Lorraine Johnson

Combining cultivars of the same species sparks interest in the garden. Shown: Three varieties of Ligularia -- Othello, The Rocket, Osiris Cafe Noir. Photo credit: Doris McComb

Plants with personality

Plants with unusual characteristics spark interest and attention in the garden.

Rex begonia (Rex begonia) foliage comes in all sorts of whirly patterns and shapes; some leaves are variegated, highly textured or wavy. They make wonderful container plants in the shade and can be wintered over indoors in front of a sunny window.

Optimizing your native plant options

The increasing variety of native plants on the market is good news for gardeners. With a nod to expanding the plant palette and encouraging gardeners to branch out into less well-known territory, here are 10 native plants to consider for your garden.

Alberta legislature garden - Canadian Shield roses

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.