These days, you’re likely to find more than just grass growing in many Canadian lawns. This is especially true for those of us who live in provinces where cosmetic herbicides have been banned for almost a decade, and where completely weed-free lawns are rare. But attitudes have shifted, and a few dandelions here and there no longer illicit the horrified gasps they might have … [Read more...] about The floriferous lawn
tulips
Recommended flower bulbs
Fall has always been my favourite season, despite that whole going back-to-school thing when I was younger. As I get more interested in gardening, I’ve found a new reason to love fall (as if I needed another…scarves, boots, crunchy leaves and that smell!) But my new reason is one many gardeners can understand. It’s the excitement of finding new bulbs to plant. I’ve been … [Read more...] about Recommended flower bulbs
Flowers in a cold season
A few years ago I had a small bay window installed in a living room wall, and it was a smart gardening decision. Now I have a cool, bright northwest exposure for flowering winter plants that provides light on three sides. Pots of forced tulips and hyacinths are happy here and their blooms last significantly longer in the cool window, with a daytime temperature of 18°C, going … [Read more...] about Flowers in a cold season
It’s tulip time
Tulip season starts in April with smaller species tulips, such as yellow-and-white Tulipa tarda and violet T. pulchella, and ends in early June with parrot tulips, late double and peony-flowered tulips. May is prime time for tulips, and perhaps you have some thick stands of stems with buds beginning to turn colour. What I have is a lot of wide, fleshy tulip leaves and not so … [Read more...] about It’s tulip time
