Solmate socks are always super popular in the shop and for good reasons! Aside from the fun patterns and bright colours, they’re mismatched with love. The company uses sustainably sourced, eco-friendly fibers. This means that textile waste that would have gone to landfill is upcycled into quality yarns without adding any additional dyes to keep […]
Category: Avant-Garden Blog
GARDEN GATE: Episode 279 – Squirrel Buster Suet! (Nov 10, 2023)
It’s getting colder so that means it’s time to get out your suet feeders! Suet is easily digestible fat and calories which provides fast energy for hungry birds. In this episode the Squirrel Buster Suet is in the spotlight. This is a great feeder to keep the squirrels from devouring all the tasty suet before […]
What do trail mix and feeding birds have in common?
Imagine a bowl of trail mix in front of you. Assuming no nut allergies, you may be faced with peanuts, cashews, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and M&Ms. Many people “high-grade,” sifting through and picking out favourites and leaving the rest behind. I know I end up eating a lot of peanuts and sunflower seeds if […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 278 – Setting Up a Feeding Station (Oct 27, 2023)
Fall is the perfect time to set up a bird feeding station. The weather is just starting to change and it’s best to get the poles in the ground before it freezes. Unlike a shepherds hook, with our pole system you can customize the height with extensions and even add additional hangers. This can be […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 277 – The Importance of a Clean Feeder (Oct 13, 2023)
It’s the time of year when we’re seeing a lot of different birds migrating through the area. Some are heading south from here, some coming from the north to our feeders for winter, or simply passing through. It’s really important to have good quality seed, and to make sure your feeders are clean. Birds don’t […]
Helping birds with the challenges of migration
The birds continue their southward movement for the winter. Some have already finished, others are passing through, and still others are yet to come. Migration’s a tough slog filled with risks, including window strikes, cats, and starvation. Window strikes are a bigger issue with high-rise office and apartment buildings. Most passerines migrate at night, using […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 276 – Fragrance for your home (Sept 29, 2023)
As we begin feeling cooler temperatures and start closing our windows, we start thinking about different ways to fragrance the home. Michel Design has many beautiful soap bars that when put out on a soap dish provide a nice lasting scent. Or choose from one of many lovely foaming soaps. Candles are always a nice […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 275 – Fall colours and décor! (Sept 15, 2023)
Fall is such a beautiful time of year filled with colours that celebrate the changing of seasons. It comes fast and goes too quickly. Now is the time to get your new fall flags, mats and décor to enjoy before the snow comes. We also have a limited amount of handblown glass pumpkins from Kitras! […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 274 – Canadian Made Metal Art (Sept 1, 2023)
At the Avant-Garden Shop we love supporting Canadian artists. Currently there are five different metal artists here at the shop. Some art is for hanging on the wall, some are on a base to display indoors, and some are on spikes to decorate your garden! Pieces for outdoors are powder coated so they won’t […]
Oh, the birds! The birds’ fall movements have begun
Fall means lots of birds passing through our area as they leave their warm, food-rich northern breeding areas to spend their winters in warm, food-rich, southern climes. These movements have begun. I’ve written blog posts the past two Septembers about migration and how you can support birds as they make these incredibly exhausting and dangerous […]
