The Avant-Garden Shop: Your Garden & Bird Store

Job opening!

Do you love birds? Gardening?  Are you a multi-tasker? Friendly? This award winning business is looking for someone who comes to work with a positive attitude and who is willing to learn on the job. If the following describes you we are interested in meeting you: • You should have some experience working in a … Read more

Garden Gate” Episode 212 Bird houses

Besides bird feeders and bird baths, some birds also need nesting boxes. We carry a few different lines from different suppliers, but they’re all made in Canada. Our most popular are the practical designs by Animal House Creations in Lakefield, Ontario. We have houses for chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, owls, blue birds, robins, doves, butterflies and … Read more

Garden Gate: Episode 211- Suet and peanuts for the birds (March 12th, 2021)

In the colder months, suet and peanuts are excellent sources of fat for the birds. This helps to keep them warm during long cold winter nights. Our peanut ring is one feeder that customers (and the birds) love! These can be filled with whole peanuts and also our perfectly sized suet balls (available in 6 … Read more

Garden Gate: Episode 210 -Eliminating Grackles and starlings (Feb. 26, 2021)

Once we hit March, the grackles and starlings are starting to show up at feeders again. They can be so annoying and will take over your bird feeders and scare away all the more appealing birds. On this episode I show you some different feeders, and seed that you can offer to help eliminate them … Read more

Garden Gate: Episode 209 – Plants to attract birds to your garden

Often times our customers will wonder why they aren’t getting birds to their feeders. On this episode I show you some different trees, shrubs and perennials that you can add to your garden to attract a wider variety of birds. Birds are not attracted to yards with only grass. They find food in trees, shrubs … Read more

Garden Gate: Episode 208 – Building a squirrel proof bird feeding station (Jan 29, 2020)

Setting up a squirrel proof bird feeding station can be done! You just need to be smarter than the squirrels! And I think you are! Squirrels can climb poles, clothes lines, shepherds hooks and they can jump up 4-5′. Squirrels can also launch themselves 10-12′ from deck rails, gazebos, your roof, trees, clothes lines etc. … Read more

Garden Gate: Episode 207 – Photography tips (Jan 15, 2021)

It’s fun to watch the birds but it’s also great to be able to photograph them to share with friends and family. Cell phones are ok, but having a good camera with an additional zoom lens makes your pictures even more interesting. My go to camera shop is Peterborough Photo in downtown Peterborough. The staff … Read more

Garden Gate: Episode 206 – Feeding birds in the winter (Jan. 1st, 2021)

Hulled peanuts, hulled sunflower seeds, suet are the perfect food to offer at this time of year. Whether you spread a bit of suet on some tree bark or offer it in a feeder, there are all kinds of options! Check out this episode for more information. Thank you to Tanya Jones for the use … Read more

The Avant-Garden Shop