Niki Jabbour's Blog, page 74

Savvy Gardening Part 2

Well, it's been a crazy few days since Savvy Gardening launched! Not even 48 hours later and we have over 600 'likes' on Facebook and thousands of visits to the site - Thank you!

I'm getting a lot of comments asking how the four savvy gardening gals got together.. we just added a post on the site with more details (How We Met), but to sum up, we really came together 6 months ago in Quebec City when we were all attending the annual Garden Writer Symposium. I had already known both Tara and Jessica for a few years, but they had never met. Then, the three of us connected with Amy. The rest is history and six months later, Savvy Gardening was ready to launch!

Here are a few photos of us 'working hard' at that Quebec symposium as well as Canada Blooms 2013.

Tara and I with the wonderful Liz Primeau (of Canadian
Gardening magazine and TV fame)
Tara and Amy goofing off in Quebec City!
Amy and I trying to figure out how to fit these bold frames in our luggage?
Can't you just picture them whimsically arranged on a fence? Or another
garden structure?
Jessica hamming it up in one of the veggie
gardens we visited.
Amy looking cool in the summer
heat during one of the morning
garden tours.

Savvy Gardening

Big news to announce! For the past 6 months, I've been working with some of my favourite garden writers to create a new website. One that wouldn't just regurgitate all the typical garden advice, but would offer fresh & innovative ideas for growing food, flowers and supporting the diverse ecosystem in our gardens. Plus, it would be nice to find some easy ways to save money with creative DIY projects!

Therefore, I'm happy to (finally) announce the launch of Savvy Gardening! This project is a collaboration between the wonderful Jessica Walliser, Tara Nolan, Amy Andrychowicz and myself. We come from different geographical areas, gardening zones and backgrounds, but we each bring our own individual strengths and passions to the site. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

I'd love to hear some feedback on this project, so please feel free to comment! :)

It's arrived! The first copy of Groundbreaking Food Gardens hot off the presses!

Hello, what's this?Two posts in one day - can you believe it?

Just a few hours after my last post, my doorbell rang. UPS had a package for me - the first copy of Groundbreaking Food Gardens! So exciting to finally see 2 1/2 years of work in its final form. I can't wait until it is available in stores - about 5 more weeks - but for now, I'm thrilled be able to hold it in my hands.

I'll share more details as time goes on, but I can honestly say that this book would not have been possible if it wasn't for the wonderful work by the 72 contributors whose plans, ideas and gardening techniques are shared in these pages. Their patience at my many (many!) questions, follow up questions and follow up, follow up questions was very appreciated. I hope you enjoy peeking into their gardens as much as I enjoyed writing about them.

And a warm, heartfelt thank you to all of you! Thank you, thank you!!


Sweet!! It's arrived!
A little peek inside! :)

Throwback Thursday - Edible Garden Edges

An edible edge of mixed baby lettuces - oak leaf,
Black Seeded Simpson, red romaine, etc.Another snowy icy day. And more snow coming tomorrow.. anyone else getting tired of winter?? Therefore, for today's post, I thought I'd venture deep into my photo achieves and dig out a few spring-like shots of the garden.
Lo and behold, I found these beauties.. some of the edible edges I have used to border my veggie garden beds. These are all lettuce based edges and can be planted quite early in spring, refreshed in early summer and replanted in late summer for a fall crop.
Growing an edible edge offers several benefits:Boosts production - no wasted space!Prevents soil erosion - especially when beds aren't bordered with wood or another materialDepending what you choose to grow, your edge could act as a trap crop, preventing pests like aphids from munching on your veggies.Looks fabulous!! Need I say more? 

Love these lettuces - a red lollo rossa, a butter crunch variety
and 'Drunken Woman', which has flamboyant red and
green frilled leaves. I just alternated them around
the whole bed - eye catching!
A tasty mixture of oak leaf lettuce with curly parsley.