Woodland border garden transition to forest

(Question)

I have a cottage property near the Rideau Lakes Region.  I would like to do some container vegetable gardening on the deck as well as introduce more native plants to my property?  How can I create a nice looking woodland border garden that will transition from the garden to the forest?  What resources are best for native planting, amending native soils in and around woodland gardens?

 

 

(Answer)

Your local Master Gardener contact is here:

Zone 8 – Eastern Ontario Lanark County
Website: https://lanarkmg.blogspot.ca/
Lanark County Master Gardeners (including Almonte, Carleton Place, McDonalds Corners, Pakenham, Perth, Smiths Falls, Westport, Sharbot Lake, and Portland)
There are several Toronto Master Gardener Garden Guides that you may find helpful:
Vegetable Gardens
Herb Guide
The North American Native Plant Society is a great source of information: www.nanps.org
Other sources useful for your area are:

‎ https://landscapeontario.com/landscaping-with-native-plants

www.natureconservancy.ca This site has an area dealing with Eastern Ontario

 

In addition, an interesting book is Gardening with Woodland Plants by Karan Junker, Timber Press 2007. Although primarily British the concepts of canopy levels will translate anywhere and help you with the transition from garden to forest.