Linda Walsh is sharing photos with us today. We’ve visited this beautiful garden before, which started as nothing but a few old pine trees and some poison ivy (Linda Terry’s Garden in Ontario and Linda Terry’s Garden in Ontario, Revisited). It is wonderful to see this great garden again.

We live in Simcoe, Ontario, just north of Lake Erie. Our Hardiness Zone is 6a, but because of our forested property we have a bit of a microclimate and are able to grow some plants that would not do well in this area otherwise. We have been gardening here for almost 40 years and have been featured in many Canadian magazines. We have two koi ponds; building the last one was a huge undertaking, as many rocks had to be brought in. The pond features two skimmers, a bog with an undergravel blowout system, and a large waterfall. We have VERY large koi, and they eat a lot. We also have peacocks, Pete and Pat, and have enjoyed seeing them raise their many offspring.

We have over 175 rhododendrons, over 100 hydrangeas, and many unique plants. Many of the plants have been propagated on the property from seed, layering, or cuttings.

Recently we have experimented with growing cucumber and umbrella magnolia (Magnolia acuminata and Magnolia tripetala, Zones 4–8) from seed and are anxiously awaiting our first blooms. We have over 25 maples, but the most stunning is the ‘Suminagashi’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Suminagashi’, Zone 5-9), with a brilliant fall color.

Linda wasn’t kidding about the size of those fish!

View of the garden from the windows of the house

Peacock pen with azaleas (Rhododendron hybrids, Zones 5–9)

Mariessi viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’, Zones 5–8)

Front hillside garden looking up toward the house

Koi pond surrounded by beautiful stonework

Saxatile alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis, Zones 3–7) greets spring with clouds of yellow flowers.

A rhododendron in the PJM hybrid group (Rhododendron ‘Olga Mezitt’, Zones 4–8). The PJM hybrids are some of the easiest and most adaptable rhododendrons to grow, and they always flower heavily.

A rhododendron gets ready to burst into bloom.

Northern Lights azaleas (Rhododendron hybrids, Zones 3–7) were bred to be able to withstand extreme winter cold and still flower heavily each spring. As you can see, the colors are pretty wonderful too.

Many of our castor bean plants (Ricinus communis, Zones 9–11 or as an annual) have produced enormous leaves, and we have taken to making concrete decorative leaves from them!

A painted concrete castor bean leaf

We’ll be back with more photos from this beautiful garden tomorrow.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Revised and Updated Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Pest Control

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

This revised and updated edition of Jessica Walliser’s award-winning Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden offers a valuable and science-backed plan for bringing balance back to the garden. With this indispensable gardening reference—now updated with new research, insights, and voices—learn how to create a healthy, balanced, and diverse garden capable of supporting a hard-working crew of beneficial pest-eating insects and eliminate the need for synthetic chemical pesticides.

Buy at Amazon

isYoung Birdlook® Smart Bird Feeder with Camera

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Upgraded Dual Granary Bird Feeder. G11 Smart Bird Feeder with Camera – The upgraded dual granary design allows for separate food dispensing, giving birds the freedom to choose while preserving the food’s original taste. With a 2L extra-large capacity, it reduces the need for frequent refills. The drainage design ensures the food stays dry and prevents spoilage from rain. Ideal as a camera bird feeder for birdwatching enthusiasts. 2K HD Camera & Close-Up Bird Watching. Experience clear bird watching with the G11 smart bird feeder. This bird feeder with camera features a 170-degree wide-angle lens and a 1296P HD camera, ensuring vibrant images and videos. With AI-powered recognition, it can identify over 16,000 bird species (subscription required, first month free) and provides extensive birding knowledge. Its unique design helps attract more birds to your backyard. App Alerts & Super Night Vision. The smart bird feeder camera detects motion within 0.5 seconds and sends instant notifications through the "VicoHome" app. With a 2.4G Wi-Fi connection, you can view real-time updates on bird activity right from your app. The video bird feeder also features night vision, ensuring vibrant images and videos even in low light conditions. Ideal for wild bird feeders, this advanced functionality enhances your bird-watching experience day and night.

Buy at Amazon