Calgary Garden Coach

cut new edge between lawn and the front Welcome Garden - check!

I am slowly making my way through my spring gardening 'to-do' list... better late than never!  As I have said before, I am not a fan of black plastic lawn edging.  It looks yucky, it is a pain to install, and it doesn't even work that well!  Plus, for me, a gardener who is constantly changing her garden (read: removing more and more lawn to make more garden space), I rarely want would to commit to something permanent like that.  And finally, it is really not that much work to cut a clean edge once or twice a year (once if you're me, twice if you're a perfectionist) with a half-moon lawn edging tool. A sharp, fresh edge looks so much nicer than a strip of black plastic, in my opinion.

This garden is a work in progress, but right now you will see iris germanica, white shasta daisies, purple catmint and yellow-flowered sedum Kamtschaticum in bloom.  To see this garden at other times of the year, click here and scroll down.

red tips of 'Goldflame' spirea echo the red door in the back Shade Garden

Since I just can't get enough colour, I find myself using more and more paint these days - doors, furniture, pots - to add colour to the garden.  However, it's important not to overdo it and have some repetition of colour to provide unity rather than visual unrest.  I moved my Goldflame spireas to this garden area after I painted the door "rhubarb red" because I knew the colours would go well together.  I have plans for more painting this year... stay tuned!

the Side Garden in late June

This garden is tucked away on the south side of the house and isn't particularly showy - I use it mostly for a cutting garden.  However, the snow-in-summer is looking very snowy right now, and the delphiniums are just starting to bloom -my favourite flower!  (Have you noticed I like blue?)

To see this garden at other times of the year, click here and scroll down.

a peek into the Butterfly Potager garden in late June

Peeking into this area of the Butterfly Potager, you can see some delicate-looking fronds of asparagus sticking up behind daylilies, and a golden hops covering the trellis.

To see this garden at other times of the year, click here and scroll down.

catmint, siberian iris, painted daisy and perennial geranium in the Adventure Garden in late June

We are just starting my favourite time of year for this garden area.  Hooray!  Peonies and blue salvia will be added to the list of blooms soon.  There are a few holes as I've moved a couple of things, the new shrubs at the back will take a while to fill in, and I haven't got around to poking in any annuals yet this year (I usually have cosmos in the top right corner to provide some colour up there.)

The white stuff on the left is a white version of hesperis matronalis, the purple version of which is a weed.  The white is only slightly better behaved, so I make sure to deadhead it as soon as it's finished.  It smells heavenly though, so I can't bring myself to get rid of it.

Also blooming is saponaria (soapwort), meadow rue, and Therese Bugnet roses at the top, so there is lots to choose from if you are looking for a perennial to add some more colour to an area of your garden at this time of year.  Click here and scroll down to see this garden at other times.

hooray for the end of the rain!

As a gardener, I generally like rain, but enough is enough!  I am itching to get out into the garden and do something.  I still have a few things to move, a few things to plant, and lots of weeding to do!

The last month has been crazy for me, hence the lack of posts.  Sorry about that!  It started with the kids getting sick, then me getting sick, then a death in the family (my 99-year-old grandmother - it was sad, but also a relief) and a business trip.  Needless to say I am way behind on work, my consultations as well as my own gardening, and I have definitely dropped a few balls along the way - my apologies if you've sent me a note I haven't replied to!

I'm really looking forward to a little sunshine and some active gardening therapy, how about you?

PS  Some new pictures coming soon!

Community Garden Fundraiser: Italian Theme, Alberta Ingredients, 5-Course Dinner on Tuesday June 19th

Unfortunately, I'm out of town for a few days next week, so can't go to this.  But maybe you can...!  It looks delicious and is for 2 good causes:

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Mount Royal University Community Garden invite you to the MRU Community Garden and Free the Children Charity fundraising dinner for an evening of cooking, and eating!

Enjoy an evening of Alberta local ingredients transformed into delectable Italian cuisine.

Chef and founder of Urban Fields, an organization committed to connecting local Alberta farmers to urban customers, Steven Hornby, will offer an unsurpassed culinary experience!!

The menu consists of 5 delectable courses, a glass of wine and coffee/tea. You will learn, in real time, how to prepare the night’s menu in a cooking presentation while you eat it.

Proceeds will benefit the Mount Royal University Community Garden, a grassroots project founded by MRU students to connect the community, demonstrate organic and sustainable agriculture techniques, and educate about food security, and Free the Children, an organization whose core mission is to Educate, Engage, and Empower children and youth worldwide to be the change they want to see through opportunity and education.

Come join us for a fun-filled evening of eating, learning and sharing. For tickets, please contact Alana-Dawn Eirikson at 403.440.8779 or 587.433.0744

Please find flyer attached: Download MRU fundraiser-1

'Blue Bird' clematis is one tough vine

Above: looking up at the 'Blue Bird' clematis growing under a spruce tree in my backyard.

This vine was one of the few things growing in the neglected, overgrown garden I inherited with my house 8 years ago.  It is growing under a spruce tree i.e. extremely poor, dry soil and shade.  I never water, fertilize or do anything to it except maybe cut back a few stray tendrils once in a while.  This plant just amazes me!  If you have a tough, dry, shady spot that needs something with a little height, try a trellis or obelisk with one of these vines.  I don't think you will be disappointed!

the back Shade Garden in early June

It ain't perfect.  Some plants in this area are getting a little crowded, other areas look a little thin because I just extended the garden (area in the bottom centre of the photo) last fall and plants are still small and new there.  But this is a reality garden blog so here's the back Shade Garden in early June, for the record.  Overall, I'm enjoying this view out of my kitchen window right now!

Plants in bloom include: snowdrop anemone (white blooms, it's a bit of a spreader but so pretty I can't help keeping it); leopard's bane (yellow daisies); bergenia (pink); and geums (orange).  There are some iris in there somewhere too but they aren't blooming because they're too crowded - time to thin out this bed a little but I'll wait and enjoy the blooms first!

To see this garden at other times of the year, click here and scroll down.

dwarf bearded iris in front of cushion spurge (euphorbia) in the front Welcome Garden

These two plants grow with almost no care in the dry shelter of a spruce tree in the front Welcome Garden.  They don't exactly go with my new colour scheme (understatement! they couldn't clash any more than they already do!), but they are tough, suit the conditions, and don't bloom for too long.  And they are so cheery in spring!  So, at least for now, they stay. 

Editing the garden is a constant struggle.  It is hard to edit out plants that "don't go" especially if they are doing well!  Plus, there are time and budget issues.  I'm sure many of you will understand!  I have vowed that at least whenever I add new plants, they must go with the new scheme.  That's the best I can do. 

favourite plant for a sunny Calgary garden in late May/early June: dwarf bearded iris

Above, l to r: bluish-purple dwarf bearded iris (iris germanica) in front of blue oat grass; reddish-purple dwarf bearded iris in front of cherry blossoms; both in the Adventure Garden

My dwarf bearded irises have been blooming for a couple of weeks and I wanted to show you them before it was too late (nothing like a rainy Sunday morning to catch up on the garden blog!)

These are one of my favourite "repeat plants" for spreading around a sunny garden.  Even though their blooms only last a few weeks, the flowers are spectacular.  But not only that, their flat, fan-like leaves add interesting texture to the garden all season long because they contrast well with just about anything.  The only potential drawback of these plants is that they are so vigorous that I find they need to be divided every few years.  However, since they are shallow-rooted that is easy to do, and plus it is another reason why they make a great repeat plant!  Spread them around or give some to friends!!

The taller bearded iris bloom a little bit later than the dwarf ones, so plant some of both for a longer bloom period if you like iris.  Many have a wonderful, sweet scent, too.

 

May 2012 garden blog round-up

The problem with gardening in Calgary is that a lot of information that's available out there is just not appropriate here.  We're "special"!  ;-)  Here's the last month's online gardening "news" which I think contains useful information pertinant to our Calgary conditions.

(If you follow me on facebook you would have seen these in "real time".)

from Not Another Gardening Blog:

Curves Wonderful Curves - Read this post and have one last look at the layout of your garden before you go crazy planting this spring!

from Garden Buzz:

Ewww... Gross - What is it?  - Black knot fungus - you'll know it when you see it!

It's 2012, Why aren't you Permaculturing?

Plant your Woodland today for Surprises tomorrow - Some tips and plant suggestions for shade gardens! I'd like to try some baneberry, myself.

The Top 5 - Advice on dew worms, ants, hares, and more!

from Garden Rant:

Dear Pennington - A rather witty case for mulch vs. synthetic fertilizers!

from A Way to Garden:

Thinking about Saving Seeds - I'll admit it - I don't often save seeds because in fall I'm usually just busy with work and getting behind in the garden. But I have good intentions, and this article has a few simple suggestions plus useful links.

from Flowery Prose:

Pest to watch (out for): Red Lily Beetle - Red lily beetle = nasty little buggers! Look out for these on your lilies and fritillaria, but not daylilies.

Sunday Spotlight: Saskatoon - I love Saskatoons! So, apparently, do the hares. They started stripping down the new shrubs I planted in my front garden this spring and I had to put protection around them. Grrr.

from Houzz:

Garden Design Essentials: Unity and Variety - This article is more about garden DECORATION design principles, but nevertheless, some good principles here!

Garden Design Essentials: Emphasis and Focal Points

the Adventure Garden - exposed!

Here is the right-hand side of my "Adventure Garden", so called because I purposely put in multiple pathways so my kids could run around and get into the garden.  This side of the garden has had several years to mature and is looking pretty good - irises, tulips, iceland poppies and cherries are blooming right now.  However...

... this is the view I rarely show!  At the top left of this picture is where there used to be 2 spruce trees (taken down this past winter.)  I've really struggled to get anything to grow on the left side of this garden.  As you can see, the *bleeping* iceland poppies (we have a love-hate relationship) have taken advantage of this and seeded themselves everywhere, and the poor perennials I have put in have just never been able to thrive thanks to the shade and dryness from the spruce trees.

That is all about to change!  I have put a new lilac and 3 new roses across the back of this hill, to provide a backdrop of green, and now I have a wonderful view of the back-neighbour's flowering crabapple!  I am hoping over the next few seasons that the left side of this garden will start to look as good as the right.  Stay tuned!

To see this garden at other times of the year, click here and scroll down.

the front Welcome Garden - early stages

Starting last spring, I have been doing a major re-do of the front Welcome Garden.  After Sue's advice ("you need more green"), I have added a bunch of Calgary Carpet junipers to this area, which will eventually fill in and provide a low maintenance groundcover out here (I'm cheap, I buy small plants!)  As they grow, I will gradually phase out some other plants that don't go with the new colour scheme, and move them to the other areas of the yard (the front Entry garden has lots of space!)  I am really excited about this idea because it will make the garden closer to the street more low maintenance, and bring more of the flowering plants up closer to the house where I can enjoy them from inside as well as outside!

To see how this garden has evolved over time, click here and scroll down.

back Shade Garden in May

Above you will see my bergenia patch - actually a little bigger than it needs to be but it's so darn low-maintenance and showy that I can't quite bear to dig any parts of it up!  This garden area gets late afternoon sun.  It also has:

• Leopard's bane's yellow daisy-shaped blooms on the left,
• feather reed grass (calamagrostis) Karl Foerster grass in the bottom corner, 
• tufted hair grass (deschampsia cespitosa) above the bird bath.

Note that the bare spot in the top right is due to (another) spruce tree having been removed this last winter!  The bareness will be rectified soon as I have planted two lilacs up there instead.

To see this garden area at other times of the year, click here.

front Shade Garden in May

This garden area is finally starting to fill in, after struggling along in the shade of a spruce tree for many years (one spruce has been removed, but another is still nearby so this spot gets only very early morning sun.)  Above you will see:

• epimedium rubra finishing blooming, but I still love it for the reddish leaves,
• leopard's bane blooming its sunny little head off,
• bleeding heart just starting to bloom (it may be way ahead in your garden, but remember, mine is in deep shade),
• shrub ninebark 'Coppertina' in the background (new last year so is still quite small),
• and of course, tulips.

To see this garden at other times of the year, click here.