Making a Garden
Ruffled pansies
With all ruffled pansies, the petal edges are more deeply frilled when grown in cooler weather — below 12°C — consequently they’re ideal plants for a cold Canadian spring. Some ruffled pansies are better described as wavy (not truly ruffled.)
Setting the birdbath straight
The heavier a birdbath is (and also consider the weight of its volume of water), the stronger and deeper a foundation is necessary to resist frost movement and keep it upright and straight. The weight of a concrete birdbath placed directly on the ground causes the soil underneath to settle unevenly (tilting the bowl) in a matter of weeks.
In praise of PJM rhododendrons
I’ve fallen into the classic, over-eager gardener’s trap — caught in mid-stride by a surprise snowfall. I was off to ...
Violets I have known
Many forms and colours of spring violets have passed through my garden but alas, only a few have stayed. Although I provide what I believe violets need to grow and reproduce, they seem to require a fine balance of conditions on the ground and precise temperatures to succeed.
Backyard plant hybridizing
Plant hybridizing is a complex science, but for backyard gardeners, the most basic rule for producing clear flower tones is to make crosses between blossoms of similar colour.
