Not everyone has a garden, patio or balcony for growing plants. Tending plants indoor is a popular way for many people to indulge their love of green things. The new book by Hilton Carter, Wild At Home, is all about how to style and care for beautiful plants.
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Canadian Shield roses taking hold nicely
The Canadian Shield rose, released in 2017 as the first in a series of roses called Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection, now have been through one or two winters in gardens across Canada. We checked in on this hardy, disease-resistant repeat bloomer with vivid red blooms and glossy green foliage.
Roses to inspire our sense of place
The Chinook Sunrise is the newest hardy rose for northern gardens. The Chinook Sunrise bloom colour is described as a delicious kaleidoscope of shades, from deep coral to pale pink, by Amy Bowen, research director at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Vineland Station, Ontario.
Creating a spring container
If you’re keen to start gardening, but your soil is too cold and damp for digging, consider potting up a spring container instead. Depending on the weather, a few spring containers planted with beautiful, cold-tolerant plants now will give you several weeks of colour.
Growing from seed
Dark morning glories from seed
My dark morning glories are heirloom hybrids of I. purpurea, producing half-hardy seeds that will often remain in the soil over winter and sprout in spring.
Moonflowers from seed
Moonflowers are distinguished by their night-blooming schedule and intoxicating fragrance that moves through the garden. Try growing moonflowers from seed.
Food to grow
How to grow a pawpaw tree
Culinary popularity is making the pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) the next big thing for backyards. Linda Grimo thinks the tree is ideal for urban landscape.
Growing food where deer roam
It’s a big challenge growing food where deer roam daily, grazing and razing every palatable morsel to the ground. Carol Pope suggests edibles to grow.
Looking for big garlic cloves
Garlic begins making roots in fall, just as soon as it’s buried in soft, rich soil. A big garlic clove on planting day make big heads next summer.
Sweet cherry tomatoes
Every seed catalogue on my desk falls open to the tomato pages. Perhaps the seed companies have recognized my obsession with sweet cherry tomatoes.
Garden design
A garden designer’s view on trends
Catherine Geraats of Aphrodite Design Group was the garden designer who designed Garden Making’s feature garden for Canada Blooms in 2012 in Toronto. We asked Catherine about what’s new in garden design. And she had some advice for new homeowners hiring a landscape designer.
Front garden design changes
Removing a large fern-leaf beech from front garden became necessary because of its eventual size. Dwarf conifers will replace it in front garden design.
Tips for gardeners
Coping with clay soil
Clay soil can be difficult it can be to work with. Simple clay amending techniques for a clod-free garden.
Provide home for mason bees in your garden
Solitary bees, especially mason bees (Osmia lignaria), are buzzing to the rescue. These native bees are easy to attract.
Books for gardeners
Canadian Gardener’s Guide updated for 2019
The third edition of Canadian Gardener’s Guide, edited by Lorraine Johnson, includes several new features, such as cold frame gardening, rain gardens and backyard homesteading.
Growing with Emma: A gardening book for kids
Children’s gardening books are usually written by adults, but that’s not the case with Gardening with Emma, written by Emma Biggs, a 13-year-old gardener in Toronto.