Most of the containers I planted three weeks ago are filling in now that the weather is consistently warm. I like to try a new colour scheme every year, depending on plant availability. This spring, I was just happy to get inside a garden centre, never mind finding everything on my list. Hereโs whatโs capturing my attention as I do my morning checks.

Superbells Holy Smokes! calibrachoa First of all, where do they come up with these names? Calibrachoa hybrids are workhorses in containers. In fact, thatโs where they perform best; they struggle when planted in the ground. The colour palette available is immense, with new shades and patterns introduced each year.
Holy Smokes! colours called out for echoes of purple and yellow, so I combined it with yellow lantanas, deep purple salvias and a purple mini-petunia. I plant purple salvia every year because the hummingbirds expect it. Foliage plants are Graceful Grasses Vertigo purple fountain grass (Pennisetum ‘Tift 8’) and Algerian ivy. The combination is borderline gaudy, but I’m calling it cheerful.
Dwarf tomatoes This year, three mid-size terracotta pots were switched over from ornamentals to tomatoes โ โYellow Canaryโ (12 inches/30 cm); โHouseโ (24 inches/60 cm); and โNew Big Dwarfโ (24 to 36 inches/60 to 90 cm). Dwarf tomatoes are a relatively new category, many of which were bred by a group of dedicated home gardeners. Most dwarf plants produce cherry-size fruit, but some bear standard-size tomatoes.
Not to be confused with determinate (bush) tomatoes, dwarf tomatoes have sturdy central stems, dense, dark leaves, and full-flavoured fruits, more reminiscent of the space-hogging indeterminate (vining) tomatoes, such as ‘Brandywine’ or ‘Matt’s Cherry’. So far, my three dwarfs are looking strong, vigorousโand compact.

Angel Wings senecio Three years ago, I grew Senecio niveoaureus (sometimes incorrectly labelled Stachys โBello Grigioโ), purchased at a nursery in Quebec when we were travelling. Long, fuzzy, light grey leaves erupted from the centre of the plant like a ghostly fountain. Very eye-catching and never to be found again at any garden centre since then.
This year, I came across another dramatic senecio, Angel Wings (S. candicans โSenawโ). Its broad, wavy, silvery grey leaves glow at dusk. For contrast in scale and texture, I planted it with โDiamond Snowโ euphorbia in a sage-green glazed pot located in full sun. (Hereโs more background about Angel Wings.)
Like the previous senecio, itโs a tender perennial and wonโt overwinter. I hope I have better luck finding this one again, because itโs a stunner.
For other container plants I’ve tried and liked, see “Perfect container plants.”
If peonies are in bloom, rain is guaranteed
Itโs June, the peonies are in bloom and that means there will be at least one downpour soon. It is always thus. In fact, gardeners often refer to a June rain as a โpeony rain,โ usually preceded by an expletive.
What makes peonies especially appealing โ that profusion of dense, overlapping petals โ also makes them vulnerable to downpours. The blooms become overloaded with rainwater, causing the stems to bend and break, even with peony rings or stakes in place.
But not all peonies are fragile beauties. Judith Adamโs list of โRain-proof peoniesโ suggests sturdy choices.
Trouble in paradise?
When researching pests or diseases on the internet, start with reputable sources. I subscribe to ONnurserycrops blog, geared toward growers and landscapers, but some of the information is relevant to home gardeners, too. Just keep in mind that growers are permitted to use insecticides and fungicides prohibited for the general public’s use.
The updates can be disheartening โ this week, itโs all about boxwood leaf miners, gypsy moth larvae and fireblight โ but if growers are talking about these outbreaks, home gardeners should be on alert, too.
Sweet spuds
Want to try growing sweet potatoes? Colleen Zachariasโs article in the Winnipeg Free Press profiles a successful entrepreneur producing 300 potato slips per day that she ships across Canada.
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