About

Posted by Amy on 29 Jan 2007

The Gardener

Amy Urquhart is a gardener, editor, freelance writer and blogger living in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. She gardens (mostly) organically with her husband, Graham and her cats, Farley and Rudy in their suburban back yard, and in their community organic garden plot. The couple is expecting their first child in November, 2009.

Amy is a Contributing Writer for Vegetable Gardens at Suite101.com, an online magazine “dedicated to delivering quality expertise and writing increasingly rare in the online world.” Amy would be pleased to review any gardening-related books, products or plants, for Suite101.com where appropriate, or Playing in the Dirt. Please e-mail for more information.

Amy is a member of the Board of Directors for the Durham Organic Gardeners, a local branch of Canadian Organic Growers.

I started “Playing in the Dirt” as a way to document my progress as a beginner gardener in 2004. At the time I was living in Toronto and had only a 4 x 10 part-sun back yard plot and deck to garden in. Today I’m gardening in a large, suburban back yard in Bowmanville, Ontario. We are continuously learning more about the benefits of organic gardening and enjoy meeting other gardeners in the neighbourhood and expanding the size of our vegetable garden. I’m especially interested in heirloom vegetable varieties.

I LOVE gardening because it provides me with a never-ending opportunity to learn new things, and to share that new-found knowledge and plant passion with others. It’s also a great way to connect with other people who are crazy about all things green. In that same vein, I want to provide a local resource on the web for gardeners in Durham Region (specifically Newcastle, Bowmanville, Courtice, Oshawa, Whitby, Brooklin, Port Perry, Ajax, Pickering).

Please click on the tab entitled “Events” for a list of gardening events to attend in Durham in 2009.

8 Comments »

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8 Responses to “About”

  1. on 14 Mar 2007 at 1:07 pm   Shirley Love

    Hi:

    Shirley again. Thank you very much for adding our event in your Events Calendar, and adding our garden club to your list.

    If you are listing District 17 Garden/Horticultural Clubs (there are 12 in our District) the following should go in:
    Beaverton Horticultural Society
    Cannington Horticultural Society
    Georgina-Brock Garden Club

    Durham & District Hort. Society is not in our District, it is in the Bruce, Grey, Huron District (S. of Georgian Bay, N. of Waterloo).

    I know I mentioned this in my last e-mail but, busy creatures that we are, things get missed.

    Best regards
    Shirley

    905-986-5330

  2. on 21 May 2007 at 8:45 pm   NIcole

    HI! Looking for gardeners to join in a freecycle garden swap in the fall? Please email me for more details nhoney4@yahoo.ca Happy Gardening!
    Thanks Nicole

  3. on 26 Mar 2009 at 12:56 pm   Pramod

    Dear Sir,

    I am the webmaster of http://www.itexpertmag.com

    We are interested in text link advertising for our website on http://playinginthedirt.ca/

    You are requested to send relevant details at your convenience.

    Have a great day!

    Warm Regards,
    Pramod

  4. on 23 Apr 2009 at 2:13 pm   Monica

    I love that your blog is called “Playing in the Dirt.” That’s what my husband calls it when he catches me gardening. “Are you playing in the dirt, again?!”

    LOVE IT!

  5. on 02 May 2009 at 6:38 pm   Michelle

    Hello;
    I am came across your blog and was wondering if you had infor about starting an organic garden. I work at a group home and would love to start one with my clients, maybe just plotted veggies etc at first and looking for information. I see compost is free next weekend so i think that is a good start and then i was wondering what i buy and can i buy it at normal home depot? any help would be great

    Michelle

  6. on 16 May 2009 at 11:35 am   Ellen Galloway

    Hi
    I’m looking for a club or course for my 12 year old daughter who has taken quite a keen intereste in gardening and potting……
    Is there anything out there in Durham for her?
    Tx for any guidance

  7. on 28 Jun 2009 at 10:52 am   Theresa

    Hello Everyone:
    does anyone know where I can find a white bleeding heart in Durham Region. I went to some nurseries/stores and can not find one. Would like to suprise my sister- whose husband accidentally pulled hers out- thinking it was a weed starting ;-(

    thank you
    T

  8. on 28 Sep 2009 at 1:50 am   bruce

    Our LED grow light can help you produce fresh vegetables 12 months,if you have intersting in it,give me a mail.: brucelwm@gmail.com