Making a Garden

Bugbane: A plant with stamina

Judith Adam

My bugbane -- the simple black snakeroot -- stands tall, with white flower wands extending high above attractive ferny foliage. Its best show in 20 years.

Damselfly in Toronto backyard garden. (Photo by Brendan Zwelling)

Pollinator report: Dragonflies, damselflies and bees

Judith Adam

This year my backyard has visits from species I’ve not seen before in this garden, such as jewelwings, broad-winged damselflies, dragonflies. But few bees.

Sparks Will Fly begonia worth saving

Judith Adam

One of my impulse buys was Sparks Will Fly begonia. Its bright tangerine-orange flowers look dazzling against bronze leaves with light green veins.

And the winner is: Mighty Sweet grape tomato

Judith Adam

This year's winner is Mighty Sweet grape tomato, a tomato with a robust flavour, crisp fleshy walls and no cracks, even after all the rain we had in July.

Benefits of small ornamental grasses

Judith Adam

Favourite among my ornamental grasses is variegated Moor grass, a small clump-forming grass that grows to 18 x 18 inches.

Clicky