2.12.22

A Toronto Fall Front Garden Cleanup in the Palmerston Area

Wrapping up Another Successful Season!


Winter has arrived, weather-wise anyway, so I've begun my annual "hibernation" until next spring. By mid to late November, I'm more than ready to "throw in the trowel" as I'm mentally and physically drained from working, more or less, non stop from late April. And working in the November cold isn't appealing, to be honest.

This post shows a very typical, for me, fall garden cleanup during mid October into November. Perennials are entering winter dormancy, tree leaves are everywhere and certain clients want that "tidy" garden look over the winter.

I visit this garden once a year in October and cut down the herbaceous material (e.g., the Ostrich Fern fronds, the Japanese Forest Grass leaves, etc.), rake up the maple leaves from a neighbouring tree, lightly clip the wintercreeper and remove the rambunctious honeysuckle vine that always wants to engulf the poor weeping Japanese maple.



Toronto Fall Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Ecological Gardener
Toronto Fall Cleanup Before


Toronto Fall Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Ecological Gardening Company
Toronto Fall Cleanup Before 


Toronto Fall Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Toronto Fall Cleanup Before


Toronto Fall Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardening Company
Toronto Fall Cleanup Before



Toronto Fall Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Independent Toronto Gardener
Toronto Fall Cleanup Before


Afterwards, you can see the stone path and dry river bed that is part of the design. It's quite cute but is hidden by summer by the ferns and grasses.


Toronto Fall Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Ecological Gardener
Toronto Fall Cleanup After


Toronto Fall Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Ecological Gardening Company
Toronto Fall Cleanup After 


Toronto Fall Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Toronto Fall Cleanup After


Toronto Fall Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardening Company
Toronto Fall Cleanup After 



Toronto Fall Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Independent Toronto Gardener
Toronto Fall Cleanup After


So I bid adieu to this garden until next October!


19.9.22

A Little Italy-Palmerston Backyard Garden Cleanup

Revealing Potential for a Toronto Pollinator Garden?


It seems that with every garden cleanup ("rescue" is a better word for this post as you'll see later) I complete, that question comes to mind. It was certainly the case with this project I finished for a client in the central Toronto area of Little Italy/Palmerston. The backyard garden bed was hidden by weeds, Virginia Creeper and an overgrown rose but once I tidied up things, I easily imagined the garden full of colour and life.

But here are some "before" pictures showing the overgrown garden bed and lawn:



Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener for Hire
Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before


Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener for Hire
Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before

Palmerston Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener Near You
Palmerston Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before


Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before in Little Italy by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener Near You
Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before in Little Italy 


Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before in Little Italy by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener Near You
Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before in Little Italy 


Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before in Palmerston by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener Near You
Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before in Palmerston 


Afterwards....


And here are some "after" pictures, post weeding and pruning:



Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener for Hire
Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After 


Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener for Hire
Little Italy Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After 


Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Little Italy by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener Near You
Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Little Italy


Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Little Italy by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener Near You
Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Little Italy 


Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Little Italy by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener Near You
Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Little Italy 


Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Palmerston by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener Near You
Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After in Palmerston


The bed is quite deep in certain areas so there's potential (that word again) to fill this bed with many flower-bearing native and non-native perennials and shrubs, given it faces south and east and receives full sun for part of the day.

Alas, it's a rental property (which may explain the state of things before I was hired) and the odds that weeds will reappear and re-establish are high. But I've given the owner and tenants a blank slate so the ball is in their court, to mix metaphors.


22.8.22

A Cabbagetown Backyard Garden Cleanup

A Short Summer Weeding Session in Downtown Toronto


It's late August in hot and hazy Toronto: a bittersweet time when Labour Day is around the corner, school for the kids starts again and summer is unofficially over.

But in the meantime, the weeding doesn't stop!

"Darlene" (a pseudonym) is new client from the central Toronto neighbourhood called Cabbagetown and hired me to tidy up her backyard. Gardens in Cabbagetown are typically narrow but long and usually in shade given the numerous mature trees.

For various reasons, Darlene never got to weeding the back patio and surrounding beds this season as these "before" pictures suggest:



Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup Before


Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup Before


Cabbagetown Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup Before


Toronto Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup Before


Toronto Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup Before


Cabbagetown Toronto Summer Garden Cleanup Before


Afterwards....


While weeding was a big part of this short session, the longer term maintenance issue is the regular pruning of the Virginia Creeper vines spilling over all three fences from the neighbour's garden.



Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup After




Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup After



Cabbagetown Toronto Backyard Garden Cleanup After



Cabbagetown Toronto Summer Garden Cleanup After



Toronto Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup After



Toronto Cabbagetown Summer Garden Cleanup After



Fall cleanups are around the corner and I'm sure, dear reader, you're waiting with great anticipation hoping to see many plants entering dormancy (sarcasm!)



18.7.22

A Front Tiered Garden Cleanup in Parkdale

When You Can't See the Retaining Walls from the Vines


I can't believe it's the middle of summer already here in Toronto. I'm in the midst of another busy work season but vacation time is in sight! Until then, the weeding and pruning continue unabated.

I'm taking you to the west Toronto neighbourhood of Parkdale in this post to go over a recent cleanup of a two tiered front garden. At first glance, as the "before" pictures below suggest, you may not even be aware of the second upper retaining wall, given the heavy growth:


Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Small Toronto Gardening Company
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener You can Hire
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before


Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardening Company
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup Before 



Toronto Front Garden Cleanup in Parkdale Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Toronto Front Garden Cleanup in Parkdale Before 



Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Small Toronto Gardening Company
Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener Near You
Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup Before



Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Retaining Walls Revealed!


I don't know when the shrubs were last pruned or the raised beds weeded (neither do the new homeowners when I innocently asked) but obviously things were a little out of control!

So I imposed some "control" and "discipline" by pruning the spirea shrubs hard, removing a dead juniper and weed tree saplings, cutting away the wild grape vine and Boston Ivy to expose the retaining wall faces, among other tasks.

Quite a difference, it's safe to say.



Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Small Toronto Gardening Company
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After



Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener You can Hire
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After 



Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After



Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardening Company
Parkdale Toronto Front Garden Cleanup After 


Toronto Front Garden Cleanup in Parkdale After  by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Toronto Front Garden Cleanup in Parkdale After 



Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Gardener Near You
Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup After 



Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup After 


Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Small Toronto Gardening Company
Toronto Parkdale Front Garden Cleanup After 

21.6.22

A Riverdale Summer Garden Cleanup

Summertime and the weeding is(n't) easy


It's the first day of summer and it actually feels like summer! High temperatures and humidity make it hard working outside, especially when weeding gardens which haven't been tended to since...whenever?

From past experience, I know that any garden cleanup I do now involves a ton of weeds which have grown unimpeded. So when I was hired to tidy up this Riverdale, Toronto back and front garden, I was expecting some serious weed growth and I wasn't disappointed!

Here are some "before" pictures from the back and front yards. I knew it was going to be a long day ahead of me!

The backyard looking down from the deck:


Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Independent Gardener
Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before


Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Independent Gardening Company
Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before


Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Small Gardening Company
Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before


Toronto Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Independent Gardener
Toronto Riverdale Garden Cleanup Before


And the front beds from various angles:


Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Organic Gardener
Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Organic Gardening Company
Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Independent Gardener
Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Small Gardening Company
Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before 


Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before


Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before by Paul Jung--a Toronto Small Gardening Company
Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup Before


How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, as the saying goes. How do you weed gardens in such conditions? One square foot at a time. 

You'll go crazy otherwise.


Five hours later....


Riverdale Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Independent Gardener
Riverdale Garden Cleanup After 


Riverdale Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Independent Gardening Company
Riverdale Garden Cleanup After


Riverdale Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Small Gardening Company
Riverdale Garden Cleanup After


Toronto Riverdale Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Independent Gardener
Toronto Riverdale Garden Cleanup After



Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--a Toronto Small Gardening Company
Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After


Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung--a Toronto Organic Gardener
Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After 


Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung--a Toronto Small Gardening Company
Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After 


Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Independent Gardener
Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After 


Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Organic Gardener
Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After


Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After by Paul Jung Gardening Services--an Organic Gardening Company
Toronto Riverdale Front Garden Cleanup After 


Similar scenes will be repeated undoubtedly throughout the summer in even hotter weather!



LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...