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Plant Nanny "2.0"

Anyone who has ever asked me what are some of my favourite products Portico carries knows that I will always include something from our Plant Nanny line. Why? Because these self watering plant stakes WORK! The photo here is of the XL Garden Stakes; originally developed for Tomatoes, and using a 2L bottle for the reservoir. Since this size launched last year I have used it for some of my massive containers outdoors but I also found it to be invaluable when I planted new trees and shrubs. By putting one of the XL stakes beside each new plant it guaranteed that the roots were gently (and consistently) watered, ensuring the root system was well established and got the plant...

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Tracy brings the outdoors in for the Winnipeg Art Gallery's "Art in Bloom"

When I was asked to be part of the Winnipeg Art Gallery's (WAG) "Art in Bloom" exhibit I was so honoured and immediately said yes! "Art in Bloom" is event that is about taking a work of art in the WAG's collection and interpreting it with flowers. Although the interpretations are supposed to be done in fresh flowers, I asked the Chair if I could do something different...and she said "Yes". Since I wanted to be innovative and push the boundaries of design, I created this piece with flowers and succulents made from individual ceramic blooms and mounted them on a base of various other media layers. My interpretation is based on Group of Seven artist AJ Casson's "Morning Light,...

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Wind Bells - What makes them unique and special?

Although we often carry Wind Chimes, customers sometimes comment on them being to "tinkle-y"; so when we came across these Wind Bells we knew we had a winner! Made to replicate the the sounds of the nautical bells on ocean buoys; Wind Bells have a deep, haunting tone that is both clear and pure. Wind Bells and Chimes are similar in the sense that when the wind moves the pieces the contact creates a resonating sound. The larger the Bell/Chime, the deeper the tone. Also, Wind Bells are pyramidal in shape so they have a very simple and clean design that appeals to many different tastes and design - perfect for the front porch, the garden, or out at the cottage....

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