A Chaplin Estates, Midtown Toronto Spring Garden Cleanup

Spring 2021 Has Finally Begun!

Enduring a pandemic winter was challenging but another April finally emerges and this Toronto gardener is getting busy again. I hope, dear reader, you and your family have remained safe and healthy during these tumultuous times.

I don't believe I've profiled this midtown Toronto garden before. I visit the client twice a year to "open" and "close" the garden, in her words. It's interesting that she (and many others) use the analogy of a garden being a store that requires to be opened for business from spring to fall and closed for the winter break. 

My "opening" process here mainly means raking out last fall's leaves, removing old stems and flower heads and spreading some composted manure on the beds. I'll duplicate these tasks many times in May so get ready!

Here are some "before" and "after" pictures of the the "U" shaped beds around the central lawn which are enclosed with a 20 foot white cedar hedge:

Chaplin Estates Toronto Spring Cleanup Before

Chaplin Estates Toronto Spring Cleanup After 

Chaplin Estates Toronto Spring Cleanup Before

Chaplin Estates Toronto Spring Cleanup After 

Toronto Spring Cleanup in Chaplin Estates Before 

Toronto Spring Cleanup in Chaplin Estates After 

Toronto Spring  Garden Cleanup in Chaplin Estates Before 

Toronto Spring  Garden Cleanup in Chaplin Estates After 

Chaplin Estates Toronto Spring Cleanup Before 

Chaplin Estates Toronto Spring Cleanup After 

Toronto Spring Garden Cleanup in Chaplin Estates Before 

Toronto Spring Garden Cleanup in Chaplin Estates After 

Chaplin Estates Midtown Toronto Spring Cleanup Before

Chaplin Estates Midtown Toronto Spring Cleanup After 

A Riverdale 2020 Spring Cleanup

There's a Patio and Garden Somewhere Under All these Leaves!

We all lead busy lives and for many homeowners (lucky for me), cleaning up the various garden areas isn't a priority. I just think of it as job security!

This post goes over a recent spring cleanup in Toronto's Riverdale neighbourhood. Or, rather, a delayed fall 2019 tidy up since the bulk of the work involved raking up last autumn's leaves.

Here are some pictures from the backyard: As you can see, nothing intricate, most of the job involved scraping up the wet and matted maple leaves which were becoming nice leaf compost.

Riverdale Back Garden Spring Cleanup Before 

Toronto 2020 Back Garden Spring
Cleanup Before in Riverdale

Toronto 2020 Back Garden Spring
Cleanup Before in Riverdale

Toronto Back Garden Spring
Cleanup Before in Riverdale 

Toronto Back Garden Spring
Cleanup Before in Riverdale 

Toronto Riverdale Back Garden
Spring Cleanup Before 

This back raised garden area was full of weed tree saplings which germinated from nearby Tree of Heaven and maple trees.

Toronto Riverdale Back Garden Spring Cleanup Before

The front area shown below had a few weeds but pruning the overgrown spirea and yew shrubs near the front steps was the priority:

Toronto Riverdale Front Garden
Spring Cleanup Before 

Toronto Riverdale Front Garden
Spring Cleanup Before

Riverdale Front Garden
Spring Cleanup Before

Afterwards...

Riverdale Back Garden Spring Cleanup After 

My cordless electric leaf blower came in very handy in cleaning up the newly exposed flagstone.

Toronto 2020 Garden Spring
Cleanup After in Riverdale 

Toronto 2020 Back Garden Spring
Cleanup After in Riverdale 

Toronto 2020 Back Garden Spring
Cleanup After in Riverdale 

Toronto Back Garden Spring
Cleanup After in Riverdale 

Toronto Back Garden Spring
Cleanup After in Riverdale 

Toronto Riverdale Back Garden
Spring Cleanup After 

Toronto Riverdale Back Garden
Spring Cleanup After

And, again, in the front afterwards. Clear access of the paths and front steps ensured.

Toronto Riverdale Front Garden
Spring Cleanup After

Toronto Riverdale Front Garden
Spring Cleanup After

A Riverdale Spring Cleanup in Preparation for New Plantings

An Old Boxwood Facing Its Final Days...

The spring cleanups are in full force and several homeowners are hiring me to prepare the garden areas with the aim of designing with and transplanting new perennials and shrubs. But to get to the "finished" garden, a little tidying up is needed for me to even see the blank canvas we're working with.

This Riverdale, Toronto back garden is very small (and may be one of the smallest I've dealt with) and peculiar. Although the pictures immediately below don't suggest it, the garden will be in shade once the neighbouring maple trees leaf out in a month or so. There's also a very tall spruce tree in the garden that blocks out most of the southern exposure. 

I describe the light conditions "peculiar" because the raised deck between the garden and house is in full sun for most of the day. I can only imagine how hot things get during the middle of the day up there while only a few feet away below the stairs, the garden will be in part to full shade.

From a functional perspective, the garden simply connects the house (via the deck) to the parking area. There's a great place to put a bench but my feeling is that the homeowners simply want to get to and from the house and their car quickly with something half decent to look at.

Currently, two forlorn Euonymus and one ancient, unpruned and decrepit boxwood greet the homeowners to and from work. They'll have to go but first, let's tidy up things!

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Backyard Before 

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Backyard After 

Yes, that's a boxwood in the picture 
above on the left side. 
Not what I call an ideal focal point. 

Toronto Riverdale Backyard Spring Cleanup After

Toronto Riverdale Backyard Spring Cleanup Before

Under the spruce, only some 
Lily of the Valley manage 
to eke out an existence. 

Ideally, a bench or a small lounge chair 
could be placed to the right in 
the above picture. You can see how 
shady this lower garden is at 
noon while the deck above is in 
full sun all morning and most of the afternoon.

Riverdale Toronto Spring Cleanup Back Yard After 

And in the Front Yard...

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Front Raised Bed Before 

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Front Raised Bed After

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Front Yard Before

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Front Yard After

Riverdale Toronto Spring Cleanup Front Raised Bed Before 

Riverdale Toronto Spring Cleanup Front Raised Bed After 

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Front Raised Bed Before 

Riverdale Spring Cleanup Front Raised Bed After 

I'm finalizing the new plant choices with the homeowner so stay tuned for an update about the new garden!