richness in style. The pages chart more than her growth as an artist. They reveal how everyday beauty unfolds season by season, from planting to harvest, and how the act of sketching itself becomes a way of seeing more deeply. As Terrie explains in our conversation, drawing first in pen forces her to slow down and pay attention, and the result is a sense of calm and connection that gardening naturally encourages. The road to publication wasn’t simple. After one disappointing experience, she eventually found a supportive home for her work with Wild Skies Press, where the photographs of her journal pages could be reproduced with clarity and colour. Terrie’s hope is that readers, even those who don’t consider themselves artists or gardeners, will discover that wonder is always within reach. A flower, a walk, or a quiet moment in the yard can all become moments of insight and joy if we pause to notice them. In this episode of the CLG Podcast , Shauna Dobbie sits down with Terrie to talk about her journey. They explore her creative process, the stories behind her garden “rooms,” the role of family in her art, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, creativity, and positivity. At its heart, Terrie’s story is about finding joy in the everyday — and her message is one the world really needs right now. Support the show

How annuals make it to your garden What makes one petunia thrive all summer long while another fizzles out? Why are certain plants chosen to become the season’s top sellers? In this episode of the CLG Podcast from Canada’s Local Gardener , host Shauna Dobbie speaks with Glenn Andersen of Nordic Nurseries — the exclusive Proven Winners annuals propagator for Western Canada — to uncover the journey plants take from lab to landscape. Glenn shares what it means to be a propagator, how new plants are selected from thousands of trials, and why Proven Winners varieties consistently outperform others in the garden. He talks about the rigorous breeding process, the global supply chain of cuttings, and what makes a plant worthy of the Proven Winners name. You’ll hear practical insights on how to grow thriving containers, what shade really means in gardening, and which low-maintenance plants work best for pollinators. From the popularity of Supertunia Vista Bubblegum and Prince Tut papyrus to the pollinator-magnet Cuphea Vermillionaire, Glenn offers suggestions based on firsthand experience in his own home garden. This episode is packed with garden inspiration and expert knowledge, plus a few surprising tips — like why caladiums don’t always love Canadian summers, and why non-flowering shade baskets are flying off shelves. Whether you're a backyard hobbyist or a container gardening enthusiast, you'll come away with a better understanding of what goes into the plants you love — and how to choose varieties that truly perform. Tune in to learn more about plant breeding, pollinator-friendly gardening, and the behind-the-scenes world of wholesale nurseries — all from a distinctly Canadian perspective. Support the show

Faced with the very arduous task of building a new gardening bed, Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, turns to veteran gardener Ian Leatt to hear about his experiences. In addition to being a long-time grower of vegetables and flowers, Ian is the president of Pegasus Publications, the company that publishes Canada’s Local Gardener. Support the show

It is seed starting time across Canada. From March through June, depending on where your garden is, you may be starting seeds indoors and out. Kevin Twomey, former owner of T and T Seeds in Winnipeg, has grown vegetables and flowers from seeds throughout his life. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener print magazine, is preparing to put in her first full-sized vegetable garden this year, and she talked to Kevin about what she’s done right, what she’s done wrong, and what she should do next year. Support the show

For many gardeners, power tools sound like something their partner or friend would be more interested in. But at some point, even the luddite might be interested in getting jobs done faster and with less pain, if a little more noise. Kris Kiser is the president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) in the United States. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener print magazine, talked to Kris about lawn mowers and leaf blowers, what’s out there and what she needs to tend to a medium-sized urban garden. Support the show

Did you know that you can give too much compost to your garden? Also, there isn’t a “best” fertilizer for tomatoes or roses or trees. Robert Pavlis is a garden writer, speaker and educator with a background in science. He lives in Guelph, Ontario and gardens at his six-acre home called Aspen Grove Gardens. He has published a handful of books and maintains two websites, gardenmyths.com and gardenfundamentals.com. He speaks with Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, about the nutrients that plants need, dispelling myths along the way. Support the show

Every year, growers, distributors and hybridizers of plants work on new species, and every year some of those new species make it to the market. New shrubs, flowers and vegetables come out with slight improvements and other distinguishing characteristics over the ones that have come before. Support the show

Since 2002, Canada has been watching the emerald ash borer kill our native ash trees, starting in Ontario and moving east and west from there. Ryan Statham, the District Manager for Davey Tree in Strathroy, Ontario, is on the front lines of the battle against this beetle. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, talks to Ryan about the fight and about how we can deal with emerald ash borer. Support the show

Strawberries and raspberries have been growing in gardens across Canada since we became a country. Haskaps, sea buckthorn and ground cherries are more recent introductions for many of us. All of them and more are covered in the book Prairie Gardener’s Guide to Growing Fruit by Sheryl Normandeau and Janet Melrose. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, talks to Sheryl and Janet about their book and about growing fruit, mostly berries, particularly on the Prairies. Support the show

The Edible Flower is a thick book with gorgeous photos. Erin and Jo write about how to grow edible flowers (that’s Jo’s department) and how to use them for cooking (Erin’s). Erin always hoped to write books because she loves them, so when she became a cook (a title she prefers to chef) she knew she wanted to write a cookbook. She uses flower petals in salads, but also in a larger way in recipes like folding them into a babka for a colourful display when it’s cut or pressing them into the dough when making pasta. Support the show

Given that Earth is getting warmer rapidly, what is the consequence for trees? This is a concern for Davey Tree experts Dan Herms, Vice President of Research, and Joe Steinfeld, who works in Urban Forestry and Arboriculture in the Toronto office. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, spoke with both of them about the state of trees today and what is coming in the near future. Support the show

orget about oceans of calamine lotion, this is the real dirt on poison ivy and all of its kin. Susan Pell, executive director of the United States Botanic Garden. She did her PhD on members of the pistatchio family (Anacardiaceae), which includes the genus Toxicodendron , of which poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are members. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, had a talk with Susan about these plants: how to identify them, what gives you a rash, and what you can do about it. REGISTER TO READ MORE ... Support the show

People of all ages become fascinated with the monarch butterfly when they learn about its long flight from Canada to Mexico in a single generation. Joan Harvey is a member of Monarch Teacher Network, and she joined Master Gardener Julianne Labreche in an event called Meet the Monarch last summer. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, chats with the two about the life cycle of monarchs and how to build a monarch garden. Support the show

Mario Doiron is a modern homesteader in New Brunswick who raises fowl and grows vegetables on a small farm. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, talks with him about how he grow vegetables and what gardeners can do to maximize their efforts and save money. Support the show

Bamboo is a kind of plant in the grass family (Poaceae) with over 100 genera. Most of them are tropical, but a few will survive and even thrive in Canada. Garry Hedberg and his wife Brenda had several clumps of them growing in South Surrey, in the Vancouver area, some as tall as 60 feet. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, talks to Garry about his experience growing this plant, which is fairly uncommon in Canada. Support the show

Dorothy Dobbie is the originator of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, a former Member of Parliament, President of the International Peace Gardens on the border of Manitoba and North Dakota... Support the show

Darryl Cheng is an industrial engineer who became interested in houseplants a few years ago. He would do time-lapse videos of his plants on social media, and that led to a huge Instagram following and book deals, including his popular book The New Plant Parent. Support the show

Mehdi Sharifi is a research scientist at the Summerland Research Station in British Columbia and Dana Johnson was a research assistant there who was partially responsible for developing the first federal Indigenous Demonstration Garden at the site. Shauna Dobbie, editor of Canada’s Local Gardener magazine, talked to them both about planning and instituting the garden. Support the show

Greg Auton is a garden writer and podcaster from Nova Scotia who grows hundreds of garlic plants every year. Although he is a very prolific writer, has a family of four and maintains a 2500-square foot vegetable garden, these are things he does in his spare time, when he is not working as a civil servant. Support the show