Thefoodgardener: helping you garden with ease and expertise
Our mission started with the simple idea that anyone could become a gardener (or a better one) with just a little help.
We are that help!
Whether you are just starting out or a seasoned gardener, we are here to guide you on your green-thumbed journey.
We offer comprehensive, informative, trustworthy, and enjoyable content that gardeners like you can use to learn, grow, and accomplish your gardening goals.
We’re passionate about our work because you and your garden are worth it. We want you to be proud of your results without breaking your back to get there.
The Thefoodgardener team is a diverse group who share a deep-rooted love of gardening. We come with a wealth of knowledge, qualifications, and experience. Our mission is to share our passion and expertise to help gardeners garden better!
Our Team
Gardenia residence: where passion meets expertise.
Lauren Mackay
Master Gardener & Writer
Lauren is a lifelong gardener and writer, therapeutic horticulturist, former archeologist, hobby photographer, and new weaver and spinner.
Throughout her career, Lauren has observed and explored various connections between humanity and the natural world. She is currently focused on building resilience in the community through gardening and stewardship practices.
She holds degrees from Carleton University and Grant MacEwan University, is a Master Gardener, and a member of both Canadian and American Horticultural Therapy Associations.
Kyla Atkinson
Sustainable Gardening & Wildlife Lead
Kyla is an ecologist, writer, and photographer in the Pacific Northwest. She holds an Honors Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, specializing in Wildlife Conservation. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature, horticulture, pollinators, and environmental sustainability, she has a deep passion for the natural world.
She is our wildlife expert here at Gardenia Residence. Want to know the geographic range of red foxes or what ladybugs eat? She’s our go-to resource! Her first love is animals and she loves sharing all her knowledge on her favorite creatures and their interaction within ecosystems and your garden.
In her free time, she enjoys beach-combing, fossil hunting, and bird-watching.
Liz Stewart – Writer
Liz is a writer and gardener from southwest Manitoba. She grew up working on her family’s market vegetable garden and now oversees a community garden project.
She has ten years of gardening experience. In the last three years, she’s especially become obsessed with soil health and low-cost gardening.
Liz is also a fiction writer, published in journals such as carte blanche and Plenitude Magazine.
She loves traversing Canada with her girlfriend and cooking with the food that she’s grown.