For the past two growing seasons, I’ve tried to develop an appreciation for plants with black foliage, but it’s not working. Newly bred black plants like ‘Black Scallop’ ajuga, black-brown ‘Australia’ canna and ‘Black Magic’ elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic’) are just unappealing to my clearly unsophisticated garden tastes. But I do see the need for diversity in … [Read more...] about Penstemons with red foliage
May in the garden
When to prune spring-flowering shrubs
I had a walk around the block this weekend, and it seems like all the spring-flowering shrubs are in bloom at the same time. The alternating weeks of warm and cool temperatures in southern Ontario have confused the orderly progression of bloom, and they’ve expressed their frustration by just getting on with it. I saw Japanese quince, Japanese kerria, magnolia, honeysuckle vines … [Read more...] about When to prune spring-flowering shrubs
Heat-proof lobelias
Plant breeders are a restless group, revisiting plants they’ve previously improved to see what more can be accomplished. I’m a great fan of annual lobelia (Lobelia erinus), available with intensely blue cascading flowers for hanging baskets or as an upright form that makes a colourful border around a large container. I was entirely satisfied with the plants, although a blast of … [Read more...] about Heat-proof lobelias
Ginkgo trees capture attention
It’s hard to resist starting plant collections. If you’ve been gardening for a while, it’s only natural to develop favourite plants, and then to be curious about variations of those plants. I did this with Japanese maples, redbuds, beech trees and now I’m getting started with ginkgos (Ginkgo biloba, Zone 4). Considering that ginkgo trees have been around for more than 150 … [Read more...] about Ginkgo trees capture attention
Seeking enthusiastic pollinators
Warm, bright days burst open tree and shrub buds, and bring out flowers on many of the spring bulbs. And with the flowers have come clouds of pollinators — bees of several kinds, small and large wasps, various flies and even some butterflies. A lovely mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) was seen floating through the garden, coming to land on the deck in a patch of morning … [Read more...] about Seeking enthusiastic pollinators
