A front garden landscape design for the Pacific Northwest

Acid-loving plants put to the test in small Seattle garden

This small Seattle front garden design plan by Alexa LeBouef Brooks puts native acid-loving plants to the test.

The Seattle area landscape designer first removed what was once a grass lawn and then had to deal with two very large and established cedar trees that were already on the property and had, over the years, turned the soil in the front garden acidic.

The design is installed in a neighborhood just outside of Seattle and very close to the University of Washington.

Alexa explains that the site is a small front lot with two very large and established cedar trees, one on either side of the garden.

Her goal was to create a natural, sustainable garden that both looks good year-round and is able to deal with changing environmental conditions associated with climate change in the future.

“You are limited in what you can plant underneath our Northwest conifers because they demand every drop of water available and make the soil very acidic.”

A front garden design plan of a Pacific Northwest garden in the Seattle area. Notice that there is no grass in this garden planted with native, acid-loving plants.

All the plants included in the design are acid loving plants and should establish well in the area. The House is East facing but gets adequate sunlight throughout the day.

The client wanted this garden to be an homage to a best friend who had recently died.

(Be sure to click on the link here for more on Alexa LeBouef Brooks and Understory Gardens.)

Also, if you are interested in native plants, be sure to check out my post on Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest.

Alexa explains that for years the friends had planned on creating a native garden together.

“I feel honored to have been a part of this project, and help the clients vision come to life."

Below is a chart showing the plants Alexa used to create the garden. On the left are the number of plants and on the right is the name of the plants.

Above is a plant guide for the garden with the numbers listed to the left of the plant’s name.

Alexa LeBouef Brooks is a young landscape designer in the Seattle area who is using her passion for native plants along with her background in fine art to create exciting natural and woodland gardens.

She recently told Ferns & Feathers that the “development of my style of gardening grew from my desire to always be connected to the natural beauty I spent so much time in as a child. Although I embrace multiple garden aesthetics, the native and natural style of gardening keeps me rooted in the land I call home.”

Through the excellent work of the Seattle-based, non-profit organization called Plant Amnesty, many of Alexa’s clientele are already aware of the importance of protecting the ecology of the area.

The organization’s focus is to educate the greater Puget Sound area on proper pruning, responsible gardening and land preservation.

“I find that most clients who seek gardeners and designers through Plant Amnesty have a shared interest in maintaining the integrity of our delicate ecology and environment. Even outside of my Plant Amnesty clients, when a potential client sees my business name and website, they are anticipating a particular style of gardening from my work. Most are open to the suggestions I make when designing their gardens and plugging in additional plants to an existing design as well as garden maintenance methods,” Alexa explains.

Changing the way we garden is important to Alexa. Climate change is an ever increasing problem in the Pacific Northwest as well as elsewhere and Alexa is passionate about designing and installing gardens that will meet the future needs of her clients.

Issues around water conservation and installing plants that can not only deal with the increasingly hotter summers Seattle residents face, but the colder winters, are an important part of Alexa and Understory Gardens’ approach to the new challenges on gardening in the Pacific Northwest.

If you are on the lookout for high quality, non-GMO seed for the Pacific North West consider West Coast Seeds. The company, based in Vancouver BC says that “part of our mission to help repair the world, we place a high priority on education and community outreach. Our intent is to encourage sustainable, organic growing practices through knowledge and support. We believe in the principles of eating locally produced food whenever possible, sharing gardening wisdom, and teaching people how to grow from seed.”

Plant list for Seattle front garden design plan

Below is a list of the plants used in the garden in case the chart is difficult to read

1 Ribes sanguineum (Flowering Currant)36Oxalis oregana (Redwood Sorrel)

3 Polystichum setiferum (Alaska Fern)

9 Cornus se. 'Kelsey' (Kelsey Dogwood)

2 Dicentra 'Gold Heart' (Bleeding Heart)

6 Erigeron glaucus 'Bountiful' (Seaside Daisy)

5 Mahonia nervosa (Cascade Oregon Grape)

13 Sisyrinchium 'Rocky Point' (California Blue Eyed Grass)

11 Tellima grandiflora (Fringe Cups)

2 Oreostemma alpigenum (Alpine Aster)

4 Adiantum pedatum (Northern Maidenhair Fern)

7 Blechnum spicant (Deer Fern)

3 Helictotrichon se 'Sapphire' (Blue Oat Grass)

24 Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry Dogwood)

5 Heuchera cylindrica (Alpine Alumroot)

2 Balsamorhiza sagittata (Arrowleaf Balsamroot)

2 Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry)

1 Rosa nutkana (Nootka Rose)1Arctostaphylos d 'Howard McMinn' (Manzanita)

Understory Gardens: Focus on sustainable west-coast landscapes

Garden designer’s favourite plants for the natural garden

Alexa LeBouef Brooks is changing the world around her, and she’s not alone.

Like so many other people her age working to protect the earth, Alexa recognizes that the environment is at a critical juncture – either something is done soon or we risk losing much of what we have in the not-too-distant future.

The 33-year-old landscape designer is fully aware of the environmental challenges that lay ahead for future generations and the precarious path humans could be facing in the future.

Alexa is part of a new breed of progressive landscape designers taking it upon themselves to reject traditional garden designs and embrace a new, more sustainable garden style – at least in the town she calls home. Her Pacific West-Coast designs specialize in developing a more sustainable, woodland or naturalized gardening approach – hence the name Understory Gardens.

(For more on West Coast garden designs and native plants, be sure to check out my post on Vancouver-Island-based Satinflower Nurseries, Native plants find a home on Vancouver Island.)

Also, if you are interested in native plants, be sure to check out my post on Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle area landscape designer Alex LeBoeuf Brooks is one of many new progressive designers who is challenging old landscape approaches to create more sustainable landscapes for the future.

That love of woodland and natural garden designs has its roots in her childhood.

“Growing up in the Pacific Northwest my parents often brought me to the mountains or the river and seasides to go camping and exploring. From a young age I found myself in awe of our natural beauty,” Alexa explains.

“I think the development of my style of gardening grew from my desire to always be connected to the natural beauty I spent so much time in as a child. Although I embrace multiple garden aesthetics, the native and natural style of gardening keeps me rooted in the land I call home.”

Inspired by the work of Irish landscaper, author Mary Reynolds

Although her love for natural gardens has its roots in her childhood, Alexa owes much of her garden design approach to the work of famed Irish landscape designer and author Mary Reynolds who, rejected the traditional landscape design methods to focus mainly on restoring the land and habitats. She is founder of the environmental movement wearetheark.org, that encourages gardeners around the world to create more natural, sustainable gardens through the use of native plants.

If you are interested in getting more on the work of Mary Reynolds and her book Garden Awakening, you might be interested in my article Garden Awakening will change the way you garden.

Another landscape designer that has shaped Alexa’s work are the more classic designs of Miranda Brooks.

Although her passion is landscape design, Alexa’s real challenge is about combining beautiful, but ecologically sustainable landscapes for her clients.

Her long list of achievements has helped lead her to starting landscape design in 2018.

• Vice chair and landscape designer for the Edmonds Architectural Design Board

• Completed Edmonds Community College courses in specialty pruning and design

• Member of the Plant Amnesty Gardener Referral List

• 9 years experience with organic Agriculture and animal husbandry

• 8 years experience with ornamental Horticulture

Plant Amnesty: Focus on maintaining ecology and environment

Through the excellent work of the Seattle-based, non-profit organization called Plant Amnesty, many of Alexa’s clientele are already aware of the importance of protecting the ecology of the area.

The organization’s focus is to educate the greater Puget Sound area on proper pruning, responsible gardening and land preservation.

“I find that most clients who seek gardeners and designers through Plant Amnesty have a shared interest in maintaining the integrity of our delicate ecology and environment. Even outside of my Plant Amnesty clients, when a potential client sees my business name and website, they are anticipating a particular style of gardening from my work. Most are open to the suggestions I make when designing their gardens and plugging in additional plants to an existing design as well as garden maintenance methods.

“The more I learn about the benefits of using strictly native plants, the more I turn to them,” Alexa LeBouef Brooks.

Designer is turning gardens into works of art

Alexa’s background in fine art certainly helped prepare her for the challenge

“In 2012 I received my bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts and Art History and pursued the art world in my twenties. I have always had my hands in the soil for as long as my memory serves me. I think that is why I enjoy art and art making so much, is because there is a tactile element that requires the use of hands and creativity, while getting a little messy along the way,” she explains.

“Somewhere along the journey I started getting interested in the design element of landscaping. I could use my creative skills on paper to transform beautiful outdoor living spaces. Landscape design has become the perfect marriage of all my interests in the art and landscaping world.”

Along the journey, she is playing a vital role in saving the natural environment and landscapes in her home town of Edmonds, Washington just outside Seattle, where she is the vice-chair for the Edmonds Architectural Design Board.

“I believe all homeowners should be stewards of their land, to preserve and maintain the diverse ecology of surrounding plants and species,” she explains.

Alexa is doing her part to help guide her clients along this path. Education plays an important role in her relationship both with her clients and the environment she creates for them.

“My design process includes an educational element in which I teach my clients about individual plant and seasonal needs. I like involving my clients in the design process because it inspires them to learn more about maintaining our natural environment, and their personal garden is the perfect tool to achieve this.”

I believe the natural landscape of the Pacific Northwest stirs inspiration in people of all ages to maintain its beauty.

She is quick to point out that, “responsible stewardship can also be achieved by creating designs for clients that integrate native and drought tolerant plants as well as plants that attract our resident pollinators.”

Alexa uses her extensive knowledge of the environment and use of native plants to guide her clients.

“I believe the natural landscape of the Pacific Northwest stirs inspiration in people of all ages to maintain its beauty,” she explains.

“It could be as simple as leaving most of the fallen leaves and using it as an attractive mulch for garden beds. Destructive methods include stripping the top layer of mulch and soil using powerful gas blowers and excessive raking. Not only does this negatively impact butterfly larvae populations as well as leave little nesting materials and berries for birds, but you are left with bare soil that does not retain moisture and nutrients for our increasing summer temperatures in the Pacific Northwest.”

Climate change: Awakening a new style of gardening

Alexa is the first to admit that climate change is awakening homeowners, who may have once dreamed for a certain style of garden, into realizing that a new, more sustainable approach to gardening is now needed.

“In the midst of our climate crisis and environmental destruction, Washington’s winters are bringing in more rain and colder temperatures while our summers are bringing in more drought and higher temperatures. What was a temperate climate is slowly becoming more extreme,” she explains.

“One of the biggest challenges we now face are forest and brush fires. Because of our increasing temperatures in the summer, many landscapers are implementing more California natives. The drawback is not all California natives thrive in our decreasing winter temperatures. So, instead of trying to control a shift in our plant hardiness zones, we must adapt and allow our plants to adapt. This, of course, comes with trial and often error. More and more clients are requesting drought tolerant plants in their gardens, and I am happy to oblige.”

(Be sure to check out the full story of Alexa’s Seattle-area garden design, including a list of native plants used in the design.)

An example of one of Alex’a garden design plans.

Alexa’s favourite Understory trees for Pacific Northwest gardens

1. Acer circinatum (native Vine Maple) for its spectacular fall color and interesting structure.

2. Cornus nuttallii (native Pacific Dogwood) for its cascading branching and delicate flowers.

3. Cornus controversa 'Variegata' (giant Dogwood or Wedding Cake tree) for its gorgeous cake-like layers of branches and delicate variegated color.

4. Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura) for its fall color and fragrance of leaves that smell like burnt sugar.

5. Magnolia macrophylla (Bigleaf Magnolia) for its broad leaves that provide a tropical feel.

Alexa’s favourite ground covers for Pacific Northwest gardens

1. Cornus canadensis (native Bunchberry dogwood) for its seasonal interest from flowers, to berries, to multi color leaves. (For more information on our native bunchberry be sure to check out my story here.)

2. Frageria chiloensis (native Beach Strawberry) for its fruit, flowers and evergreen interest.

3. Ophiopogon 'Nana' (Dwarf Mondo) for its hardy evergreen blades that can withstand heavy traffic.

4. Erigeron glaucus (native Seaside Fleabane) for its spring through fall blooms.

5. Erigeron karvinskianus 'Profusion' (Fleabane) for its delicate white and pink flowers.

Alexa’s favourite Shrubs for Pacific Northwest gardens

1. Vaccinium ovatum (native Evergreen Huckleberry) for its edible berries and sculptural element.

2. Ribes sanguinium (native Flowering Currant) for its vibrant flowers.

3. Arctostaphylos 'Howard McMinn' (California native Manzanita) for its red bark, bell shaped flowers and silver leaves.

4. Picea abies 'Pusch' (Norway Spruce) for its hot pink cones and pin cushion shape.

5. Rosa nutkana (native Nootka Rose), for its rose hips and just to add a bonus, Corylopsis spicata (Winter Hazel) for its winter flowers.

Incorporating natives and non-natives in the landscape

While Alexa strives to incorporate more and more native plants in her landscapes, clients needs often dictate the use of non-natives. In many cases, non-natives are already well established in the gardens.

“My designs meet the clients where they are, and I incorporate many different aesthetics that cater to the clients needs and desires. That being said, I will always see myself as a student in anything I pursue. The more I learn about the benefits of using strictly native plants, the more I turn to them, explains Alexa.

(If you are looking for more information on the importance of using native plants in our gardens, check out my comprehensive post: Why we need native plants in our gardens.

“There is a list of plants that I strictly avoid in our area. These include invasive species that drive out beneficial pollinators, degrade habitat, cause disturbance in the food web, and even chemically alter soil biology. This doesn't even cover genetically engineered plants which is an increasing technology being utilized that has known and unknown consequences. The most important act we can do as gardeners and landscapers is educate our clients on what is appropriate for our area and be cognizant of our watershed, soils and precious species.”

Alexa gives much of her success and knowledge of plants to her friend Bre Moravec.

“My friend and fellow gardener Bre Moravec, owner of Gaia Gardens is the perfect example of this. She goes the extra mile to educate herself to educate others. Because of Bre’s passion she has mentored me and other gardeners, teaching specialty pruning methods and in depth plant species knowledge and identification.”

How Covid changed the way we garden

When asked how important she thought it is for homeowners’ physical and mental health to surround themselves in a landscape they love, and how rewarding it is for her when her clients fall in love with their new gardens, Alexa responded: “It has always been important, but ever since the Covid pandemic it is more important than ever.

“There have been studies that time spent outside, specifically in a more natural setting improves sleep, lowers overall inflammation, enhances blood flow, repairs cells and tissues, and improves electrical activity in the brain. How amazing would it be if we can access this from our backdoor! I love helping my clients transform what was once an uninviting space into a space in which they and their families can retreat to, where it is safe because they know chemicals aren't being used, and they can enjoy all the benefits and pleasures that our seasons bring.

(If you are looking for more information on the importance of being outdoors in nature and in our gardens, you will want to check out my post Why kids need more nature in their lives.

And what does Alexa love most about her job?

“My relationships with my clients and time outside bring me most joy. The most difficult hurdle about this job is probably Washington’s weather. We’re known to get a lot of rain here!

For more information, or to contact Alexa about landscaping, visit her website at Understory Gardens.

If you are looking for more inspiration, you may be interested in Gardens of the Pacific Northwest.

If you are on the lookout for high quality, non-GMO seed for the Pacific North West consider West Coast Seeds. The company, based in Vancouver BC says that “part of our mission to help repair the world, we place a high priority on education and community outreach. Our intent is to encourage sustainable, organic growing practices through knowledge and support. We believe in the principles of eating locally produced food whenever possible, sharing gardening wisdom, and teaching people how to grow from seed.”

White lights and window boxes: A warm holiday welcome

Simple Christmas decor is natural choice for front garden

There are no guarantees in life, but if it’s a White Christmas you’re dreaming of, adding the right lights will help bring the magic to your landscape during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Forget those bright LED red and green lights. And those new electric-blue LEDs, just don’t work in naturalized gardens.

If you are looking for tasteful lighting that welcomes guests during the holiday season, warm white lights work like a charm, especially in window boxes and other containers. An added bonus is that the window boxes with white lights look as good in the middle of summer as they do in winter.

In fact, we have solar-powered fairy lights on trellises in the back yard all summer. The inexpensive lights provide a romantic glow to the entrance of our back garden and welcome visitors.

Our Mayne window boxes decorated with Holiday decor complete with white lights add a warm welcome to the natural garden.

We use the warm white lights across the front of our home to add a festive yet classic look.

It starts with our two Mayne Fairfield window boxes decorated with white lights and holiday decor. The window boxes are plastic, self-watering and very well made. We added the decorative brackets as well. These solidly-built, Mayne boxes are available in several sizes in both black and white.

The look continues with our indoor tree (also in white lights) in our large picture window. Finally, the front door includes a lighted wreath flanked by two small, yet simple Christmas trees with white lights. All three are controlled by battery-operated timers making them a convenient option for the entire holiday season.

The only addition is a set of three “presents” decorated with red ribbon and white lights.

The understated decor works well in a naturalized woodland garden.

This look can begin on the exterior of the home and be easily carried into the interior with understated decor.

A Christmas tree adorned with white lights welcome visitors.

Cedar boughs covered in white fairy lights, like this example from McGee and Co., provide a perfect transition from outdoors to the interior. The greenery can be used around a doorway or on a interior or exterior railing.

By removing the obvious holiday decorations, the lights are subtle enough to leave out all winter. Certainly, they can stay out over the winter when a dusting of snow adds a magical quality to the light.

Inside the home, a natural style can be used well past the Holiday season. These contemporary wicker trees, for example, could be decorated with white lights for the holidays, and left natural for the remainder of the year.

And for the fall season, this fun rug from Anthropologie is the perfect way to greet visitors.

These Mayne window boxes add a festive mood and a warm welcome to the front garden.

Window boxes provide a classic Holiday look

One of my favourite combinations for Christmas – that lasts right through into spring – is our front Mayne Fairfield 3-ft window boxes filled with winter greens, holiday decorations and, of course, the small warm white lights.

A simple timer automatically turns the lights on and off after a chosen amount of time. The effect creates a classic holiday feeling both on the exterior of the home as well as inside the house looking out.

If window boxes are something you think you might be interested in, check out my earlier post on planting window boxes on a budget

A dusting of snow on the greenery turns the window boxes into magical wintery scenes.

Window boxes are a great addition to your home at any time of the year, but they really seem to come into their own around the holiday season where they can extend your Christmas decorating theme to a whole new level.

Small white lights in the Mayne Fairfield window boxes add a festive, but classic, look to the front garden.

We use the small twinkle lights in both window boxes, but technology has made the possibilities endless. You could place one or a group of flickering candles in the window boxes that turn on and off automatically. Tuck a grouping of lighted Christmas balls into the window boxes as an elegant thriller almost like a birdsnest.

Front door and landing offers more decorating possibilities

Our white-light theme is extended across the front of our ranch-style home and welcomes visitors with a battery-operated wreath on the front door flanked by two simple Christmas trees that are also on their own timers.

If you really want to add an interesting touch to your front decor, consider turning your porch lights into gas lanterns with these LED lights bulbs that create the illusion of soft, flickering, gas flames.

The effect is simple with an understated elegance.

Red ribbons add a touch of colour to all the greenery and simple decoration.

A window into your woodland

Our full-size Christmas tree, also adorned with white lights, sits in the large picture window over looking the front garden and completing the holiday look.

The simple aesthetics may not be for everyone, but keeping holiday decorating to soft, warm white light helps unify the look and creates a tasteful, yet warm welcome to the woodland garden.

Light pollution and wildlife

Although most wildlife is tucked away for the winter in underground burrows, we should always remember that too much light can create severe problems for some wildlife. Lighting up your landscape can cause some animals and birds to change their natural movements and their feeding habits. For some, the lights may attract prey making it easier for predators, but at the same time creating an unfavourable situation for prey animals.

Extremely bright lights, such as spotlights and other high intensity lights are simply unnecessary in a natural garden. Try to keep this in mind when designing your outdoor holiday decorating plan.

What are the best bird feeders: Wood or more modern plastic bird feeders?

Avian flu outbreak is good reason to move to modern resin-based or plastic feeders

I love wood as much as the next guy, but when it comes to bird feeders, today’s more modern resin/plastic bird feeders are always the better choice.

The new plastic or resin-based feeders are easier to clean and keep clean and that helps to reduce the spread of disease among our songbirds.

This is especially important now with the emergence of Avian flu, which can be devastating to large flocks of birds that come in contact with the virus. It struck earlier this year in parts of the United States with primarily waterfowl and migrated north to northern states and into Canada. It was detected in Ontario in March of this year entering from migrating birds.

According to Cornell University’s All About Birds website: There is currently very low risk of an outbreak among wild songbirds, and no official recommendation to take down feeders unless you also keep domestic poultry, according to the National Wildlife Disease Program. We do always recommend that you clean bird feeders and birdbaths regularly as a way to keep many kinds of diseases at bay. We also always recommend that you follow any recommendations put out by your state government, such as the recent request to take down feeders in Illinois.”

Woodpecker on Wild Birds Unlimited recycled plastic feeder.

Cornell reports that as of mid July, 2022, “they’ve detected the HPAI strain in 1,826 wild birds, with 41 detections in songbirds.

The website also reports that “Songbirds are much less likely than waterfowl to contract avian influenza and less likely to shed large amounts of virus, meaning they do not transmit the disease easily.”

The CDC reports the following: “Infected birds can shed avian influenza A viruses in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with the virus as it is shed by infected birds. They also can become infected through contact with surfaces that are contaminated with virus from infected birds.”

White breasted nuthatch on recycled plastic feeder.

What can we do to reduce the spread of Avian Flu?

I have seriously reduced the amount of feed I use this year, preferring to put out just a little of the no-mess blend on a daily basis. This eliminates seed build-up and keeps the number of birds at the feeding station down considerably.

For more on purchasing these bird feeders on a budget check out my best bird feeder finds.

Having plastic or resin bird feeders is no guarantee that your backyard birds will escape the deadly virus, but plastic feeders are easier to keep clean and should help keep the birds at your feeder safe. Regular cleaning of the resin feeders is quick and easy. A quick wipe with bleach gets the job done and this will not damage the resins.

In fact, a quick look at the Wild Birds Unlimited website shows 12 eco-friendly (resin) hopper bird feeders and only a single wood hopper feeder. I’m sure more are available in-store, but there is no question that the eco-friendly recycled plastic feeders are proving popular despite their high price tag.

Wild Birds Unlimited is not the only location where you can purchase high-quality, plastic feeders. If you are looking for a stylish addition to your garden, Look no further than Garret Wade’s impressive line of feeders. Their church-style-bird feeder is currently on clearance and would be a good choice as both a high quality bird feeder and piece of garden art.

Wild Birds Unlimited is a leader in the industry when it comes to backyard bird feeding. They describe their EcoTough Classic hopper-style feeder as a high quality feeder that “won’t crack, fade or rot. EcoTough® feeders are environmentally friendly, high quality products made from recycled plastic milk jugs. … Perch drains allow seed to drop out of the feeder for ground-feeding birds to eat, and angled perches let empty seed hulls be blown away by the wind. The removable screen bottom is treated with EcoClean® Product Protection, providing 24/7 product protection.”

Amish-made bird feeder is built to last and perform in your woodland garden

The Amish crafted large gazebo vinyl birdfeeder is the perfect addition to any backyard. Include it as a finishing touch topping feeder for your bird feeding pole, or use it as a stand alone feeder on a separate pole. If you use it as a stand alone feeder, be sure to include a squirrel baffle to keep squirrels and racoons of the feeder. This handmade and handcrafted feeder includes a clear plastic, built-in seed storage container that can hold up to four pounds of bird seed.

This makes it an ideal feeder to fill-and-forget for a week or two while, at the same time, protecting the seed from the elements and providing our feathered friends with a comfortable and sheltered place to feed. The fact that the feeder is made from high quality vinyl, plastic and cedar ensures it is a long-lasting, easy-to-clean and maintain feeder.

If you are looking to set up a bird-feeding station, be sure to check out my post on Setting Up a Bird Feeding Pole.

At our feeding station, plastic, or more appropriately resin, certainly takes centre stage. All wood products have been replaced with resin ones including two WBU hopper-style feeders, a catch tray that doubles as a platform feeder and a suet feeder for our woodpeckers.

The resin feeders, although expensive, are extremely well-built and will likely last a lifetime if treated and cared for properly. Using a jet of water from the hose or even a power washer is not likely to damage these sturdy feeders and will clean out any food that might have built up. Wooden feeders eventually break down and, for the most part, are unable to withstand many power washings.

Two of our Wild Birds Unlimited hopper feeders (a large one and a smaller one.) Cleaning is easy and the feeders stand up to both the weather and squirrels.

Any other feeders in our yard are either steel or a combination of steel and plastic.

The only feeder with wood is a small, stylish copper and cedar feeder that is kept separate from the main feeding area and is filled once a day with only a handful of safflower seeds.

In addition to the array of resin hopper feeders available at Wild Birds Unlimited, there are also resin bark butter feeders, and a series of rustic feeders.

Similar plastic feeders are available at other specialty bird stores as well as more affordable versions at Amazon with, for example, the Woodlink Premier Bird Feeder with suet cages and the Birds Choice Hopper Feeder in medium green.

These feeders are built to withstand everything our friendly squirrels can throw at them and keep performing at their best.

If you are thinking about creating a bird feeding station, investing in a single recycled plastic hopper feeder is an excellent choice. Over time, you can add additional feeders and build a high quality bird-feeding station that is easy to keep clean and will last a lifetime, while providing the birds with well thought out feeders that will help to keep them safe.

Are raccoons good for the garden?

Take steps to discourage over population of raccoons

A quick search on the internet and you would think Raccoons are the devil incarnate when, in fact, they can be welcome visitors to our gardens much like foxes, coyotes and other animals that share our garden spaces with us.

The problem is not raccoons, the problem – not unlike so many in our gardens – is too many raccoons. That’s especially true in smaller urban and inner-city backyards where they can quickly become overpopulated, get into trouble and too easily invade our living spaces.

If you’ve had a family of raccoons living in the attic or taking over your shed, you may not be quick to welcome them back.

My digital portrait of a young raccoon is evidence of just how cute these little masked bandits can be.

Can raccoons be beneficial in a garden?

But did you know that, despite the mischief they seem to get into regularly, these cute little critters are one link to ensuring healthy landscapes?

These masked bandits can play an important role in garden pest control as well as seed distribution throughout the garden.

(Read on for more details on how raccoons can be beneficial in the garden.)

While raccoons in small numbers can be good for a garden, they can pose dangers if they get into your home and live in the attic or chimney. (More details on the dangers of the raccoon at the end of the post.)

But first, back to the problem of when the numbers get out of hand and there are too many raccoons in a given area.

This ballooning population is often the result of either a lack of predators and/or too many resources that allow for a disproportionate number of raccoons to survive comfortably in a given area.

In the wild, raccoon density is usually about 5-10 per square kilometre. In urban areas that number can climb to as many as 100 raccoons per square kilometre. And, where the situation is particularly out of hand, those numbers can get up even higher.

Obviously, predators can play a major role in keeping the population down. The problem is that raccoons are fierce little mammals and have few predators in the wild let alone inner cities.

A raccon’s main predators include mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, dogs, wolves, Great Horned Owls, and fishers. Besides coyotes, foxes, dogs and maybe Great Horned owls, few of these top predators are found in urban areas and even fewer are found in inner-city cores. Here, traffic easily accounts for the highest death rates in raccoons.

Even traffic, however, can’t stop these little critters. Studies have shown that in urban areas, part of a mother raccoon’s training for her babies is learning to cross the road quickly leading to a reduction in road kills.

In our woodland garden we benefit from the existence of foxes, coyotes and birds of prey including owls that I suspect keep raccoon numbers manageable.

In fact, I rarely see raccoons in our garden even at night. When I do see them, they are almost always under the bird feeder, which I ensure has very little if any feed remaining on the ground as evening approaches.

A high quality, no-mess bird food and a catch tray to keep seed off the ground goes a long way in keeping the ground around the feeders free of bird seed.

Despite problems with raccoons, there are good reasons to admire them and welcome them into your environment.

A young raccoon at home on our front porch among the ferns, coleus and hostas.

Do’s and don’ts to create a healthy environment for raccoons

• Do not leave cat or dog food out at any time. Feed your domesticated animals inside your home. If you must feed them outside, be sure to bring in the dishes or ensure there is no food remaining at night.

• Do leave old dead trees (snags) remaining in your garden. Cut off branches that might pose a threat to humans, but leave the main trunk (or at least part of it) for habitat. You might be surprised what you attract, including a family of owls.

• Do not leave access points uncovered in your home or shed where raccoons could gain access to your attic or chimney.

• Do leave a large brush pile in a corner of the yard where raccoons can forage for food or even possibly burrow in for the winter.

• Do not use poisons in the yard to kill small mammals or insects that could be prey for raccoons.

• Do grow a variety of berry, fruit and nut bearing shrubs and trees to provide raccoons and other wildlife with a natural food source.

• Do not trap raccoons and move them far away into a forest or another part of town.

• Do provide a water source for them. If there is one thing raccoons need, it is a source of water. Originally raccoons were found in the tropics where they could be found foraging along riverbanks. Today, a small pond or patio container of water is enough to satisfy their needs.

• Do not allow bird seed to pile up under your feeders. Use a high quality seed and catch trays to keep the ground under feeders free of large quantities of seed.

Raccoons are excellent at pest control

Did you know that raccoons are excellent at pest control – both insects, small mammals and reptiles – not only eliminating problems but cleaning up any remains. For this reason, it’s important not to use pesticides in the garden for fear of poisoning the very animals that are tasked with the job of keeping the garden free of certain pests.

A raccoon forages for food in the grass.

What do raccoons eat in their natural environment?

Much of the success of raccoons is based on the fact they are omnivores – meaning they will eat, similar to humans, just about anything.

In fact, a typical diet of a raccoon in a natural environment is made up of about 40 per cent invertebrates (including everything from insects to crustaceans like crayfish that live in fresh-water streams), 30 per cent plant material, and another 30 per cent vertebrates (such as small mammals including mice, birds and reptiles.)

Young Raccoons (called kits or cubs) have a range of sounds

• Young raccoons chitter to call their mom, or when they are interacting with one another

• Raccoons also purr much like a cat when they feel happy and safe, often when they are in the den with their mother

• They will bark and growl quite viciously when they feel they are in extreme danger

• Young raccoons will actually scream if they feel extremely frightened

• As they get older, they make more of a chattering sound to communicate with family members

• Adult raccoons will snarl and growl loudly when they are protecting their young or a food source.

Raccoon on a partially fallen tree high in the tree canopy.

Where do raccoons live in natural environments?

Raccoons inhabit a wide range of environments including forests, shrublands and grasslands. They are even known to keep up to 20 denning areas at one time.

These masked bandits are sometimes categorized as “little bears” because they are closer to the bear family than the cat family.

Racoons are members of the Procyonidae family. Wikipedia classifies it as a “New World family of the order Carnivora.” This group includes our North and Central American-based raccoons. Just for a little perspective, members of the Procynonidae family also include ringtails, cacomistles, coatis, kinkajous, olingos, and olinguitos.

How did raccoons migrate so far north?

Raccoons are originally from warm climates but have used trains, and trucks to migrate north where they found barns and sheds to aid their northern migration and escape cold winters. Now, raccoons have been found as far north as Alaska.

I was able to photograph this baby raccoon in the backyard after it ventured out of its den in search of an adventure.

Why is Toronto called the raccoon capital of the world?

Racoons are common in the United States and most parts of Canada, especially in large cities like New York, Chicago and, in Canada, Toronto, which has become known as the raccoon capital of the world. Estimates show that there are 50 times more raccoons living in Toronto than in the adjacent countryside. This has helped to earn them the reputation as the raccoon capital of the world.

Raccoons are extremely adaptable animals thriving in natural, rural woodland areas as well as in heavily urban areas.

Are country and city raccoons different?

Studies have even shown that country and city raccoons have adapted into two very different creatures. There are the shy reclusive raccoons that make their homes in the country, and bold city raccoons that are right at home sharing backyards with human neighbours. Some studies have shown that they are quick learners and this enables them to be so successful in very urban areas.

Are raccoons smart?

Some would call raccoons the quintessential generalists that are able to live in a whole variety of habitats. Part of their success stems from the fact that they are smart animals able to adapt to a range of environments and habitats. They are also able to figure out basic puzzles and obstacles through persistence and brain power.

Raccoons see urban areas as opportunities rich in resources including both food and habitat. They are particularly successful in exploiting their surroundings and more than able to move into buildings where there are structural defects that allow easy access.

One of the important features that help these animals be so successful in an urban environment is the dexterity of their “fingers.” These long slender fingers are particularly sensitive to touch and allows raccoons to manipulate both food and complicated devices to the point where they can easily open garbage cans and doors (even those fitted with locking devices).

Do raccoons come out during the day?

They are primarily nocturnal, however, don’t be surprised to see them up and about during daylight hours especially in fall – much like bears – when they are looking to increase reserves in preparation for winter.

Although raccoons are rarely seen in winter, they do at times come out of their hibernation (more a torpor) to obtain food or water. Seen here is a young raccoon in the cold of winter.

Do raccoons hibernate during winter?

You might wonder why you rarely see raccoons during winter. Are they hibernating? Technically, raccoons are not true hibernators although, like bears, they store body fat throughout the summer and into fall so they can sleep through the coldest part of winters, especially in colder environments in the United States and into Canada.

Raccoons actually go into a state of torpor during winter where they sleep for extended periods to reduce the amount of energy needed, but at the same time are aware of changing conditions including threats from predators.

Where do raccoons live in nature?

In natural rural areas, raccoons set up dens primarily in hollow trees but have even been known to take over smaller animals’ underground burrows where they spend the winter tucked away with family members to stay warm. In urban environments, where hollow trees (or snags) are immediately removed by most homeowners, attics, sheds and chimneys are substituted for the comfort of hollow trees.

Since raccoons are less active during the winter, you may not even know they are living with you in the home’s attic until they begin moving around in spring.

Let’s get back to the benefits of these little masked bandits.

Besides pest management, what other benefits do raccoons have in our gardens?

Since raccoons are voracious eaters of seeds, berries and fruit, they play an important role in seed distribution both in the wild and in our gardens. Many seeds require a certain type of stratification which can be achieved by going through the digestive system of racoons and other mammals. One look at their feces in fall and you’ll see quite clearly that they are working hard at this important job.

Is raccoon poop/feces dangerous?

You may ask that besides a bite from a raccoon, what other dangers can a raccoon pose to humans?

Any animal feces can be dangerous in the garden, but it should be noted that a raccoon can carry a particularly dangerous strain of roundworm in their feces. It is particularly dangerous if ingested, but this is not uncommon if you have toddlers around or pets. The real danger are the eggs of roundworm that are in the feces. They can spread to the soil around the feces and survive for extended periods of time in the soil.

In addition to raccoon roundworm, raccoons can pose dangers to our pets including canine distemper, Leptospirosis, parvovirus, mange, fleas and rabies.

How dangerous is raccoon roundworm?

Raccoon roundworm should not be put in the same category as other roundworms because it is a much more serious problem for humans. Dogs can carry raccoon roundworms and be a spreader of the illnesses associated with it.

Roundworms come from eggs in raccoon feces and if left untreated in humans, these eggs can hatch and worms can spread to our brains resulting in serious neurological problems leading to loss of coordination, seizures, coma and eventually possible death. The worms can also travel into your eyes causing vision impairment and eventual blindness.

Roundworm contraction is most often found in children who play in soil or sand outside where raccoon feces is present. It can also be contracted by people in close contact with raccoon feces like if the animals are living in your attic and you try to extricate them on your own without experts.

If you think you or your children may have been exposed, contact your doctor immediately to obtain a deworming medication.

Try to leave snags like these in the garden to give raccoons safe places to raise their young.

Can you trap a raccoon and bring it out to a forest?

The answer, in most cases, is no you cannot live trap a raccoon and move it to the forest.

There are two reasons why this practise is unacceptable.

First, it is too easy to separate a mother from her kits when they are vulnerable and cannot survive on their own.

More importantly, however, is the potential to spread rabies and other diseases. Governments restrict the movement of wildlife through human intervention if there is a chance that the animals may have rabies. This practise helps to limit the spread of rabies.

How to get raccoons out of your attic

The more acceptable way to rid an attic of raccoons is to hire a wildlife company that will chase the adults out of the house and then screen off any access points back into the attic. Once that is completed, any raccoon kits that are left in the attic are removed and put into a special reunion box and left nearby for mom to find. The mother raccoon will quickly find her babies and relocate them to another den in the area.

A young raccoon foraging for food in the back garden.

Are raccoons aggressive?

Raccoons are not generally aggressive animals unless they feel threatened or are sick or injured. Absolutely raccoons can be aggressive if they feel threatened or are cornered. They come equipped with sharp teeth and know how to use them if necessary. But they are not dangerous in a normal garden setting where they do not feel threatened. Just make sure they know you are around and it is unlikely that they will stick around.

If a raccoon is aggressive, contact your local animal control because it could be injured or be carrying rabies.

Never corner a raccoon, say in a garage or shed. Instead, open the door and let them leave on their own. Better to make the environment they are in less attractive for them so they leave on their own.

For all kinds of reasons, keep your dogs and other pets away from raccoons if possible. It is however, not unheard of that raccoons can befriend family pets and live in harmony, but better not to encourage that behaviour.

What’s the best Blue Jay feeder?

Two of the best feeders to attract Blue Jays

Attracting Blue Jays to your yard begins with having the right bird feeders to deliver their favourite food.

In our yard, there are two feeders that do an excellent job attracting our northern blue jays year round.

The best Blue Jay feeders are both simple and inexpensive, and deliver Blue Jays’ their favourite foods in a convenient way that allows them to perch comfortably while feeding. A seed cylinder spike, and a wreath-style whole peanut feeder are two of the best feeders for blue jays.

If you follow this website, you’ll know that my all-round favourite bird feeder is a simple attachment to the Wild Birds Unlimited Advanced Pole system. It involves nothing but a spike that sits on top of the pole and holds a variety of compressed seed cyclinders.

Blue jays flock to a compressed seed feeder at the backyard bird feeding station.

This is a very simple system that works for me and the birds. The one problem I have is that the seed cyclinder is directly open to the elements. This allows the Jays and other birds to have easy access to the sides as well as the top of the seed cyclinders, but it also allows water to eventually get into the seed and begin to break down the “glue” (it’s actually a gelatin that works like glue), leading to the enventual early demise of the seed cyclinder.

Peanuts as well as compressed seed cyclinders are among the favourite food sources of our blue jays.

There are seed cylinder feeders that include toppers to help protect the cyclinders from being totally exposed to the elements. I think they are certainly worth considering, especially if you live in a particularly rainy or snowy environment.

The spike is simply the delivery system for the seed cyclinders, so it’s paricularly important to provide the Blue Jays with their favourite foods in the cyclinders. Look for compressed seed cylinders high in their favourite foods – black oil sunflower seeds, regular sunflower seeds and unshelled peanuts.

A peanut wreath feeder and a compressed seed cylinder feeder is the idea combination to attract blue jays.

The round peanut feeder above and pictured below is a real favourite of Blue Jays giving them plenty of space to land. Their strong beaks enable them to easily pull the peanuts out from between the springy wire circles holding them.

One of the main reasons the cylinders are so attractive to blue jays and less attractive to some other backyard birds, is the fact that blue jays have very strong beaks that allow them to pound at the cyclinders to get the seeds they want. Our cyclinders are most visited by blue jays and woodpeckers. Other, smaller birds, are left to pick up the pieces of seed that fall off when the jays and woodpeckers attack the cylinders.

If you are interested in more information on attracting Blue Jays to your backyard, check out my post on Blue Jays and West Nile.

The spiked bird feeder that holds the compressed seed cyclinders doesn’t have to go on the top of a pole. Attachments are available to use a spike and seed cyclinder attachment as an accessory on other parts of either the WBU Advanced Pole System or other bird feeding station. Some spike-style accessories can be hung on feeders after inserting the seed cylinder, so there is no excuse for not adding one to your bird feeding station.

Blue jays love a wreath-style feeder that holds one of their favourite foods – unshelled peanuts.

Blue jays flock to the Wreath feeder for peanuts

While the seed cyclinder feeders are excellent for attracting blue jays to your yard, I think the wreath feeder filled with shelled peanuts is the best feeder to attract the birds.

The main reason for the success of the wreath feeder is what we will them with – shelled peanuts. I think shelled peanuts are blue jays’ favourite food. And, because the shells are difficult for smaller birds to penetrate, you can count on your blue jays to get most if not all of the peanuts. The wreath feeder can accommodate a number of blue jays at one time and provides them a good perch to remove the whole peanuts from the cyclinder.

Woodpeckers also enjoy whole peanuts in the wreath, but they primarily peck away at the peanuts rather than remove them to eat elsewhere like blue jays do.

The only problem I have with a wreath-style feeder is loading it with peanutes. While it’s not particularly difficult, I find loading them by hand can be a little bit tedious. I’m sure there are better ways to load peanuts into the feeder, but so far I have not discovered it.

The wreath feeders are a particularly effective way of delivering whole peanuts, but there are several other ways to deliver whole peanuts that can also work.

The Urban Nature Store in Canada actually groups their feeders according to what feeders are best for specific birds. Check out their list of best blue jay bird feeders just to get a feel for what feeders are best.

Check out your local bird store for other peanut feeders.

How to garden in the shade (Why shade gardening is important in 2022)

What to plant in a shaded area of the garden

I don’t know why shade gardening developed a bad reputation in some circles, but times are changing and gardeners are beginning to recognize the benefits of gardening in the shade.

For woodland gardeners, learning to get the most out of the little sun our gardens receive has always been a key factor in the success of our shade gardens. And, learning how to deal with varying levels of shade in the garden – full shade, part shade, open shade – is a constant learning process.

Is shade in the garden a good thing?

Some gardeners may still ask: Is shade good for a garden?

The answer is a resounding yes, especially as many of our gardens are hit by the extremes of climate change. Shady areas not only allow us to grow plants we couldn’t in a sunny area, shade helps to cool our gardens the wildlife that live in it and the soil that our plants depend on for nutrients.

If the soil is too hot, it will dry out too quickly and lose its effectiveness as a growing median.

The Natural Shade Garden, written by garden writer extraordinaire Ken Druse in 1992, helped to introduce many gardeners to the benefits of gardening in the shade.

Since then, the combination of climate change – with its extreme heat and droughts – forced gardeners to rethink their approach, and the growing awareness of our role in rewilding urban landscapes, has slowly convinced many more gardeners to embrace the benefits of shade and woodland gardening.

A fern garden takes centre stage under the canopy of shade created by large and mid-size trees

In fact, Druse’s book, The New Shade Garden updates The Natural Shade Garden with information on dealing with the problems associated with climate change as well as providing a new generation of gardeners less concerned about visual beauty in the garden and more concerned about the garden’s ability to reduce carbon dioxide in the environment. Take a moment to check out my earlier review of The New Shade Garden.

In his book The Natural Shade Garden, Druse challenges readers to imagine an idyllic garden where shade plays a major role in the landscape.

Why we love a shade garden

The author opens by asking readers to imagine a walk in the woods where they might come across a sunny meadow, and a stream cutting through waist-high flowers.

“Follow its path and you’ll come to the edge of the woodland. This half-shade is the habitat of the evergreen and deciduous shrubs: mountain laurel, blueberry bushes and deciduous rhododendrons, for example.”

A stream running through a woodland provides inspiration for the creation of the New Shade Garden.

Even if we have never taken this “walk in the woods” there is a certain familiarity with his description of the experience. Maybe it reminds us of a favourite garden or, maybe, it’s the garden of our dreams and one we long to experience.

The Natural Shade Garden is a roadmap to help us get there.

In the book’s opening, the author goes on to explain that the “small trees that line the forest – dogwoods, redbud, and shadblow (serviceberry) – mingle with the spreading shrubs. Pass into the darkness and you’ll find more woody plants of the under story blooming in turn: witch hazel, Fothergilla, and oakleaf hydrangeas…. Spring in the deciduous forest explodes with masses of flowers that bloom and fade before the emerging leaves veil the light from above.”

A mature Cornus Kousa dogwood (centre), a smaller variegated Cornus mas (left) and a Redbud (pink flowers in back) grow up through the fern garden in the woodland shade garden.

Shade gardens focus on texture rather than raw colour

To some – those who worship colourful garden beds – Druse’s idyllic garden might sound rather dull.

But to the more experienced gardener – those who recognize the importance of a tranquil garden that celebrates leaf texture, shape and architectural interest over the use of gaudy colour – the shade garden represents a new awakening, free of daily chores including the constant upkeep associated with deadheading, fertilizing and heavy watering.

It’s where ferns can take centre stage in the heat of summer. Where hostas are at home growing through the native ground cover of wild ginger and where birds build their homes in the many tree and shrub layers that are the source of much of the shade in the garden.

Throughout the book, Druse takes us on a journey through shade gardens pointing out the ingredients to success.

Let’s explore some of the plants and shrubs that Druse suggests gardeners use to create the successful shade garden.

What plants grows best in the shade

Info graphic shows 5 great shade plants for the woodland garden.

Best ground covers for a natural shade garden

Any plant that spreads to cloak the soil can be used as a ground cover. That includes low-growing shrubs, herbaceous perennials, vines and grasses. Druse explains that even “a good-sized hosta, can be used as a ground cover…. A mass planting of evergreen azaleas might be considered a ground cover.”

Druse doesn’t leave out the “most famous ground cover of them all: grass lawn.”

“No other living plant can stand so much foot traffic. But there are problems with lawn (My post on eliminating lawn). Besides the fact that it has to be mowed often, fertilized endlessly, watered, weeded, and mowed again, it doesn’t like shade very much.” Druse explains that lawns are a “gross-feeder” that “perishes not only from lack of light, but also from insufficient nutrition.”

So what are the alternatives?

Natural moss and epimediums form the ground cover in the Japanese-inspired shade garden.

Moss: If you are blessed with moss already, enjoy it, explains Druse. “I’ve met one gardener,” Druse writes, “who gave up trying to keep a lawn in the shade and let his soil go to moss. He was very surprised to find that it kept up quite well, even under teenagers and touch football.”

Today, moss as a lawn substitute is not rare. In Japan and more humid areas where moss grows naturally, it has become a more common ground cover.

Moss is best used for smaller areas where it can be kept clear of garden debris and kept moist year round.

Moss may not need mowing, but it does require some upkeep to ensure it thrives and looks its best.

Back in 1992, when The Natural Shade Garden was written, moss was not as available as it is today. Now, sheets of moss can even be purchased to create large areas of beautiful, soft mosses. If you have mosses growing in your garden, take note of the conditions and experiment with it in other areas of your garden with similar growing conditions.

Wild columbine, maidenhair ferns, epimediums and pachysandra form the ground cover in this part of the shade garden in our front yard.

Other grass alternatives include:

(Be sure to check out my post on best ground covers.)

• Irish and Scotch mosses: are actually sun-loving perennials that look and act much like traditional moss. (Click here for my post on moss-like ground covers)

• Ajuga, vinca, moss pink and moneywort all can take some light foot traffic.

Dry shade tolerant ground covers include:

• Japanese pachysandra

• Vinca

• Epimediums (Be sure to check out my post on Epimediums)

• Galium

American barrenwort (Vancouveria hexandra) (hardy to zone 5) “is a light and airy alternative to so many of the leatherleaf subshrubs,” explains Druse.

A sumac pruned beautifully to give the look of a cut-leaf Japanese Maple.

Berry-producing ground covers include:

• Bunchberry is the smallest dogwood that sports the same white dogwood flower bracts that its larger siblings the flowering dogwoods have. Bright red flowers follow in fall. (Be sure to check out my separate post on Bunchberry here.)

• Contoneasters: Both evergreen and deciduous varieties.

• Cowberries: A native cranberry

• Creeping snowberry also called wintergreen

• Oregon Grape

• Mock strawberry

These are just a sampling of the ground covers that Druse lists in great detail.

Some of the best shrubs and deciduous perennials for shade

The Natural Shade Garden turns the spotlight on the middle layer of the woodland garden stating: “A garden makes its strongest impression in the middle layer – between the gound covers and the trees. It’s where the eye naturally comes to rest. So, it’s an area that requires special consideration. This is home ground to the herbaceous perennials and the flowering shrubs.”

It’s these plants that will form the framework of the landscape, Druse explains.

“Choosing plants from the woodlands and the edges of the forest, and carefully selecting and preparing their new home, will be your mission.”

Favourite shrubs and perennials for the Natural Shade Garden

Early bloomers to add colour:

• Baneberries

• Cimicifugas

• Goatsbeard

• Astilbes

• Meadowsweet Filipendula purpurea

• Meadow rue

• Columbines

• Corydalis

• Dutchman’s-breeches

• Hellebores

• Solomons seal

• Foxgloves

•Cardinal flowers

• Sedums

• Hostas are essential for the natural shade garden.

Shrubby plants for the New Shade Garden

• Azaleas

• Rhododendron

• Oak Leaf Hyrangea

• Rough leaved Hydrangea

• Annabelle Tree Hydrangea

• Star magnolia

• Viburnums (Check out my story on 7 viburnums for the woodland garden)

• Red-twig dogwood

• Rose of Sharon

• Winter hazel

• Mountain laurel

Iphone camera captures Woodland garden in stunning fall colours

Take advantage of ideal conditions to capture your front and back gardens

Can modern cameras on the iphone or other smart phones capture the subtle details of fall colours in the garden?

If a recent morning outing in the garden with nothing but my iphone is any indication of the performance of the three camera lenses on the apple iphone, I think the answer is a resounding yes. The images captured on the apple iphone 12 pro max turned out beautifully on an early morning with a lovely fog hanging in the air and wet leaves either still clinging to the trees or turning the ground into a magnificent carpet of colour.

The colours produced by the apple iphone are subtle and delicate where they cut through the fog and vibrant when the camera was turned on the crimson red of the fallen Japanese Maple leaves. Little to no post processing was needed to get these results.

Quite frankly, I was astonished just how good the images came out with little to no effort on my part. Thanks to the shake resistance capabilities built into the iphone camera, I was able to take all of these images handheld without the need of a tripod. If there is any criticism, it would be that the images are too sharp and take on a digital look, especially if the images are cropped.

This image of the woodland garden in fall was taken with the iphone 12 pro max.

Would a real camera (either a DSLR or high-end compact point and shoot) have captured better images? Maybe – well, probably yes – but I had my new iphone handy and it comes with three lenses – an extreme wide angle, a standard, and a portrait lens – so I was confident I could capture everything I needed with the iphone. Besides, I decided I needed to put the smartphone camera to the test to know that I could trust it if I ever really needed it to capture an important image. From what I had already seen, I was confident it could get the job done.

And boy, was I right.

This Japanese Maple was photographed with the iphone 12 pro max.

Maybe it was the outstanding conditions with the early morning fog and wet leaves that helped bring out the beauty in the scenes, but the ease and convenience of using the lenses on the iphone meant I could move quickly to capture the scenes before the light changed.

For more images taken on the apple iphone 12 pro max, go to my Gallery of Images and click on the image at the bottom.

These Cornus Kousa leaves taking on their fall cloakes show the impressive colour and details the iphone 12 pro max is capable of producing.

With a press of the icon on the phone I could easily go from extreme wide angle to normal. And, by tapping into the normal lens’s zoom range, it was simple to move in closer when necessary.

This Paperbark Maple is just beginning to show its fall colour in the woodland garden.

Five tips to get the most out of your iphone camera and lenses

1. Experiment. Don’t be afraid to use all three lenses to get different views of the same or similiar scenes. You can always edit them later and pick your favourites to put up on social media.

2. Move in close to flowers, insects or colourful leaves to tell a more complete story about your garden at that moment. The iphone’s close focusing capabilities are excellent and the optical shake reduction system will help you get sharphand held images.

3. Try different angles. Holding the iphone up above your subject and shooting down on it, or getting low and shooting up will give you different perspective of similar scenes. Try to hold the camera straight (not pointing at odd angles) to keep the proper perspective in the images.

4. In portrait mode there are a number of different lighting effects that you could try to add more drama to your images whether they are an actual portrait or a garden scene.

5. The iphone is a very smart piece of technology that uses artificial intelligence to create the type of images it thinks will look best. Experiment with the tools, especially the touch screen focusing and exposure adjustments that are available. Focus specifically in an area you want the camera to focus on by touching the screen. A square will appear to tell you that is where the camera is focused. At that time you can also adjust the exposure by moving the small sun icon up for a lighter image and down to darken it.

The leaves of the Japanese Maple Bloodgood provide an elegant but vibrant groundcover in this Japanese-inspired garden.

iphone 12 pro max camera specifications

I would prefer not get into the fine details of the iphone’s specifications, since there are a number of technical sites that focus on such details. However, some basic information might help readers better understand the camera’s capabilities.

The iphone pro max has three lenses on the back of phone. While looking at the phone, the user sees three settings – 0.5 (representative of a 13mm f/2.4 lens in 35mm lingo), 1X (26mm f/1.6 in 35mm equivalency) and 2.5X (65mm f/2.2 equivalent in 35mm). The iPhone Pro Max features a 5x optical zoom range and a much larger digital zoom up to 12x. Using the digital zoom at its extreme will likely leave you with images that will be unsatisfactory in most instances.

For more on the apple iphone line including comparisons between the various models’ camera features, go to the apple iphone site.

What’s left of the fern garden with a Cornus Kousa still in leaf. The texture of the spent ferns in the woodland garden actually creates a lovely scene in itself.

Although at the time of writing this post, the iphone 12 pro max is by no means the latest iteration of Apple’s iphone line – that would be the iphone 14 Pro. That iphone comes with the latest Pro camera system sporting a 48MP camera sensor with ultra wide and telephoto lenses, something they call a Photonic Engine for incredible detail and True Depth colour. The iphone14 is a step up from the dual-camera 12MP camera system in the iphone 13, but not that much of a leap from the iphone 12 pro max that I am now using.

The back of the iphoto 12 pro max includes from the left the 2.5X telephoto lens, the flash (white lens on right), 0.5X lens (directly below flash), 1X lens (lower left) and LIDAR bottom right. The LIDAR is used for Face ID and depth mapping.

Both the iphone 14 and the 12 pro max offer the three camera lens system but the 14 boasts a massive 48MP sensor while the 12 pro max comes in with a 12MP sensor. The 14 has a 6X optical zoom range, while the older iphone 12 model has a 5X optical zoom range. Both have 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display screens.

So, unless you are planning to create poster-size images of your photographs, or need to seriously crop your images to get in closer to your subjects, there really is not a huge difference between the latest iphone and my trusty iphone 12 pro max. The larger sensor would also improve noise in the image, especially in the evening when the light is low.

In garden photography, there would be little need to want to upgrade to the newer iphone and camera unless you are using it to photograph birds or small mammals. Images taken from afar with the iphone 14 could take a much more severe crop to get in close to the subject (a bird for instance) than the smaller sensor on the iphone 12 would allow. In that case, however, it’s probably wise to use a dedicated camera and telephoto lens.

A slight mist or fog is the ideal time for garden photography

There is no question that the soft fog and misty conditions created the ideal atmosphere to show off the capabilities of the iphone 12 pro max. In bright sunny conditions, the images would not have anywhere near the impact that the right atmospheric conditions can bring to a scene.

Using these opportunities to get out in the garden can make a huge difference to your photographic success. The annoying backgrounds are either softened or disappear completely in the fog. The colours are muted and the tree trunks take on the look of dark skeletons against the white background of the sky. The lighting is even and even the darkest areas of the garden benefit from the soft light in the scenes.

When the fog rolls in, it can be a magical time.

Even if you are busy or need to get out the door to get to work, try to take a moment to grab a camera, or your cell phone, and capture your garden in its best light. You won’t get many of these special opportunities – especially in fall when the colours are at their peak – so don’t miss the opportunity.

For more on the apple iphone line including comparisons between the various models’ camera features, go to the apple iphone site.

Paperbark Maple: Understory tree with year-round interest

Paperbark Maple ideal for late fall colour in small urban yards

Paperbark Maples are as useful in the winter landscape with their exquisite, peeling cinnamon-coloured bark, as they are in summer when they perform as a beautiful, mid-size understory tree.

But don’t underestimate the Paperbark Maple’s outstanding performance in late fall when they light up the landscape long after most of the other deciduous trees are left naked.

Where to plant the Paperbark Maple for best results

Be sure to plant Paperbark Maple (acer griseum) in an area of your garden where you can appreciate it in every season.

Paperbark Maples are the ideal tree for a small garden or as an understory tree in a larger woodland garden.

The paper thin bark of the paperbark maple does not begin until the tree is about seven years old.

Our Paperbark Maple is just steps away from our patio where we spend most of our time. It takes centre stage in late fall when its leaves just begin turning colour long after all the other deciduous trees have dropped their colourful leaves.

This Paperbark Maple is just beginning to take on its fall colours.

The Paperbark Maple is a lovely oval to rounded small tree with an open habit and upright branching. In fall, the dainty, three-lobed soft-green maple leaves turn a rich, rusty red.

How long does it take to reach maturity?

Acer griseum are a slow growing tree that will eventually reach about 25 ft. tall and between 15-20 ft. wide.

But unless you are buying a mature specimen, don’t expect the tree to reach those heights any time soon. Paperbark maples grow 6 to 12 inches a year depending on growing conditions.

The leaves of the paperbark maple beginning to take on their fall colour.

Exfoliating papery bark is the show stopper year round

While the tree’s fall colour is often overlooked, the tree’s exfoliating papery sheets of bark that peel to reveal cinnamon-brown new bark is rarely overlooked in the landscape. It’s the bark, not unlike that of the river or white birch trees that makes acer griseum a special tree in a landscape.

How long before the bark on a paperbark maple begins to peel off?

If you have planted a young tree, don’t be surprised if you do not see any exfoliating bark for a few years. This can take up to seven years and is more evident on mature trees.

Do paperbark maples have pest problems?

Remarkably free of serious pest problems, the trees tolerate a wide range of conditions from sun to shade and wind.

They can also be attractive as a place to nest for birds, but are not known to be particularly effective in attracting either birds or other wildlife. The trees put out small yellow flowers in spring which can attract pollinators followed by two winged seeds about 1 cm long with a 3 cm wing, which can be a food source for backyard wildlife.

How to grow and use Paperbark Maples in the landscape

They like to grow in soil that is kept consistently moist, but not soggy, and are best grown in zones 5-8 in filtered sun, full sun or partial shade.

They are effective as an understory tree in a woodland or shade garden but because they like some sun, paperbark maples can be used as a specimen tree in a more open garden.

The compound leaves have a 2-4 cm petiole with three 3-10 cm long dark green leaflets.

What companion plants look good with Paperbark maples?

Good companion plants are various sedges, hostas and, of course a range of native spring wildflowers from trilliums, bloodroot and anemones, to bluebells. Keep the plants around the base of the tree on the shorter side so you can appreciate the full effect of the peeling bark.

These deciduous trees are at home in foundation beds in both front or back yards as an accent plant to greet visitors with its impressive bark. They can also work well in more wild, woodland settings, and in wetland conditions as transitions between the more formal garden and open spaces.

Paperbark Maple (acer griseum) entering into the final stages of fall colour. The hints of green still clinging to the leaves gives it a delicate presence in the autumn landscape.

These trees are not native to North America. The Acer griseum originates from central China and was introduced to the U.K. in 1901. It came to North America a few years later. Cultivars include the columnar Copper Rocket.

What are good alternatives for the paperbark maple?

While the paperbark maple is an impressive, four-season tree that is at home in both the shade garden as an understory tree or as a specimen in a more sunny location, it may not be the best choice if you are looking for more native and wildlife-friendly trees in your landscape.

Other options to consider over the paperbark maples are, of course our native dogwoods ranging from the pagoda dogwood (cornus alternifolia), flowering dogwood (cornus florida), Redbud (cercis canadensis), Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) and the serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis).

Our native serviceberry is an excellent choice maintaining similar growth habits, beautiful white flowers in spring followed by red berries in fall that are a favourite food source for birds and other wildlife. It’s fall colours (oranges and reds) are also similar to the paperbark maple.

How to use Japanese Maples in the landscape

The Japanese Maple is a popular small- to mid-size tree that fits into any landscape, but is especially at home in today’s more compact urban properties.

The enormous selection of varieties available – from the weeping, cutleaf trees that can be tucked into the smallest of spots and are at home in containers, to the full-size acers that add architectural interest and hits of colour to the understory of larger woodland gardens – makes Japanese Maples a staple in today’s landscapes.

There is an incredible variety of Japanese Maples (genus Acer), some that have red/purple leaves, others that feature green leaves and still others that boast a more golden foliage. Some varieties even have a variegated leaf. Many Japanese Maples have a palmatum leaf structure, but some have more lacy, cutleaf foliage that range from mildly serrated to more extreme forms. Some Japanese Maples grow tall (up to 20-25 feet), others are more upright, ideal for narrow areas.

Even the bark of the Japanese Maples vary widely in both colour and textures.

There is definitely a Japanese Maple to fit any and all landscapes.

Japanese maples are generally pest free. Although deer may check them out, they generally leave them alone. I have never experienced a problem with deer in our garden. Male deer, however, have been known to use the smaller trees either to remove antler velvet, or as a sparring partner during mating season. That’s never a good thing for maintaining the shape of your maples.

For more on Japanese Maples and Japanese-inspired gardens, be sure to check out my post on Five tips to create a Japanese-inspired Gardens. For more on the majesty of a mature Japanese Maple and how to care for them in the garden. The weeping Japanese Maple: ideal for yards big and small.

A few examples of the Japanese maples in their fall colours.

Japanese Maples are relatively slow-growing trees that can easily take 20-25 years to mature into beautiful specimens. The upright varieties can put on maybe a foot of growth a year once they are established, while the smaller weeping varieties might only put on six inches or less.

With this in mind, if you want a large specimen, you might have to invest in a larger (more expensive) specimen from a good nursery.

Don’t be surprised if it takes three or even four years after planting a large specimen to begin showing signs of real growth again. For the first few years after planting, the tree’s roots will be working to settle into their new environment and will put on very little top growth.

If you want to see what your Japanese Maple can become, just take a look at the spectacular Japanese Maple that makes its home in the Portland Japanese garden. (Link to outstanding photos of the tree) Photographers are actually known to make annual pilgrimages to the tree each year in fall just to try and capture its magnificence.

A stunning red-leaved Bloodgood Japanese maple graces this front garden surrounded by other maples.

While they are not native to North America, Japanese Maple trees can be an important addition to a woodland garden adding year-round interest to the understory, while providing nesting spots and other benefits for birds and other wildlife.

These stunning trees that grow in zones 5-8, are native to Japan where they have developed many different cultivars, each with their own growing styles. Some golden varieties of Japanese Maples do not do well in the colder zones. If you are looking to add one of these stunning trees, ensure it has extra protection from extreme cold and winds during the winter months.

Used effectively as an understory tree, the larger Japanese Maples can work in landscape plans to form the perfect transition from the height of say, a two-storey home, to the garden’s ground level.

Japanese Maples can be used in containers in the warmer zones (7-8-9) where the containers do not freeze completely.

Do not put prized Japanese Maples in containers in zones 5 and 6a without providing significant winter protection. (I made that mistake and lost two trees during a particularly cold winter.) Consider moving them into a greenhouse if you want to grow Japanese Maples in a container in these colder zones.

The smaller threadleaf weeping varieties of Japanese Maples work beautifully as specimen trees in rock gardens or as part of a water feature reflecting the flowing nature of a waterfalls.

Most of us are familiar with the classic “Bloodgood” variety. These are the larger, hardy red-leaved Japanese Maples that are quite common in neighbourhoods where they have been growing for decades.

A cutleaf weeping Japanese Maple is backed by grasses and helps to ground a large boulder that is part of a Japanese-style garden.

How to use Japanese Maples effectively in the landscape

Used effectively as an understory tree, the larger Japanese Maples can work in landscape plans to form the perfect transition from the height of say, a two-storey home, to the garden’s ground level. The building forms a backdrop to show the delicate architecture of the tree. A stucco or light-coloured building, for example, can work beautifully to show off the structure of the tree in all seasons.

The smaller threadleaf weeping varieties of Japanese Maples work beautifully as specimen trees in rock gardens or as part of a water feature reflecting the flowing nature of a waterfalls.

Elsewhere, the mid-size trees are perfect to place a small bench beneath the long horizontal branches to create a focal point in the garden.

The red/purple leaf varieties act as a break from the sea of green in the summer landscape. Consider planting Japanese Forest grass below them for a natural look. All gold Japanese Forest grass works nicely with the Bloodgood maples. In our front garden, I have planted Japanese Forest grass under the large Bloodgood to form a loose groundcover. (You can actually see it in the image below.)

Japanese Forest Grass surrounds the Bloodgood maple in our front yard.

What native trees are good alternatives to Japanese Maple

The traditional Japanese Maple is an elegant, mid-size tree with a horizontal branching habit with interest in all seasons.

That sounds a lot like our native dogwoods, including both the Pagoda Dogwood (cornus alternifolia) and the Flowering Dogwood (cornus florida). Both are excellent native alternatives to the Japanese Maple. For more on Dogwoods, be sure to check out my post on Six of the Best Dogwoods.

Below, is an example of how a smaller sumach tree can be the perfect native alternative to a Japanese Maple. The fall colour on this sumach is absolutely stunning.

This exquisite well-shaped sumach tree is the perfect alternative to a Japanese Maple in the front garden.

Another good alternative is the Mountain maple (Acer glabrum) is a small understory tree that grows between 10-12 feet tall with pink flowers in spring. Its leaves turn bright red in fall not unlike Japanese Maples.

Redbuds, both western redbud (cercis occidentalis) and Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) are perfect alternatives to Japanese Maples. Redbuds grow to between 15-30 feet and sports pink flowers in early spring. Check out my post for more on our native redbuds.

Four tips to growing Japanese Maples

Japanese Maples are not difficult to grow but there are steps you can take to ensure their success. They are not an inexpensive tree to plant so anything we can do to give them a good start is a good idea.

• When choosing a location, ensure your tree is planted in an area with good drainage. Japanese maples do not like wet feet and their roots could eventually develop root rot and succumb to being planted in a very wet area. The soil should be allowed to dry out between watering. If you must plant a tree in what you think is a wet area, amend the soil as much as possible with sand and grit to promote drainage. Dig a large hole and fill the bottom with stone to keep the roots above water. When you are planting the tree, make sure you plant it an inch or two higher than the soil level to ensure it does not sink into a water-logged bowl.

• Do not plant Japanese Maples too deep whether you are planting in a wet area or not. Japanese Maples, like all trees, need oxygen to the roots of the plant. When planting the tree, consider planting it higher than the soil level in the pot it was growing in, especially if you are planting it into a clay-based soil. Create a berm around it so that as it settles into the ground it does not sink below its original soil line. Planting the tree too deep will force the tree to put out feeder roots where the trunk is below ground. Instead of putting on top growth, all its energy will go into putting out root growth where there should not be any. This will slow the tree’s growth and possibly kill it over time. It’s especially important with grafted Japanese Maples. The graft should never be planted below the soil level. It goes without saying that the trees benefit from mulching around the roots but not directly around the trunk of the trees. We’ve all seen the volcano of death style of mulching that almost always leads to a weakened tree and eventual death.

• The final set of tips is actually aimed at homeowners trying too hard to create the perfect landscape. I am a strong believer that turf grass should never (or rarely) be grown right up to the trunk of the tree. There are several reasons for this, but among the most critical is the tendency for homeowners, or worse lawn care companies, to injure the tree’s trunk by either hitting it regularly with a lawnmower, or even worse, girdling the trunk with a weedeater. Once the bark around a tree’s trunk is damaged severely, the tree is unable to get food and water up to the main body of the tree leading to eventual weakening and death. This can happen over several years of abuse by the lawnmower or weedeater.

• Over fertilization, especially later in the season (June and beyond), can threaten the health of the tree by forcing it to put out too much growth just before the tree goes into hibernation. Extreme cold will then kill off this new growth prior to spring. Japanese Maples are slow growing trees. Have patience. Fertilizing is probably not necessary, but if you do feel you want to add a slow release fertilizer, apply it in early May and keep the nitrogen level low (no more than 15)

  Below are two images of a Japanese Maple known as Full Moon Maple (Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum') that never gets large. Fertilizing it will only injure the tree rather than encourage more growth. This link shows a more mature specimen.

This full moon maple (Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum') seen here in early fall is a golden-coloured tree that stays small even in maturity.

This full moon maple (Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum') is a golden-coloured tree that stays small even in maturity.

Japanese Maples in our woodland garden

In our garden, Japanese Maples take centre stage in both the front and back yards. In the front, three Japanese Maples combine with two full-size maples and a serviceberry to create the upper and lower canopies so important for a woodland style garden. The main Japanese Maple (acer Bloodgood) was the first tree planted in our landscape 25 years ago and welcomes visitors to the pathway leading to the front door.

It has come a long way from the tiny tree I originally planted to a graceful acer that has spread to form a lovely canopy over the walkway. I’ve had to raise the canopy of the tree several times over the years, but I still like to keep it low enough that I’m forced to bend a little to walk beneath its branches.

Japanese Maple leafs fill a bird bath creating a colourful highlight in the garden.

A second Acer palmatum, (Beni Schichihenge) was added later as a large specimen Japanese Maple that adds a touch of elegance to the landscape and is especially striking in its autumn clothing with its delicate pinkish-orange leaves.

A weeping cutleaf variety adds colour to the Japanese-inspired garden where it softens the hard-edge of the large boulders that grounds the one side of the garden.

Together, they form a triangle in the front landscape that helps to bring a cohesion to the front garden adding colour to the spring, summer and fall landscapes.

There is no denying that Japanese Maples steal the show in fall when their vibrant colours shine through for a number of weeks before they shed their colourful leaves, sometimes all at once following a frosty morning.

On those days, the leaves from our main Japanese Maple form an incredible carpet of crimson red leaves making for the most perfect groundcover for a number of days before they begin to dry out and curl up.

How to grow Japanese Maples

It’s important to remember that Japanese Maples are understory trees, meaning that they do not like to receive full sun for the greater part of the day. Doing so will likely cause the leaves to burn as the summer heat is turned up.

In colder zones such as zones 5-6, Japanese Maples may be able to take more direct sun, but in the hotter zones it is imperative to grow the trees in partial shade and keep them away from mid-day and afternoon sun.

Some direct light results in better colour for many of the varieties.

Japanese Maples can handle heat, it’s the sun that will burn the leaves. New foliage is especially susceptible to burning. Depending on where you are, a couple hours of morning sun is fine but going beyond 1 pm in full sun will likely begin to do damage to the health of these trees.

Make sure they are protected later in the day when the sun is at its strongest. This is especially true in very hot locations.

Salt can also cause the Japanese Maple leaves to burn, whether the salt is in the air near oceans or if your area has hard water. By adding a little gypsum to the soil at planting, the minerals in the water will be leached out. Top dressing the soil around the roots with a little gypsum can also help.

Japanese Maples, like most maples, benefit from deep watering, especially in hot climates or in the heat of summer. While they would not be considered a deep-rooted tree, they are not shallow rooted either.

Deep watering also helps flush out salts that build in the soils.

For more on deep watering, check out my post Why is the Tree in my Front Garden Dying.

When to prune Japanese Maples

It’s best to prune Japanese Maples in either winter or summer. Pruning them in the spring will remove the beautiful new growth that make these trees stunning in early spring and summer.

Winter is an ideal time because you can see the shape of the tree best and work with the branch structure to enhance its architectural interest.

Japanese Maples should never be sheered or shaped into a ball. They are meant to be elegant trees with long horizontal branches that lend a delicate look to them. Their growth pattern is not unlike many of our native dogwoods that like to spread out horizontally.

If you are unsure about how best to prune Japanese maples to enhance their inherent beauty, consider hiring a trained arborist who understands how to properly prune these trees to enhance their inherent qualities.

A typical tree service, known more for cutting down trees, might not be the best to use for pruning your Japanese Maples.

Can you grow Japanese Maples from cuttings?

Take cuttings from spring growth when it is still flexible and not quite what you would called woody.

Put them in a glass of water immediately, before putting them into potting soil with plenty of perlite and a little rooting hormone if possible.

Strip off a number of leaves to create nodes. This is where the roots will eventually emerge.

Keep the cuttings well watered and misted throughout the spring and you could be blessed with new trees perfect for creating bonsai specimens.

Planting a Japanese Maple

One of the keys to getting the perfect Japanese Maple is to pay particular attention to the shape of the tree before setting it into the ground.

Japanese Maples like neutral to slightly acidic soils so start with a good draining soil mix and consider adding a little acidifier to the soil – a good azalea or rhododendron mix would work well. If you have hard water in your area, a little gypsum in the planting hole will help remove some of the minerals in the water. Add just a small amount, maybe 2-3 per cent.

Backfill the soil about halfway and then water in the tree to ensure it gets a good start. At this point you could add a couple handfulls of a mild fertilizer in a 5-3-1 ratio.

Continue backfilling around the tree until the soil is an inch or two below where the soil level was in the pot. Give it another good watering and then add mulch to lock in the moisture in the soil and protect it from direct sun.

Pentax Q review: Why you need one in 2024

Fun camera for garden and wildlife photography

The Pentax Q might be tiny, but it takes a back seat to no camera in its class.

This full-featured miniature camera, first released in 2011, boasts a very nice interchangeable lens system ranging from a fisheye all the way up to the 35mm equivalent of a 70-200 f2.8 telephoto zoom lens. Even the 70-200 fits in the palm of your hand, but has the telephoto pull to capture wildlife in the garden.

This   sunset image was taken with the Pentax Q7 and hard-to-get 08 wide angle lens.

The entire system fits into a tiny package. And when I say tiny, i mean tiny.

If that’s not enough, these cameras come complete with a set of features, filters and shooting modes any full-sized DSLR or mirrorless camera would be proud to boast about. Add surprisingly good ergonomics for a miniature camera that was originally advertised as looking completely at home on the end of a keychain.

Sounds weird right? Maybe, but keep reading to find out how this camera went from a weird distraction in 2011 to one of the coolest camera in the years that followed.

For more images taken with the Pentax Q, check out my Pentax Q photo gallery.

Image shows how small the Pentax Q is beside this tiny chipmunk.

What more can you ask for with the Pentax Q?

How about a system so small that you can fit two Q camera bodies, at least three lenses ranging from wide angle to a 70-250 f2.8 telephoto, filters and even a Fuji X10 and Lumix point-and shoot camera in a Lowepro camera bag meant to handle a single DSLR camera body and a small wide angle zoom.

Forget the camera bag, a Pentax Q complete with the 70-250mm f2.8 lens equivalent will slip into a coat pocket or a woman’s purse. Heck, throw in the 50mm equivalent fast F1.7 prime and a miniature wide angle or fisheye lens into the purse or coat pocket too – there’s still plenty of room.

• If you are looking for a Pentax Q, or the many lenses in the system, or any other piece of hard-to-find photographic gear, be sure to check out KEH Photographic for an outstanding selection of used equipment at great prices.

The Pentax Q combined with the exquisite TTArtisan optical viewfinder is the perfect combination. For more on the TTArtisan viewfinder, check out my full story here

TTArtisan optical finder is the perfect accessory

If the lack of viewfinder on the Pentax Q is a little annoying, the TTArtisan optical viewfinder is an exquisite accessory that not only adds utility to the camera system but also makes the setup look awesome taking it to a whole new coolness factor. For my complete review of the TTArtisan 28mm finder, check out my comprehensive review here.

Click on the link for my comparison post between the two viewfinders pictured below.

Two external optonal viewfinders on the Pentax Qs. The viewfinder on the left is the TTArtisan 28mm finder and the one on the right is the tiny Lichifit 28mm finder. Both have their place on the Pentax Q line of cameras. Click here for my post comparing the two viewfinders.

And what about the photographic results?

Well, I think the results here speak for them self. I took the Pentax Q and three lenses out for an afternoon of fall photography and came away with more than a few keepers.

Image taken with the Pentax Q of an old home set among the fall colours.

Fall colours in a wetlands taken with the Pentax Q.

Fall leaves ablaze in vibrant colour.

Are these fall images of high enough quality that you would want to supersize into posters or murals, or use for professional work with a client? Probably not.

But, for everyday use with the end result of making prints in the 4X6 to 11X14-inch range, or – more likely these days – posting on social media accounts or on web sites – these images can stand up to the scrutiny. They are sharp, contrasty with great colour even at moderately higher ISO settings.

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Maybe it’s the fine Pentax lenses or the fact that Pentax took the bold decision to remove the anti-aliasing filter from in front of the sensor that resulted in this sharpness, but whether you are viewing jpegs right out of the camera or Pentax’s RAW images, after a little post-processing, there’s no short changing the results here.

A view from Hamilton Mountain over the city during fall with the Pentax Q.

But let’s not kid ourselves. The sensors on these cameras are tiny.

Tiny sensors but great results

In fact, the original Q’s sensor was a back-illuminated CMOS, 1/2.3” (6.17 x 4.55 mm). The Q7, introduced later in June 2013, uses a larger 1/1.7” type sensor (7.44 x 5.58 mm). Both fell into the point-and-shoot-sized sensor and many critics in those days simply wrote the camera off as nothing but a toy.

Heck, even some of the lenses were called “toy” lenses. Probably not a great marketing decision by Pentax at the time.

The colour extraction filter (set to purple) helps to isolate this salvia flower petal against the grey leaves. The Pentax Q allows you to choose from a host of colours to isolate in your image. You can even choose to isolate two separate colours.

Pentax Q boasts big features in a tiny package

There isn’t time to get into all the features packed into these tiny cameras. Besides, I’m not really big on all the gimmicks camera manufacturers pack into their cameras to convince buyers they have to buy the camera. But, there is no denying that the features in this camera would be welcome in some of the more expensive DSLRs offered at the time.

It sports a 12.3mp sensor, it’s own dust removal system, ISO settings from 125 - 6400 and a sensor shift shake reduction system to help users get sharp images even in low light. Some of the lenses even have built-in neutral density filters.

This is an extreme crop of at least 50 per cent with the Q 06 lens. I think the image stands up well despite the crop on the small sensor.

How about HDR, a built-in intervalometer, creative “bokeh” blur settings, single and multiple colour extraction filters, and highly adjustable B&W capabilities to name just a few. It shoots RAW, has fully manual settings and for Pentax lovers the green button will bring you back to normal exposure no matter how far off you may have wandered.

Another image taken with the Pentax Q and the 06 lens with a minimal crop.

Are you thinking these cameras might make for a nice street photography package? I took the Pentax Q with the 01 Prime lens (47mm equivalent) to an emergency animal hospital, while I waited for my dog, Holly, to get her new pacemaker checked by the cardiologist. (Yes you read that right).

• Here is a gallery of results of that one-hour wait at the Emergency Animal Hospital shot with the 01 prime (50mm) in a photojournalistic style with the camera’s B&W mode.

• For my full story on The Pentax Q as a lomography camera with the 07 Mount Shield Lens go here.

• For my full story on the Pentax Q and 110 vintage lens.

This thumb grip link works nicely on the Pentax Q and makes the camera even more ergonomic. The one linked to does not block the dial and your thumb clears the LCD so it does not block your view.

Five reasons to buy a Pentax Q today

• Even today it remains among the smallest and most competent mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses.

• They are now very inexpensive on the used market. If possible, buy an entire package including several lenses to get the best bang for your money.

• You are already sitting on some great Pentax or other manufacturer’s (Olympus, Canon, Nikon) vintage 35mm lenses and all you would need to use them on the Q is an inexpensive adapter.

• You love small, exquisitely built cameras and lenses and don’t care about mega sensors.

• You love the idea of turning your 50mm macro into a 250mm macro or the 100mm f2.8 portrait lens into a 500mm super zoom for about $35.

• You have a set of the exquisite Pentax Auto 110 lenses and are itching to use them on a modern digital camera. See my full review of using Auto 110 lenses on the Pentax Q

New England Asters taken with the Pentax Q's blur mode that allows you to control bokeh in the images.

Even the pop-up flash is cute, cool and quite useful.

Lot’s of fun, creative and artistic stuff here to keep even the most bored photographers, inspired.

Did I mention the fully customizeable creative wheel thingy in the front of the camera to control favourite creative settings fast and conveniently. Yea, there’s that too.

(I’ll put a link at the bottom of this post from Pentax Forums for anyone who wants to get into the fine details of the camera system.)

This image of native New England asters and grasses shows the detail that the Pentax Q is able to achieve.

How long was the Pentax Q manufactured?

Over the years this miniature camera system, that had a relatively short life span ranging from the original Q’s introduction in 2011 to after the release of the Q-S1 in 2014, gained a cult-like following.

This Red Squirrel was photographed with the Pentax Q and the 06 telephoto lens wide open at F2.8. The lens can deliver soft backgrounds if the subject is far enough away from the background.

Eight Pentax Q lenses deliver top quality results

Pentax introduced a total of 8 miniaturized lenses beginning with the excellent 01 standard Prime with a focal length of 8.5 mm (47mm equivalent for the Q, Q10, and 39mm for the Q7, Q-S1 with the larger sensors.) More lenses followed: 02 standard zoom (27-80 range equivalency, 23-69mm), 03 Fisheye (17.5mm, 16.5mm), 04 Toy wide angle lens ( 35mm, 33mm), 05 Toy lens (100mm, 94mm), 06 Telephoto zoom (83-249mm, 69-207mm), 07 Shield mount lens (63mm, 53mm) and finally the 08 Wide Zoom (21-32mm, 17.5-27mm).

The final lens, the 08 wide angle, is a quality-built lens but extremely expensive. It still remains a highly sought after lens with a big price tag even on the used market, if you can find one. I have just recently acquired this lens and can confirm that it is an outstanding lens both in its photographic qualities as well as its build qualities. (See image below.)

Moss on rocks in woodland taken with Q07 and 08 wide angle zoom lens.

I should not forget another group of lenses that were made for the Q years before Pentax engineers even knew digital cameras were ever going to be a thing, and that’s the Pentax Auto 110 line of lenses. With a simple adapter, these tiny lenses look like they were made for the Pentax Q. For my complete story on using these lenses on the Pentax Q, be sure to check out my story here.

Blue Jay photographed with the Pentax Q and the 06 telephoto zoom, which is approximately 70-250mm in 35mm equivalence.

What happened to the Pentax Q cameras and lenses?

Was the Pentax Q system made of simply inferior products meant for the trash heap almost from the day it was announced?

Far from it.

In true Pentax style, these cameras were not only ahead of their time, but engineered to the finest Japanese craftmanship. The result was a hefty price tag (about $700 plus with a basic lens), one that most serious amateur photographers – who they were originally aimed at – just weren’t ready to spend for such a small-sensored camera. That initial cost would rise as you add other lenses to make the system more complete.

In those days, not unlike today, the size of the sensor meant everything. This was before social media took off so photographers were more focused on obtaining the highest resolution images possible.

Fast forward to today when 95 per cent of all digital images never get past Instagram, Facebook and Vero, where the size of the original image plays only a small part in the camera-buying decision.

Our cell phones are just one example of how the size of sensors mean less and less to the end user. Convenience and the coolness factor are far superior to size these days.

The Pentax Q colour extraction filter can pull out colours out of an otherwise B&W image. Here, I pulled out red and purple.

Where can you buy the Pentax Q?

One quick look on Ebay.com and you’ll find your share of Pentax Q cameras and lenses. Most are from Japan where the Pentax Q has always been a very popular camera. The difference is that on today’s used market, you can pick up the camera and a couple of lenses for a fraction of what you would have paid back when they were available in stores.

In fact, when I purchased my Fujifilm X10 back in 2011, the Pentax Q had just been released. The owner of the camera store urged me to get the Pentax over the Fuji. I loved the little Pentax camera but could not justify the cost of the system. The Pentax Q cost as much as the Fuji but the X10 came complete with the excellent 28-112mm equivalent built-in lens. By the time you added a few of the Pentax Q lenses, you were into a large financial investment and one I was not willing to make at the time.

I suspect, I wasn’t alone.

Today that close to $1,000 investment can be had for maybe $200 for a camera and a couple of lenses. I was able to purchase an Original Pentax Q and standard O2 lens on Kijiji for $60 Cdn. – a real sweet deal. And Ebay is full of great deals – maybe not quite that good but still very reasonable.

But that is just the beginning.

The Pentax Q shown here with the Q to Pantax K adapter and a 50mm f2,8 macro lens which becomes a 250mm macro lens with the 5.6 crop factor of the Q's tiny sensor.

Adapters make the Pentax Q useful in 2024

A lot has changed since Pentax first introduced their miniaturized mirrorless little gem.

If it was great then, new, inexpensive adapters have turned the Pentax Q into one of the coolest little mirrorless cameras on the market.

In 2012 Pentax announced the Adapter Q for K-mount lenses with a 5.6X crop factor. This little device changed everything, but it took time for other manufacturers like Fotodiox and K&F (amazon link to list of adapters) to follow and change the world of Pentax Q owners.

The 50mm f2.8 macro lens on the Pentax Q making it a 250mm with the crop factor.

The small sensors and the fact it is a mirrorless camera makes adapting vintage – even ancient lenses – to the camera simple and inexpensive.

There are adapters to mount classic Pentax, Olympus, Nikon and Canon 35mm lenses to the Pentax Q. But it doesn’t stop there. There is an inexpensive adapter for Pentax’s venerable classic 110 camera with its interchangeable lenses. These sweet little miniature lenses will fit the Pentax Q now too.

This image shows how much magnification the 50mm macro can achieve on the Pentax Q. And, just look at that lovely background. Not bad for a tiny-sensored camera.

Oh, and did I mention those ancient miniature D-mount lenses from your dad’s or grandfather’s 8mm cinema camera. Yep, they have an adapter too. Cost me $3 for the adapter and I have four d-mount lenses I found attached to old 8mm cameras I had been using as paperweights that I can now attach to the the Q and explore the world around me.

I will be doing separate posts looking at these lenses as well as breakdowns of some of the Q-mount lenses.

And, if you are looking for cinematic quality in your images, what better than a lens from the 1930s-40s to create the mood.

Oh, and did I mention C-mount cinema lenses…

You get the idea.

A $30 adapter and a couple of my classic Pentax K and Ka lenses together with the Pentax Q turns the system into one that we could only dream of a few years ago.

The crop factor is about 5.5X which means normal lenses become telephoto equivalents and telephoto lenses become super telephotos.

Let’s do some quick math.

My older 50mm f2.8 macro becomes a 250mm f2.8 macro lens. My 100mm F4 becomes the equivalent of a 500mm macro. My 40mm pancake becomes a 200mm pancake lens. My 300mm F4.5 A* becomes a 1500mm F4.5 telephoto. My old 75-150mm zoom becomes a 375mm to 750mm zoom.

Just imagine the possibilities.

I remember always wanting the A* 200mm macro lens in its day, but it was the price of a small used car. Today, I can mount a 50mm F2.8 A manual focus macro lens on the Q and get a 250mm macro F2.8 equivalent lens. It’s like I’ve died and gone to heaven.

I’ve included a few example images above of of the Pentax 5omm in action just to get readers thinking about the possibilities. Notice the beautiful soft background the lens was able to achieve even on a point-and-shoot-sized sensor.

Stay tuned for future posts on the Pentax Q where I’ll provide more specific insight and examples of what can be done with these ancient lenses.

If you are into fine details (and after you finished reading this complete post, of course) check out this post at Pentax Forums. It’s all here in fine detail.)

Hummingbird and salvia shot with Pentax Q and 06 telephoto zoom.

Is the Pentax Q worth buying in 2024 and beyond: Pros and Cons

Is the Q worth it in 2024?

Absolutely.

Is it the only camera you should pack in your arsenal?

Probably not.

Is it capable of getting great images for social media like Instagram, Vero, Facebook etc?

Absolutely.

Hello, World!

But the Pentax Q is far from perfect. It’s certainly beginning to show its age when it comes to focusing and where it lacks the latest technology. Trying to see the back LCD screen in bright light is near impossible and, although using the classic 35mm-style lenses with at adapter is super fun and cool, don’t be surprised if you struggle nailing the focus.

Yes, the Q has focus peaking and magnification factors to help with focus, but if you struggle to be able to even see the back LCD, you are not going to have an easy time focusing.

There is no built-in LVF (fiewfinder) to help frame the image. Well, I should not say there is no viewfinder. There is an optional viewfinder that works with the 01 Prime lens, but it’s expensive and not really all that great, according to users. It does look cool on the camera, however, giving it a real rangefinder look.

Bee on salvia taken with Pentax Q and vintage 50mm macro.

There are more issues with the camera and lens system that some users may think are worth noting, but with the price of these sweet, miniature cameras coming down as much as they have, it’s too easy to overlook the minor problems and just enjoy the camera and all it has to offer.

For a fraction of the price of a new smartphone, you can walk into a party with your Q and turn some heads.

At the same time, take it out on the street and you can virtually go unnoticed with this tiny camera.

Slip it in your purse or pocket and you’re ready to go anywhere. Even out in the garden for a morning of shooting. Heck, these Pentax Qs even have a macro feature on them for capturing our favourite flowers, bees and butterflies.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.

Columnar Oak: Keystone plant perfect for today’s small yards

Oak trees are critical to the survival of insects, birds and other fauna

It’s no secret how important Oak trees are for a healthy, natural environment, but not everyone has space in their yard to dedicate to such massive trees.

That’s where the columnar oaks (Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’) come into their own. These trees are smaller, more narrow and able to fit into the smallest of yards, but still pack many of the benefits that our full-size, native oaks provide.

Columnar oaks or English Oak is an Asian and European native tree. It prefers average well-drained soils in full sun, but adapts to a wide range of soil types and conditions.

These oaks can take 20-30 years before they can bear acorns – an important food source for many mammals. In the wild, it is found in northern USA and Canada.

Five reasons to plant a columnar oak tree

1. They are a perfect tree for small, narrow spaces in both front and backyards.

2. They can be used to screen out views, even on second storeys, when ground space is limited. Their branches grow low to the ground providing screening from the ground up.

3. Oaks are attractive to wildlife and considered a vital food source for birds as well as insects and caterpillars.

4. Columnar oaks are low-maintenance, trees that can withstand drought, salt and other urban issues that can stress out other, less vigorous trees.

5. Columnar oaks actually boast four season interest from the dark green leaves of summer, to the rusty/brown leaves of fall and beige leaves that cling to the branches throughout winter.

‘Fastigiata’ or Upright English Oak is an upright, columnar, deciduous tree that matures into a dense elongated oval shape with a short trunk. They can work as a landscape specimen or in a group to form a very tall privacy hedge.

Oak leaves from a columnar oak looking beautiful as they transition to its fall colours.

If you are trying to decide whether or not to plant an Oak tree in your yard, The Nature of Oaks will certainly help you make that decision. This valuable book highlights the incredible benefits of these important trees.

They do best planted in full sun in well-drained acidic or slightly alkaline soil. If you live near the ocean or plant it in an area that is heavily salted in winter, these trees can continue to perform well. As an added bonus, especially during these times of climate change, the columnar oaks are also drought tolerant and can survive in more severe urban conditions. (For more on problems faced by urban trees see my articles on The Internet of Nature or How Trees Communicate.)

For more on the importance of oak trees in our garden and natural landscapes take a few moments to check out my other posts on Oak trees:

• What tree should I plant in my yard.

• Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy.

• From Acorn to the Mighty Oak.

Propagation for the Columnar Oak is from seed, but don’t be surprised if the seed doesn’t always grow true.

These columnar oaks have been used as an effective privacy screen teamed up with blue spruce. The combination of trees provide effective habitat for backyard birds and other wildlife.

What are the benefits of oak trees?

Doug Tallamy, renowned entomologist, advocate for native gardening and author of the book Bringing Nature Home, and the Nature of Oaks as well as a number of other highly acclaimed books on the subject, calls oak trees a “keystone plant” in our environment. This rating goes only to a select few native plants that provide food and habitat for an enormous number of insects, caterpillars and fauna that, in turn, are critical as a food source for birds and other wildlife.

These gorgeous colours show how beautiful the leaves look in fall. They eventually turn a lovely beige colour as winter progresses and remain on the tree to provide shelter for birds and other animals.

In fact, oaks top the list of Tallamy’s “keystone plants.”

Tallamy cites a 2003 study that found a “single white oak tree can provide food and shelter for as many as 22 species of tiny leaf-tying and leaf folding caterpillars.” And that is just a tiny fraction of the fauna that depend on a single oak tree. In fact, the mighty oak supports 534 species of fauna, more than any other tree we can plant in our gardens.

There are about 400 species of Oak worldwide. North America boasts 90 different species with 75-80 in the United States and 10 in Canada.

Unfortunately, the emergence of smaller and smaller lots in today’s subdivisions makes planting a full-size white or red oak tree difficult for most homeowners. Although the trees are relatively slow growers and beautiful specimens in the landscape, they eventually grow to become massive trees that, if not planted with plenty of room to grow around them, might have to be removed or, at the very least, severely pruned as they mature.

These Columnar oaks along the driveway present a formal entrance to the home but also provide some privacy.

How to use Columnar oaks in the landscape

This is where the columnar oak comes into its own. These trees grow tall (up to about 60 feet (18 m), but the spread is only about 15 feet (4.5m) making them the perfect tree to tuck into a narrow space say along a driveway or in a corner of the yard to provide privacy.

Our neighbour actually uses a trio of columnar oaks grouped together anchoring two blue spruce trees to provide privacy. In this instance, these trees perform more like a dense, high hedge. The combination can be stunning at different times of the year, but especially in fall when the oak leaves begin to turn a rusty brownish/red while the remaining leaves hold on to their dark green leaves into the late fall and even into winter. In the dead of winter, many of the leaves remain on the plant, not falling off until the new spring growth pushes them to the ground.

Columnar oaks form a narrow privacy hedge.

In a perfect example of a shared landscape, we benefit from the trees’ architectural interest and, most importantly, their environmental benefits as a food source for so many woodland and backyard birds. The grouping of trees provide the perfect safe habitat for a variety of song birds looking for dense cover among the deciduous oaks and the evergreen branches of the blue spruce.

Can columnar oaks be used as a privacy hedge?

Another neighbour on the street has used three of the trees down the edge of their driveway to form a narrow, but very tall and effective screen. Again, the result is a dense, natural screen that is attractive to birds throughout the summer, including winter where the remaining leaves provide a safe escape out of the cold wind and an effective roosting spot.

These columnar trees may not provide all of the benefits of our native oaks, but they are far superior to many other non-native trees that offer little to no benefits to birds and other wildlife.

If you are interested in planting one of these trees, there are a number hybridized columnar oaks available for homeowners. A search on a high-end plant nursery near me shows a total of seven varieties available.

These hybridized columnar oaks include the following: Green Pillar Pin Oak (Quercus Palustris Pringreen), Crimson Spire English Oak (Quercus Robur Crimschmidt), Pyramidal English Oak (Quercus Robur Fastigiata), Skyrocket English Oak, Kindrid Spirit Oak, Chimney Rire Hybrid Oak, Regal Prince Pyramidal Oak.

You can check out these columnar oaks, including access to detailed information on growth habits, by going to Connon Nurseries’ informative website or a website of a nursery in your location.

Rick Sammon: How to photograph backyard birds

KelbyOne course: Tips to turn anyone into a backyard bird photographer

Rick Sammon knows photography and he’s looking to share what he knows – especially when it comes to Backyard bird photography.

Whether it’s capturing a colourful cardinal, documenting his latest travel adventure, or nailing a backyard bird in flight, Rick is more than willing to share his expertise and practical how-to advice after more than 40 years of photography.

That includes, at last count, more than 50 books on photography, regular monthly articles in Outdoor Photography and an envious portfolio of more than 25 instructional courses on KelbyOne, The Ultimate Source for Photography Education. In fact, Photographing Backyard Birds is his 25th course offered on KelbyOne.

For more on photographing backyard birds, check out my many articles on this website, including: Using props to photograph backyard birds; Beginners Guide to backyard bird photography; Building a backyard reflection pond and using the Tragopan blind to get up close to birds. If you are setting up feeders, check out my post on why we should be using recycle resin feeders.

The award-winning photographer is a Canon Explorer of Light and an inspirational image-maker that is known in photographic circles as “The Godfather of Photography.”

Click on the link if you want more on KelbyOne on-line photographic courses.

Along with Rick’s books and how-to videos, throw in his blog, iPhone and iPad apps, a podcast and an expanding following on social media. He has accumulated nearly 800,000 Google+ followers, and he has been recognized as one of the top photographers to follow on Google+.

Screen shot of Rick Sammon in his studio during KelbyOne photo course.

Rick doesn’t hesitate for a minute to impart his knowledge to other photographers. Each year, between photo assignments, Rick gives more than a dozen photography workshops (including private workshops) and presentations around the world.

Rick admits that he does not want to fit into any one style of photography. “I’m an A-to-Z type of photographer. I do it all – and I enjoy the freedom of not specializing,” he told Canon in an interview.

“When you are through changing, you are through,” he adds.

But, we are here to focus on Rick’s KelbyOne presentation of Backyard Bird Photography and Beyond.

This screen shot of a Rick Sammon image shows a cardinal with movement in the wings while the eye is tack sharp, illustrates the importance of choosing the right shutter speed.

A review of Photographing Backyard Birds on-line course

I was lucky enough to take Rick’s one-hour course and am happy to give readers a taste of what they can expect after signing up.

The one-hour course features a total of 250 slides to help illustrate his talks and keep viewers focused on capturing great photographs. Many of the images include tips on post processing in both Lightroom and Photoshop, including examples of images that many of us would discard. Rick shows how most can be saved through post processing.

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Click on the link if you want more on KelbyOne on-line photographic courses.

Rick starts with the basics and progresses through photographing around garden ponds and lakes. He offers tips on ISO settings, anticipating action, creating controlled backyard sessions, and tips to learn from your mistakes.

He kicks off the video with 11 tips every bird photographer needs to know. The tips provide an ideal starting point for viewers.

Rick starts with probably the most important tip – the need for patience. When it comes to capturing images of birds, there is no denying the need for patience, whether it’s sitting in a blind beside your feeders, tracking more elusive warblers, or capturing waterfowl on a backyard pond.

Rick Sammon is quick to share the lenses he uses to capture his backyard bird shots.

Rick doesn’t hesitate to share information on the lenses he uses expounding on the benefits of long zoom lenses and the use of teleconverters.

Along the way he talks about dealing with different lighting conditions, the importance of catch lights in the eye, and using fast shutter speeds to stop motion and keep the subjects sharp.

Rick combines the necessary technical information along with practical information about attracting and feeding birds. He even touches on the best feeders and bird feed to use to get the results you are after.

For someone just starting out in backyard bird photography, the tips alone would provide enough valuable information to make the course worthwhile, but Rick is just getting started.

In the remaining episodes, rick explores bird and wildlife photography around garden ponds and larger bodies of water as well as travelling to nearby wildlife parks where photographers can capture birds of prey that would be almost impossible to get in the wild. Rick shows how backgrounds, lighting and manipulating the image in post processing is as important for captive subjects as it is for wild ones in a natural setting.

This screen capture is an example of the information Rick Sammon shares in his KelbyOne course.

Who should take this backyard bird photography course?

I recognize not everyone is as excited about sitting in a blind in a forest for several hours to capture a single image of a common woodpecker. Not everyone is interested or capable of investing in expensive lenses and travelling to the world’s birding hot spots to capture images.

But capturing bird images in the comfort of your backyard is another thing all together. It takes minimal effort to set up a feeder and put out an interesting perch for them to land on while you enjoy your morning coffee.

Rick’s course is a gateway into the world of backyard bird photography and is aimed at those of us who are happy to create an environment to bring birds to us rather than go to them. For beginner bird photographers, it will provide you with the building blocks to success. For more advanced photographers it should help take your work to a higher level and provide ideas that you may not have considered in the past.

Even if you are familiar with most of the tips Rick provides, seeing them put together in a focused, professional presentation complete with powerful illustrations will inspire you to get out in the garden at all times of the year and capture images of our feathered friends.

For those of us who enjoy improving the images on the computer in Lightroom and Photoshop, Rick’s course will inspire you to revisit many of the images you might have given up on in the past and revive them.

Photographing Birds in the Backyard and Beyond is simple enough for the beginner, but detailed enough to keep experienced bird photographers interested. It’s also inspiring enough to encourage non-birders to give the art of bird photography a try. Afterall, they are waiting for you just outside your back door.

Rick Sammon shares how he uses fill flash to bring out the best image of this backyard owl.

What is the KelbyOne on-line photography program?

Before I explain the KelbyOne on-line photography program, let’s take a look at the founder of the program, Scott Kelby. I was introduced to his work many years ago when I purchased one of his incredibly informative Photoshop books from my local Costco. Since then, he has gone on to write a plethora of books and articles on everything from Lightroom and Photoshop to getting the most out of your iphone camera.

Scott is the brains behind KelbyOne, the extensive on-line photography educational program boasting more than 100 of the world’s best and most entertaining photographers sharing their knowledge and expertise with the photographic community and anyone looking to expand their knowledge about their hobby or their chosen profession. It’s all online and can be accessed from your computer, tablet or even from your phone. There is no need to leave the comfort of your home to gain a wealth of knowledge.

Courses on everything from travel photography, to portraiture, to creative landscapes and Black & White photography are just a few of the more than 900 on-line courses available.

Students can purchase courses individually for as low as $9.95 or by monthly subscriptions for less than $20.00. There is also a yearly membership for those looking for the ultimate learning experience. The courses offer something for everyone whether your are a beginner, hobby photographer, or a seasoned professional.

“Our goal here is to make learning something that you look forward to. This way you, our community of photographers, can move past the hurdles and bring to life the images that are stuck inside of you. We feel like the content has to be fun, cinematic, and inspiring, and taught by the most personable and experienced photographers in the industry,” states the KelbyOne site.

Karen Hutton: Exploring the world of macro/close-up photography

Karen Hutton likes to use macro and close-up photography to tell a story.

KelbyOne course takes creative approach to macro photography

It doesn’t take long to see that Karen Hutton’s high-energy personality is contagious.

Her YouTube videos are a dead giveaway of her energetic approach to photography and life. And, it’s this high-energy approach to travel and landscape photography that has made her a popular speaker, educator and voice for photography.

She is a Professional Fujifilm-X Photographer, living in California where she spreads her love for her chosen profession to anyone who will listen.

• Click on the link if you want more on KelbyOne on-line photographic courses.

Lady bugs and aphids on Milkweed plants.

“I believe in discernment, truth, wisdom, strong artistic choices, love and the power of uplifting others,” she writes on her impressive website. “I believe that art is love made visible.”

Karen also believes in simplicity. When asked by Ferns & Feathers how her course would benefit someone who is inexperienced in the world of macro, she is quick to explain that her goal is to take the complexity out of macro photography. “It’s creative and meditative” she explains adding that

“It approaches macro in a less technical way, and more as: A way of seeing + thinking,” she explains. It’s “a way of telling stories; a way of being and of well-being; a way to understand beyond ourselves. Thus, (the course is) more an exploration that anyone can enjoy.” Karen explains.

“The course breaks down the stages of storytelling (like a filmmaker does) in a simple way that any photographer can use to shape their images in a more meaningful way. As a for instance, by finding relationships, then using the light to paint, bathe and wash your characters with it in interesting ways to create an emotional impact, you tell an interesting story with your images.”

— Karen Hutton

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Readers who don’t have an expensive camera and maybe count on their cell phone or a simple point-and-shoot compact camera are not left out from enjoying the macro experience.

“The course is built for anyone, regardless of the type of camera they have. It’s about a way of sensing, thinking and seeing… which is a different kind of approach and welcomes any kind of gear,” Karen explains, when asked about gardeners who like to take pictures with their smartphones or compact cameras.

Karen emphasizes the importance of telling the story of the hidden beauty of our gardens.

We how the beauty of our gardens by “telling (showing) the great stories found within the garden. Stories about what you love, how the various elements interact with one another – and finding meaning in all of it.”

If you want to experience some of Karen’s macro photography, take 5 minutes to watch her video in collaboration with Fujifilm on the Great American Road Trip. In this video she uses the road trip to explore the details found along the route.

Karen Hutton

It’s not hard to fall in love with her approach and her work. Whether it’s capturing the spirit of the Sierra Nevada mountains of her California home, intimate details of her travels to France and Italy, or capturing beautiful light of St. Thomas on the Hill in the Upper Sava Valley of Slovenia.

“A lifetime of chasing – and creating with – light began when I was 8 or 9,” she writes. “I had a vision about the transformational power of light, which ignited a sense of purpose that leads me to this day.”

Her outstanding images, humour and genuinely positive outlook, are inspirational to those looking to discover their artistic voices in photography.

If you are looking to upgrade your camera equipment and maybe purchase that macro lens you always wanted, be sure to check out the used camera equipment at KEH Camera Exchange. You can also trade in your old equipment to help defray the costs of your new, used equipment.

Macro photography in our gardens can be extremely rewarding. For more on shooting close-up images in our gardens, be sure to check out my comprehensive post on macro/close-up photography. I have also done a separate post here on flower photography.

But how does all this high energy translate into macro photography?

After all, The world of close-up photography demands the maker slow down, study the world in minute detail and find intimate compositions that can be almost invisible to the naked eye.

• Click on the link if you want more on KelbyOne on-line photographic courses.

In one of her many videos, Karen talks about the importance of discovering the natural world and the smaller details that are so easily overlooked.

“There is so much beauty that fills our world.” Karen explains. “And it comes at every shape and scale and texture. I am awestruck by amazing vistas and cityscapes, but as a citizen of the earth, I want to look, I want to appreciate the smallest components as well as the grand design.”

Karen Hutton’s on-line course turns the focus on creative macro photography.

Review: Karen Hutton’s hour-long macro/close-up photography course

I was fortunate enough to have taken Karen’s one-hour photography course on macro and close-up photography.

After viewing the on-line course on my laptop in the comfort of my home, I can say without a doubt that this course is aimed at people looking to experience the world of close-up photography in a creative rather than a highly technical approach.

It is not aimed at a master of macro photography. That’s not to say there is nothing for the experienced macro photographer to take away from the on-line course, Karen incorporates plenty of excellent tips and approaches to macro and close-up photography for even the most experienced photographers.

The course is, however, aimed at photographers looking to expand their creative horizons and experiment in a world they may never have explored to any great degree in the past.Technical explanations are kept to a minimum, there are no complex descriptions of using flash, and even discussions around lenses are kept to a minimum.

For those of us who are more gardeners than photographers, I think this course is the perfect introduction to macro and close-up photography.

It will challenge you to look at, and approach, your garden and photography in a new more creative way. Karen’s whole approach is to see macro photography as one part of a larger story that begins with seeing the subject in a wider context before moving in on the more intimate details.

It’s the ideal vision for our woodland/wildlife garden approach. Although the single flower is beautiful in itself, it is really just one part of the larger concept that makes up our woodland gardens. The native trilliums in our gardens, for example, depend on the tree canopy for their survival. The tree canopy, therefore, is part of the the trilliums’ and other spring ephemerals larger story and should be included in our story as we explore the details of our trilliums.

It’s an approach that tells a more creative and complete story, as we move in closer and closer to our subjects.

It’s storytelling in a very intimate way.

She refuses to get hung-up on the true definition of macro and, instead, shows how “close-up” photography can be captured with everything from a point-and-shoot camera, to a telephoto lens or a simple zoom lens with a macro feature. Most of us have at least one of these tools in our camera bag.

Karen begins the course by showing students how they can tell a story by moving from a distant view of their subjects through to the middle, medium and finally the more intimate macro or close-up views.

Along the way she uses images to illustrate her story-telling approach to close-up photography.

She touches on the importance of light, explaining the varying emotions that different light can evoke in an image.

She talks about exploring macro at home using everything from kitchen utensils and garden produce to backyard flowers.

Finally, she explores design and movement in close-up images, and wraps it up with the importance of capturing natural patterns in nature.

Macro on-line course is both inspirational as well as informative

In conclusion, Karen’s creative approach to teaching macro photography makes it more accessible to all of us. It inspires us to think about why we are trying to capture an image; why we even want to capture the image, and how we can best illustrate the intimacy of that moment.

Karen’s approach of using macro photography as a means to tell the complete story of our gardens is an approach that inspires us to look deep into what makes our gardens special.

“The course breaks down the stages of storytelling (like a filmmaker does) in a simple way that any photographer can use to shape their images in a more meaningful way. As a for instance, by finding relationships, then using the light to paint, bathe and wash your characters with it in interesting ways to create an emotional impact, you tell an interesting story with your images.”

If you are looking for technical expertise on lenses, lighting and how to obtain 1:1 images of your favourite flower, I suggest you may want to look elsewhere. But if you are looking to be inspired to take your close-up and macro photography to another level, Karen’s course might be the spark that ignites a whole new world of photography.

Karen’s courses are available at KelbyOne, The Ultimate source for Photography Education on the web.

What is the KelbyOne on-line photography program?

Before I explain the KelbyOne on-line photography program, let’s take a look at the founder of the program, Scott Kelby. I was introduced to his work many years ago when I purchased one of his incredibly informative Photoshop books from my local Costco. Since then, he has gone on to write a plethora of books and articles on everything from Lightroom and Photoshop to getting the most out of your iphone camera.

Scott is the brains behind KelbyOne, the extensive on-line photography educational program boasting more than 100 of the world’s best and most entertaining photographers sharing their knowledge and expertise with the photographic community and anyone looking to expand their knowledge about their hobby or their chosen profession. It’s all online and can be accessed from your computer, tablet or even from your phone. There is no need to leave the comfort of your home to gain a wealth of knowledge.

Courses on everything from travel photography, to portraiture, to creative landscapes and Black & White photography are just a few of the more than 900 on-line courses available.

Students can purchase courses individually for as low as $9.95 or by monthly subscriptions for less than $20.00. There is also a yearly membership for those looking for the ultimate learning experience. The courses offer something for everyone whether your are a beginner, hobby photographer, or a seasoned professional.

“Our goal here is to make learning something that you look forward to. This way you, our community of photographers, can move past the hurdles and bring to life the images that are stuck inside of you. We feel like the content has to be fun, cinematic, and inspiring, and taught by the most personable and experienced photographers in the industry,” states the KelbyOne site.

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Sumac: First signs of fall in the garden

Important food source for birds and other wildlife

It’s early October and the native Sumac is already lighting up the roadsides and welcoming the first signs of fall in the woodland garden.

Along roadsides and escarpments, where this fast-growing native shrub or small tree (grows to about 30-feet high) gets plenty of sun, Sumac lights up with brilliant oranges, yellows and reds.

It’s often the first plant nature photographers focus on when in search of early colour in the fall landscape, and it’s a perfect addition to the woodland garden. Sumac has compound, serrated leaves that are a bright green in summer before taking on its fall cloak.

This small sumach in beautiful fall colours takes on the look of a Japanese Maple in the front garden of this home.

How did Sumac get its name?

There is no missing the velvety bark on the branches that cover Staghorn Sumac. This velvet resembles the velvet that covers the antlers of male deer (stags) throughout the summer, earning Sumac the name “Staghorn”.

There are more than 30 varieties of Sumac in North America with more native varieties in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Sumac showing early signs of fall colour. If you are looking to add fall colour to your garden as well as a good source of food in late summer/early fall, you could do worse than leaving a corner of your yard for some Sumac.

Is Sumac a food source for birds and other wildlife?

Not only is Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) an incredibly colourful addition to the woodland, its fall berries, that grow in large clusters atop the shrub’s branches, are also a very important source of high-value food for birds especially migrating birds.

Staghorn Sumac puts out small greenish-yellow flowers that attract pollinators. They grow in the shape of a cone in spring and become the reddish-haired fruit clusters as summer turns to fall.

These hearty fruit clusters, that often remain on the plant well into winter, are vital resources for hundreds of bird species including our backyard favourites like Cardinals, Gray Catbird and a host of woodpeckers ranging from the impressive Pileated to the small Downy and larger Hairy woodpeckers. Add to that list the American Robin together with other thrush species. In a more wooded natural area, don’t be surprised if it attracts Ruffed Grouse and wild Turkeys.

As an added bonus these plants are deer resistant.

Staghorn sumac is dioecious, meaning that it has individually male and female plants.

These shrubs/small trees are extremely hardy, and are both drought and salt tolerant. They prefer a sunny location and dry to moist soil and will not tolerate shade or wet soil. Use these fast growers as an erosion control plant if you have problematic areas.

A grouping of Sumac in full fall colour.

Where I live, The Niagara Escarpment is the dominant geological feature that cuts through the landscape. The Staghorn Sumac lights up the many cuts through the escarpment and turns the roadsides into sparkling jewels at certain times of day.

Staghorn Sumac is native to the more southern half of Ontario, and eastward to the Maritimes.

Sumac species include both evergreen and deciduous types. They generally spread by suckering, which allows them to quickly form small thickets, but can also make the plants overly aggressive in some circumstances.

There are usually several varieties available at nurseries, but this attractive native is probably all you will need.

Other forms of Sumac

At one of my local nurseries there are three Sumacs listed including the Staghorn Sumac. The others are Fragrant Sumac, and a dwarf variety of fragrant sumac called fragrant gro low Sumac as well as Cutleaf Smooth Sumac.

Cutleaf Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra Laciniata) is a smaller hardy shrub (hardiness zone: 2B) with finely cut tropical-looking leaves that add texture to the garden. Grown primarily for its ornamental fruit, and its open multi-stemmed upright spreading habit. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape and can be used as a effective accent feature. Click on the link for more information on the Cutleaf Smooth Sumac.

Gro Low Sumac is described as low growing and compact shrub with interesting foliage turning brilliant colors in fall and bright yellow flowers in spring. Makes an excellent ground cover as it tends to sucker, filling in areas quickly. Does well in shade. Click on the link for images and more information on the Gro Low Sumac.

Fragrant Sumac is described as a rugged and durable medium-sized shrub with interesting foliage turning brilliant colors in fall and bright yellow flowers in spring. Tends to sucker, forming a dense spreading mass, attractive for a garden background or for naturalizing, good in shade.

Carolina wren: How to attract this spunky little insectivore

Rewild your yard to attract Carolina Wrens

The Carolina wren is a noisey, spunky little bird that is, at least from a distance, easily mistaken for a sparrow.

But up close, there is no mistaking these little guys.

If you are looking to attract Carolina Wrens to your yard, you will have to create habitat that encourages an abundance of insects in your yard. If your backyard is a typical neat and tidy suburban yard with few native flowers, shrubs and trees, you will need to get to work rewilding the space.

It goes without saying that pesticides have no place in the garden. Native trees, shrubs and plants are vital to attract insects along with brush piles and more natural areas in the garden that will be attractive to insects. A pond is also an attractive place for all types of birds and wildlife including insect life.

The Carolina wren is a small, sometimes elusive bird that makes its presence known, especially in spring when its song fills woodlands and backyards.

In our yard, the Carolina wrens are often seen on the ground checking out the leaf litter in search of insects. In spring they are busy checking out trees and shrubs for caterpillars and small insects.

Although Carolina Wrens are primary insectivores, they will readily come to backyard feeders, especially in winter where they will feed on suet, peanuts and sunflower seeds.

How large are Carolina wrens?

Although it is the second largest wren in the United States – just behind the cactus wren – it measures only about five and a half-inches (12.5 to 14 cm) in length, with an 11-inch (29 cm) wing span.

They can be quite shy and difficult to see in the woodlands and forests where they are common in the southeastern United States and up into southern parts of Canada. Once on the nest, however, they become quite active and vocal little visitors.

If you are trying to identify the sexes, all the chattering is coming from the females while the male likes to sing.

A Carolina Wren searches through debris for food in early fall.

Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) make their living in open woodlands and are regulars in naturalized yards where they can be seen working brush piles and tangles looking for their primary food source – insects.

For more on using native plants to attract birds and other wildlife, be sure to check out my article on Using native plants to attract birds. If you are using feeders, take a moment to check out my article on using recycled resin feeders rather than wood ones.

Other birds, such as American Robins and Indigo Buntings are primarily insect-eating birds and can be difficult to attract to your yard with just bird feeders.

For years, we’ve had these fiesty birds nesting outside our bedroom window in spring. A word of caution, if you don’t like getting up early in the morning, don’t hang a nesting box outside your window. These little guys are a lot noisier than you my think given their size. To hear their song check out the CornellLab audio recording.

How can you identify Carolina Wrens?

Carolina Wrens have reddish/cinnamon plumage on their backs and buff-coloured undersides. They weigh in at only 18 to 23 g (0.63 to 0.81 oz), and are easy to identify with their white throats and eyebrow stripe, and long, upward-cocked tail.

This image helps to show the diminutive size of the Carolina Wren while it dries off after a good soaking in the birdbath.

Climate plays a major factor in this wren’s range

Although the Carolina wren is common enough throughout the southeastern United States up through southern Ontario, the birds’ northern range varies depending on the severity of the winter.

Climate change is likely playing a role in this bird making its way farther north and remaining in more northern areas throughout the winter.

The birds’ numbers expand into more northern ranges in mild winters, only to shrink back during more severe winters.

Bird feeders can play important role in Carolina Wren survival

According to a 2011 study in Michigan, bird feeders with suet and peanuts play an important role in survival rates of these birds during harsh winter months.

The CornellLab posted an interesting article stemming from Project FeederWatch that focused on Carolina Wrens and bird feeders during winter months. Carolina Wrens’ diets, is known to be only about five per cent seeds and other vegetable matter with the remaining 95 per cent being insects.

Using a recycled plastic suet feeder like the one below, is a good way to provide a food source for woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens and other insect-eating birds. The benefits of using the recycled plastic feeders vs wood feeders is spelled out in one of my earlier posts.

Wild Birds Unlimited sells a number of the recycled plastic suet feeders that are worth checking out.

In winter, they struggle to survive during periods of high snow cover where insects are difficult to find.

In the Michigan study, three different habitats were monitored from city parks, residential areas as well as rural areas. The study showed that the wrens abandoned these sites when there were no feeders available.

The conclusion: When Carolina Wrens’ food supply is limited by heavy snow and cold temperatures, bird feeders play a critical role to their survival.

Their study also concluded that Carolina Wrens prefer suet and peanuts and that “one peanut alone can provide more than a third of their daily metabolic need!”

Carolina Wren surveying the area and considering its potential new home in this rustic bird house.

In Conclusion: Carolina Wrens need our help

It’s easy to think our bird feeders are vital to keeping backyard birds healthy. Just look out the window after a snowstorm and you’ll wonder how these birds could survive without us. But they do. And what many of us fail to realize is that many of the birds in our neighbourhood don’t even, or rarely, eat seeds.

In fact, most birds, even those that appear at our feeders, depend on insects for their survival and the survival of their offspring.

Attracting these birds requires more than putting out feeders. Creating habitat for both the birds and, more importantly, insects is the key to these birds’ survival.

Let parts of your yard go a little wild. Build a brush pile and include some form of water in your yard and chances are you will begin to see more insect-eating birds like the Carolina Wren.

How to grow and care for native Asters

Three native asters: Ideal plants for our natural gardens

Our native asters are stealing the show in the meadows and open woodlands around our home reminding us that, if we are not already growing them in our gardens, its time to plant them for next fall.

In our garden the wood asters have made an appearance along with the Woodland Sunflowers, goldenrod and Black-eyed Susans across the back area of our garden.

Do Wood Asters attract pollinators?

The White Wood Asters (Eurybia divaricata), also known as Heart-Leaved Aster, are delicate whitish-blue flowers that add an airy feel to the garden and the perfect excuse for the small pollinators – native sweat bees and small butterflies as well as other insects – to stop by and enjoy a late summer harvest.

New England Asters growing in a naturalistic setting. What some people may think of as a weed, are actually beautiful native wildflowers that are vital to native bees and wildlife.

Embrace these plants and the somewhat messy look they sometimes bring to your garden and focus on the wildlife that find your garden aesthetics just perfect – because it is perfect – for them.

These perennial plants grow between 30 to 90 centimetres (12-35 inches) tall, with heart shaped leaves on the lower parts of the plant and changing to more elongated and deeply serrated on the upper reaches of the plant.

For more information on native plants, check out my earlier articles: 35 native wildflowers and Why we need to grow native plants.

If you are thinking about growing your own meadow garden, be sure to check out garden designer Angela den Hoed’s meadow garden and her five favourite plants for the meadow garden.

White wood asters, New England asters combine beautifully with goldenrod.

How to grow Wood Asters

These are a form of shade-loving asters that can be found growing naturally in dry, organic-rich woodlands and on the edges of forest areas in part shade.

Ours are growing happily on the edge of our ancient crabapple trees, where conditions seem almost ideal for them.

Although these asters will tolerate full shade or sun, they are happiest in part shade. Their beautiful, yet delicate branching clusters of pale blue flowers give a nice airy feel to the garden as well as providing a good source of nectar and pollination for both bees and butterflies.

• Hardiness Zone: 3-7

• Light: Part shade to full sun

• Moisture: Tolerates dry soil, shade to part shade neutral to slightly acidic conditions.

• Soil: clay loam to sandy loam, organic

• Mature Height: 3-feet-high

• Growth: Vigorous or aggressive, even in dry shade.

• Propagation: Can be started from seed (seeds mature in late fall), by dividing clumps in early spring or allowed to spread entirely on its own.

This informative infographic designed by Justin Lewis shows the value of the New England Aster.

Are Wood Asters a threatened species?

The Wood Asters’ range is quite broad despite its extremely limited range in Canada where it is confined to a small number of sites in the Niagara region and in more southern areas as well as a few woodlots in southwestern Quebec.

In the United States the Wood Aster ranges from New England south into Georgia and Alabama.

In Ontario, according to the government’s website, the Wood Aster has been considered a threatened species since before 2008, meaning that the plants are not yet endangered but are on that path if action is not taken.

All the more reason to plant some of these delicate little flowers in your garden.

The government website adds these quick facts about the Wood Aster:

• White wood aster seeds are dispersed by the wind but are generally not carried for long distances; this may account for its low colonization rate and restricted range

• White wood aster is also known as the Heart-leaved aster because of the shape of its lower leaves

• The flowers of White wood aster are attractive to butterflies and it is the host plant for Pearly crescents, a common North American butterfly

Right on cue our plants began to flower in mid September with their yellow and purple florets surrounded by the white petals.

The White Wood Aster likes to grow in colonies where it spreads via underground roots.

The plant’s decline in Ontario and Quebec is attributed to a number of factors, including habitat loss as well as competition from increased recreational activities ie: trampling by hikers, bikers and ATVs. Deer grazing and competition from invasive garlic mustard are also putting stresses on the plant in natural settings.

New England Asters in a naturalized setting growing among native grasses.

New England Aster: Dominant flower along roadsides and open fields

New England Asters are happy growing in part shade to full sun in our gardens and naturalized areas along our roadside and open meadows.

Plant them in sandy loam and these late summer/fall bloomers will reach heights of 5 feet with impressive, purple blooms sporting orange centres.

By cutting back the plant in mid-summer (Chelsea Chop: Link to Fine Gardening article), it’s possible to keep the plant a little more manageable throughout the fall.

New England Aster, like all late-blooming perennials, is a critical source of late-season nourishment for pollinators. If you have ever observed the plant in late summer, its attraction to native bees, butterflies and other insects is noteworthy.

New England Aster is distinguished from Smooth Blue Aster by its hairy stem.

Good companions plantings for New England Aster

If you have a meadow garden, consider pairing this aster with Goldenrod, Oxeye daisy, Woodland sunflower and late-season grasses.

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Large Leaved Aster is another winner in the woodland

Large Leaved Aster (Eurybia macrophylla) grows in part shade to full sun in zones 3 to 9. It prefers a sandy loam with medium moisture and will grow to about 4 feet tall.

This is another shade-tolerant aster that can work in a woodland-style garden. Consider planting them on the edges or in small clearings where they can benefit from some sunny periods.

The plant’s pale blue blooms are secondary to the 4-8 inch heart-shaped basal leaves that form almost a ground-cover-like carpet.

In conclusion: Asters are important in our landscapes and natural areas

It’s easy to disregard the importance of Asters in our landscapes. Many gardeners focused on aesthetic, non-native gardens would consider the plants weeds and eliminate them as soon as they seem these perennials encroaching on their gardens.

This approach is one of the main reasons asters are disappearing in gardens and open meadows throughout North America and Europe.

In turn, our native bees, butterflies, caterpillars and other insect numbers are falling and threatening the health of our birds that depend on these insects to survive and feed their young.

As woodland or naturalistic gardeners, it is rewarding to know that we are doing our small part to restore the ecosystem and protect plants that are either threatened or spiralling downward.

Embrace these plants and the somewhat messy look they sometimes bring to your garden and focus on the wildlife that find your garden aesthetics just perfect – because they are perfect.

Plant Native Sunflowers for the bees, butterflies and the birds

A grouping of Woodland sunflowers in their prime light up the edge of a forested area. The sunflowers are a magnet for native bees and butterflies and their hollow stems provide winter nesting habitat for native bees.

Woodland sunflowers are native to Ontario and parts of the United States

It’s not just good looks that make our native sunflowers a must for the woodland garden. Their popularity among butterflies, native bees, birds and other insects makes these tall shrubby plants a popular choice for wildlife gardeners.

In our garden, the multi-flowering, bright yellow Woodland sunflowers (Helianthus divaricatus) grow at the back of the property alongside other meadow-style plants such as Black-eyed susans, New England and Wood Asters. They seem happy to grow beneath our crabapples where they receive mostly dappled afternoon and late afternoon sun.

If you are looking for more information on growing native flowers, you might be interested in reading my comprehensive article: Why we should use native plants in our gardens.

The Woodland sunflower is native to the eastern United States and Canada and can be found along roadsides and on the edge of woodlands and forested areas.

A large grouping of Woodland Sunflowers looking their best backlit against a dark background.

Hardy in zones 3 to 7, they work beautifully planted along woodland edges together with Black-Eyed Susan, Scarlett and Spotted Bee-Balms, and goldenrods. They will thrive and spread quickly in full sun but also do well in partial shade.

Generally these prolific bloomers, that can grow up to 6-feet tall, can be found growing naturally in dry, open woodlands, making them perfect for our woodland gardens.

The tall stems support the 2-inch (5cm) yellow flowers that sport 8-15 petals and a darker yellow centre disk. The flowers bloom from early summer to fall. The self-seeding sunflowers spread by rhizomes accounting for the large colonies often seen growing along forest edges and roadsides.

Besides dividing the clumps every 3-4 years to control spread and maintain the plants’ vigour, these Sunflowers are generally low-maintenance with no pest or disease issues.

A single woodland sunflower growing in our garden. You can see the buds of more sunflowers preparing to bloom.

Our deer have no interest in the woodland sunflowers probably because of the plant’s tough stems and rough leaves that make them less desirable.

Even Walnut trees are no match for the woodland sunflowers.

Without a doubt, they are a favourite of bees and butterflies where they act as a host plant for more than 73 varieties of butterflies and moths as well as a number of other insects that depend on the plant.

In turn, the caterpillars and insects that use the sunflowers as host plants, attract birds that depend on the insects as a source of food.

The Painted Lady, silvery Checkerspot and Gorgone Checkerspot are just three butterflies that use native sunflowers as a host plant for their larvae.

Birds and small mammals can often be seen eating the seeds right off the fading flowers.

Our native sunflowers are also an important plant for native bees that use the plants’ hollow stems for nesting. It’s important not to cut down the plants after flowering to give native cavity nesting bees a safe, warm place to overwinter their larvae. Leave the long stems in place at least until late into spring.

More native sunflowers

• Pale-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus Stromosus) grows to just 4 feet, in sun to part sun conditions in average to dry sandy loam.

• Other native sunflowers include Giant Sunflower (Helianthus giganteus) that grows up to 10 feet in sun to partioal shade in sandy loam.

If you are on the lookout for high quality, non-GMO seed for the Pacific North West consider West Coast Seeds. The company, based in Vancouver BC says that “part of our mission to help repair the world, we place a high priority on education and community outreach. Our intent is to encourage sustainable, organic growing practices through knowledge and support. We believe in the principles of eating locally produced food whenever possible, sharing gardening wisdom, and teaching people how to grow from seed.”

Native Goldenrod: Fall’s golden gift to wildlife gardeners and photographers

Goldenrod might be the best addition to your fall garden

It might be common in your area along highways and open fields, but don’t underestimate the benefits of goldenrod in your garden.

This structural plant is not for the weak of heart. Mine stands more than six feet high, stretching up to the sky and, like a neon sign along a deserted highway, announces to every monarch, swallowtail, bee and butterfly in the area to come on over for some good eats. And they are happy to oblige.

In fact, the National Wildlife Federation, pointing to the work of author and biologist Doug Tallamy states: “Tallamy’s studies show that goldenrods provide food and shelter for 115 butterfly and moth species in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic alone. More than 11 native bee species feed specifically on the plants, and in fall, monarch butterflies depend on them for nectar to fuel their long migrations. Even in winter, songbirds find nourishment from goldenrod seed heads long after the blossoms have faded.”

If you are looking for more information on growing native flowers, you might be interested in going to my comprehensive article: Why we should use native plants in our gardens.

Goldenrod growing along the edge of a field bringing its fall early fall colour to the landscape and garden.

Does Goldenrod cause hay fever?

Let’s get this straight right off the bat – goldenrod does not cause hay fever – that would be ragweed. Goldenrod’s pollen is too heavy to be blown in the wind, while ragweed pollen takes to the air at the mere hint of a slight breeze.

It’s also important to note that not all Goldenrod is aggressive in the garden. It’s also probably a good time to note that Goldenrod is available in many forms – all beneficial to local pollinators.

We’ll get into all the different types and which ones might be good for your garden later, for now let’s just admire this native plant for what it is – a pretty, yellow magnet for bees, butterflies and other insects.

I just let it grow in my front and back gardens, not really worrying too much about its aggressive tendencies. But that’s just me.

Flower photographers love Goldenrod in the garden

I find it perfect for photography because, not only do the yellow masses of flowers form a great backdrop for the butterflies, the plants are so tall that I really don’t even have to bend over to get shots of the butterflies, insects and birds. Now, that’s a real bonus.

For more on photographing flowers in your garden, please check out my comprehensive post on Photographing flowers in your garden.

A native bumblebee works the goldenrod in our backyard as it comes into bloom.

Let’s take a closer look at this fall performer.

Goldenrod is actually a common name for a number of plants in the sunflower family within the genus Solidago. In fact, there are around 120 species of goldenrods native to the Americas, northern Africa, Europe and Asia.

In North America, about eight of these species are used as garden plants where they happily set roots in full sun to partial sunny areas in almost any average to below-average, well-drained soil. These herbaceous perennials, that are pretty much pest free, can grow from about 1.5-6 feet tall with a spread of 1-3 feet.

In very fertile soil, you may have to stake them to stop them from falling over when their heavily flowering tops get too heavy to stand on their own.

Although there are a number of hybrids that have a more compact size or flower more heavily, don’t bother with them. Stick to the native varieties and you will likely have fewer problems, help native wildlife more and sleep easier at night knowing you’re not introducing some weird, aggressive new plant to our already compromised natural environment struggling to fend off all the cultivars we have introduced over the years.

Goldenrod fills many roadsides in late summer and fall creating a tapestry of subtle fall colours.

Some native varieties to consider include:

• Blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia) is one of the more rare Goldenrod species and sports the common latesummer and fall bright yellow flowers. The plant gets its name from its arching purplish stems. This particular Goldenrod is noted because it not an aggressive spreader and produces good cut flowers. Plant it along with Smooth Blue Aster and New England Aster for some spectacular fall colour and pollinator action. Blue Stemmed Goldenrod is hardy from zone 4 through 7.

• Autumn Goldenrod (Solidago sphecelata), is the native plant that horticulturalists like to use to make various cultivars from primarily because of its compact size. Autumn Goldenrod tends to stay to within a foot or two with its arching stems and plumes of yellow flowers.

• Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) lives up to its name with its dense clusters of small yellow flowers that grow in a pyramidal- or club-shaped column, sitting atop the 1-5-foot tall reddish stems. It is considered one of the showiest of Goldenrods.

• Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago odora) This is a more compact native variety that reaches two- to four-feet. You’ll find it growing naturally in dry, sandy, open wooded areas thickets and ravines. It’s distinguishing feature is its anise-scented leaves and the fact that it is another goldenrod that is considered less aggressive in a garden environment. It is a clump-forming, easy to grow, low maintenance plant that reaches up to 4-feet high and attracts birds, bees butterflies and hummingbirds. It’s found growing naturally in meadows or open woodlands.

• White Goldenrod (Solidago bicolor) you guessed it, rather than sporting the typical yellow flowers, this goldenrod likes to show off white blooms.

• Wrinklelfeaf or Rough Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) if you have a moist area in the garden, this three- to five-foot goldenrod is the one to use. It’s distinctive narrow, toothed, rough-surfaced leaves and rough, hairy stems earned the plant its name.

Even as cut flowers the Goldenrod looks great in the garden but be careful, they’ll still be attracting the bees.

It’s time for a little gold in the garden

Just about the time the Black-eyed Susans get into full swing, the Goldenrods come along and add even more gold to our landscapes. They ride that gold right into late fall and are still adding to the beauty of the garden when the snow falls and forms a little blanket atop the browning flower clusters.

Throughout fall, the goldenrod and asters form a perfect combination of warm golds and cool blues along our roads and in meadows creating incredibly textured landscapes throughout Ontario and into the north-eastern parts of the United States.

Goldenrod gone to seed in my garden in late fall.

The activity these plants create among the remaining bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other backyard wildlife is reason enough to grow our own patches of these lovely native plants. We let ours grow wild where the seeds land, but these plants can be tamed and grown in the back of gardens with great success.

If you don’t already have them in your woodland/meadow garden, put them on your list for next year.

You won’t be disappointed.

Get the most out of your compact camera: Ten tips to better photos

Beginners should focus on scene modes for best results

Getting the most out of your compact camera is the first step to creating your best photographic images.

Hidden in the depths of many compact cameras are a host of creative filters, scene modes and special effects that most photographers either never explore in any meaningful way, or don’t even know their little camera offers these capabilities. Beginning photographers will benefit from learning how to take advantage of these filters and scene modes to get the most out of the camera.

Reconsider leaving your camera on automatic and explore the scene modes to maximize your results.

For more on Photographing your garden, be sure to check out my comprehensive post on Flower Photography in your Garden.

In this image, I used a in-camera filter available in most digital cameras that takes a B&W photo of the image but lets the user choose a colour or two colours that are displayed. In this case, the dark purple salvia flower was highlighted.

The best advice I can give is to:

• Place your camera manual on the table beside your favourite couch and read it – several times. If it’s a digital manual, download it to your computer and keep your computer nearby. Keep it handy for the first two or three months until you believe you know every part of the camera and its features. (I like to flip through the manual while watching television.)

• Leave the camera in the same spot beside the couch. Pick it up regularly and go through the menus learning the features and how to quickly access them.

• Now go out regularly with the intent of using these features, filters and scene modes. Get comfortable with them to the point that you can access them quickly and efficiently even if they are buried deep in the menus.

• Don’t believe what you read that you have to use manual modes like aperture and shutter priority. There is a time to use these modes, but often the scene modes will serve you better, especially if you understand what is happening to your camera when you use these specialized modes. Many camera manuals will actually provide a brief explanation of what settings are used on the camera in the various modes.

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The macro mode in the Fujifilm X10 was used to capture this image of the forest floor. Photographing images like this is a great way to experiment with using the various features and modes in the camera.

Eleven tips to improved photography with compact cameras

1. Know your compact camera and how to quickly access menus and features.

2. Keep the ISO as low as possible. You are dealing with a small sensor that will get noisy (grainy) quickly in high-ISO settings

3. Use in-camera stabilization to help keep ISO levels low and images sharp.

4. Treat the camera like a DSLR and put it on a tripod if you are shooting landscapes to get the sharpest images possible with low ISO and a high aperture. Use the self-timer feature to set the shutter without touching the camera.

5. If you are using a tripod, turn off in-camera stabilization.

6. If you are using in-camera stabilization, use proven traditional methods to hold the camera steady, including bracing yourself against a wall or tree, pushing the viewfinder up to your eye to help brace the camera or using a monopod, say at a sporting event. No need to turn off the in-camera stabilization if you are using a monopod.

7. Gently press the shutter button rather than jamming at it to take the picture. Pressing the shutter quickly and with force may cause camera shake and make the photo look out of focus.

8. Use the burst feature to shoot multiple images of a scene to ensure one of the images is sharp. Use side-by-side comparisons in post processing to pick the sharpest image.

9. Consider setting the in-camera bracketing feature to ensure you obtain the best exposure. Obtaining perfect exposure is more important on a compact camera than it is on a larger sensored camera, because the smaller files cannot handle as much post processing.

10. Shoot in RAW whenever possible and if you are comfortable doing post processing in programs like Lightroom or Photoshop. If you don’t like processing RAW images, consider using the Raw plus jpeg setting to ensure you have the opportunity to post process an important image if necessary but still retain the more convenient jpeg image.

11. Take advantage of the scene modes provided by most compact cameras, but also take the time to learn what the camera is doing in these scene modes so you can make adjustments if necessary.

Here, a combination of macro mode and B&W mode is used to capture this image of the forest floor. Fujifilm’s X10 enables the photographer to experiment with B&W digital film including the use of B&W filters that darken skies or lighten foliage. Experimenting with these features helps to prepare you for the time when you need them.

What compact camera features should I focus on?

Focus on the camera features you use the most and get totally comfortable using them.

Garden photographers, for example, might want to get acquainted with, macro mode, sports /action mode, portrait mode, and pet mode. These are obvious features that come to mind but night-shooting mode including night portraits are shooting modes that you might want to get familiar with before you are forced to use them.

Macro mode is obviously a feature for garden photographers to get comfortable using. Just set the camera on the macro mode and go out into the garden to experiment getting up close to flowers and insects. Don’t wait until you come across a beautiful butterfly to learn how macro mode works. By experimenting with the macro feature, you will get comfortable, for example, with how close you can get to the subject.

You’ll also learn how far away you can be while using the zoom feature to get in as close as possible. This is particularly useful to get images of butterflies from a distance.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. There is no cost to this exercise accept your time.

Try shooting with and without flash to see how the results change and how your camera handles flash up close.

The macro feature is just one of many camera features to focus on.

If, for example, you are going to watch your childs’ ball game, take the camera and use the opportunity to experiment with the action or sports mode. Set the camera on “action mode” and fire away.

Feel free to use the manual modes to capture game action, but unless you are very comfortable setting the aperture and shutter speeds setting the ISO and turning on burst modes, let the camera’s technology do most of the work for you.

Afterall, camera manufacturers have put a lot of thought into coming up with the best camera settings for the various modes.

One of my favourite cameras for creative modes is the Pentax Q. For my comprehensive post on this tiny camera, check out my post on The Pentax Q, and why you need one in 2022.

What are the best compact and micro 4/3rd cameras for 2022?

If you are wondering what the best compact cameras for 2022 are, here is a short list of some of the top compact cameras Fuji, Sony, Lumix, Canon and Leica.

The Fujifilm X100V, boasts an APS-C sensor and 24.3 megapixels along with its 23mm, fast f2 lens. It’s got a hybrid optical electronic viewfinder and a 3-inch fixed LCD screen. This is for more serious photographers who are looking for fine craftmanship and are happy with using a prime lens rather than a more versatile zoom lens. I’ve included a few links from various locations if you are interested in purchasing the camera.

Fuji X100V (Adorama)

Fuji X100V (B&H)

Fuji X100V (Amazon)

Sony ZV1 boasts 20.1 megapixels in in 1-inch sensor. It sports a fast 24-70mm zoom lens and a 3-inch screen. This enthusiast camera has very fast auto focus and a screen that can be moved to multiple views. This camera lacks a viewfinder but is a very capable camera for video.

Sony ZV-1 (Adorama)

Sony ZV-1 (B&H)

Sony ZV-1 (Amazon)

Not quite a “compact” camera but the Panasonic Lumix G9 is a mirrorless, 20.3 megapixel camera with a 3-inch LCD and interchangeable lenses in the micro 4/3rds category. It is a professional photo and video camera that has class leading dual image stabilization and outstanding video.

The Panasonic DMC-ZS 100K is a compact point and shoot 20megapixel camera with a 10X optical zoom ranging from 25-250mm (35mm equivalent). Like your phone, it has a touch screen on the back and is fully equipped to handle any challenge you may face.

Panasonic DMC-ZS100K (Henry’s Cda)

Panasonic DMC-ZS100K (Adorama)

Panasonic Lumix G9 (B&H)

Panasonic Lumix G9 (Amazon)

Adding punch of colour to images can be done with in-camera filters. Here, “vivid film” was chosen to add a punch of colour to the photograph of the container pond along side containers of flowers.

How does “sports/action mode” work on a compact camera?

Let’s examine what happens to the camera when you set it on “sports/action mode.”

Most cameras, when set on “action mode” will make a series of alterations to your camera settings to best capture fast-moving subjects.

• First, the ISO setting on the camera will set the ISO to a high number to give the camera it’s best chance of stopping any action.

• Second, it will set the shutter speed to a higher level to reduce the blur caused by the action on the field.

• Third, it will set the aperture to provide as much light as possible so that the shutter can fire at a rate fast enough to stop the action. As a result, the depth of field will be limited.

• The camera will likely choose continuous-focus mode as well as burst mode or continuous shooting mode.

• The camera may choose other features to enable your best action photos, such as turning off the flash and turning on anti-shake mode if it is not already in use.

This Panasonic Lumix camera’s mode dial shows the various modes available to the photographer including a custom mode (CUST), scene mode (SCN), two my scene modes (MS1-2), a movie mode, intelligent mode, program mode as well as aperture, shutter and full manual mode.

All of these actions are turned on in a fraction of a second and the camera is ready for capturing the big game.

Knowing what the camera is doing in sports mode, should also give you ideas of how to use this mode for other subjects.

If I see a fox trotting through the garden, “sports/action mode” is the first mode I go to to capture the scene. With only seconds to capture the fox as it trots through the garden, there is no time to make the changes necessary to capture the scene.

A fast shutter speed was used to help stop the motion of this hummingbird. Using action or sports mode will help you capture images of birds and animals in the garden. Using TV or time value will also help you capture the action if you choose a shutter speed of 500/sec or faster. Finding a compromise between a high shutter speed and setting a high ISO is key to capturing good, usable images.

The action mode is likely the one I would choose to capture kids playing at the park, or the dog having a great time in her pool or the hummingbird working the flowers while I sip my morning coffee.

Why use the custom features over scene modes?

Many high-end compact cameras also have custom modes that enable you to set the camera for your most-used situations such as portrait, B&W images or action photography.

Custom modes are excellent alternatives to using scene modes because they allow you to dial in all the settings you need to create the desired effects. For example, action mode may allow your camera to automatically pick an ISO setting higher than 1600, but you know that the resulting image is not very good. The custom setting would allow you to limit the ISO to say 800 or 1000 ISO.

How does portrait mode make better people photos?

We’ve discussed some of the camera settings in action mode, let’s look at what goes on in portrait mode. There is more to the portrait mode than you might think. Although each camera manufacturer will set their portrait mode differently, the number of changes might surprise you.

Consider the following possibilities:

• Change the f-stop to wide open to create a pleasing background

• Take several images at once in and out of focus to help create a lovely soft background

• Change the colour calibrations to create a warmer, more pleasant skin tone for portraiture. Some camera manufacturers – including Fujifilm cameras – have included the colour parameters of their former portraiture films so that users can experience classic portrait film in digital form.

• Add a softening filter or effect to create the illusion of softer, blemish-free skin.

• Lower the ISO for a less grainy or noisy effect.

• Turn the flash on or off. If the flash is on, add red-eye reduction. (My Fujifilm X10 even has a handy feature where the camera takes the portrait with and without flash. The photographer can then choose the image they like best.

• I’m sure there are other changes depending on the camera manufacturer, but these changes to the camera settings should give you a good idea how much thought goes into creating the best settings for successful images using the scene modes and why you should consider using them.

These two images show how effective using the HDR mode can be. The above image shows the non-HDR image where the lighting between the hi-lights and shadows is extreme. By using the HDR mode, the PentaxQ took two fast images exposing for the hi-lights and shadows and then combining them into one image (see below).

The final HDR image finds a middle ground between the highlights and shadows. HDR can be used effectively in a number of situations where the lighting extremes call for it.

Other modes, such as HDR (see above), combine several photos taken in quick succession to remove the extreme highlights and shadows and give you a properly exposed image. (Useful when shooting a cityscape from inside your condo when you want to balance the indoor light with the outdoor light.

Other modes and what they do:

• Scenic modes often enhance blue skies and add punch to green foliage.

• Kid modes enhance skin tones while capturing fast-moving subjects.

• Pet modes allow you to capture fast-moving subjects.

• Food modes (popular for instagram) enhance colour to create more appetizing food.

• Sunset modes enhance warm colours creating more dramatic sunrise and sunset effects.

• Fireworks mode uses long exposures to capture the fireworks.

There are many more modes that are set up to help photographers get good images in unusual or difficult situations. Once again, experiment with the modes that you expect to use regularly.

When is the best time to use manual modes

So far, we have discussed the benefit of using scene modes rather than the manual modes such as aperture priority mode (AV), or shutter priority mode (TV) or full manual mode (M).

Once you become more comfortable with the camera, using manual modes gives you more control of the camera. The scene modes are very good most of the time, especially in difficult or unusual situations, but there are times when you want full control of the camera settings.

In these situations you can set your aperture and shutter speed and let the ISO change automatically to create the proper exposure. It’s a good idea to restrict the ISO to a specific range (depending on the camera) so that the ISO levels do not go so high that they degrade the image.

By controlling the aperture, you gain control over the depth of field in the image including the perceived sharpness of the subject and/or the softness of the background.

By controlling the shutter, you gain control over the ability to stop movement or create movement in the image. You would want to stop the motion of a flower getting blown in a gentle breeze, but show the movement of a stream cascading over rocks creating the effect of soft, moving water.

Although there are scene modes in many cameras that help you create the effect of flowing water, having complete control allows you to change the look of the water in greater detail.

Final thoughts on maximizing your compact camera

For most beginning photographers, the compact camera is often the first and the best camera to purchase. Becoming familiar with the features and getting comfortable with the camera menus helps to quickly access the features when you need to and takes much of the thinking out of using the camera whether in the garden or on vacation.

By making use of the scene modes and the various filters built-in to these cameras, you can take professional looking images that just might surprise you and your friends.

As you get more comfortable with the camera, learning when to use the scene modes and filters will probably be the most difficult part of getting great photos.

Finally, when you are comfortable with the camera and understand its inner workings, you can move to more manual control and take your pictures to another level.

Over time, getting great images and developing a good eye will become second nature and you will know you have discovered the joy of photography.