I'm assuming, in Canada, that you have a cool season grass. I can't think of a warm season grass that would ever look like anything up there. Mow: As tall as you can stand, preferably at least 3" tall. Always mulch mow with the bag off (if your mower allows), and do so when it's no taller than 4.5". Water: Rarely. Once a month, perhaps, in cooler weather, once a week during the hottest part of summer (if yours gets that hot--mine does and we're almost the same latitude, give or take). Put down 1" at a time (a tuna can is 1" deep so that's a good guide). Feed: According to bag instructions. If you aren't feeding the grass, you're starving it.

In Ann Arbor MI things are the same. Last summer we received no rain, & I hope yesterday's rain in not the sum total that we will receive this summer. First I cleaned the outside of about 20 hardshell gourds-what a mess, but easy to do since their skin were soft. Still have a bunch of small ones to be before I start carving them. I was able to trim a few trees, rake out the old hosta and daylily leaves from last year from one bed. I reshaped the pussy willow tree to hide the neighbor's deck from my kitchen window. The preformed fish pond is ready for a cleaning, after I catch that 1 goldfish that escaped me last fall-surprised it didn't die in the completely frozen pond. Because my beds are heavily mulched, the bulbs are not showing at all, but the forsythia is starting to flower. So, one bed is complete done, yeh!.Only 11 more beds to clean up, before the real work begins. This years I am actually going to try to see how many hours I spend doing gardening chores. I was at a lecture of Janet M. years ago where she talked about her 100sf bed with only 1 hour a month work (didn't include watering) April to November. Well, with my 7,000sf that is 70 hours a month, LOL, I must work really slow. Since I'm at the limit of my energy versus yard, I will only add a yellow fence (made from a 6' crate in the basement) because there are new houses behind me and I need a focal point in MY yard to keep my eye there. Surprises in the yard are always fun. Last year when I moved a few things, the daffodils were growing UNDER my granite sculpture, LOL I enjoy the Saline Garden club, lots of great information and wonderful gals who are fast becoming dear friends. Some people are surprised that we don't meet in the summer, we are all too busy in our own yards, but always have time for friends.

I usually never repot if the plant doesn't require a larger container. I usually repot in spring or summer but it happens during autumn too. I look at what the plant needs, not what season it is. I've had Hoyas growing in the same soil and pot for years and years and they do just fine. Fertilizing regularly is better than repotting too often. If I'm ever unsure to whether a plant needs repotting I leave it be.

I love your birding equipment reviews! I also saw the spotting scope/cameras advertised in Wildird, but I've not yet taken the time to "scope out the scopes" to compare their photo quality with regular DSLRs. As expensive as lenses are, the scope/camera combo should save photographers thousands of dollars, if the quality is comparable.