Your Backyard Garden Information Source
PETUNIA (Named from petun, the Brazilian name for tobacco, to which Petunia is allied) Everyone has some room for Petunias because they are the most profuse flowering of any annual. Few other annuals produce so many of such large flowers. The colors have been improved to such an extent that there are now varieties to please us all. Recently nearly […]
The various operations carried out on the soil by the use of a space are all known as digging. The general purpose is to break up the soil to improve its physical nature, rendering it more suitable for supporting plant life. Digging is generally carried out in the autumn and winter when solidly compact soil can be broken up and […]
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 […]
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 […]
The first thing you should know about daffodils is that it’s smart to choose the ones you want while they’re still in bloom in the spring. If you miss the boat this spring, your best bet is to read carefully the descriptions in next fall’s seed and nursery catalogs. The second thing you need to know is something about the […]
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 […]
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 […]
SALVIA – Sage (The Latin name used by Pliny meaning safe, referring to the medicinal properties) It is unnecessary to describe the Scarlet Sage which is now much planted in some sections of the United States. There is no question regarding its growth or its blooming qualities, but in some cities its hot color is seen on so many streets […]
LOBELIA (Named for M. L’Obel, botanist and physician of King James I) Clear blues are found among the annual Lobelias. The varieties of the Edging Lobelia, Lobelia erinus, the common species, are of two sorts-those which produce compact plants four inches tall, and trailing forms, which hang down for two or three feet over the sides of a pot. The […]
California-poppy (Named for Dr. Eschscholtz as the result of an expedition to explore the botany of what is now California in 1815. Named by Chamisso, a companion naturalist) The silky, golden-yellow blossoms of this, the state flower of California, are borne in profusion. Gardeners have greatly improved the plant until now we have both singles and doubles in a great […]