Shows / The Garden Shift
The Garden Shift
A podcast about becoming a guardian of your garden with host Tina Cesaroni and friends. Informal conversations about ecological gardening, including -nature observations -less lawn and more plants - critters to co-exist with -caterpillars, moths, butterflies, birds & bees to name a few -messy garden beds -meadows -native plants to know and grow -invasive plants to remove -Ontario native plant nurseries for you to visit -ecological news I hope you laugh a bit and learn a lot. More good stuff…
Episodes
The Garden ShiftA Bit More Botany with Ryan Godfrey
Do you like a Q & A ? This is an episode full of interesting details - everything from phytotoxins, phenology, flower color pigment, herbivory and it's effects…
The Garden ShiftProject Feeder Watch with Andrea Gress of Birds Canada
Brand new to birding? No problem with Project Feeder Watch. Winter is coming and you can join a community project that will deepen your connection to nature…
The Garden ShiftReWild Soils with Colleen Dempster
Rooted in science and guided by biology Colleen wants you to activate your soil. As a certified Soil Food Web Laboratory Technician she will show you the…
The Garden ShiftSouth Coast Gardens with Kevin Kavanagh
This episode is filled with stories, from Kevin's early life in Quebec working summers in bogs and wetlands propagating blueberries to fundraising and advocacy…
The Garden ShiftA Laidback Biologist with Audrey Martel
Audrey Martel wants you to find your place in nature. Having worked with The Nature Conservancy of Canada and now as an ecology writer for the well known…
The Garden ShiftPhenology and Climate Change with Rebecca Last Guenette
Phenology explores the timing of cyclical events in nature. Your garden is part of the natural world. Rebecca Last Guenette is a scientist and Master Gardener…
The Garden ShiftCommunity Science with iNaturalist
iNaturalist is like Facebook for people who want to be in nature and help collect data on everything wild , like animals and plants. Friend of The Garden Shift…
The Garden ShiftEvolution of a Gardener - Rebecca Davis Scott , Green Thumbs Growing Kids
Rebecca Davis Scott has found magic in her career in horticulture. As Program and Volunteer Manager at Green Thumbs Growing Kids her fascination with insects…
The Garden ShiftHarnessing Creativity for the Benefit of the Environment with Blaine Pearson
Speaking to Blaine Pearson, CEO and Co-Founder of Seedark quickly reveals a person with a creative edge. In this episode we explore a few of her initiatives…
The Garden ShiftThe Toronto Plant Market with Jonas Spring, Parker Dirks and Julia Pingeton
Welcome to Season Three. This episode was recorded onsite at the Toronto Plant Market. As ecological gardeners it's important to know where your plants come…
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Garden Observations with Douglas Counter
You may remember Douglas from Season 2. His storm infiltration boulevard in Etobicoke is well documented. Douglas joins to continue the conversation about all…
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Educating Through Art with Tidal & Timber Studio
Season 2 closes with Kirstin Hicks of Tidal & Timber Studio -she brings the flora and fauna of coastal and boreal landscapes closer to home through her art…
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Getting Started with Lorraine Johnson
This episode was first shared in Season One. It's one of my favorites because it's filled with good advice. Lorraine wants you to get started right where you…
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Up North with Hidden Habitat Native Plant Nursery
Are you a cottage owner, conservation practitioner, or lake association? Laura Thomas, owner of Hidden Habitat wants you to grow the right native plant in the…
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Meadow Musings with Toronto Master Gardeners Tena van Andel
Can this be the year your meadow dreams come true? New Directions in American Landscapes Designer Larry Weaner has wise words for gardeners who dream of a…
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June 1 Garden Observations
The Garden Shift invited Pat Concessi for an impromptu chat-between gardening friends. Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), Large-Leaved Aster (Eurybia…
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Neighbourhood Habitat with Ecologist Ewa Bednarczuk
Ewa Bednarczuk knows habitats, she worked on prairies, forests, woodlands and wetlands across Ontario. Now with her online course you can learn to restore and…
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The Ontario Banana with Dan Bissonnette
The Paw Paw tree, Asimina triloba, is a Carolinian tree that needs our attention. Perfect for a home or community garden, this tree has suffered habitat loss…
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Growing Gardeners & Building Communities of Care
You may know Sayeh Beheshti from Underhill Seed Sitters, Don't Mess With the Don or North American Native Plant Society. In this episode, hosted by Pat…
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The Dose Makes the Poison - with Master Gardener Dianne Azzarello
Mosquito fogging, cooking fiddleheads, arsenic and more. Join my guest Dianne Azzarello for an insightful look at the potential risk associated with natural…
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Bringing Nature Home with The Royal Horticultural Society
The RHS is the UK's leading gardening charity- founded in 1804. In this episode we are joined by Leigh Hunt. Leigh is the Principal Horticultural Advisor at…
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Grow a Seed Crop with The Seed Farmer Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-op
Learn about agroecology and growing seed crops with my guest, seed farmer and author Dan Brisebois. We talk about 'First Seed Mindset' and building a…
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An Ecologist's Journey - with Junaid Shahzad Khan
Junaid is an ecologist who knows nature can heal. His journey starts in Pakistan where nature was always somewhere else. Moving to Canada and now living in…
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Toronto Nature Stewards - Taking Care of Our Ravines
Would you like to collaborate with a team of volunteers while enjoying some nature therapy? Toronto Nature Stewards may be the organization for you. Pat…
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FLAP with Executive Director Michael Mesure
Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) Canada is a registered Canadian charity widely recognized as the pre-eminent authority on the bird-building collision…
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The Native Plant Novice- Gardener on the Shift
Joanna Dyer is teaching her young family to love bees and bugs, removing invasive plants, experimenting with garden techniques like dead hedges and seed snails…
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Toronto Wildlife Centre - How to Co-Exist With Wildlife In Our Gardens
Victoria Badham joins today from the Toronto Wildlife Centre. Thousands of calls are handled on the hotline in the busy part of the year. Rescues, medical care…
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Whispers From The North with Dr Elaine Wiersma
Dr Elaine Wiersma research at Lakehead University highlights the special opportunity that gardeners have to make positive change as stewards, conservationists…
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Gardening Grant- Educating through Social Media
Social Media sensation Grant Minkhorst is hooked on gardening. He wants you to jump in and make mistakes. A clever and often hilarious communicator , we talk…
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Gardens That Do Good with Sean James
Sean James is an ecological landscape expert. With his extensive horticultural knowledge he creates gardens that are public pleasing. Bold features, drifts of…
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Building a Garden with PollinateTO
In this episode you will meet community builder & Toronto Master Gardener Jen Morley. Jen cares about the natural world and does her part right in her…
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Swallowtail Native Plants - A Local Seed Company
In today's episode you will hear from Andrea D'Silva the owner of Swallowtail Native Plants an online specialized seed company. Why is growing plants from…
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The Battle in Burlington - Out of Date Municipal By-Laws
In this episode we continue on the theme of naturalized gardens and out dated by-laws that penalize gardeners who want to do their part for nature. The City of…
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A Naturalized Garden with Douglas Counter
Douglas Counter goes to court in Counter v City of Toronto (2002) to express his pro-environmental views of how to manage a garden on privately maintained…
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Botanical Terminology with Ryan Godfrey
The Garden Shift is back for 2026. In this episode we define & explore common botanical terms used in ecology and horticulture. What is a weed? What makes a…
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Mistakes, Marvels & a Mascot
Listen in as we close the year with TMG Pat Concessi and Tena van Andel. This is a tell all- as we share real stories from our own gardens. Don't miss the last…
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Pollinator Corridors with Dorte Windmuller
Dorte Windmuller has been gardening in Scarborough for over 15 years. Part of The Cliffcrest Butterflyway-a citizen-led group under the umbrella of the David…
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A Local and Sustainable Model of Growing Native Plants
Do you love growing plants from seed, ever thought of starting a local native plant nursery? Sundaura Alford Purvis of A Cultivated Art in Ottawa, will tell…
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An Experimental Gardener
Toronto Master Gardener Dianne Azzarello returns to The Garden Shift. Part accidental, part luck and mostly experimental the results are a four season garden…
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Naturalizing Spaces with Lorraine Johnson
Lorraine Johnson , writer, author and Cultivation Activist. With 40 years of garden know-how Lorraine Johnson brings people together to enhance their…
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The Power of Community
Ingrid Janssen is a Durham Master Gardener and lifelong Ecological Gardener. Her Shift has taken her to start a not for profit called Little Forests Durham. A…
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Asters & Goldenrods
Pat Concessi joins to discuss yellow and purple blooms in our garden. We walk the Meadoway in Scarborough for seed collecting and inspiration. Listen to our…
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The Evolution of an Ecological Garden
Trixie Reichardt is a fellow Toronto Master Gardener. We discuss her North Toronto garden evolution. Less lawn, raised beds, plants grown from seed and tricks…
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Reading Past the Headlines
Scientist and Toronto Master Gardener, Dianne Azzarello joins to discuss critical thinking and doing your research when looking at social media. We will also…
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Caterpillar Observations with Pat Concessi
It's early August-what are you observing in your garden? Toronto Master Gardener and Native Steward Pat Concessi is my guest today. We talk caterpillars and…
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End of Summer
Tena Van Andel has been a Toronto Master Gardener since 2003. An amazing writer, lecturer on all things horticultural. You can find her at The Toronto Public…
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Botany Eyes with Ryan Godfrey
Botanist Ryan Godfrey of botanicallyspeaking.org shares insights and stories of plant relationships. He asks us to use 'botany eyes' to reframe our human…
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Welcome to The Garden Shift
Are you ready to make The Shift? Nature needs guardians and this podcast will get you inspired.