Coneflowers (Echinacea) are native North American plants, forming the basis of health products you can find in any pharmacy. They are beautiful as well as functional, and available in a wide variety of colours. Pro tip: the single coneflowers, illustrated here, are better for the environment than the double coneflowers. The single flowers will have many more pollinators visiting than the double form. These were planted in this garden in the fall of 2024, and are reliably hardy when grown in the ground. (However, they may not overwinter in containers and may not survive in raised beds - check your cultivar's zone rating). Photo here is of coneflowers grown in-ground in Pembroke (zone 4b), actually one full zone colder than Ottawa, where they come back every year, better and better with time!

Summer/Fall 2025: hot coloured zinnia in the Fiesta Garden - such incredible color saturation! Ornamental flowers (non-poisonous) mingle with Edible Flowers grown in organic soil, for the best use of space in a tight area. Zinnias are considered by some to be edible (although they may taste a bit bitter); they are considered to be non-toxic by the Ontario Poison Control Centre. Please be careful about the plantings around your edible garden, if you have young children. If you are not sure, it is better to be safe than sorry, and ask a professional landscape designer or horticulturalist, or check your local Poison Control Centre website to be certain of plants in your local growing zone. Keep your plant tags, they will want to know the correct botanical (Latin) names for reference. If you haven't kept your plant tags, and you need to bring your child in to the ER - particularly if they have symptoms, bring in a flower or leaf of the offending plant, it may be possible for Poison Control to identify if it is safe or toxic.

There is no site for EV charging on the street. So this patio serves a dual function - when their new EV needs overnight recharging, the car is driven from the street to this pad, which then converts back to its usual function as a patio for daytime and evening use. The Sproutbox (TM) raised garden bed is the deepest model at 30", and ideal for deep-rooted plants like tomatoes.

Blake Civiello Architecture makes regular visits to consult camp operators on green building methods, space planning, and cold weather insulation among other architecture-related questions. Photos by Norden Camp www.NordenTravel.com

Blake Civiello Architecture makes regular visits to consult camp operators on green building methods, space planning, and cold weather insulation among other architecture-related questions. Photos by Norden Camp www.NordenTravel.com

Daylilies (Hemerocallis) have been used in Oriental cuisines for centuries. The young buds are edible, provided they are grown in uncontaminated, organic soil. They come in a wide variety of colours, ranging from brilliant reds to cool whites and even bicolours! The flowers could also be used as table decoration for a tropical theme, but remember that the individual flowers only last for a day! On the other hand, the plant as a whole has an extended period of bloom, spanning from July to September in our growing zone.

Edible daylilies come in a variety of colours - you can have cool colours, hot colours, even bi-colours to spice up your landscape and your plate! Wouldn't this cool refreshing bloom be lovely decorating a dessert/tropical plate? Despite their fragile looks, daylilies are drought-tolerant once established, and their can also do well in a rainstorm.

Blake Civiello Architecture makes regular visits to consult camp operators on green building methods, space planning, and cold weather insulation among other architecture-related questions. Photos by Norden Camp www.NordenTravel.com

This garden yields a constant harvest of fiesta-colored flowers from child-friendly plants grown in ecologically sound Sproutbox raised beds.
Balcony - small contemporary balcony idea in Ottawa

2026: A bountiful harvest of cherry tomatoes grown in a Sproutbox (TM) raised bed
Example of a small trendy home design design in Ottawa

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Ottawa.

Example of a trendy home design design in Ottawa

Blake Civiello Architecture makes regular visits to consult camp operators on green building methods, space planning, and cold weather insulation among other architecture-related questions. Photos by Norden Camp www.NordenTravel.com

Lavender, although not native to North America, still attracts large numbers of pollinators. In Ottawa, it is important to choose the varieties (cultivars) of lavender which are hardy in zones 4/5; for them to be perennial here, they must be planted in the ground. They will not overwinter in containers, and probably not in raised beds, because they need the protection of the soil mass (which buffers winter temperatures) to survive our harsh winters here. Nevertheless, they are worth growing on lean, gravelly soil which drains well and which is in a very sunny location (6-8 hrs/day). It's worthwhile growing several different cultivars to see which will do best in your garden. Munstead and Hidcote are old reliable varieties, but there are some new introductions which are reputed to also be hardy.

Closeup of PurePave paving, composed of granite embedded in a weather-proof resin, surrounded by concrete pavers. The permeability of the PurePave paving depends on the gravel bed underneath, through which rainwater percolates extremely rapidly. The PurePave technology is extremely rugged (tested in climates like Canada's). This is how it looks in 2025, having survived the deep freeze and thaw cycle of the Canadian winter and spring. It's offered in an attractive selection of colours to complement every house colour and landscape, and in two options: one for pedestrians (patios/walkways) and one for vehicular traffic.

Blake Civiello Architecture makes regular visits to consult camp operators on green building methods, space planning, and cold weather insulation among other architecture-related questions. Photos by Norden Camp www.NordenTravel.com

Dining room - eclectic dining room idea in Other

Example of an eclectic staircase design in Other

Eclectic staircase photo in Other