Meet Todd Boland
Your Gardening Neighbor Who’s Been There, Dug That
🌻 The Quick Scoo
For 23 years, Todd’s been knee-deep in soil, coaxing life out of stubborn seeds and turning “I can’t grow anything!” folks into proud plant parents. With a Master’s in Plant Ecology from Memorial University, he’s now the Research Horticulturist at Memorial University’s Botanical Garden, where he rescues rare Newfoundland plants (like the Newfoundland cinquefoil) from extinction. By weekend? He’s battling slugs in his own backyard—because even experts get messy.
🌱 Todd’s Story: From Dandelions to Delphiniums
Todd’s first “garden” was a 10-year-old’s patch of weeds he insisted were exotic flowers. His grandma didn’t have the heart to correct him. That spark led to decades of nurturing Arctic orchids, iceberg-defying perennials, and a career saving plants most folks never see. His big lesson: Great gardens aren’t about perfection—they’re about grit, grins, and a little dirt under your nails.
🔨 Todd’s Gardening Style: No-Nonsense & Nurturing
- Tough Love for Tough Plants: “If it can’t handle a frosty May morning in Newfoundland, it’s not worth your sweat.”
- Hacks, Not Hassles: “Why spend hours watering? Mulch smarter, sip lemonade longer.”
- Thrifty & Proud: “My best compost bin? An old washing machine. Free and foolproof.”
🏆 Why Listen to Todd?
- 23 Years of Real-World Digging: Saved university greenhouses and neighbors’ rose bushes from certain doom.
- Plant Rescuer & Community Hero: Founded the Newfoundland and Labrador Wildflower Society and chairs the North American Rock Garden Society (yes, rocks and plants can be friends!).
- Author & Educator: Wrote six field guides on Atlantic Canada’s flora and teaches workshops on sustainable gardening.
- No-BS Promise: “If I can’t explain it while eating a peanut butter sandwich, I’m doing it wrong.”
💬 Straight from the Soil: Todd’s Philosophy
“Gardening’s like a good pair of jeans—better with age and a few patches.
Focus on what works, laugh at the fails, and always plant extra zucchini (your neighbors will thank you).”
🍅 Beyond the Garden Gate
- Talks to his tomatoes for better yields (“They’re very responsive to Sinatra”).
- Avid Birder: Travels from Costa Rica’s jungles to Alaska’s tundra to spot rare birds.
- Still kills houseplants: “Nobody’s perfect. Except maybe hostas.”
📬 Let’s Grow Together!
Email: toddboland@gardenvio.com
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📚 Todd’s Top Guides & Reads
- “Wildflowers of Atlantic Canada: A Field Guide”
- “Rock Gardening in Harsh Climates”
- “The Lazy Gardener’s Guide to a Yard That Looks Fancy (But Isn’t)”
🌿 Join the Tribe!
👉 Free Tips: Snag Todd’s “5-Minute Fixes” newsletter—short, sweet, snail-free.
👉 Workshops: Learn to compost with coffee grounds and outsmart squirrels.