Organic Gardening News

If you want to banish bugs from your backyard without using harsh chemicals, inviting bats into your garden is the best choice you can make.

Just because the growing season is underway, that doesn’t mean you need to spend the next few months weeding. Meet the 8 perennials that can keep beds, borders and pathways weed free – but act now, because the planting window is closing fast!

Bargain alert: these garden goodies arrive on April 29 and they’re not going to stay on the shelves for long.

Designers are embracing invisible boundaries right now, and this one shade is set to make your garden feel bigger, greener, and far more expensive...

Succession planting is the art of maximizing your garden's soil, getting continuous vegetables all season long. You'll be amazed at how much you can grow.

Transform your garden into a living perfume blend. Discover how to balance top, middle, and base notes using aromatic herbs, roses, and night-blooming flowers.

Think you need a greenhouse to grow from seed? Experts say these popular plant varieties actually perform better when sown straight into the ground.

Plant a standout but simple-to-grow garden centerpiece and get the designer look for less.

There's an organic solution that gets rid of powdery mildew fast and fights pests at the same time. It's my go-to spray for healthy plants indoors and out.

These five houseplants will be happy growing in water; no complicated hydroponics systems needed! Learn how to help your houseplants thrive in water.

Don't wait any longer on these critical care tasks or your fig harvests will suffer.

The 17th annual Awards for Housing Excellence gala brought out a sold-out crowd of 542 to The Westin Bayshore recognizing excellence in homebuilding across Metro Vancouver. On April 18, The Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) honoured the exceptional work of the industry’s builders, renovators, designers, and leaders across 67 categories. Throughout the evening, honourees were applauded for their creativity, craftsmanship and forward-thinking projects that helped to redefine housing and design in 2025.

“The range of winners across the categories this year speaks to the strength of our industry and how competitive our market has become, making a HAVAN Award a significant achievement,” says HAVAN CEO Wendy McNeil. “Each year, the program is reviewed to reflect the changing housing landscape, with categories that respond to how homes are being delivered today and the need to address housing challenges, including small-scale, multi-unit housing, multiplex, and modular solutions that support much-needed “missing middle” housing. These awards help homeowners identify professionals who consistently deliver industry-leading results.”

We reached out to six standout winners:

Vancouver-based Laura Grist Interior Design Inc. took home the Grand HAVAN for Interior Designer of the Year and Best Bathroom Renovation under 50 sq.ft for Hidden in Plain Sight, a condo’s reimagined powder room transformed into an elegant space.

“Getting the recognition that we’re ‘as good as we think we are’ is always nice when that’s confirmed,” says Grist. “This win is the culmination of 18 years of design, clients trusting us with their homes (and offices, and second homes… and then sending their friends), long-standing relationships with contractors and trades, and a team that’s been designing side-by-side for the past eight years.”

Vancouver’s HIT Quality Construction’s James Murphy, founder and chief builder, was honoured to take home three awards, including the coveted Grand HAVAN Residential Renovator of the Year.

“Receiving the Renovator of the Year is both an honour and a meaningful milestone for our team and us. Being recognized by our peers makes this especially significant, as it reflects our commitment to excellence, our passion for thoughtful design and craftsmanship, and the strong relationships we build along the way.”

North Shore’s Hasler Homes won three awards, including Best Custom Home: $5 million – Under $10 million, Best New Custom Kitchen: Under $175,000, Best Energy Labelled Home: Custom and Grand HAVAN Custom Home Builder of the Year.

“Winning the Grand HAVAN Custom Home Builder of the Year award is a meaningful milestone for both me and our entire team at Hasler Homes. It represents far more than a single achievement, it reflects years of dedication, craftsmanship, and a shared commitment to excellence,” says Greg Hasler, president. “Most importantly, it motivates us to keep raising the bar. This recognition isn’t a finish line; it’s a reminder to continue innovating, improving, and delivering homes that exceed expectations.”

Vancouver-based Foxridge Homes Ltd., a Qualico Company, took home three awards, including two Grand HAVAN Awards: Best Residential Community: Single-Family, and Grand HAVAN Single-Family Home Builder of the Year.

“These awards mean a great deal and truly belong to everyone on the Foxridge team. This recognition reflects the passion, commitment, and pride behind everything we do,” says Eric Andreasen, vice-president Foxridge Homes.

Surrey’s Zenterra Developments was awarded Best Townhome/Rowhome Unit: Less than 1,500 sq.ft., Best Multi-Family Condominium Unit – The Commons, Best Marketing Campaign and Grand HAVAN Multi-Family Home Builder of the Year.

“Winning the Grand HAVAN Award for Multi-Family Home Builder of the Year is a reflection of the people behind every Zenterra home,” says Derek Fenton, vice-president of marketing and sales. “Our team brings serious purpose to everything they build, and to be recognized by our industry peers for that work is something we don’t take lightly.”

Vancouver’s Renewal Development with Wesgroup Properties won Best Environmental Initiative.

“The construction industry has a significant environmental impact, be it in terms of carbon emissions or material waste. Our partnerships with the shíshálh Nation, Squamish Nation, Wesgroup, Bosa Properties, Anthem Properties and many others demonstrate that development can be done differently,” says Glyn Lewis, founder and CEO, Renewal Development. “Ultimately, the power of our home relocation — repurposing projects is the power of our example. To demonstrate what’s possible when partners come together to reimagine development.”

 

Vancouver-based NorthStar Development took home a new category in 2026: Best Modular/Prefab Housing Solutions award.

“This recognition is meaningful for our team at NorthStar Development because Estrella proves we can deliver urgently needed homes for local workers in a way that is both practical and scalable, with 80 per cent of homes offered at below-market rates,” says Gordon Wylie, President. “By using modular construction to achieve cost and schedule certainty, we were able to bring the first new apartment building to Prince Rupert in 30 years and support the workforce that is essential to the city’s continued growth.”

A full list of winners and photos of the projects are available at havan.ca

Related

• Wordsworth by Polygon Homes puts community fit over flash

This simple step-by-step guide shows how to turn spring flowers into a stunning, pot-free display using Japanese kokedama.

Skip the heavy stone pavers and expensive landscaping. This budget-friendly wood path simply unrolls over your grass or dirt to instantly transform your yard.

April is the magic month to swap your high-maintenance grass for a stunning living tapestry lawn. Grow these 7 fragrant and colorful ground cover plants for a thriving, low-maintenance alternative to constant mowing, tired turf, and boring sward

Create a relaxing backyard sanctuary with plants that calm your body and clear your mind.

From fairies to woodland spirits, everyone has a garden guardian worth daydreaming about. And, yes, yours is linked to your birth month...

My seeds germinated weeks faster than they said they would on the packet when I planted them in this smart seeder start kit from LetPot.

Slugs ruining your garden? Try these weird, but genius ways to banish them and save your crops!

The chickpeas in the back of your kitchen cupboard may be the answer to bulking out your beautiful bouquets. A flower pro helps to explain the process.