A lavish and lovely flower arrangement
A vintage Wedgwood urn-shaped vase holds an informal yet extravagant arrangement of blooms—a lovely way to commemorate Mother’s Day, or any other special occasion. Fragrant, herbaceous peonies in two shades of pink are combined with frilly edged purple tulips, sweet-scented white genestra and galax leaves. You could substitute mock orange for the genestra, and plain green leaves from a pruned shrub for the galax. —Created by Rivers Reid Ranscombe of Blossoms Rosedale, Toronto Read more in Design Decor and Flower Arranging http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Canadiangardening-LatestArticles/~3/jMswTiFvMJo/51309
Growing herbs in pots
Planting a Scarborough Fair herb gardenBack in the 1960s, Simon and Garfunkel sang about them in the haunting song “Scarborough Fair.” Today, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme remain herb garden standards, adding their distinctive notes to many dishes. You can grow them together in one large container or in individual ones, which lets you meet their specific needs. Containers should be at least 20 centimetres across and can be made of almost any material as long as they have adequate drainage holes. Cover the holes with a piece of landscape fabric, old window screen or coffee filter so the soil…
A deep-coloured, dramatic container
Choose moody shades of purple, plum and black to plant in this sophisticated pot http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Canadiangardening-LatestArticles/~3/qXM676FOrOY/51383
Hot annuals for your 2013 garden
I always find it a little overwhelming when I get to the nursery and I’m met with a rainbow of foliage and blooms. When you consider everything a must-have, where do you start? Personally, I try to choose a colour scheme each year to narrow down my choices. Also consider the right light requirements for your new plants—are you planting in full sun, part shade or full shade? Here are a few annuals that have caught my eye this season. PC Super Gigantico Dahlia – Dahlinova Hypnotica Tequila SunriseThese full-sun beauties will look stunning in a dramatic container with reds,…
Book review: Slow Flowers
Slow FlowersFour Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets from the Garden, Meadow and FarmBy Debra Prinzing In her latest book, Slow Flowers, Debra Prinzing shows us that it is possible all year long to find beautiful ingredients for DIY bouquets in one’s own garden or nearby. The book features 52 different arrangements, one for each week of the year. Her designs prove that we don’t have to resort to flowers imported from faraway places. The main section of the book, divided into four seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter—offers full-colour images of Prinzing’s designs and showcases materials she has gathered from her…
Five ways to eat green asparagus
Nothing says spring has arrived like bunches of asparagus taking over local farmers’ markets. Green asparagus is the most common variety and is also the most versatile, lending itself to a myriad of preparing and cooking techniques. White asparagus is thicker than its green counterpart and is usually peeled and then boiled until tender. What to look forChoose asparagus that are firm, uniformly green in colour and with compact, tight tips. How to prepHold asparagus in the centre with one hand and bend the spear with the other until the end snaps—discard the woody end piece. Wash the spears, making…
Five flower arrangements for Mother’s Day
Twist and turn your tulipsRather than your regular, upright arrangement, pour a small amount of water into a round glass vase, then add one tulip at a time, bending it gently so it sits below the opening. Photo courtesy of iBulb http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Canadiangardening-LatestArticles/~3/eC5cXpfJX0g/51308
Important information about impatiens
We have come to rely on impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) as the “go-to” annual plant that will brighten and add colour to the shady nooks in our gardens and add interest to our container plantings. Perhaps no other bedding plant has ever enjoyed such popularity. However, last summer, you may have noticed strange things happening to your impatiens, such as yellowing leaves or a “downy” greyish film on the underside of the leaves. These are the first symptoms of downy mildew. After those first signs, the flowers and leaves will drop until only the stems are left, leading to the…
Seven lawn-care tools
Fiskars StaySharp Plus reel mowerPrice: $199Available at: Home Depot T-Rex leaf rakePrice: $20Available at: Rona Radius Garden ergonomic stainless steel edgerPrice: $38Available at: Lee Valley Tools Gardena rotatable comfort grass shearsPrice: $40Available at: Garden centres http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Canadiangardening-LatestArticles/~3/cKzgpKW6eVc/51252
Nine watering tools
Dramm Colorstorm garden hosePrice: $66Available at: Rittenhouse Gardena premium adjustable spray nozzlePrice: $40Available at: Garden centres UltraGrow container insertPrice: $7Available at: Garden centres Haws traditional watering canPrice: $84Available at: Lee Valley Tools Forest Creature water feederPrice: $14 USAvailable at: Anthropologie http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Canadiangardening-LatestArticles/~3/3GuJPpVMt08/51251