Mark Cullen has long been synonymous with gardening. His roots and accolades run deeper than the wild fig tree discovered in Echo Caves, South Africa (the roots reached 120 m (393 ft) underground). He is a recipient of The Order of Canada, a former broadcaster, podcaster and author of 23 books. His 2018 title, Escape to Reality: How the World is Changing Gardening, and Gardening is Changing the World was co-written with his son, Ben.
For newbie and seasoned gardeners alike, Mark has been the go-to resource for how to eradicate weeds with the deepest taproots (insert field bindweed, Japanese knotweed and horsetails here!). He’s shared rotten egg concoctions for deterring deer, seed starting and saving tips, botanical garden roadtrip ideas and the dirt behind greener lawns. His quiet education has covered everything from growing garlic, companion planting to native plant and bee-friendly bloom guides.
Since 2014, Mark has allowed Harrowsmith readers to grow alongside him. Whether you ambitiously followed in his rubber boot footsteps from the beginning or joined the Harrowsmith community when his son Ben did, we have been lucky to have such a powerhouse team as our magazine’s gardening editors.
Mark is retiring from his editorial role at Harrowsmith at the end of 2025 and his son Ben, a fourth-generation urban gardener, will be shifting his focus to his young family and new pursuits. You can continue to follow the Cullens on social and Mark’s official site.
Yolanda Thornton, publisher and CEO of Moongate Inc., shared this reflection: “Mark and Ben have played a significant role in shaping the direction of Harrowsmith‘s gardening content over the past decade and we’re deeply grateful for their contributions to the magazine.”
For Yolanda, the most memorable piece by the Cullens was one that was featured in our Summer 2025 issue entitled “The Tree Whisperer” (a moving review of Our Green Heart: The Soul and Science of Forests by Diana Beresford-Kroeger). The book delves into the essential role trees play in sustaining life on Earth, a pulse point for Mark who serves as a Volunteer Chair for the Highways of Heroes Campaign and Canadian Trees for Life. He has been instrumental in the Highways of Heroes Living Tribute, a project that will see 117,000 trees planted to honour every fallen Canadian Soldier since Confederation, along the Highway of Heroes between Trenton and Toronto. Harrowsmith was proud to support the Cullens’ legacy work in this area for many years.
Mark and Ben, thank you on behalf of our Harrowsmith community for sharing your deep knowledge, trials, tribulations, trades secrets and plant passion. We wish you luck (and relaxation!) and big blooms, always.
Welcome Frank
In Spring 2026, Harrowsmith will welcome Frank Ferragine into our fold. “Frankie Flowers” is an award-winning gardener, best-selling author and former Breakfast Television staple. His DNA is dirt-deep too! Bradford Greenhouses (located in Bradford and Barrie, Ontario) is a multi-generational Ferrangine family-owned business. Their destination garden centres are indoor oases of flowering tropicals, novelty plants, tools, patio sets, decorative pots and bird feeders. With more than 40 acres of greenhouse space, they are one of Canada’s largest growers and wholesalers with a team of over 350 people. You can read more about the generational history of the Ferragine family and their greenhouses here.
