A noun. A verb. A blog.
So you’re desperate to get out and do something in the garden? In our Canadian Zone 6 (USDA Zone 5), you’ll be happy to learn some annual seeds are okay to scatter right now. Some may have already scattered themselves last fall – and early spring is a second chance to do it yourself. Provided you’ve picked the right spot, […]
Every spring, a small, white, puffy flower explodes on the shady north side of my garden – and every year, it’s pure excitement, all over again. It never fails, and it never fails me. In fact, this double version of the native Sanguinaria canadensis has multiplied constantly, ever since it came as a gift from Cold […]
Helenium autumnale – that’s Helen’s flower, to you. Not sneezeweed. Geez. Enough about me. Let’s talk about Helenium. I don’t know what variety this is (perhaps its short stature points to ‘Ruby Dwarf’ aka ‘Rubinzwerg’), but I wish it were growing in my garden. Despite what they say about the need for full sun and moist soil, […]
With 300 varieties and cultivars, the Oshawa Botanical Garden is the home of the Peony Festival If you, like Sarah and I, have a bad case of peonies envy, you’ll want to know that June 11 & 12 is the kickoff for the Oshawa Peony Festival. Peonies, like poppies, tend to come and go in […]
The characteristic blunt leaf of the Liriodendron A neighbour once asked me whether she should worry about tree roots invading her drains if she selected a “yellow poplar” through Toronto’s street tree program, as poplar roots are notorious for their water-seeking ways. I assured her that the yellow-poplar isn’t actually a poplar, but (along with […]
Because the trip took me through St. James Park beside the cathedral, I’m glad I decided to walk to the subway from my meeting yesterday, despite my inappropriate shoes. I won’t dwell on how I suffered. Instead, I’ll wax mildly poetic about Fritillaria imperialis, the crown imperial fritillaria. What an exotic bulb this is, with […]
If you have been religious about deadheading your columbines (Aquilegia), you might still be enjoying the benefits of these generous producers. If not, and they’ve gone to seed, be sure to let them ripen and to sprinkle them where the tiny seeds will be exposed to light for germination. Or, better yet, shop around for […]
The deep red poppies belonging to my neighbour M. are making their brief but miraculous appearance in his garden. Therefore, I must bow down and worship, oh ye amazing Papaver orientalis ‘Beauty of Livermere’. It’s hard to decide which way to photograph them: as here, backdropped by the purple smokebush (Cotinus coggyria ‘Royal Purple’), or […]
Lemon lilies (Hemerocallis flava) are planted in my garden anywhere I can sniff their heavenly fragrance. Some are on either side of our front steps. Some are tucked by our porch, where they soon will mingle with the scents of the old mock orange (Philadelphus) and climbing Hall’s honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’). As an aside, […]
Who says front yard trees have to be boring. Look at this specimen of the Tricolour European Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Roseomarginata’) growing on the south side of Mortimer Avenue. I love all beeches for their smooth, grey, elephant-leg bark and regal stance. I love the way the juveniles of our native beeches hold their buff-coloured […]
Clematis and I have a thing. It isn’t always good. It isn’t always long. But, you know, I just can’t quit them. This time of year, the love affair begins, when the garden arch in the back is decked with the blue wings of Clematis alpina ‘Pamela Jackman’ (above). It’s a lovely little clematis that […]
This is the lovely bouquet Sarah brought me from her country garden yesterday. But, sadly, Narcissus or daffodils, don’t make very long-lasting cut flowers. Today, most of them have expired. Best to enjoy them in the garden… If only we could put far-off places on wheels and yank them closer, our gardening lives would be […]