Garden Marker Ideas For Next Year, Another Project from Windfall Ecology Centre

I almost forgot to share just another meaningful project by the Windfall Ecology Centre. Last month on October 1st we ventured out to the Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area. While hovering around the Windfall Ecology Centre, former historic Sheppard’s House, and the picnic area we found few garden patches.


I didn’t know at that time, but this is another project by the Windfall Ecology Centre – the community garden. The emphasis is on ‘it doesn’t take a lot to grow fruits and vegetables in your own garden‘. A project that encourages gardening at home, may be in the pots or at the community gardens that are starting to be popular around Aurora.

It also remind me how few years ago I used to grow plum tomatoes in my front yard instead of flowers.



It is interesting to me that something that used to be a way of life is now encouraged because it rarely exists. Garden was always part of my life and it is kind of sad that all this land around here in Aurora will be eventually developed. Seeing a farm in Aurora – it will be a thing of the past. But I am stretching here, we are talking garden only.

Well, on the happy note, we found something interesting. I had Matthew with me and we had fun reading all the stone markers for the vegetables and fruits. What a good idea for marking your plants in the garden, and reusable one too. On the another note, I didn’t know that cantaloupes were grown here in Ontario. For some reason I always thought that cantaloupe was a tropical fruit.

So I did some research …

The cantaloupe is a fruit and is related to watermelon, honeydew, cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash. Some write that cantaloupe is a gourd. When choosing right cantaloupe at the supermarket I was using the same method as for watermelon – knock knock and listened for the hollow sound.

Apparently, when choosing a cantaloupe you must use your nose and not your knuckles. Smell for sweet smell, but I an not sure if I am in favor of that method, especially during flu/cold season.


We also found a bear in the garden. Not real one, but there was a marker for him just in case.


It was first of October and some plants were still blooming on that day. We spotted blooming peas flower and sunflowers.

It is November now and Sheppard’s Bush now looks nothing like before. Our last visit was at night – the Hunted Forest event. Even at night one could see leaves on the ground and some still hanging and beaming bright yellows.

Time really moves forward. We have had few changes in town – the Petch Log house is being reconstructed and the condominium in front of Hollandview Retirement Community on the John West Way is really moving along, but more about that in the posts to come.