Where it all began...

In 2002 I moved into my small apartment above a store on Roncesvalles. It's a lovely old building built in the 1880's and most of my flat is original, including the sunporch that hangs precariously off the back of the building. But it sorely lacks outside space- the front door opens to the sidewalk and out the back we have a lovely wooden staircase that ends at a gravel parking lot. Not much for a avid gardener to work with!

For the first two years I made do with a few containers on the steps and ledges and shared in the bounty of deck next door courtesy of my fantastic neighbours Mike and Britt. I am also fond of playing carpenter and love a challenge so after two years of mulling it over and drawing out plans in my head I built a deck. Actually more of a tree fort minus the tree but it works for me. One warm day in May I dragged my good friend Jason to the local lumber yard and we spent the better part of a day building a basic 6 ft square platform which I was able to attach to a steel beam that holds up the sunporch. A couple days and some salvaged lumber later I had a serviceble outside space on which to Bbq, sun and plant containers to my heart's content.