Avril Cottage

Welcome to the Cottage Diaries

Blustery Days and a Break from the Garden

A turn in the weather has put a pause on all outdoor work for the last couple of days. Buckets of rain and a massive temperature drop means muddy garden beds and cold soil. No matter, Wednesday was a trip into the city for supplies and a little get away. Thursday was very blustery and…
Vegetable Garden Prep and Homecoming

Potato planting and other garden prep filled the morning, Yukon Gold and Russet varieties are going in this year. Before getting very far we were blessed with another drench of rain, sending us inside for a restful coffee break. Flower baskets are hung, and tomato plants are climatized in preparation for a permanent move to…
Transitioning to a Permaculture Lifestyle: Tree Planting at the Cottage

For those of us who are familiar with more traditional gardening methods, transitioning to a permaculture lifestyle can feel somewhat overwhelming. It means a major shift from a consumerism mindset to adopting a holistic view to life that prioritizes sustainability, self sufficiency, and harmony with mother nature. But the transition should be viewed as a…
Mothers’ Day Message from the Cottage

To all mothers out there from Avril Cottage, may your day be filled with the appreciation, relaxation, and love that you deserve. Come back for a visit tomorrow for a post on trees! Have a blessed Sunday
Morning Birds and a Sad Mishap

The birds are very busy this morning as are the frogs in the pond over the road. A cacophony of sounds–ducks, geese, chickadees, sparrows, finches, grackles, red winged blackbirds, just to name a few. Swooping and whizzing past my head, startling me as I sip my morning coffee under the porch. One of the woodpeckers…
Nurturing Spirit and a Bit of Tough Love

It’s amazing what we can grow in the north here in zone 3. At Avril Cottage we have four very distinct seasons and summers are short and intense. The intensity means we can grow a surprising variety of plants and vegetables, but sometimes mother nature needs a little help. Take tomatoes for example. These were…