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Here in Ontario, we’re all familiar with cold, snow-heavy winters. Over time the buildup of snow can cover our yards and create massive drifts leaning up against the exterior walls of our homes. While this may help to insulate us from subzero temperatures it can also cause serious flooding as all that snow melts in the early stages of spring. With a little foresight and prevention, you can avoid flooding in your home.

Triple mix soil is a topsoil blend of compost, sandy soil and black loam. This combination is then sterilized to ensure it’s weed-free and nutritionally balanced for fertility and optimal growth.

Struggling to find the perfect Christmas gift for the gardener in your life? If yard work isn’t your thing, it can be tough to know what they need. Listen for hints about broken tools or gear they wish they had—many gardeners hesitate to splurge on themselves. Whether they’re DIY enthusiasts, dedicated homeowners, or landscaping pros, thoughtful gardening gifts can spark joy, fuel their passion year-round, and make a lasting impression. Use this guide to find the perfect present for every green thumb this holiday season!

When days are short and nights are long, landscape lighting around your home is more valuable than ever. Though outdoor lighting provides safety and security for your home, it can offer much more. By softly accenting the best features of your home and garden, shining a light on accents and focal points, and with add-ons to celebrate the holidays, your home landscape lights will make winter time feel much brighter.

The first snow of early winter always looks fresh and pure, covering the landscape with a layer of white and turning the world into a magical wonderland, if only for a brief while. A few weeks later, many people are ready for winter to be over, even though there are still months of snow and slush left. What can you turn to in your home garden to help you get through the long Ontario winter? There are several ways to make a wonderful winter garden that’s interesting enough to carry you through to the first signs of spring.

Cool, sunny days in autumn are among of the best times for outdoor lawn and garden work. Sweater weather means you won’t get too hot or cold; it’s both pleasant and easy to spend all afternoon in the garden. Fortunately, there are lots of fall landscaping chores that will help get your garden ready for cold weather. The most notable benefit of these is they also help prepare your landscape for spring.

An afternoon of work in October will make bringing your property back to life in the spring a whole lot easier. Follow our infographic below and get your property ready like a pro. Or let the pros handle it for you and book your appointment with us today.

As winter weather begins its annual migration to our region, it’s important to prepare your home and landscape for cold and freezing. At the very least, all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems need inspection. This includes water features and garden ponds. While a backyard garden fish pond is an enjoyable addition to your landscape that needs little care for most of the year, there are a few guidelines to follow and maintenance tasks needed before freezing weather sets in.

Though installing your own interlocking paver walkway or patio may seem like a daunting project, with a little advance planning, it is something the average homeowner can handle. While it is not too difficult, there is actual work involved and it is important to do it correctly. Here are the basic steps to constructing your own paver project.

Natural stone is one of the most beautiful materials for home landscape projects. Whether it’s a patio, walkway or wall, natural stone creates an elegant, timeless style that goes well with almost any home. Though stone is a durable material that will retain its natural look and appeal over the years, a little bit of maintenance will protect your flagstone pavers and stone walls from accidental damage while increasing their lifespan. Sealing a natural stone surface, while not mandatory, adds a layer of protection and enhancement to your landscape feature.

A small amount of weekly maintenance is usually all that is needed to keep your garden fish pond clear and clean. Every now and then, it is possible that pond conditions will go bad for no obvious reason. One of the more alarming changes that can happen in your pond is for the water to turn green. If it does, don’t panic. A few steps will typically put everything back on track. Let’s take a look at what turns garden pond water green and what you can do about it. The most common cause of green pond water is algae bloom. This usually occurs in spring when water gets warmer and the amount of daylight increases. Single-celled algae reproduce very quickly. When conditions are right, they can take over your pond before you know it. The result looks like pea soup in your pond. Algae needs nutrients to grow. If single-celled algae have taken hold in your pond, too many nutrients are present. Fortunately, there a few easy ways to reduce excess nutrient levels in your garden pond water.

One of the most frequently asked questions by garden pond owners is if they need to change the water as part of their pond maintenance routine. Generally speaking, garden pond water does need to be changed, but there are several factors that come into play. Here are some suggestions about how often to change pond water, how much pond water to change and how to change garden pond water.

Composting at home is an easy way to produce high quality soil amendments for your vegetable or ornamental garden. At the same time, it’s a small but important step toward reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills and eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers. Why throw something away if it can improve your garden soil and help you grow tastier vegetables?

Planting and growing your own vegetables is good for your body and your mind. You can get exercise, reduce stress and produce your own fresh, healthy food, all by planting a vegetable garden in your backyard. If you are new to vegetable gardening, it’s not difficult, but there are a few important things to know. A little planning before you start to dig will save frustration and give you a better chance of success.

The type of joint sand used in your interlocking paver patio or walkway may be the biggest factor in how much time and effort you spend maintaining your paved landscape. Polymeric sand is regarded by many landscape contractors as the best choice for the joint sand that goes between pavers. Though it costs a little more upfront, over the long term, using polymeric sand will save you money and time.

What lurks just below the surface of your garden? Hopefully, it’s good quality garden soil. How much do you know about this source of life for your yard and garden? Topsoil holds mysterious secrets and is much more interesting than it appears to be. Here is some strange-but-true information about your garden dirt.

Experienced gardeners know that not all soil is created equal. The quality varies greatly from garden to garden and region to region. Your garden soil is usually the biggest factor in determining the success of your landscape planting projects. It makes sense to learn some basic information about soil and how to determine if it is a good fit for your plants.

Triple mix is always a combination of some sort of top soil, compost and peat moss. You’ll hear the term triple mix often because it’s the best concoction to promote healthy growth of all your landscape plants. Most garden supply companies create their own unique mixes using biomass (or source materials) they know will help plants thrive in the local ecosystem. Van Beek’s is no different. We think our triple mix is the most efficient and effective of any garden supplier in the Greater Toronto Area.