If you have a large annual or mixed annual border, then you know how expensive all the seedlings can be. I like to mix annuals and perennials because annuals usually continue to bloom right into the fall whereas many perennials have finished blooming by then. Some annuals seem to fit into a perennial border better
Cleome — a.k.a. spider flower
These annuals work well in mixed borders and will self-seed to produce seedlings for future years
Clips bellflowers can be used in many ways
With many varieties to choose from they will be a welcome addition to your landscape
Many perennial borders have at least one bellflower variety in them, as the family is huge and the range of plants enormous. C. glomerata, commonly called clustered bellflower, has lovely dark-purple blooms (there is also a white and blue variegated variety), but it is quite invasive. There are bellflowers that form tufts of foliage at
Hardy Joe Pye Weed
Because it is native to the area it’s tough and responds well to our harsh climate
If you like native plants, then you probably already have a Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum) in your garden. Native plants are reliably hardy, they respond well to local conditions and are not “finicky” to grow — a good thing — because in our harsh climate conditions plants need to be tough to survive and
Using ninebark shrubs in the landscape
With many different leaf colours and heights to choose from it’s easy to find an appropriate variety
A ninebark shrub is one of the most versatile and easy-to-grow shrubs available to Prairie gardeners. There are several varieties that make using it even more useful when planning a landscape, as one with the appropriate leaf colour and one that grows the desired height can be selected from a long list. One of the
Using herbs as container garden ‘spillers’
We usually think of flowers for containers but there are some ideal herbs that could be used
It might be too soon to buy plants to put in containers but start thinking about which ones to use, and maybe they can be obtained from our own gardens — both the outdoor one and the indoor one. By taking pieces of these plants now and potting them up, they will have developed into
Planning a theme garden
Too early to get outside in the garden but the perfect time to design and plan
Gardeners are waiting impatiently for winter to finally give up its grip so they can begin creating their 2018 outdoor gardens. In the meantime, March is perfect for planning and designing. How about a theme garden this year? Choose a colour and make that your theme — purples and burgundy-toned flowers and foliage for a
Protecting plants from winter damage
You’ll be glad you did when you see healthy plants come back in the spring
Late October/early November is the ideal time to plan on how you are going to protect vulnerable plants from our severe winter. The first step has hopefully already been taken where you have chosen most of your plants that are hardy to your climate zone. Many gardeners, however, like to try a few “challenging” plants
Try out some white pumpkins this Halloween
These varieties range from pure white to cream colour with no trace of orange on them
Moonshine,” “Lumina,” “Baby Boo,” “New Moon” — these are all variety names of white pumpkins. It used to be that the spookiness of the Halloween season was depicted using only the colours orange and black. Well, move over orange and black, because white is fast gaining ground as the fearsome colour of choice. Horticulturalists have
Enjoy peony season while it lasts
The large scented blooms can be admired in the garden or used as cut flowers in floral arrangements
Most rural properties have peony bushes and the owners of these properties eagerly look forward to peony season every year. Nothing can match the wonderful sight and perfume of the bright-red, pink and white blooms. These can be enjoyed in the outdoor garden to their full potential if the plants have been staked so that
Rhubarb season is almost here
There’s nothing better after a long winter than that first taste of rhubarb from the garden
We all eagerly look forward to the first tastes of spring from our gardens, keeping our eye on the asparagus patch, the chives and that clump of winter onions. Another plant that we watch carefully for is rhubarb. There’s nothing more tantalizing than that first bowl of stewed rhubarb — unless it is a delicious
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
