Diary August 2007 - Unusual Plants

It’s fun to experiment with unusual plants. How to discover neat, new ones? Well, there’s lots of ways: through family, fellow gardeners, Horticulture societies, books and magazines, seed catalogues, the Internet and garden tours.
I have a few neat ones this summer that you might want to try.
About 10 years ago, I ordered Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena ‘Miss Jekyll’) from the Thompson and Morgan seed catalogue. The description read as follows: “bright blue, semi-double flowers which seem to float amid the finely cut leaves.” “Persian Jewels’ is a mix of blue, pink and white. ‘Oxford Blue’ are taller with deep blue flowers. Two extra cool things about this plant: they have really decorative seed pods and they re-seed! Even in really bad soil! (like mine!!)

In my Favourites section, I told the story of my husband trying to help me weed the garden. It’s worth repeating:
"...My husband was helping me pull thistles from my flower beds but (smart man!) always checked before actually yanking the weeds out. “This one?” he asked. “NO!” I screamed in horror, “that’s my Sea Holly ‘Miss Wilmott’s Ghost’!” “OK, OK, just checking” he mumbled as he moved deeper into the garden-jungle..."
Sea Holly (Eryngium giganteum ‘Miss Wilmott’s Ghost’) garners lots of attention in the border because it’s so unusual. The stems are steel blue. Neat little blue cones grow from the stems and are surrounded by a collar of prickly scalloped leaves. It’s about 2’ tall.

As you know if you follow my diaries, my Dad is a huge help to me. An avid gardener, he experiments with a lot of plants by growing them from bulbs and seeds.
This year he gave me a whole bunch of tiny Oxalis bulbs and I put them into a container in a very shady area of my border. They are very different. They have heart-shaped 4-leaf clover type leaves and dainty pink flowers. Apparently some Oxalis are horribly invasive when planted in the border but I’ve always kept this one in a container and it’s behaved very nicely.

Grocery store garden centres sometimes carry the neatest stuff! I’ve found some of my loveliest daylilies there! Now, of course I was going to give you the name of these two, but can I find the labels?? No. (I should have put it into the back pocket of my Garden Journal like I told YOU to do last spring!!) Oh well. It was “Chocolate” something or other. It sure is pretty! (Sorry – no photo until it blooms again!)
I’m saving the best for last: this year Dad gave me several Triple Purple Datura. Holy Toledo!! Take a look at this!

Aren’t they unbelievable???? Sure Daturas are toxic - so are lots of plants if you eat them!! But just to be on the safe side, wear gloves when picking off dead flowers and leaves. Daturas are now classified as Brugmansia. To look at them, the basic difference is that Datura flowers stand up while Brugmansia flowers hang down. Dad’s only ever grown Datura.
Anyway, my younger son took some stunning shots of the Triple Purple the day after the wedding (Yes – the wedding went very very well!! It was beautiful, so much fun and full of memories! And it sure was worth getting the garden in tip top shape!)
Here are shots of this year’s garden beauty!!

Diary July 2007 - Ornamental Grasses

When I first started designing my garden borders, I was fascinated with the many types of perennials and annuals. Then into my 10th or 11th season of gardening I came upon a book that focused on designs by James van Sweden and Wolfgang Oehme. Wow!! They featured gardens that singularly used ornamental grasses or blended them into the perennial border.
Ornamental grasses. I had never heard of them let alone used them! They looked soft and flowing but also dramatic and impressive. There seemed to be so many – small silver ones, soft pink ones and tall striped ones.
Ornamental grasses had been used in landscape design in the early 20th century but then fell out of favour for many years. Van Sweden and Oehme incorporated grasses into their new naturalistic style. They were instrumental in the resurgence of their popularity.
Why do gardeners like them? Most are very hardy, low maintenance, pest and disease free. Some display 4 seasons of interest: after they’ve been green and beautiful all summer, and after their gorgeous autumn plumes, I often hear them rustling in the winter wind!
I have tested quite a few in my garden. I would recommend many and definitely caution you on a few that caused me much dismay and hard work – digging them out!
One of my favourites is Miscanthus sinensis. There are quite a few varieties but the ones I have grow 4-7’ wide and in years with good rain, 6’ high with 2’ plumes!! Now this large a plant may not fit in everyone’s yard, but if you need a big show-stopper, I highly recommend a Miscanthus.
Here’s a shot of my front garden where you can see a striped Miscanthus, some Pennisitum in front and a silvery clump of Helictotrichon sempirvirens a bit farther over.
Pennisetum is considered an annual in my Zone 5A but with a little winter protection, mine comes back year after year. The only thing I’ve noticed is that when I bought it, it had a maroon tint to it but upon returning, it’s changed to a flat green. This year I tried putting it into my containers as the vertical interest and it’s doing very well. The next picture was shot in late May but now, in late June, it’s sending up plumes! Very pretty!
My ultimate favourite, especially in my design days, was Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempirvirens). It’s very controlled (i.e. not invasive), feathery, and is a gorgeous shade of blue-silver that sets off almost any other colour in the garden. I have at least 10 in my borders and it’s a quiet little star wherever I’ve put it. Here’s a fall shot complete with pink mums and pink-headed Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’.
A few other favourites include small silver Festuca grass (although it seems to be relatively short-lived); tall, sculptural Feather Reed Grass ‘Karl Foerster’ (Calamagrostis) and Variegated Cord Grass (Spartina pectinata). I described Cord grass in my Favourites section: “…a tough-as-nails green and gold variegated grass at the back of my border or near water. Very dramatic when leaves are worked into a flower arrangement. Very difficult to divide. Drought tolerant.”
I’ve tried a few others that have not been as successful but are truly beautiful. Japanese Golden Grass (Hakonechloa macra) is a true delight in a shady spot, but my 3 previous ones never re-appeared in the spring although they are perennials. This year’s addition is constantly being chewed to the ground by one of my ever-favourite garden bunny rabbits!! (Grrrr…….). Another truly outstanding grass is Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata cylindrical). It requires perfect conditions (very well drained soil, not too sunny, not too shady), so when I failed to meet the requirements, it didn’t return. I caught a lovely shot, though, on a garden tour once.

2 very invasive types I had trouble getting rid of were Lyme grass (Elymus arenarius) and Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinancea). Plant these at your own risk but otherwise, give the lovely ones a shot! You won’t be disappointed!

Diary June 2007 - Planting Week

I always take a week’s vacation in May to do my planting. Well actually my planning, searching, purchasing, weeding and then planting! As I said last month, it’s wedding fever around here and the first occasion was a bridal shower at my house this past Sunday - the first opportunity for Garden Touring.
The week was excellent for working outside. The first day was my nursery scouring and hunting. I love this! I planned on 3-4 spots to pick up the annuals, perennials and shrubs on my list. I put on my “bound-to-get-muddy” black clothes and best duck boots. I wasn’t the only one buying plants – in one nursery I could barely get a parking spot! I dragged my trolley through aisle after aisle checking for the ones I needed and just admiring the rest. I bought my kitchen herbs: parsley, rosemary, basil, thyme and dill;

for the beds: impatiens, lobelia, nicotiana (both short and tall scented ‘Nicotiana sylvestris’), geraniums, dark purple petunias and flowering kale and cabbage; Eremurus (Foxtail Lilies, because I loved them from last year’s Guelph Garden Tour), 2 new clematis, 2 new climbing roses and 2 quince bushes; trailing geraniums, lobelia and wave petunias for the deck containers as well as potato vine, helichrysum and Pennisetum;

Heuchera, tuberous begonias, and coleus for the front urns and 2 gorgeous hanging baskets for the deck! It took 3 trips of shopping and unloading but I did it. My Dad gave me 4 Datura, 2 yellow and 2 double flowering purple, which I’ve potted and put into the beds and onto the deck. They were spectacular last year. He also gave me another new pot favourite – oxalis.
Day 1 was lovely – sunny and cool - we did weeding and that took ages as usual. Day 2 was sunny and warmer and we planted a few beds. The next day was sunny, hot and humid. We called it quits at 1:30. (Humidity really takes your energy away). The last day was hazy, hotter and extremely humid. We were melted by noon so that was it. I had errands to run for the remaining days and of course, baking and setting up for the shower. But even though we still have a few alyssum and half a flat of impatiens left, I knew we were ready for Sunday.
It poured rain all night Saturday and Sunday morning. I was still hopeful that it wouldn’t be rainy all day. I must admit that the garden looked dewy and alive after the rain -maybe a bit wet for walking but definitely “fresh”. I hoped that the guests would enjoy the Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’ and Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Brunette’

as well as the Giant allium among the golden euonymus and hosta ‘Great Expectations’.

The shower went very well. I am going to digress slightly from garden talk to tell you about 2 special touches I created for the party. I am not at all imaginative but I copy exceptionally well (!) In a book about bridal showers, I saw an interesting idea: make the front door look like a gigantic gift!

I also read that it’s nice to put out photos of the wedding couple surrounded by flowers. I was able to incorporate the Giant Allium, Bleeding Hearts, Deutzia and Dogwood into a large flower arrangement for the dessert table.

The weather held up nicely during lunch – the rain only started again during the opening of the presents. (whew!) The garden was enjoyed by many. I felt very proud and happy that this was only the beginning of what promises to be a great gardening season!

Dairy May 2007 - Spring Clean-up

Every spring I create a huge garden TO DO list. I know what I should do, but sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate, or knee problems get in the way or just plain laziness gives me an excuse to skip over these important tasks. But a special occasion such as a garden tour, special birthday or wedding is an extra inspiration to get out there and get going!
Wedding – did I say wedding??? Well, that’s my big inspiration this spring! My oldest son Alex is getting married to his beautiful girlfriend Kim.

Now, it’s not a garden wedding, but there will be a bridal shower and other family occasions related to the wedding that make me want my garden to look extra good this year. So we definitely have to do a very through spring clean-up.
My Dad (my very generous, constant helper) was out with me today in gorgeous 23 degree weather. We raked, we weeded, we pruned, we cut back and then we sat and admired our work. We got the front done and approximately half of the back. The weather promises to be just as sunny and warm tomorrow so we left all our tools on the deck to continue tomorrow.
Wedding or no wedding - what should you do in the spring? Here are some common tasks that always pay off:
Weeding: When the earth is soft enough to dig into, get rid of those weeds that made you crazy last summer. I loved Carol Wallace’s article about spring clean-up in which she described finding weeds “that grow like bamboo or those that have taproots that go to Australia!” She’s right – if you can get them first thing in the spring, perhaps they won’t spread as quickly or grow to the size of prize sunflowers! She also mentions to be careful before pulling “unknowns” – are they weeds or the new plants that you put in last fall? Leave them until you know for sure! (Sometimes it’s easy to tell – if they grow 6” a day, they’re probably weeds!!)
Cleaning Up: If you are not the type to cut down perennials in the fall, do it now! Overwintered foliage is usually yucky, soft and mushy. Pull it up and out and let the new growth get some air and sunshine. Ornamental grasses (like Miscanthus) can be cut down to the ground or you can just pull the yellow brittle sticks out (like in Blue Oat Grass), leaving room for this year’s growth to come in.
Dig Back In: New plants often heave out of the ground after a hot/cold/hot/cold spring. Dig a deeper hole and gently put the plant back into the earth. Tuck the roots in, cover with extra dirt and tamp down firmly.
Pruning: Many shrubs benefit from severe pruning (being cut right down to the ground) or light pruning (cutting out select branches). I cut my ‘Anthony Waterer’ Spirea down to 2” and plan to do the same tomorrow to the Weigela.

We will also need to cut the brown branches out of the Red Twig Dogwood and get the dead branches out of the shrub, explorer and rugosa roses (ouch- watch for thorns!!)
Raking: GENTLY rake out leaves and debris that fell into garden beds, being extra careful not to damage new growth. This gets rid of areas for slugs and snails to breed as well as allows the earth to warm in the sunshine. Plus it looks neater too.
I must complain about one thing, though – RABBITS!!! They have taken over the neighborhood. On evening walks, there’s at least one on every front lawn we pass. They’ve chewed my shrubs, trees, tulips and I’m pretty worried about what annuals to put in. I don’t want to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for floppy-eared pests! Please send me any suggestions you have for proven rabbit resistant plants.
Anyway – back to Spring Clean-up. Walking through the garden reminds me that laziness and shortcuts don’t pay off! When experts tell you to put clay pots away over the winter – do it! Otherwise (uh-oh) suffer the consequences:

Next weekend it’s time for edging, transplanting and then the piece de resistance: Sheep Manure!!!

Diary April 2007 - Canada Blooms

By late winter, most gardeners I know are getting pretty antsy!! It’s still too cold to do anything outside. Warm days get our hopes up then the same hopes get dashed when a snowfall hits and temperatures drop.
What to do? Go to Canada Blooms, of course!
It’s billed as “Canada’s biggest and most extravagant indoor garden show” and so it is! 250 exhibitors, 40 feature gardens, 80,000 flower bulbs and more than 3, 000 perennials.
I hadn’t been to the show for several years so I was really looking forward to it! Plus my talented cousin Laila, a landscape architect, had been instrumental in putting together one of the exhibits so I was eager to see it.
The mood was set by a beautiful sculpture/flower design at the top of the escalator before heading down to the main show:

At the bottom of the long escalator, we purchased tickets, checked coats and were greeted by bright beautiful colours:

Then into the show we went!
It’s not only the colours that greet you but also the gorgeous fragrances:


This year’s theme was Elements, the transformation of earth, wind, fire and water into garden creations. Each of the exhibit gardens incorporated the theme in its own way. Here are a few examples:

My cousin Laila’s marvelous creation won “Outstanding Use of Structure” It’s easy to see why!

For many days prior to the show, all material was brought into the Convention Centre. Ponds, pools, waterfalls, brick walls and walkways were built on a sand base. Then the plant material was placed according to the design.
Laila told me they set up in freezing conditions. I later read an article by Art Drysdale where he explained how this came about:
We had an ice storm prior to the show installation. Then as the weather warmed slightly and the winds picked up, there was fear that sheets of ice would fall off the Toronto skyscrapers, including the CN Tower! Streets were roped off - even a section of the Gardiner Expressway was closed! For one day, there was no access to the Hall. On the final move-in day, the back doors were kept open longer than usual to accommodate the backlog. Exhibitors worked in icy cold conditions and some plant material was damaged (we saw some very sad-looking orchids).
Bravo to all exhibitors and builders who braved these circumstances to create a most wonderful show which included unbelievable floral arrangements

and wonderful stretches of spring bulbs.

Shows like Canada Blooms inspire and give hope to gardeners like myself who can hardly wait to get “out there” and get planting!!

Diary March 2007 - Small Garden

On February 3rd, in London Ontario, I had an epiphany – maybe I could live in a smaller house with a small garden! (Big change from previous diary entries, eh? See my April 2006 Diary)

How did this happen, you ask? Well, we were invited to my cousin’s for a family get-together. Ed and Allison recently moved from a standard family home with big garden and pool to a condominium bungalow. Well, it was gorgeous!! Beautifully decorated and spacious with large principal rooms (bigger than their previous house) and somehow room for 14 for dinner! (albeit in 2 separate rooms).
I loved the layout and compactness of their new home and the idea that a smaller house could have plenty of space after all.
But Allison loves gardening, just like I do. I asked her how she could stand giving up her large garden. She told me that she still had great plants and lovely spaces but the upkeep only took a few hours every weekend.
Hmmmmmm……….this started me thinking.
If we retired to a similar set-up and I couldn’t have a large garden anymore, what would be some of the guiding principles for a small garden? And what plants would I need (and like) to include?
Hardscaping would be more important than ever. A patio or deck would define sitting/eating areas. Pathways and walkways made of stone or gravel could direct the eye to garden focal points. Walls or fences could add much needed privacy but may need to be “disguised” with climbing plants and shrubbery.

Remember, there’s no room for clutter in a small garden so I’d have to hide the barbeque and garden equipment inside a small shed or behind a screen.

Can a small garden take big plants? Certainly! Here’s some advice from an article in Gardening Life magazine: “Don’t hesitate to use big show-stopper plants such as Brugmansia and canna lilies. They can act as dramatic focal points in a small space.”
The same article says “Prune shrubs, vines and small trees regularly to keep them in scale and prevent them from crowding other plants.” This may sound contradictory but it’s not really. Scale and proportion become ultimately important in small spaces. Some recommended trees and shrubs are Deutzia, Spiraea japonica ‘Anthony Waterer’, Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’, Acer palmatum, ‘Bloodgood’ and Rhododendron.
Even though I agree with what’s just been said, I think a small garden may be a perfect showcase for small plants as well. On a recent garden tour, I saw the tiniest hosta ever! It was called Pandora’s Box…”A sport of H. 'Baby Bunting', it is the tiniest variegated hosta in existence, only 3 inches tall”.

Many of the articles I looked up about small gardens included a water feature. I think this would be lovely but they are extremely high maintenance.

Diary February 2007 - Garden in Winter

Winter has its own beauty: crisp cold temperatures, big fat snowflakes and ice-coated tree branches. It’s interesting how this website has made me more aware of the garden within these seasons and especially how to watch for photography opportunities! Last Sunday we had one of the first snows of the season. It was one of those gentle snows that just drifted down and started to coat everything. By late afternoon, I could see a few garden areas worth capturing on film!

Let’s take a look why the elements seen here add “winter interest”. Snow has covered the structural elements: the bench, the big boulders and the arbour (known on this website as The Vortex. Check previous diary entries to find out why!). I purposely do not cut down the Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, the ‘Fairy’ rose or the background prairie cord grass Spartina cordata so that they too can capture snow and frost.
Many concrete garden ornaments should be taken in to a protected environment over winter because the freezing and thawing temperatures could cause them to crack. But my lovely little girl “Elaine” has survived 10 Ontario winters so far and thank goodness – no damage so far! Doesn’t she look delightful with snow caught in her apron?

And why oh why couldn’t the urns have looked like this at Christmas??

Winter is definitely the season of looking, planning and dreaming about the garden rather than doing things in the garden! Check out new garden books at the Library or at the local bookstore. Renew garden magazine subscriptions and order seed catalogues. Find out the latest garden trends and newest plants. Plan to improve lackluster areas or spots that have gaps.
Marjorie Harris in her book Seasons of My Garden says: “As usual in gardening, I picked up ideas all over the place. I used to call it creative stealing. Now I just think of it as creative. I knew designers who were really good at winter landscaping, and I tried to incorporate their best ideas into my own garden. I wish garden tours weren’t just confined to the summer. This would be a really instructional time to look about.”
Last Monday we had an ice storm. Boy! It was a doozy!! But as I said, what came into my mind was how quickly I could get outside to take some interesting shots! So as soon the weather slowed down a bit, I very carefully edged my way out the door and down the steps to shoot the following pictures.

Winter may not be a gardener’s favourite season but it sure has its own beauty if you look for it!