Who I am?
Hi! Alex here.
I write about gardening and sustainable landscape design.
My goal is to help You transform your garden from grass to greatness.
No outdoor space to your name?
No problem (as a millennial, I get it).
I love houseplants and balcony gardens too.
Dig into the blog, or keep reading for more about me.
The Full Story
Oasisora is a sustainable landscape design blog, and in many ways, it’s a love story not just with gardening but with nature itself.
I was a city kid living a country life. My childhood was spent catching frogs and snakes in Toronto’s parks and ravines, always deeply connected to the earth.
How did I, an urban wildman, end up starting this blog? Well, let’s rewind to a spring evening back in 2017, over three rounds of Oaxaca Old Fashioneds.
Days away from finishing my first year as a Master of Landscape Architecture student, I was looking to blow off steam. I strolled over to El Rey, a bar nestled in Toronto’s Kensington market.
It was just a casual hang, two burned-out grad students enjoying the evening, but conversation flowed effortlessly.
I discovered how deeply passionate I was about design and plants.
Suddenly, that night felt like a turning point, a moment of clarity.
Bill paid, I said goodnight to what felt like a whole new future.
Foundations
Fast forward three years, and I found myself living in Parkdale, Toronto’s coolest neighborhood. I had a beautiful house, a small yard, and a job that was driving me crazy.
Though I earned a degree in landscape architecture, the reality was far less glamorous.
Toronto was growing rapidly, and I was stuck in the condo project rat race.
Feeling uninspired, I decided to take matters into my own hands and built something that would reignite my passion. That something? A shed.
This wasn’t my first foray into gardening or DIY construction. Summers during high school were spent at the Jardins de Metis, a world-renowned garden built by my great-great-grandmother.
Later, I ran a landscaping business during my university days.
So, I grabbed a shovel and a rake, regraded the backyard, and began construction. What started as a weekend project ended up taking the entire summer, but by the end, I had a beautiful shed complete with Shou Sugi Ban cedar siding, a green roof, and a herb garden.
Lockdown Hustle
Cue spring 2020, and the global pandemic hit. Repeated lockdowns had me spending all my time at home. With little else to do, I took the opportunity to transform the rest of the garden.
By the end of the summer, the yard was a paradise raised beds, a vegetable garden, a pond with goldfish rescued from a local park, and a cozy patio.
The local raccoons tried to snack on the fish, but to my surprise, the fish survived!
Meanwhile, my career was evolving. I left the traditional landscape architecture route and started my own business providing drone mapping and inspection services across southern Ontario.
My love for design and nature merged into a fulfilling career, and I was even invited to join studio review panels at the University of Toronto.
Packing Up My Life
After years in Toronto and two under lockdown, I was ready for a change of scenery. I had my sights set on the US, and Portland, Oregon, became the final destination. The West Coast’s chill vibe and endless nature called to me.
Now, with Oasisora, I’m here to share everything I’ve learned on this journey from sustainable gardening to creating a life you love, rooted in nature.
Let’s Grow Together!