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Late Season: Perennial Planter
August arrives and my perennial planter has now taken on a new phase of colour: The Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' has kicked into flower and has masked the dried Astilbe flowers in the...
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Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer'
Lovely sunsets, cooler evenings and Black Eyed Susan's are some of my fondest delights of summer.Rudbeckia flowers hold a special spot in my heart. There are several cultivars, but my favourite has to...
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Dragon Wing Begonia Red
I find this Begonia hybrida "Dragon Wing Red" to be one of the most underutilized annuals.You'd be hard pressed to find it at any old garden centre. Not sure why, as I am so pleased with its...
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Datura inoxia "Downy Thorn Apple"
Every time I see one of these flowers unfurl, I think it's a miracle. From bud to full flower, it amazes me.Purple tinged, fussy stems. Love it!From this sized bud....seeing its progression makes me...
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Autumn Perennial Divisions
Most folks know that spring is the optimum time to divide perennials, but some don't realize there are some perennials that benefit from autumn divisions.Such as: Perennials will give warnings to let...
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Winter Care for Perennial Planter
Ok, my perennial planter is looking rather sad. October's cooler nights and shorter days have taken its toll already. It's time to put my planter to "bed".Depending upon where you live (zonally), there...
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Phytophthora Bleeding Canker on Birch
I took a double look at this birch tree the other day, only to have my eyes drawn to red sap ooozing out of the trunk.After heavy rains, the sappy residue is quite rusty red.Birch (Betula sp) tend to...
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Perennial Late Bloomers
Aside from the ordinary Chrysanthemum and Sedum - here are a few of my favourite perennial "late bloomers" that give flower in the midst of late autumn - tolerating light frosts and cooler day-time...
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The Best Plants for 30 Tough Sites
Photo from: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/dg8464.html Every once in a while, I come across a book that is a true resource and "keeper". The University of Minnesota (Edited by...
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Euonymus Crown Gall - Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Many a time, I come across crown gall on Euonymus. Never, have I seen it this large. Galls can form on several plant hosts. A gall is a plant tissue growth or "tumor" caused by a bacterium infection....
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Chrysanthemum Show - Centennial Greenhouse Conservatory
There is nothing that really excites me about autumn transitioning into winter. It's usually a dull, stormy time of season - when trees strip bare of leaves and I dreadingly pull out long-johns from my...
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Cold (Frost) Tolerant Annuals
One aspect of gardening that needs to be addressed when planning and using annuals, is furthering annual flower time with the onset of early frost. Mid October and November is really tough. Some days...
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Outdoor Winter Container Designs
The first couple of frost hits is the sign to prepare for winter containers.Some folks empty out their containers - soil and all to prepare for Christmas decorating. No, no.... I just snip off the tops...
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Outdoor Christmas Urn Container - Natural
Here I made a pair of urns with natural items.These urns span about 2 and 1/2 feet apart. A little more than 3 feet tall from the pot rim.I used:Have a look at some other designs here3 birch stems7...
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Outdoor Christmas Urn Container - One Sided
Here I made a Christmas Urn Design that is one sided.One bonus to making one sided Christmas urns: less material is needed. With this design, all the accents are on one side, making a bolder view from...
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Outdoor Christmas Container - Little Fun
My colleagues call this one I made - "the galaxy". lol :) We try to get a bit more creative with each one.When you have access to great product, you get a little more inventive. Using outdoor...
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Christmas Gifts for the Gardener
If you are looking for a gift for the gardener in your life, here are a few ideas:a) Gardeners Hand Recovery Cream- great for cold days working outdoorsb) InteraTarp - trunk and hatch back liner for...
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Outdoor Christmas Container - Large Planter
I have the privilege to decorate the containers outside of my church. Because these concrete "bowls" are so large (diameter is just under 3 feet), they can take a lot of product which can run rather...
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Christmas In Toronto - Allan Gardens Conservatory
Nothing says Christmas more beautifully, than gorgeous Christmas displays of colour, fragrance and texture. I had the privilege yesterday to view the stunning displays at Allan Gardens Conservatory.The...
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Potting Up Amaryllis Bulb
A new year brings new experiences and a new job opportunity for me. I've been so busy! So many changes going on has made me lag behind in blog posts. For that I apologize.Here is my amaryllis bulb that...
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