Now is a good time to revisit the concept of Victory Gardens, the vegetable plots planted in Canada during the Second World War to provide fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as demonstrate patriotism and solidarity. We could do with some solidarity.
About Beckie Fox
Spring blooms on the march
Thank goodness for spring. Daily walks through our garden reveal new flowers, new buds, new growth. It’s too early to clear away protective mulches and start digging in most parts of Canada, but it’s the perfect time to relish nature’s beauty as it unfolds.
Advice on pruning hydrangeas
Even experienced gardeners may hesitate before picking up secateurs to prune their hydrangeas. Some types are pruned now, some later, some rarely — which is which?
Celebrating snowdrops
Snowdrops are rather demure and unassuming flowers — simple white, downward-facing blooms on short stems. No fragrance, no vivid colours, no dramatic foliage. However, they’re always greeted with fanfare when they appear in our gardens in late winter, simply because they’re usually the first flowers we have.
Seedy Saturdays Make a Fun Family Outing
In Beckie Fox’s weekly garden newsletter, she highlights Seedy Saturdays as a fun family outing experience. Also: This is the time of year when certain willows are harvested for branches to be used to weave baskets, fences, hedges, screens or “live” willow structures.
Caring for potted miniature roses
A potted miniature rose with red-and-white striped flowers is in a sunny spot in the house, and the buds are opening slowly, which means we should have a few weeks of colour before moving it to a less conspicuous spot to rest until it’s warm enough to place outdoors. Miniature roses are sturdier than they look, and make wonderful container plants.
Forced branches say spring is near
Cut branches of forsythia or crabapple in a tall vase says spring is near. It’s not difficult to take a few branches from spring-flowering trees or shrubs, bring them indoors and wait for the buds to unfold.
Helping rosemary survive indoors
Over the years, I’ve overwintered rosemary indoors with about a 75 per cent success rate. My track record improved once I learned that this herb doesn’t like to dry out when grown indoors, which seems counter-intuitive given that Salvia rosmarinus is native to dry, rocky areas in the Mediterranean.
Planning a garden begins in winter
The only things that keep my spirits up during the long drag of January and February are the plant and seed catalogues arriving via the post or found online. I fold down corners of print seed catalogues, make lists from online catalogues, and generally sit back and dream. Lists of seeds and bulbs expand, shrink and shift.
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.
Shopping for dahlias
Although Beckie ordered a dozen dahlia tubers in January — the earlier you order, the better the selection — she’s thinking of choosing a few more. A fresh start for this year affords the chance to grow new-to-her varieties.
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.
Create your dream garden from scratch
Confronted by empty yards front and back? Here’s your detailed guide to creating your dream garden from scratch.
How to make an elegant topiary
A touch of formality is not out of place in most gardens. Trimmed cones and spheres of foliage — classic topiary — are especially suited to containers.
Perfect container plants
When shopping for container plants, it helps to have a list of favourites that you can always count on. Here are Beckie Fox’s suggestions.
Using trees to screen an unattractive view
The most effective means of obscuring an an unattractive view is to plant tall, narrow or coniferous trees — often called columnar or fastigiate trees.
How to plant a tree in your garden
Here are 8 basic steps to follow to successfully plant a tree in your garden.
The fight to preserve heritage at Randwood Estate
In Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, known for its national historical significance, a planning application could have an adverse impact on the landscape.
How to treat powdery mildew on rosemary?
When I bring my rosemary plants into the house for the winter, they get a powdery mildew that kills new growth. How do I treat this?
What are suitable plants for windy balconies?
What are suitable plants for a windy north facing fifth floor balcony in Toronto (zone 6)? I am looking for plants that can withstand the wind, and can do reasonably well without much direct sunlight.