Canada Gardener's Journal with Steven Biggs
Down The Garden Path Podcast
This week, Joanne welcomes horticulturist Stephen Biggs back to the podcast to talk about his latest project, the newly expanded About Steven Steven was recognized by Garden Making magazine as one of the “green gang” making a difference in Canadian horticulture. His home-garden experiments span driveway straw-bale gardens, a rooftop kitchen garden, fruit plantings, and an edible-themed front yard. He’s a horticulturist, award-winning broadcaster and author, and former horticulture instructor with George Brown and Durham Colleges in Ontario, Canada. His other books...
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Soil Testing with Amy Ellard-Gray
Down The Garden Path Podcast
This week on the podcast, Joanne discusses soil testing with The Hobby Homestead's Amy Ellard-Gray, who grows 75% of her family’s fruits and vegetables in her Guelph backyard. About Amy Amy runs The Hobby Homestead in suburban Guelph, where she cultivates over 100 varieties of native plants to support the local ecosystem. Through her , , , and in-person consultations, she helps people design and troubleshoot their own food-growing spaces. Her mantra, “growing food in harmony with nature,” guides everything she does, from tending soil life to welcoming wildlife into the garden....
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Transitioning to Indoor Gardening
Down The Garden Path Podcast
This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne shares her passion for indoor gardening with practical winter houseplant care tips and a reminder that there’s always something new to learn and grow. Topics discussed: 1. From Annuals to Houseplants It's time to turn your attention to houseplants as gardening shifts indoors. Don't rush out to buy new plants: friends and family often have extras or cuttings to share. 2. Winter Care Basics During shorter days and lower light levels, houseplants slow down their growth. Do not fertilize in winter; they’re not actively growing. Keep watering...
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Mythic Plants with Ellen Zachos
Down The Garden Path Podcast
This week, Joanne welcomes Ellen Zachos, author of 11 books on plants, including her latest, . About Ellen A Harvard graduate, Ellen's first career was on Broadway (Les Miz), but the gift of a peace lily on opening night opened her eyes to the wonderful world of plants. Ellen taught at the New York Botanical Garden for many years and also served as Coordinator of the Gardening Department in Continuing Ed, before moving to Santa Fe, NM. She was named a Great American Gardener by the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Her 11th book, , was published this year. Inspiration & Research ...
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The Suburban Gardenista
Down The Garden Path Podcast
This week on the podcast, Joanne welcomes Brandie, the Suburban Gardenista, an avid gardener passionate about supporting pollinators with native plants. Brandie is Pollinator Stewardship Certified by Pollinator Partnership Canada and loves sharing her learnings through podcasts, workshops, and social media. You can find her online on and @thesuburbangardenista. Brandie’s Gardening Journey Began gardening ~20 years ago after moving into a home with no plants Inspired by her mother’s lush gardens Discovered native plants through growing Obedient Plant — her “gateway”...
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How to Overwinter Your Annuals
Down The Garden Path Podcast
If your summer containers still look surprisingly lush, don't toss them out just yet. This week on the podcast, Joanne discusses how, with a little care, you can enjoy them again next year. Tune in to learn how to overwinter your annuals. Topics discussed: Many annuals are still looking great in mid-October — don’t toss them yet! You can successfully overwinter several annuals to save money and enjoy them again next year. There’s no single foolproof method; success depends on the type of plant, growing conditions, and care. Joanne shares three main methods: bringing the whole plant...
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Fall Isn’t Finished — Your Trees Are Thirsty!
Down The Garden Path Podcast
This week on the podcast, Joanne discusses the importance of watering your trees and evergreens throughout October and November. Topics discussed: This summer was the driest summer on record, with only 96 millimetres of rain Although 2024 had more rain, half of it came in a single storm: our rainfall patterns are inconsistent and insufficient By late July or early August, many people give up on watering their gardens and lawns due to the dry conditions Water trees, especially a the drip line rather than just the trunk, once or twice a week until the ground freezes Consider using tree bags for...
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October in the Garden
Down The Garden Path Podcast
In this encore presentation of October in the Garden, Joanne Shaw reviews some of the tasks you can do this month, but don't worry, it's not as labour-intensive as you think! Tasks you can do this month: Vegetable Gardens Clean up and remove the old stems of your tomato or pepper plants that have stopped producing. Sow cool-weather plants like lettuce and some spinach: they grow better in the shoulder seasons, late spring /early summer or fall. Buy plants at a garden centre or start seeds and sow them right into the garden. Top up the vegetable garden with some compost or manure to get ahead...
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Adding Asters to Your Garden
Down The Garden Path Podcast
In this encore episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne discusses how to extend the blooming season in your garden by adding asters. Topics covered in this week's episode: Gardens don't have to stop blooming in September. We can extend the season to October and November. It’s very important to have because the pollinators still need something blooming. There are over 30 different species of asters. They have a huge variety of growing conditions, so there is an aster for whatever challenging growing condition you have. Here are the five asters discussed: New England Aster, Symphyotrichum...
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BIOS + Ryzome New Plant Fertilizer with Aaron Deacon
Down The Garden Path Podcast
This week, Joanne welcomes Aaron Deacon from BIOS Nutrients back to the podcast to discuss the newest addition to his product line, a game-changing plant fertilizer in collaboration with and the Natural Fertilizer Innovation and Philosophy Aaron started BIOS Nutrients five years ago after being laid off during COVID, initially focusing on making natural fertilizers and pesticides for cannabis growing. Expanded from houseplants to gardening and commercial growing, developing a commercially registered liquid fertilizer made from food waste. Aaron explained his fermentation-based...
info_outlineThis week, Joanne welcomes Ellen Zachos, author of 11 books on plants, including her latest, Mythic Plants: Potions and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods.
About Ellen
A Harvard graduate, Ellen's first career was on Broadway (Les Miz), but the gift of a peace lily on opening night opened her eyes to the wonderful world of plants. Ellen taught at the New York Botanical Garden for many years and also served as Coordinator of the Gardening Department in Continuing Ed, before moving to Santa Fe, NM. She was named a Great American Gardener by the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Her 11th book, Mythic Plants: Potions & Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods, was published this year.
Inspiration & Research
- Grew from Ellen’s Greek heritage and lifelong love of mythology and plants.
- Greek mythology felt personally significant; she wasn’t drawn to Norse or Indian myths.
- Extensive research across historical texts; citations couldn’t fit in the print book, but are available online.
Plant Stories & Mythology Connections
- Nepenthe (Poppy):
- In Homer’s Odyssey, Helen of Troy prepared Nepenthe—an “anti-sorrow” drink of wine and opium poppy.
- Calmed grief temporarily. Linnaeus later named the tropical pitcher plant Nepenthes after this myth, believing its beauty could lift sorrow.
- Moly (Snowdrop):
- Hermes gave Odysseus “Moly” to protect him from Circe’s spells.
- Described as a plant with black roots and white flowers—likely the snowdrop (Galanthus).
- Contains galantamine, which counters hallucinations—aligning with the myth’s antidote effect.
- Modern research explores galantamine for Alzheimer’s treatment.
- Fig:
- Valued food in ancient Greece, consumed fresh or dried before refrigeration existed.
- Special laws governed fig harvesting; penalties for theft were severe.
- Ancient figs required complex pollination (caprification).
- Some myths surrounding figs are notably “saucy.”
- Pine Tree:
- Associated with violent origin myths, but also practical uses.
- Pine nuts were a staple food; pine resin sealed wine vessels, the origin of Retsina wine.
- Modern Retsina has a milder pine flavour, enjoyed especially in Greek summer settings.
- Aconitum (Monkshood):
- Misunderstood as poisonous to touch—false. Dangerous only if ingested.
- Blooms beautifully when few others do; it is resistant to deer and rabbits.
- Ellen wishes for a “Plant Mythbusters” show to debunk misinformation about plant toxicity.
- Daffodil (Narcissus):
- Linked to the myth of Narcissus falling in love with his reflection.
- Also central to the Persephone story, Zeus created a daffodil to lure her before Hades abducted her.
- Explains the origin of winter and spring cycles through Demeter’s grief and renewal.
Themes & Insights
- Plants in Greek mythology were deeply symbolic, medicinal, and magical.
- Many ancient uses align with modern scientific knowledge.
- The book groups plants thematically into short, easy-to-read chapters, ideal for bedtime or book clubs.
- Appeals to gardeners, historians, herbalists, and mythology enthusiasts.
Ellen’s Life & Work Today
- Now based in Santa Fe with a small, fully edible garden.
- Enjoys discovering new drought-tolerant plants in a vastly different climate.
- Former rooftop gardener in New York City; designed and maintained terrace gardens.
- Also teaches and speaks across the U.S.—including the upcoming Herb Society of America Conference in Texas (April).
- Other popular books: How to Forage for Wild Foods Without Dying, Backyard Foraging, The Wildcrafted Cocktail, The Forager’s Pantry.
- Advocates for safe, informed foraging and appreciation of wild edibles.
- Mythic Plants features beautiful botanical illustrations by Lisel Ashlock.
Mythic Plants makes a great gift and is available on Amazon! Find Ellen Zachos on Instagram.
Other Resources Mentioned in the Show:
Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden
Down the Garden Path Podcast
On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.
In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.
Get your copy today on Amazon.
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