Calgary Garden Coach

Michael, it's Gillenia trifoliata, or Bowman's root!!

Michael, a good friend, colleague and neighbour of mine, gave me a little seedling of this plant last year, except he couldn't remember what it was.  It has pretty, airy little white flowers and seems to be quite happy in my front Entry Garden.  I recently figured out what it was thanks to this excellent post on another blog I follow: it's Bowman's root!

solar garden lights from SunCatcher

Check out these beautiful solar garden lights from www.Suncatcher.ca!  The ones shown above are the Aurora Glass string lights - they're handblown glass and come in several colours (I chose blue, of course!)  I've had them for a couple of months now and and specifically hung them on my back west-facing porch because they catch the sunlight during the day when viewed from inside the house, and in the evening they glow.  To be honest, I can't say how long they glow for because I haven't managed to stay up late enough yet!!  But perhaps in fall when dusk comes earlier I'll be able to post an update for you.

They are solar powered so you place the solar collector in a sunny spot, and then run the cord to the lights up to 15' away. The lightbulbs are long life LEDs, and the batteries are replaceable with hardware store rechargebles so they seem to be designed to last.  I also got a white table top lantern but due to having young kids, I hung it up in a safe place for now:

These are beautiful lights for the garden and I would definitely recommend them - in fact, I might get more myself (they also have beautiful blown glass garden stakes).  I suppose the only drawbacks are that you can't control when they come on - they start glowing on their own when it gets dark enough outside - and that they are not super bright - I wouldn't rely on them to light up the yard or anything!  But considering they are solar powered, I find that to be a good tradeoff.  Also the lantern's top and bottom are plastic, although painted to look like metal.

Full disclosure - I was given these for free and asked to do a review of them on my blog.  However, Teara the owner, made it clear that I was free to be candid in my review.  I have been asked to endorse products on my blog before and I've always said no, either because I was not free to be candid or because the product has always been something I wouldn't use myself.  But these solar lights are so pretty that I jumped at the opportunity!

Teara, I wish you the best of success for you and your beautiful lights! 

It's too early to garden so here's some online reading and inspiration for you!

It's another nice day today!  And this is about the time of year that everybody starts saying "it feels like spring".  Of course, seasoned Calgary gardeners know better than to get their hopes up too high!  I might get a little more pruning done this afternoon, and I have started some seeds and placed some online plant orders (more on that soon!)  But now is about the time of year I try to start finishing up inside projects and spring cleaning because I know once late April comes I will want to spend all my time gardening! 

So, what can you do for the garden if you can't stop thinking about it this early in the year?  Here's a little online reading for you.  If you've been following me on facebook you will have seen these links already.  Here's what I've been fb-ing about over the last month or so:

Gardening tips for this time of year

Real Arborists are True Professionals - So true and so sad. I've seen many crimes against trees! Get a real arborist, people!

The Perfect Pruning Project

Bring Home your New Baby (tree, that is) - buy local, and if necessary, have it delivered!

Planting Time - Get your garden started with seeds

Garden Design

5 Essential Considerations for a Landscape Design Project - Can't decide which I like more - the awesome brick fireplace (pic#2) or the simple, rustic firepit (pic#5).

Great Design Plants - a Bevy of Beauties from the Meadow - I have this plant in my garden and recommend it for a sunny, not-too-dry place. I like the idea in this post about using the stems for bee houses!!

Garden Color - How to Landscape with Purple - The catmint, alliums and salvia described in this post are some of my favourite plants for sunny Calgary gardens. Lupins... not so much. They can be aphid magnets!

Monochromatic Garden Magic done 7 ways - What do you think about colour schemes in the garden? I'm torn. I recognize that a colour scheme can really pull things together. But I also like my garden to look not quite so... intentional.

Give curb appeal a self-serving twist - Here's an excellent garden design post. Personally, I am much more concerned with how my garden looks from the house than from the street!!

The Best Time to Design - Does your garden look pretty today? "Design your garden for deep winter. It will be pretty all year."

Where do we Go from Here? - excellent planting plan tips from a local garden designer, including the primary importance of considering function!

Where do we Go from Here Part 2 - more good stuff, particularly about choosing trees and underplantings, with lovely local photos

The Form of Things to Come - columnar forms in the garden, again using many local garden examples

The Form of Things to Come Part 2 - local trees which add pyramid and vase shapes to your landscape

Sustainable gardening

Get on a Composting Kick - Everybody should compost, not just gardeners!!

Extend your Growing Season with a Cold Frame in the Garden - Lots of online talk already re starting seeds and extending the growing season. Oooh, I can't wait!

Gardening for the birds (and bees and everything else) - Not an urban farmer? There are lots of other good reasons to garden.

Growing Edibles

Sprouting Seeds - My kids like sprouted seeds with cream cheese rolled up in tortillas - easy snack!

excellent resource on northern vegetable gardening

There was a great series on northern vegetable gardening posted this January posted at the Minnesota State Horticultural Society webpage.  If you are thinking of starting a vegetable garden this year, or maybe growing more or different vegetables than you have done in the past, this is a great resource. 

Here is a quick reference guide to what I think will be the most useful posts for anyone planning a new vegetable garden:

Day 1: So you want a vegetable garden?  This intro post talks about some of the good reasons for starting a vegetable garden.

Day 2: Where to put your vegetable garden. If you are starting from scratch, this post talks about the most important considerations of soil, sun (at least 6 hours per day!), water, and convenience.

Day 3: Pots vs. Raised Beds vs. Traditional Beds  I agree with this post - if you have the space, raised beds are the way to go!! Also see my post about What you need to know for building raised bed vegetable gardens for more information.

Day 4: What to grow in your vegetable garden My best recommendation: grow what you like to eat!

Day 5: Seeds vs. starter plants  Some advantages and disadvantages of each are described.  I say, try seeds, you've got nothing but a couple of bucks to lose!

Day 7: Designing your vegetable garden  Practical as well as aesthetic considerations.

Day 8: Vegetables in the ornamental garden  Don't forget this possibility!  I grow herbs, rhubarb, edible flowers, fruiting shrubs, and more in my ornamental gardens.

There are lots of great tips for starting your own seeds, when to plant, winter sowing, succession planting, extending the season etc. as well, so anyone who already has a vegetable garden will find some useful posts for these more "advanced" strategies later in the month.

everybody's talking about bulbs!

It's bulb-planting time!  I don't care how time-strapped you are, you can find time to put in a few bulbs and I promise you that you'll be glad you did come spring! 

My own best piece of acvice for you - skip the "bulb planter" devices and use a shovel.  Dig a large hole and plant groups of 7 or more bulbs in the same hole.  Your spring flowers will make a much bigger show this way than a few isolated bulbs scattered around with big spaces in between them.

Here's some more good info for you:

from Garden Buzz - good, local information on bulbs that do well in Calgary (hint: there's more than tulips!):

How Many Gardeners Does it take to plant a bulb?

 

from Jim Hole - more local information with tips for extending the tulip season

Dig Deep Now for Waves of Spring Colour

 

from Garden Rant - suggestions for forcing bulbs

Let the bulbs begin

 

I'll be on QR77's Let's Talk Gardening show on Sunday morning at 9:00.

Hope you can tune in!

inspiration at the Dorothy Harvie gardens at the Calgary zoo

Have you been to the perennial gardens at the zoo?  They are a great place to get both design and plant ideas as they are well landscaped, have a wide selection of hardy perennial plants, and almost all plants are labelled.  I was there in July and found myself paying close attention to the orange and blue-flowering plants as I am still looking for a few more plants to fill up my new front entry garden with a blue-green-orange-red colour scheme.  Here are my notes:

 
Above: When you're looking for orange, even these common orange daylilies suddenly look very attractive, especially when planted in gigantic drifts like this!  Paula, if you're reading this, your orange daylilies are doing just fine, although not quite this impressive since they were just transplanted this spring!

 

Above: Golden-orange helenium 'Mardi Gras' is the Calgary Horticultural Society's "Perennial of the Year" - so of course, I must get some and try it in my garden!

 

Above: Anchusa azurea (alkanet) 'Feltham Pride Strain' is in the borage family so of course, boasts true blue flowers and bees love it.  It is not the most elegant-looking plant but true blue flowers are hard to find so I think I might give this plant a shot.  I'll be looking for seeds next spring.

 

Above: Gentiana septemfida (summer gentian) is another plant with true blue flowers.  I actually have this plant already in my garden, but it was a gift and I wasn't sure what kind of gentian it was.  Thanks to the plant labels at the zoo, now I know!

 

Above: This groundcover mix of Anagallis monelli (pimpernel) 'Angie Blue' and 'Angie Orange' also caught my eye but they are annuals and too short to work in my garden.  But maybe I'll try them in pots - their colours are fantastic!

 

Above: And finally, this meadow-like planting of thyme punctuated with spikes of bearded iris was so gorgeous that I didn't care that it wasn't blue & orange.  If I had just one more area in my yard where I could make more garden space I'd be tempted to try this!! 

Alas, I do not have the space.  Do you?

 

 

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:

--

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

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

April 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:

Good Lines mean Good Designs - Comprehensive info on garden design themes using lines! I took a class from Sue last year - she is an expert at this stuff.

from the Garden Professors:

Why oh Why returns! - Itching to get to the garden center in a few weeks? Don't let this happen to you! In my own anecdotal experience, these problems are much more prevalent at big box stores than good garden centers.

from A Way to Garden:

Tomato 101 - Everything you need to know about growing tomatoes!

from Houzz:

Cream-of-the-crop vegetable gardens - Time to start planning my veggie garden for this year! Mine won't be as fancy as these, but it's fun to dream.

Vertical Gardens Raise the Limits for Landscapes - Some beautiful photos and surprisingly practical information here. And wow, love those Terra Trellises!

8 Space-Savvy gardens - Some inspiration for small-space gardeners here, including an Alberta balcony garden!

Great Design Plant: Ornamental Allium - I love ornamental alliums (and so do my kids -they make great magic wands!). Purple sensation does especially well in Calgary.  Make note and plant some in fall!

from homedit:

Top 30 planters - DIY and recycled - There are some neat planter ideas here! I have a lot of tree stumps in my yard leftover from some tree removals and I'm thinking about trying to make the tree stump planters this spring. I might paint some pots, too.

 

see you at the Garden Show this week-end?

http://www.calhort.org/events/gardenshow.aspx

I'll be browsing on Saturday, doing a workshop on Sunday morning, and volunteering at the Community Gardens booth on Sunday afternoon.  If you're around on Sunday afternoon, drop by and say hello!

Gardening with Kids article in the Calgary Horticultural Society's magazine

If you're a member of the Calgary Horticultural Society (and if not, why not?), you will be receiving the latest magazine this week, with a "Gardening with Kids" article by me!  Let me know what you think!

PS. I don't usually post photos of my kids on the blog but these photos are all several years old and the girls don't even really look like this any more, so I figured it was OK.  It is fun to showcase my girls, for a change, in the garden playground I have created for them.  Feel free to gush about how gorgeous they are!

March 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 Garden Rant:

As Pollinators for a Native Plant Garden, honeybees suck! - With the recent interest in honey bee-keeping, I've often wondered about this. Apparently they're great for making honey, but if you think keeping them is an environmental act which is beneficial to our native flora and insect population, think again. I'd rather buy my honey at the local farmer's market.

from A Way to Garden:

Refresher Course: Thinking About Starting Seeds

Coping with Spring Frost in a Garden - Much of the eastern side of our continent is dealing with something that we Calgary gardeners deal with almost every spring - what to do about cold weather that arrives after the first warm spell? Of course, we typically have this problem in May... so file this away for future reference!!

from Garden Buzz:

Can We Say Spring Out Loud Yet? - It's a little too early to say 'spring' perhaps, but I did see of plenty of ladybugs out crawling around this past week-end! Have to keep reminding myself we're likely to get plenty more snow in the next month or so...

from Blogs and Blooms:

Starting Seeds with Stamina - more about, you guessed it, seed starting

from the Calgary Herald:

Sewing the Seeds of Urban Agriculture - "Food and the City is an ambitious, impressive, and thoughtful look at the way communities from Paris to Milwaukee have paired city and country life by creating gardens in urban centers."

from Houzz:

Raised Beds Lift Any Garden - Some great photos here to get you exciting about spring! Does anyone know a place to get metal troughs and pieces of culvert pipe? I love the industrial look they add to the garden.

5 Hot Cool-Season Grasses - Consider adding some low-maintenance ornamental grasses to your garden this year. All of these varieties grow in Calgary!

Cream of the Crop Vegetable Gardens - Time to start planning my veggie garden for this year! Mine won't be as fancy as these, but it's fun to dream.

Down to Earth Week and Seedy Saturday

There are lots of interesting events starting tomorrow, for Down to Earth Week, and the annual Seedy Saturday is this week-end, which I highly recommend as a great event for gardeners!

I'm sorry to say I'll be out of town.  OK, not really too sorry.  I'll be in Vancouver for work, but soaking up a little moisture and greenery on the side.  Have a great week!

well, I don't need to bother writing about design anymore!

I first bumped into Sue Gaviller after I wrote this post about a beautiful front yard garden that many of my own friends and clients had commented to me about.  Turns out she designed it, and she even wrote me a very detailed description and explanation of the plant choices for that garden (click on the link above and then scroll down).  In all of my subsequent encounters with Sue, she has displayed the same professionalism, attention to detail, and high quality work.

I have since taken a couple of garden design classes from her, and then had her over to help me with my own garden design.  I had specific problems in the back yard I wanted advice on, but she gave me great advice for my front garden too.  I've been totally impressed.

Now she is starting her own blog.  I'm sure it'll be great.  You should follow it.

January and February 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"!  ;-)  So I have sorted through the last two months' gardening "news" and here are the posts that I think have useful information pertinant to our Calgary conditions.

If you follow me on facebook you would have seen these in "real time", but just in case, here are some links to check out while you're dreaming and scheming for spring. 

from Garden Buzz:

The American Elm -I used to live on an elm-lined street in West Hillhurst that looked like the first photo in this article. I do miss those big beautiful trees!

The Inevitable Schubert Choke Cherry - Common for a reason, the Schubert choke cherry is a nice tree for a small yard.

The Iconic Maple, eh? - Manitoba maple 'Baron' is a good choice for a shade tree in Calgary.

The Unpopular Poplar - Some good information here on appropriateness of different poplars in different situations, plus why topping a tree is bad, plus a plug for the new Paskapoo poplar!

from Digging:

Grasses liven the winter garden, so back away from the pruners - So true! Calamgrostis (feather reed grass) and helitotrichon sempervirens (blue oat grass) are some suitable grasses for Calgary.

from Blogs and Blooms:

Falling in Love - See, I'm not the only one thinking about gardening already: some seed-ordering tips and a heads-up for Seedy Saturday in March!

What Not to Plant in Calgary - Summary: don't try to grow eggplants, peppers, okra and artichokes in Calgary. Instead, try carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onions, beets,and the lettuce family. Note: I also grow tomatoes every year, even though they don't thrive here. The taste of a freshly picked tomato is worth it, though, IMHO.  I also know people who have grown tomatillos, no problem.

from the Calgary Horticultural Society:

Announcing the CHS Perennial Plant of the year - Helenium autumnale 'Mardi Gras' (Helen's Flower)

from Flowery Prose:

Flowery blurbs, volume 6 - More gardening news from another Calgary garden blogger: new poplar tree variety, Calgary Hort society's perennial plant of the year, vertical farming, and online plant id lecture.

from Black Walnut Dispatch:

Lessons from the Winter Garden (of my discontent) - A practical and honest take on "winter interest"!

from Grounded Design:

Perennials to Interplant in Grasses - Everybody's talking about grasses!  Do you like the meadow look?

from A Way to Garden:

Seed-shopping tactics -Love this cartoon!

from Gardening Gone Wild:

Garden on a Windowsill - Here are some ideas for some easy indoor flowers, in case the weather these days is getting you down!

from Houzz:

Great Design Plant: Redtwig Dogwood -Dogwood is a great shrub for winter interest and looks especially good in front of evergreens. Some varieties are more drought tolerant than others - Bow Point nursery sells a good Calgary-friendly variety!

Old School Green Design: Add Texture with Grass - Are ornamental grasses "an acquired taste?" I don't think so!

Checklist: What to do in the garden this month - Most of these ideas I like! Can't see myself ever making decorative plant markers, though!

Great Design Plant: Golden Creeping Jenny - I use this plants in containers for the summer, then plunk it in the ground in fall. It makes a great, colourful groundcover so I usually leave it in place the following year, although I could dig it up for more pots again in spring. Either way, it is a very useful plant!

In the News:

Is tap water killing your soil?  The experts weigh in - A case for using rain barrels whenever you can.

How to eco-fit your garden - Here's a beautiful re-design of a small, rectangular backyard. 

5 Good Reasons to start your own seeds - from organicgardening.com

 

Garden Show plans?

Are you going to the garden show this year?  I will be volunteering at the Community Gardens booth on Sunday morning (plan to come say hello!), and for the first time ever, I'm also considering taking a workshop.  In the past I either didn't want to spend the money and/or to take valuable week-end time away from my young kids, but this year I'm thinking "Meh!  Why not splurge a little?  And the kids are a little older now, they can take me being a little selfish for one week-end, can't they?"

If you've followed my blog for a while you know that I still have major work to do in several areas of my yard, and spring is always a very busy, energetic time in the perennial garden.  While I'd love to spend time preparing a beautiful container or two, I just never get around to it.  So I'm thinking of doing either the "Perennial Planter" or "Fabulous Container Garden" workshop this year, although they all look great.  How about you?

from the Hort Society:

The 2012 Garden Show at Spruce Meadows

April 14 & 15
Perennial Planter - with John Duncan - presented by greengate Garden Centre


Featured Workshops:


Fabulous Container Garden - with Tricia Ingram - presented by Cobblestone Garden Centre

Alpine Tufa Planter - with Irena Burns - presented by C.R.A.G.S.

Ladybugs & Dragonflies Garden Sculptures - presented by Red Roof Studio & Olds College

Bliss Balls - with Abrah Arneson - presented by Olds College

Living Wall Container - with Tricia Ingram - presented by Cobblestone Garden Centre

Succulent Wreath - with Lorie Bjorkman - presented by Countryside Garden Centre 

Veggie & Flower Planter - Cathy Baceda - presented by Urban Gardeners

Herbal Healing Salves - with Abrah Arneson - presented by Olds College

Garden Bug & Fairy Sculptures - presented by Red Roof Studio & Olds College

 

 

 Hands On Workshop participants receive expert advice and instruction while creating marvelous garden projects to take home and enjoy.  

*pre-registration fees include materials & free show admission* Register Today!
Online registration closes April 12th

 

Visit Website for Garden Show Details

for the record - very warm December and January!

 Despite the record cold snap we had a few weeks ago, this article from CBC says the winter in Western Canada has been the second-warmest on record.

 Environment Canada blows winter forecast

And this weather map taken from CBC news shows above-average temperatures and below average precipitation for January:

 

I'm sure glad I got rid of those water-sucking spruce trees as soon as possible!  Did you know evergreens will use water all winter long, whenever temperatures go up?

garden planning - 10 ingredients of a beautiful winter garden

I spend a lot of time in winter, staring out my windows, analyzing the structure of the garden and conceiving of changes to be made in the next year.  Houzz just posted on this topic, and started with the statement:

"Winter is the best time of year to take stock of your gardens and plan for the future. It's the time of year when gardens are laid flat, exposing their bones and allowing you to see the base of their structure. Take advantage of this time to restructure your design, order new plants or start plans for new hardscaping."

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1006984/list/10-Ingredients-of-a-Beautiful-Winter-Garden

Some of the gardens featured on Houzz are a wee bit over-the-top for the average person, but nevertheless, check out their photos, drool a little, and think about how you can apply the principles inyour garden!

For me personally, I am really enjoying the view of my new trellis out the dining room window (above).  The snow makes it especially nice since you can't see that those chairs are actually fronted by an unfinished pit of mud, rather than by the nice patio that I didn't get to completing last year!

So now you know what (some of) my plans are for this year!  What are yours?

ack! frost warning tonight!

Here's a good, quick summary of what to do with your vegetable garden when frost threatens.

reader question re neighbour's tree

Hi, I have just moved to Calgary, loving it.  I am in a duplex, and next to me is a single house.  They have about a 50-60 foot pine tree about 2 metres from my property, however the branches extend about 20 feet over into my front yard, they have killed my grass, and my birch tree is being squished.  Also, in the back, their trees are tangled up in my wires which run to the house.

The city says it is not their issue.  I called a Davies tree service who told me it was illegal to trim branches which are in my yard.

Additionally, the root of the evergreen is extending largely into my yard, 

do you have advice?  where can i go for it?  i am not able to find anything about this in a legal sense on line

thanks so much, shirley

--

Hi Shirley,

With so many big trees myself, I sympathize with you, I really do!  Fortunately, my problem trees are on my own property so I only have to deal with my husband rather than neighbour in trying to handle them!

My understanding is that you are allowed to cut off branches of your neighbour's tree that are reaching into our own yard.  I expect the tree company is just referring to the fact that they are not allowed to (you can't hire someone to trim someone else's tree) but you can do it yourself. You might want to double-check that.

The roots are another issue that you can't really do anything about.  If you want to plant in that area, assuming there is enough light once you cut back branches, the best bet would be to raise the soil level (perhaps build raised beds?) with really good quality soil and water regularly.  This isn't actually best practice for the tree but perhaps will satisfy your needs!

I would be careful before doing all of this, however.  Is a raised bed going to be attractive enough to distract you from a misshapen tree looming over your yard?  Try to visualize it.  Can you put some nice bark mulch under the tree and perhaps a few pots to make the area attractive instead?

That's about the best advice I can give without seeing the actual yard.  Readers, do you have anything else to add?

Janice

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Of course as additional benefit, you'll be more connected to fellow gardening enthusiasts and get regular updates on the latest and greatest gardening resources and events.

What kind of plant is this?

Hi There,

 

I just found your website and thought maybe you might know what kind of plant this is??? It showed up this year out of now where and took over my Iris' that were there....very fast growing, fuzzy soft leaves about 12' long...no flowers so far this year...please help! :)

 

Thanks!

Hi Julie,

It's difficult to say for sure from the photo but my guess is that this is verbascum.  I have the common yellow one in my garden and the overall shape of the plant is the same and the leaves are definitely soft and fuzzy.  This plant seeds itself like crazy so I would pull it now.  That is, unless you like the look of it (it is a bit weedy looking but I like the yellow flowers against the blue background of my house) in which case you can deadhead (cut off the flowers when they are finished) all but a few flowers and let a few seeds fall.  The seedlings are easy to recognize and pull up unwanted ones - but you will have tonnes!  The plant is biennial so once it flowers the same plant will not come back.

You can find some more information here.  Hope that helps,

Janice

garden envy in Nakusp, B.C.

I just a wee bit of garden envy when I visited the public gardens in Nakusp, where the moister and milder climate makes everything grow twice as big as it gets in Calgary (the fist-sized slugs did make me feel a little better though.)  The pergola gardens on the waterfront near the Leland hotel were gorgeous...

...with phlox, daylilies, rudbeckias, grasses and more in bloom, and the biggest joe-pye I've seen in my life,

...but it's the views from the inside which are most spectacular:

 

That's Daughter #1 and Daughter #2 (below) briefly enjoying running through the gardens before getting way too hot and wanting to head to the beach.

Fortunately, there was another, Asian style garden on the way:

And just to prove I was there, here's me in holiday mode (no make-up, no hair-do!):

But really, who even needs a garden (gasp!  did I just say that?) when you have this:

We had the public beach almost to ourselves (that's my 3 girls in the photo above.)

 

and our own, wilder private beach (above) backed by a wildflower meadow and cedar trees (below.)

Sigh.  But it's back to reality now.  And once I'm done some laundry I may have time to tell you about what I'm hoping to get done in the garden before the end of the summer...

 

 

 

July 2011 garden blog round-up

You can tell it's full-in gardening/holiday season because this past month I didn't collect nearly as many articles related to sustainable gardening in Calgary.  Gardeners just aren't posting as frequently these days!  And why would we? The season is too short to be spending too much time on the computer if you ask me.

But here's what I did find.  To get them in "real time", you can follow my Facebook page.

Blogs and Blooms

• Beets and Other Bouquet Ideas - great idea!?  Why not a healthy bouquet of beets?

 A Way to Garden

• My Fall Vegetable Garden Plans - Margaret's growing season is longer than ours but there are still some useful tips here

Houzz

• Garden Edging, Clean Lines for your Landscape - This article missed one option: using nothing and just cutting a clean edge between lawn and garden a couple of times a season. It looks great and is cheap!

• Are you ready to lose the lawn? - Inspiring photos of lawnless yards with lots of character.
• Plants for your pathway - Of the plants shown in this article, I grow woolly thyme between my pavers in the vegetable garden, and I have turfgrass growing between hopscotch stepping stones in the back lawn.  How 'bout you?

June 2011 garden blog round-up

Every month I post a month round-up of useful and interesting articles I've read that are related to beautiful and sustainable gardening in Calgary.  Here's what I found for June.  If you'd like a more timely update, you can get them in "real time" on my Facebook page.

Blogs and Blooms

• To feed or not to feed. - some tips on fertilizing your potted plants.

Garden Buzz

• The Aspens are Red.  It must be spring.  - were you wondering about your red aspens?
• The Number One Garden Scourge - some tips on reducing hail damage
• Good Bug. Bad Bug. A Modern Day fairy tale - a good case against pesticides!
• Is this a Weed or a Plant? - a practical post on dealing with weeds.

Grounded Design

• The Best Planting Tip I ever Received - a great tip for planting rootbound plants!

Fine Gardening

• Veggie Garden trellising ideas

Houzz

• Inspiration from New York's High Line - Add some Urban Chic to your own stretch of green
• Creating an Art-Inspired Garden - benches and pots and focal points, oh my!

May 2011 blog round-up

This year I started posting a monthly round-up of interesting articles I've read that are related to beautiful and sustainable gardening in Calgary.  Here's what I found for May.  If you'd like a more timely update, you can get them in "real time" on my Facebook page.

Alberta Perennial Trials

• Evaluation and Demonstration of New Perennials 2008-2010

Garden Buzz

• What is happening with spruce trees? - Nora explains possible reasons for tops dying
• Too many tulips? - take note now of where you would like to have more tulips next year!

Blogs and Blooms

• Kids & worms in the Calgary garden - sifting through my vermicastings is what I'll be doing this rainy season, as well.  My kids think the worms are great fun!

The Garden Professors

• reasons to consider getting a soil test if you are starting a vegetable garden - a rant about urban farming
• visiting GP takes on fertilizers - the message of this excellent post: know your fertilizers. know your soil

Gardening Zone 3b

• a plant list including trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals - planting for butterflies and bees
• information about a project to foster bumblebees in Calgary - Can you Babysit a Bumblebee?
• noxious weeds in Alberta

Last Frontier Garden

• reliable perennials in Alaska are also reliable here in Calgary - Oldies but Goodies

Life on the Balcony

• a cool idea! How to turn a Pallet into a Garden

Houzz

• Inspiring Garden Gates - What's Behind that Door?
• Bamboo screens make your garden glow
• 4 Steps to the Perfect Garden - some good general design tips here, but I'm not sure about the mirror suggestion (dangerous for birds!)

Calgary Garden Coach in the Calgary Herald!

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Kids+their+hands+dirty+with+urban+gardening/4769250/story.html

Calgary Garden Coach is quoted in the Globe & Mail!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/gardening/gardening-trends/need-a-hand-garden-coaches-coax-a-harvest-from-the-seeds/article2016998/

April 2011 blog roundup

Recently I started posting a monthly round-up of useful and interesting articles I've read that are related to beautiful and sustainable gardening in Calgary.  Here's what I found for April.  If you'd like a more timely update, you can get them in "real time" on my Facebook page.

Garden Buzz

• Nora shows a picture of vole damage and describes how to prevent it.  - Oh! those voles!
• this post highlights hardy and interesting trees for Calgary - It's a Good Day to Plant a Tree

Gardening Zone 3b

• this post describes one easy way of making a new garden bed - Making Your Bed (but I wouldn't recommend this is if you are making a bed next to a pathway or patio, in which case if you don't somehow retain the soil, you will always be sweeping it off your pathway/patio)

Digging

• a wonderful Mexican-themed garden is featured - lots of colour and creativity here! - Enchanted evening in Lucinda's cantina garden

Houzz

• some really great photos of creative edible gardens - Unexpected edible gardens
• some beautiful rain chains - I want one! Design with Weather
• 10 secrets to beautiful outdoor rooms (not gardening photos persay but beautiful, nonetheless!)
• photos of ornamental grasses used in minimalist designs - Ornamental grasses in the landscape
• inspiring trellis/arbour/pergola photos - 12 one-of-a-kind trellis and arbour designs

A Way to Garden

• soil-saving tips for planting big pots

Chatelaine

• this is the time of year that every magazine you see has some kind of pat gardening article in it, but I agree with everything in this one! - 7 dirt-cheap tips for your garden

Garden Show inspiration

So I volunteered at the Garden Show yesterday afternoon and several of you came by and said hello - thanks and it was so nice to meet you!  I definitely had more fun working the Community Gardens booth than I would have had wandering around on my own because I got to chat with so many people.

I must admit, I haven't usually gone to the show in the past.  First of all, I hate crowds.  The only thing I hate more than crowds is shopping in crowds.  Plus I feel like I keep up with all the current gardening trends and information already, and I'm not shopping around for a landscaper, so I didn't feel there was much need to go.  I do know that the speakers were all excellent this year and I also heard great things about the workshops.  I can also say that it was superbly well-organized.  And I will definitely volunteer again.

And it turns out there were quite a few unique and interesting things I saw there that inspired me:

Above: some screening structures I saw provided more inspiration for the one I want hubby to build in our backyard this summer.  Hmmm, perhaps I should plan for a chandelier?

Above: this cute little arbour was one of the prizes from the Hort Society's raffle.  I have scaled down my expectations for hubby to build a pergola but I wouldn't say no to this!

Above: Some of the entries in the kids' container garden competition, themed 'Funky Junk', were very creative and fun!

Above: These musical water sculptures by Douglas Walker were AMAZING.  Not exactly in my budget though...

Above: ...but I did manage to do a little shopping and picked up this pot fountain from Elemental Gift and Garden.  I've always wanted one and I thought this one was a deal.  I coveted that rain chain too, but I was a good budgeter and passed it up.  Maybe next year!

I also picked up a pot of pansies for the front step, two new pairs of gardening gloves, and a free tomato plant as a thank you for volunteering.  Score!

resources specific to vegetable gardening in Calgary?

I would like to find instructional resources specific to vegetable gardening in Calgary.  I live in the far north west and have a small garden on the north side of the backyard that is protected by a fence.  I have had reasonable success in the past but I don't seem to be able to get the hang of the timing and then how to properly harvest and not have to eat 15 lbs of carrots in one day before they go wilty.  I grow carrots, beets, peas, radishes, strawberries, lettuce nothing crazy.  I would also like to know about container gardens for vegetables and even herbs.

Hi Cindy,

You're smart to ask about information for Calgary, because as everyone who gardens here knows, there are some specific things you need to be aware of!  But the good news is, gardening here isn't difficult if you know the tricks (and have realistic expectations!)  I wrote a post recently Vegetable Gardening in Calgary 101 that has a few important links you could check out. 

But for a hard resource, the book The Calgary Gardener by the Calgary Horticultural Society (is not limited to vegetables but) has tonnes of information about timing of planting and techniques for extending the season, etc.  I recommend it as a good all-around resource. 

Also, the book Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew is extremely useful regarding general gardening techniques and skills that are appropriate anywhere, including planning succession planting so that you don't have everything ready to harvest at once.  Even if you don't plan to use a square planting pattern, this book is an excellent resource.

And you are in luck!  Donna Balzer and Steven Biggs' new book just came out: Garden Coaches Chat. No Guff. Lots of fun.  I haven't seen it yet except for a few page previews and it looks great.  Again, not exactly specific to Calgary but Donna does garden here and her perspective comes through.

Hope that helps and happy gardening!

 

See you at the Garden Show...?

I will be volunteering at the Community Gardens booth at the Garden Show this Sunday from 12:30 to 5:00. 

Drop by and say hello!

The full program is available in the Calgary Herald today and also online here.

Best tips for dealing with shrubs and evergreens for tough (dry, exposed) Calgary conditions - by Jim Hole

Here is Jim's answer to the Calgary Gardening question competition sponsored by the Calgary Horticultural Society:

--

While a wide variety of shrubs and evergreens grow very well within the microclimate of the City of Calgary, the more exposed outskirts can be a challenge.

 

The first step on the path to any successful garden is to improve the environment for growing shrubs and evergreens. Good soil is the foundation of a good garden—regardless of where you live—so it’s important to ensure there’s plenty of organic matter in the soil. Therefore, compost, well-rotted manure or rich topsoil to your garden is an essential first step.

 

Keeping the landscape well watered and using that water efficiently is the next critical step. Remember soils with plenty of organic matter hold more water than sandy soils and have less surface run-off relative to clay soils. Watering at the base of trees and shrubs, rather than irrigating overhead, will also get more water to the roots and reduce evaporation loss. And collect rainwater whenever you can. It’s a great free resource!

 

Lastly, choose tough, drought-tolerant shrubs and evergreens. Some of the toughest are buffaloberry, caragana, Russian olive, sea buckthorn, junipers and mugo pines. Most importantly, remember that gardening is about the experience, so don’t be afraid to try things that might fail. After all, nothing is ever a mistake if you learn from it. Enjoy gardening!

--

Thanks Jim, thanks Calgary Horticultural Society, and thanks to all you readers for playing!  See you at the Garden Show!

Calgary gardening question for Jim Hole - we have a winner!

It was tough to choose a winning question from those that you all submitted.  They were all good questions and I could sense the pain and frustration in some of your words! 

I grouped the questions into several themes:

• tomatoes / vegetables
• rabbits & deer
• small garden challenges
• soil and amendments (what to put in raised beds as well as what can grow in poor soil)
• snow mold
• alkaline water
• shrubs and evergreens for tough (dry, exposed) conditions

I was really wishing I had been more specific about the criteria for choosing a winning question, because depending on whether I grouped the questions into broader (and fewer) or narrower (and therefore more) themes, the most frequent question came out differently!  But the other criterion was being most relevant to Calgary, and considering that criterion as well I think shrubs and evergreens for tough conditions comes out on top.  I think this is an especially great question for Jim because while his What Grows Here books are written for Alberta, we all know Calgary is special and what grows well in say, Edmonton or St Albert, doesn't necessarily grow as well here.

So there you have it!  I'll send in the question and post his response in the next few days.  Thanks again to everyone for your excellent questions!  I am going to answer a few of the others myself over the next few weeks so keep checking back!

Thanks also to the Calgary Horticultural Society for organizing this.  See you at the Garden Show next week-end!

Garden Show tickets - we have a winner!

Thanks to everyone who participated this fun giveaway event!  And a special thanks to the Calgary Horticultural Society for organizing and supporting this.  This post announces the easy part of the contest - picking the winner of the free tickets to the Garden Show next week-end.  I used a random number generator to pick.................  J. Speers!  Congratulations!  I will send you an e-mail directly with information on where & when to pick up your tickets.

An announcement regarding the winning question that I will ask Jim Hole to answer on this blog will follow soon...  this one will be much harder to choose as they are all so interesting and I wish he could answer them all!

last reminder - vote for a question and enter a draw for free tickets to the garden show

This has been fun and I've loved hearing from all of you with your questions (despite the frustration I sense from many of you!)  One friend of mind said she couldn't think of a "great question" but remember, it doesn't have to be great and you don't even have to think of one yourself... you can vote for one that has already been submitted!

So get out and vote for a question (click here) and tell your friends!

I'll be choosing the winners on Sunday.

March 2011 garden blog round-up

 Last month I started posting a monthly round-up of interesting articles I've read that are related to beautiful and sustainable gardening in Calgary.  Here's what I found for March.  If you'd like a more timely update, you can get them in "real time" on my Facebook page.

Blogs and Blooms

• Video: How to start seeds  the message - it's easy!
• Video: Transplanting your seedlings, including hardening them off - a critical step.
• Silliest veggie transplants - Donna's right.  Don't buy silly things like carrot transplants!  See my post when to start vegetable seeds in Calgary and you'll see carrots should only be direct seeded outside.  Since they're a root crop they don't transplant well.

Garden Buzz

• how to grow tropicals such as callas, gladiolas and dahlias - start them now from bare roots and bulbs!
• asian long horn beetles and spruce sawyer beetles - bad and harmless, respectively and how to tell the difference between them.

Adventures of a Green Gopher

• a summary of the Hort Society's workshop on indoor seed starting  (it's not too late BTW, I will be starting more seeds next week!)

A Way to Garden

• 12 top composting faqs - besides the info posted here is there anything special you need to know specific to Calgary?  Yes, just be prepared to water your compost once in a while to keep it moist (like a wrung-out sponge, not soggy).  It's so dry here that your compost bin usually needs a little extra help.

Digging: It All Starts with a Patch of Dirt

• Modern Succulent Planter made of cinder blocks - while the plants grown in this Austin garden are not hardy in Calgary, this cool planter design would work almost anywhere.
• Bridging Earth and Sky with Vertical gardening - some very cool ideas here to dress up your space, whether big or small. I love the painted tree with the birdhouses!

Houzz

• High Design the Easy Way - lots of examples of using ornamental grasses en masse

The Home Outside

• Calling all Gardeners: It's time to share space with our fellow Earthlings! - a compelling argument for planting more natives in your garden

Fine Gardening

• Go Green on the Patio - some neat pictures here of patios and pathways made with recycled materials (although the fact they mention getting salvaged materials shipped across the country when the article is supposed to be about green building is a bit of a joke!)

reminder - enter a draw for free tickets to the Garden Show by submitting a gardening question to Jim Hole!

One week left, please don't forget to submit a quesion!

Sponsored by the Calgary Horticultural Society.

Details here.

Ask Jim Hole a gardening question and everybody wins!

To promote the Calgary Horticultural Society's upcoming garden show, they have lined up Jim Hole to do a guest post on this blog regarding a frequently asked Calgary gardening question.  Yes, Jim Hole.  I'm so excited!  Jim is a HUGE name in Alberta gardening (as if you didn’t know) and is, of course, the son of the late Lois Hole.  He publishes books including the What Grows Here series, answers gardening questions on CBC radio, and will be one of the guest speakers at the Hort Society’s Garden Show on April 9 and 10.  It will be an honour to have him post on my blog.   

But this isn't about me, it's about you!  What's your burning question about gardening in Calgary?

How it works

Submit your gardening questions in the comments below or by sending me an e-mail to me directly. Your question will enter you into a draw for two free passes to the Garden Show.  On Sunday April 3, I'll choose the winning question based on the frequency of that question's submission as well as its relevance to gardening in Calgary.  Jim Hole's answer to that question will be posted on this blog a couple days later.

Many thanks to the Calgary Hort Society for organizing this!

One week left for elm pruning in Calgary!

read more here:

http://adairtreecare.com/calgaryarborist/2011/03/one-week-left-for-elm-pruning-in-calgary/

http://communities.canada.com/calgaryherald/blogs/gardenbuzz/archive/2011/03/23/sunday-march-20-2011-all-about-elms.aspx

Calgary Seedy Saturday is tomorrow!

Are you going?  I'm sad to say I'm not - too much family stuff going on this week-end.  Have fun if you go!

http://seedysaturdaycalgary.shawwebspace.ca/

Gardening article in Calgary20 featuring... me and other local Calgary gardeners!.

http://www.calgary20.ca/lifestyle/217-producing-locally-in-calgary

plant shopping in March... can't help myself...

OK, I just placed my last plant order for spring, I swear!  I already ordered all my seeds way back in early January plus a few fun splurges like dwarf apple trees for England (my edible garden area). This time I'm ordering (more) ornamental grasses because they're just so great in a low-maintenance garden (I should write a post on that soon... they add texture, movement, offer long seasons of interest, they come in all shapes and sizes for sun or shade, I could go on...)

Part of the new front yard garden plan includes a lot of festuca glauca - one of my favourite "repetition plants" to add year-round texture and colour contrast.  It looks good with just about everything in sun or part shade. 

And I need some calamagrostis (feather reed grass) 'Overdam' to add textural interest in the back, shady corner of the Adventure Garden. 

And I wanted to try Alopecurus pratensis because, well, just because Christine in Alaska recommended it.

So that's it.  I'm done.  No more shopping until it's actually warm enough to plant something outside.

I ordered the grasses from Bluestem Nursery. 

If you would like an urban paradise that rejoices the eye and refreshes the spirit, view My Services for consultation details.

2-hour garden projects for kids?

I'm working on a Parents and Kids gardening workshop for the Calgary Horticultural Society.  Currently the plan is a 2-hour workshop for a 6-8 year old accompanied by a parent.  This is totally exciting to me but also a little petrifying - my experience with gardening with kids comes only from my own family and a few friends.  I've never worked with a larger group before!

If you were attending such a workshop, what would you and your child be interested in learning/doing? 

This post also reminds me of a few links that friend/reader Paula sent me a while ago and I keep forgetting to post.  They are for great (adult and/or kid) projects that could be done at home:

• Pollinator Observation complete with observation sheets and tonnes more links
• Plant Watch Alberta with online data sheets - I think I'm going to do this myself this year!

If you would like a beautiful and kid-friendly garden that nourishes your body and soul, view My Services for consultation details.

February blog round-up

When I first started this blog my intention was to post timely, regular advice for how to do everything in the garden.  What a silly idea!  I quickly realized I didn't have time and there are plenty of other full-time garden writers and horticulturalists putting out great how-to information on the web.  I'm just a little part-timer who does this for fun.  So this blog has turned into more of a record of what I'm doing in my own garden and garden coaching business, which I try to write in a way that will inform others who may need a little online help or who want to exchange advice.

The biggest problem with 'how-to' and plant information on the web is that it may not be written for a Calgary gardener's context.  Our timelines are different, our soil and climate conditions are different (understatement of the year!) and many of those beautiful plants you see recommended out there just don't grow here.

So instead, I've decided to highlight some of the great posts I've read from other sources each month, with a few comments about their usefulness and applicability.  Here they are for February!

 

Blogs and Blooms:

• Never too early to worry about bugs - Donna talks about hardy climbing cutworms (ew!)
• order her new book No Guff Vegetable gardening here - Donna is a local horticultural expert and as I describe above, local gardening advice is the best kind of advice!

Garden Buzz

• house plant pests - mealy bugs and scale - Nora is a local bug expert
• house plants pests - aphids and white flies and how to get rid of them

Houzz

• 8 great ways to use landscape pavers - this design blog has very inspiring pictures!
• 7 out-of-the-box retaining wall ideas
• The Kids Are All right - some more great photos of retaining walls and raised vegetable beds here

The Garden Professors

• Is local always better? - a balanced perspective on native plants and assisted migration

Garden Guru

• Garden Math - how to figure out how much soil, mulch or grass you need for a given area

Garden Rant

• Grow the Good Life - Why a Vegetable Garden will make you Happy, Healthy, Wealthy and Wise - a promo for a new book that looks like a good read
• and an excellent follow-up post from the author here which pretty much has me convinced to buy the book

The Home Outside

• Vegetable Gardening with Children - Julie talks about benefits, projects, and design ideas!  Great stuff!

Garden Designers Roundtable

• the post this month is entitled "Edibles!" and includes links to 7 designer's posts about edible gardens.  While American (so some of the plants highlighted don't grow in Calgary), there are plenty of good design ideas and the photos provide a "feast" for the eyes

Piet Oudolf in the NY Times - on designing a winter garden

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/garden/10garden.html?_r=1

From the archives:

•  Piet Oudolf-inspired plants for Calgary sustainable gardens

Other resources:

• Stretching the seasons - article about Piet Oudolf from Fine Gardening

seedy news from the Calgary Horticultural Society

Here's the latest news letter from the Calgary Horticultural Society (you can also receive updates if you're not a member by joining their facebook page.) 

I think you have to be a CHS member (well worth it for many other reasons!) to take advantage of the first two events, but Seedy Saturday is open to everyone.

FILM NIGHT: "The Dirt" The Movie February 11th Inspired by William Bryant Logan’s acclaimed book Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, Dirt!  you are invited to see a story with "Heart and Soil"  followed by discussion and dessert When: Friday, February 11th Where: The Unitarian Church of Calgary,              1703-1st St. N.W, Time:  6:30 p.m. for Pizza, veggies, and beverages           7:00 p.m. Film Screening           8:30 p.m. Potluck Dessert & Discussion Free parking at Balmoral School, behind the Hall Donations are appreciated to fund future events Sponsored by: The Unitarian Church of Calgary                       The Calgary Horticultural Society                        Apairies & Bees for Communities                       Arusha

ALL ABOUT SEEDS February 25th Learn Everything there is to know about seeds from catalogues, seed packets, seed techniques and more! Presented by avid gardeners of the Calgary Horticultural Society: Leslie Huget, Joanne Nemeth and Joanne Ogilive    When: Friday, February 25th, 2011 Where: Unitarian Church of Calgary,               1703-1 St. N.W. Cost: Just $10 per person To Register:  book your seats through:  http://www.calhort.org/ or call the Calgary Horticultural Society office at 403-287-3469, ext 0 An event sponsored by: Community Garden Resource Network-A project of the Calgary Horticultural Society, Green Sanctuary (Unitarian Church of Calgary), Apiaries and Bees for Communities & An Alberta Community Spirit Grant

Seedy Saturday is Coming! March 19th Mark your calenders for the kick off event of the 2011 season.  When: Saturday, March 19th Where: Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association            1320-5th Avenue N.W. Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm Admission: $2, with children under 12 free                Calgary Dollars Accepted A family event with tables, displays, presentations, Kid's Corner, refreshments, and of course plenty of seeds from open-pollinated varieties of vegetables, fruits, flowers and grains. Supported By: Calgary Horticultural Society-Community Garden Resource Network For more information or to volunteer check the Seedy Saturday website: http://[email protected]   Dig the Benefits of Joining the Calgary Horticultural Society 2011 is gearing up to be a fabulous gardening year in Calgary. Join in the excitement and become a member of the Calgary Horticultural Society! Benefits are Huge: Discounts at local gardening companies Support from the Community Garden Resource Network Informative E-Newsletters Discounts for workshops, books, & bus tours  8 issues of the premier local magazine 'Calgary Gardening' written by and for Calgary Gardeners Plant shares Rewarding volunteer opportunities & You support the promotion of growth of gardening education in Calgary! Check out the website at www.calhort.org or call 403-287-3469 to join today!     Upcoming Workshops at CHS Feb 26th- Plant Propagation- with Elaine Rude Mar 5th -Trees and Shrubs for Small Spaces -with Sandra Pinto Mar 12th-Pruning Tips and Techniques- with Matt Davis ..and lots more. Check out www.calhort.org/events for details. Your CHS/CGRN is actively working to create year round exciting and informative events for gardeners of all species, cultivars and varieties!

Calgary Garden Coach is on facebook!

I did it.  I finally did it.  I'm not sure what possessed me to spend hours trying to figure the linking and importing and feeding issues out... but it finally worked.  (OK, so keeping up with technology is not my specialty!)

Anyway, you'll now notice you can "like" this blog (link on left) or "like" individual posts.  I also have a facebook page (search for Calgary Garden Coach on FB) and you can follow me directly there if you prefer.

great source of plants! Calgary Hort Society plant share coming up!

From the Horticultural Society:

--

Fall Plant Share

Join us for the Fall Plant Share
Saturday, September 11, 9:00am - 12:00pm
on the grassy field west of the Society office
(208 - 50 Ave. SW)

In addition to plant sharing you can also enjoy the on-site vendors, socialize over coffee and cookies, and share gardening knowledge with other enthusiastic gardeners! This is a members only event, but others can join and go by visiting the Society office the morning of the event to purchase their membership.

REMEMBER - Be sure to carefully label all your plants (common name, mature height, colour, etc.) and divide any perennials needing to be divided PRIOR to arriving, as this helps speed up the check-in process

For more information and complete details click on the link below. Hope to see you there!

Plant Share Details