Although these articles are, strictly speaking, not about Ontario, they are nevertheless very informative and entertaining, and the content relates directly to material contained on these websites. They were written by Sue Sweeney, of Massachusetts (USA). A short biography of Sue is lower down on this page. Visit The Monday Garden website.

These articles are on several of my websites:

Ontario Trees and Shrubs (this site)

• Porcelainberry October 27, 2002, issue no. 31
• Thanksgiving: Sugar Maples November 24, 2002, issue no. 35
• Asiatic Bittersweet December 29, 2002, issue no. 40
• A Tree Story March 9, 2003, issue no. 50
• Shades of Maple: Silver, Red and Norway May 11, 2003, issue no. 59
• Great Americans: Serviceberry (Shadbush) June 22, 2003, issue no. 65
• Enhanced Species: Poison Ivy August 24, 2003, issue no. 74
• Virgin's Bower and the Asian Twin October 5, 2003, issue no. 80
• Shades of Maple: Red November 9, 2003, issue no. 85
• Ailanthus: Tree of Heaven and Brooklyn November 16, 2003, issue no. 86
• Crabapple: Hold the 'Cides November 16, 2003, issue no. 87
• Shades of Maple: Death by Norway November 23, 2003, issue no. 88
• Rose by Another Name: Hawthorn December 7, 2003, issue no. 89
• Great Americans: Tulip, the Tree Kind January 18, 2004, issue no. 95
• Great Americans: The Locust Trees February 22, 2004, issue no. 100
• Forsythia: Gold From China April 11, 2004, issue no. 107
• Great Americans: Dogwood May 9, 2004, issue no. 111
• Invaders: Barberry and Winged Euonymus May 16, 2004, issue no. 112
• Shades of Maple: Silver June 6, 2004, issue no. 115
• Great Americans: Chokecherry June 13, 2004, issue no. 116
• Fun in the Sun: Poison Ivy June 27, 2004, issue no. 118
• Invaders: Asiatic Bittersweet August 22, 2004, issue no. 126
• Porcelainberry: Disaster in the Alley August 29, 2004, issue no. 127
• Great Americans; "Five-Fingered" Woodbine September 19, 2004, issue no. 130
• Shades of Maple: Death by Norway October 10, 2004, issue no. 133
• Shades of Maple: Tree Identification Guide October 16, 2004, issue no. 134
• Great Americans: Sweetgum October 31, 2004, issue no. 136
• Great Americans: Ashes & Elders November 14, 2004, issue no. 138
• Sharing: Crabapples November 28, 2004, issue no. 140
• Oaks: Sudden Death December 12, 2004, issue no. 141
• Great Americans: Winterberry December 19, 2004, issue no. 143
• Great Americans: The Sycamores December 26, 2004, issue no. 144
• Great Americans: The Eastern White Pines of Hoyt Street Alley January 2, 2005, issue no. 145
• Ailanthus & Staghorn Sumac January 23, 2005, issue no. 148
• Great Americans: The Black Walnut January 30, 2005, issue no. 149
• Great Americans: Hemlocks (Tsuga) February 6, 2005, issue no. 150
• Alder: The Nitrogen Fix February 13, 2005, issue no. 151
• Great Americans: Birches (The Winter View) February 20, 2005, issue no. 152
• Great Americans: The Long History of Sassafras Albidum February 27, 2005, issue no. 153
• Shades of Maple: Identification by Bud March 27, 2005, issue no. 157
• Catalpa: Great American and Invader? May 1, 2005, issue no. 162
• Shades of Maple: The Flowers May 8, 2005, issue no. 163
• Wild Roses and Brambles May 22, 2005, issue no. 165

Ontario Wildflowers

• Fleabane July 14, 2002, issue no. 16
• Queen Anne's Lace July 28, 2002, issue no. 18
• Joe Pye Weed: A Great American August 25, 2002, issue no. 22
• Oxalis: Wild Herbs September 15, 2002, issue no. 25
• Garlic Mustard: The Invader's Edge April 6, 2003, issue no. 54
• Dandelions: Pure Gold? May 6, 2003, issue no. 58
• Great Americans: Serviceberry (Shadbush) June 22, 2003, issue no. 65
• Invaders' Salad: Chicory July 13, 2003, issue no. 68
• Great Americans: Monarch's Milkweed July 20, 2003, issue no. 69
• Great Americans: Pokeberry July 27, 2003, issue no. 70
• Enhanced Species: Poison Ivy August 24, 2003, issue no. 74
• Goldenrod & Ragweed August 31, 2003, issue no. 75
• Meadow Killer: Spotted Knapweed September 14, 2003, issue no. 77
• Virgin's Bower and the Asian Twin October 5, 2003, issue no. 80
• Smartweed: Be Grateful that it's Pretty October 12, 2003, issue no. 81
• Loosestrife October 26, 2003, issue no. 83
• Invaders: Japanese Knotweed May 2, 2004, issue no. 110
• Great Americans: Dogwood May 9, 2004, issue no. 111
• Invaders: Barberry and Winged Euonymus May 16, 2004, issue no. 112
• Great Americans: Chokecherry June 13, 2004, issue no. 116
• Fun in the Sun: Poison Ivy June 27, 2004, issue no. 118
• The Mixed Blessing of Common St. Johnswort July 17, 2004, issue no. 121
• Invaders: Asiatic Bittersweet August 22, 2004, issue no. 126
• Goldenrod, Ragweed and Mugwort September 12, 2004, issue no. 129
• Great Americans; "Five-Fingered" Woodbine September 19, 2004, issue no. 130
• Great Americans: Pokeberry October 3, 2004, issue no. 132
• Great Americans: Winterberry December 19, 2004, issue no. 143
• Alder: The Nitrogen Fix February 13, 2005, issue no. 151
• The Truth About Skunk Cabbage April 3, 2005, issue no. 158
• Lesser Celandine: Marsh Menace April 10, 2005, issue no. 159
• Wild Roses and Brambles May 22, 2005, issue no. 165
• A Cure for the Common Burdock May 29, 2005, issue no. 166
• Great Americans: The Monarch's Milkweed June 5, 2005, issue no. 167
• Invaders' Salad: Chicory June 12, 2005, issue no. 168
• Weeds of Summer: Queen Anne's Lace June 19, 2005, issue no. 169
• Swallow-wort: Monarch Menace October 9, 2005, issue no. 191

The World of Mosses

• Winter Moss Mice - January 12, 2003, issue no. 42

Wildwood Survival

• Enhanced Species: Poison Ivy - August 24, 2003, issue no. 74
• Fun in the Sun: Poison Ivy - June 27, 2004, issue no. 118
• Nature Walk Downtown - Look Up; Look Down - April 14, 2005, issue no. 161

Earth Caretaker

• Joe Pye Weed: A Great American - August 25, 2002, issue no. 22
• Oxalis: Wild Herbs - September 15, 2002, issue no. 25
• Save the Seeds: Rudbeckia and Wild Asters - September 29, 2002, issue no. 27
• Porcelainberry - October 27, 2002, issue no. 31
• Thanksgiving: Sugar Maples - November 24, 2002, issue no. 35
• Give a Birdbath for Christmas - December 1, 2002, issue no. 36
• Asiatic Bittersweet - December 29, 2002, issue no. 40
• Wolf Moon: Rose Hips - January 26, 2003, issue no. 44
• Tree Ivy Secrets - February 9, 2003, issue no. 46
• Garlic Mustard: The Invader’s Edge - April 6, 2003, issue 54
• Choosing a Bird's Berry Bush - April 20, issue no. 56
• Oceans of Lawn or the Ocean: Choose - May 18, 2003, issue no. 60
• Getting Rid of the Sod - June 1, 2003, issue no. 62
• Great Americans: Serviceberry (Shadbush) - June 22, 2003, issue no. 65
• Invaders' Salad: Chicory - July 13, 2003, issue no. 68
• Great Americans: Monarch's Milkweed - July 20, 2003, issue no. 69
• Great Americans: Pokeberry - July 27, 2003, issue no. 70
• Great Americans: Burdock - August 17, 2003, issue no. 73
• Goldenrod & Ragweed - August 31, 2003, issue no. 75
• Meadow Killer: Spotted Knapweed - September 14, 2003, issue no. 77
• Great Americans: Autumn Vines - September 28, 2003, issue no. 79
• Virgin's Bower and the Asian Twin - October 5, 2003, issue no. 80
• Loosestrife - October 26, 2003, issue no. 83
• Ailanthus: Tree of Heaven and Brooklyn - November 16, 2003, issue no. 86
• Shades of Maple: Death by Norway - November 23 2003, issue no. 88
• Bird Food - December 28, 2003, issue no. 92
• Invaders: Barberry and Winged Euonymus - May 16, 2004, issue no. 112
• Feral Cats: The Trap, Neuter and Return Solution - August 15, 2004, issue no. 125
• Invaders: Asiatic Bittersweet - August 22, 2004, issue no. 126
• Porcelainberry: Disaster in the Alley - August 29, 2004, issue no. 127
• Lesser Celandine: Marsh Menace - April 10, 2005, issue no. 159
• Invasive Plants: Killing and Controlling (Them, Not Us) - April 17, 2005, issue no. 160

"I've been interested in nature and gardening since I was a toddler in the early 1950's. After I retired from corporate life in the late 1990's, I've had more time to pursue these interests and I've also been learning digital photography. I started the newsletter to share, with my friends, pictures from my personal garden, which consists of about 150 house and balcony plants (I live on the fifth floor of a high-rise in Stamford, CT). It quickly expanded to include non-techie "how to's" for the amateur gardener. Then I started helping my mother with her outdoor garden in Stamford's Waterside section, and in photographing Stamford's wildflowers (native and alien). And the newsletter's contents grew accordingly.

I always feel renewed by a walk in the woods, along our local river (really a creek, but we call it a "river") or on the beaches of the Long Island Sound. In return, I feel a need to help do what we can to safeguard these places and the critters that live there. Not for the sake of humans, even though we benefit, but for the sake of the wild ones. Some of the newsletters are devoted to the celebration of "Great Americans": the flora and fauna that are our heritage.

I share with my neighbors a love of indoor and outdoor gardening. However, I can't help but see how many of our gardening and yard maintenance practices are adversely impacting our wild treasure, as well as our own quality of life. It's hard to understand how growing green things can sometimes end up going so wrong. Many of my newsletters are devoted to my own struggle to learn to how to pursue the pleasures of gardening without poisoning myself or the neighbors.

Meanwhile, the subscription list has also grown. I currently have about 150 subscribers and welcome more.

To subscribe, email the word "subscribe" to the mailing list server at inmygarden-request@bubbanfriends.org or by visiting this site.

Enjoy "my garden" and please send comments. You can post them on my website or email me here.

Sue Sweeney