The beauty of container gardening is trying new plant and colour combinations every year. Here a sunny container combo that I liked so much, I may recreate it again: 1 red-edged green New Zealand flax (Phormium cultivar) 1 golden box honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida ‘Baggesen’s Gold’) 1 weeping brown sedge (Carex flagellifera) 1 bronze-leaved sweet potato vine … [Read more...] about Sunny combo for your container gardening
Just say no to tree staking
Gardeners threw out their sticky cans of pruning paint after learning that sealing tree wounds with the paint increased the risk of insect and disease infestations, and the trees healed faster without it. When research showed that planting new trees in deep holes, backfilled with heavily enriched, amended soil actually hindered new roots from growing into the surrounding … [Read more...] about Just say no to tree staking
Prinses Irene tulip is an early-blooming Triumph tulip
Planting blue Icicle pansies at the base of dusty orange tulips provides a more bracing spring tonic than the usual soft pastels so prevalent at that time of year. A few deep purple hyacinths and the glossy green leaves of Vinca minor fill out the tapestry. The ‘Prinses Irene’ tulip, an early blooming Triumph tulip, is indispensable. Its fragrant blooms on strong stems are … [Read more...] about Prinses Irene tulip is an early-blooming Triumph tulip
Coping with clay soil
Simple clay amending techniques for a clod-free garden After almost 40 years of gardening, I’ve learned that the limitations of climate, shade and space are nothing compared to coping with heavy clay. Wise plant choices help mitigate the shortcomings of shade and a small lot. Careful cultural practices lessen the impact of drought and unwelcome frosts. But coping with sticky, … [Read more...] about Coping with clay soil