Nature needs more guardians.

Through conversations that blend science, story, and heart, The Garden Shift helps us rediscover our place in nature and the hope that grows there.

Catch the latest episodes exclusively on Spotify.

Botany Eyes | Ep. 01

Botanist Ryan Godfrey of botanicallyspeaking.org shares insights and stories of plant relationships. He asks us to use 'botany eyes' to reframe our human relationship with plants. We cover growing in containers, where to get plants and a wild wild bee story.

LISTEN NOW →

End of Summer | Ep. 02

Tena Van Andel has been a Toronto Master Gardener since 2003. An amazing writer, lecturer on all things horticultural. You can find her at The Toronto Public Library, the Toronto Botanical Gardens and many private speaking engagements. We discuss making the Shift, the myth of 'Autumn Clean Up' and starting native plants from seed.

LISTEN NOW →

Explore All Episodes

The future is rooted right where we stand.

The Garden Shift is a podcast about seeing our gardens and ourselves as part of a larger living system.

Each episode shares stories from gardeners, ecologists, and community builders who are nurturing balance, biodiversity, and belonging in everyday spaces. Whether you’re tending a city balcony or a backyard ecosystem, you’ll find insight, encouragement, and science-backed strategies for creating thriving habitats that support pollinators, people, and the planet alike.

Listen Now

Because when we care for the land, it cares for us in return.

Meet your host.

I believe every garden, no matter how small, can be a force for good. When we choose plants that support life — pollinators, birds, soil microbes, and all the tiny threads in between — we begin to repair what’s been lost.

My journey started in England, where I trained with the Royal Horticultural Society and learned the science behind planting, pruning, and propagation.

Later, I studied design and began to understand how plants are often restricted and controlled in our manufactured landscape. When I returned home to Canada I launched Garden Sensibilities, a garden consultation service.

Working in urban settings, I met countless homeowners who wanted “no-maintenance” gardens full of instant colour. I understood the desire — but something didn’t sit right.

Where did nature fit into those spaces?

The more I learned about the effects of human activity on our ecosystems, the clearer it became: naturalizing our gardens, even in part, is an act of hope. It’s how we participate in restoring biodiversity — our greatest natural defense against climate change.

That belief fuels The Garden Shift: a place to learn, laugh, and take action — one backyard, one balcony, one small patch at a time.

So let’s make the shift together. Because when we care for nature, it cares for us in return.

“Do the best you can until you know better.
Then when you know better, do better.”

— Maya Angelou

What ecological gardening looks like.

Here are a few ways to start:

Remove invasive or disruptive plants to make space for diversity.

Grow ecologically significant plants that feed pollinators, birds, and other species.

Capture and reuse rainwater to reduce runoff and waste.

Save seeds and grow your own native plants.

Source native plants locally from growers who support your region’s ecosystem.

Make compost and return nutrients to the soil.

Skip over-fertilization and chemical use (your garden doesn’t need them to thrive).

Making the shift starts right where you are.

When we garden with nature in mind, small changes ripple outward, restoring balance, inviting biodiversity, and helping our own little corner of the world thrive.