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I am lucky. Gardening has always been a slightly guilty pleasure for me. I used to think that it was because I never had enough time in the garden. Now I am positive that I would feel the same way even if I had all the time in the world. As a little more light and a bit more warmth […]
The days are getting noticeably longer, so I am reasonably optimistic about the prospect of spring weather arriving sometime soon. So optimistic that I believe that there may actually be a morning within the next couple of weeks when the weatherman does not predict “chance of rain mixed with snow, possibly heavy by nightfall.” When the season finally turns, I […]
SPRING PRUNING of established roses is always a gamble. If you prune too early, late spring frosts can kill all the canes. If you prune too late, some of the plants’ strength will be lost in the growth of the top shoots (spinach). You and you alone must be the judge of when to prune your roses. All roses must […]
September is the time to plant spring blooming bulbs. Tulips, Daffodils or Narcissus, Grape Hyacinths, Squill and Crocuses are the ones that grow well in Central Alberta. These bulbs need to be planted early in the fall, to give them enough time to develop a good root system, before the ground freezes solid. Careful consideration must be given to the […]
Tulips are the gardener’s pot of gold Remember your old “magic set” and the wonderfully colored brews you mixed? And the surprises, and the fun? Today you’ll find there’s greater magic in tulips and even more gorgeous and beautiful colors packed away in their sleek brown bulbs. To work this new magic, think of the happiest flower colors and the prettiest combinations you ever […]
How to grow Dicentra Bleeding Heart. From the Greek di, two, kentron, a spur, referring to the two spurs on the petals (Fumariaceae). Hardy herbaceous perennials formerly known as Dielytra. Fibrous and tuberous rooted, they generally transplant badly because the roots are as brittle as glass. The flowers are pendant from arching stems, like lanterns hung along a cord. Species […]
One of the exciting stages of garden construction is the marking out of beds. The sites for the flower displays are marked out in the garden in the form of beds or borders. These may be of various shapes and sizes and much will depend on the character of the garden as to the exact shape which is used. Formal […]
Fine Plants for Spring Bloom in the Rock Garden and at the Front of the Flower Border Hardy, perennial, more or less evergreen, low-growing plants which bear a profusion of bloom in early spring. They are invaluable in the rock garden and wall garden, as edging to flower borders, and as groundwork for taller plants in spring flower beds. Unfortunately, […]
An old Latin name for violet (Violaceae). A genus of some 500 species of hardy perennials, mainly from northern temperate regions, including violas, pansies, and violets, of which there are many hybrids and strains. Species grown today Where to plant and grow Violas Violas do best in moist, well-drained soil and in light shade. Propagation of cultivars is by cuttings […]
Information pertaining to broadleaf trees. Listed below are common trees with care facts. ACER Most maples thrive on lime and chalk, including British natives and those commonly planted. The Chinese species, such as AA, capillipes, davidii, ginnala, griseum and rufinerve, make a splendid display in chalk gardens. A. palmatum and its cultivars need more fertile soil. The American A. rubrum […]