Garden Newsletter

Sanguisorba ‘Little Angel’. (Photo by Marco van Noort)

Sanguisorbas offer much to admire

Beckie Fox

If you’re looking for light, airy perennials with a naturalistic feel to mix in with echinaceas and ornamental grasses, consider sanguisorbas (a.k.a. burnets). Many varieties are hardy down to Zone 2.

Colchicums are a welcome surprise in fall. (Garden Making photo)

Bulbs: spring, summer and fall

Beckie Fox

Bulbs are on my mind these days. I’m awaiting the arrival of an order of spring-blooming bulbs, hoping the weather and my energy will be in synch when they do arrive. Everyone has their least-favourite garden task; planting bulbs in the fall is one of mine.

container with lush greenery

Time to take stock

Beckie Fox

Before your vegetable beds and containers are emptied and perennials cut back (if you choose to do that), take a few moments to walk around your garden to see what worked and what didn’t.

American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)

Talking about trees

Beckie Fox

Several of the native trees and shrubs in our backyard came from plant sales held at the University of Guelph Arboretum in Ontario. The trees we purchased at the arboretum were no more than a couple of feet tall when they went in, but established quickly.

Cimiifuga and Japanese anemone in garden in Beaverton, Ontario. (Photo by Stephen Westcott-Gratton)

Cimicifugas for next year

Beckie Fox

In late summer, I start emptying any containers with annuals beyond resuscitation, note where spring-blooming bulbs can be squeezed in and make lists of perennials to seek out next year.

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