Gardening Tips

The three components to any landscape design are:

• The hard constructed landscape - paths, driveway, fence, gate, pergola, gazebo
• The soft landscape - plant material including the lawn
• Decorative accessories - (finish a design) wind-chimes, garden plaques, water features, birdbaths etc.

Small Accessories

• Candles - will romantically light up your patio in the evening.
• Resin or Concrete - look for turtles, frogs, birds, angels etc. that can be tucked into any corner of your garden. Plaques can be hung on a bare wall or fence to give added depth.
• Planters - will decorate a flat surface with flare. They can also be hung or arranged in groups of varying sizes.

Medium Size Accessories

• Torches - can be positioned anywhere and are nice for evening illumination and mystery.
• Sculptures will look at home in gardens of any size and have a very natural look when placed among foliage.
• Concrete Figures - sundials on pedestals, oriental lanterns, birdbaths, and/or bronze herons are all special accent pieces.
• Water - has a very soothing sound. Try a resin wall fountain or a tiered fountain. This will add a dramatic note to any courtyard, deck, or garden area. These are available in natural grey concrete and coloured finishes that can be coordinated with your own personal colour scheme.

Large Scale Accessories

• Patio Furniture - an important addition to your garden, deck or balcony.
• Patio Umbrella - this will provide shade for those hot summer days.
• Bistro Set - great for small spaces.
• Swing or Glider - lovely addition if you have a porch or deck.
• Adirondack Chairs - place a couple on your lawn or under a mature tree.
• Hammocks - a relaxing accessory. Place one between a couple of trees or on its own stand.
• Garden Bench - can be placed anywhere. Available in cast aluminum, wood, concrete and can be left out year-round.
• Arbours/Obelisks - these add a powerful vertical feature to a garden design and great framework for growing vines.

All water gardens have algae but too much algae can cause the water to become cloudy and turn green. Water naturally contains many elements, mineral salts, and nitrates. When sunlight hits the water, the temperature increases and evaporation takes place. The mineral salts, nitrates etc. are left behind and the water is 100% pure. This is compounded every time more water is added. Algae feed on the salts and nitrates and proliferate when concentrations are increased. Algae also feeds on the dissolved nutrients of decaying debris like dying aquatic plant foliage or leaves that fall into the water. If you have a large fish population, this could be an added reason for algae in your pond as their waste breaks down into nitrate fertilizer.

Natural Solutions

• Water Plants - will absorb salts, nitrates, and the dissolved nutrients of decaying organic matter in the pond. There are four types of water plants. To create a natural balance and maintain clear water, try to have some from each group.

1. Oxygenating Plants - Cabomba, Elodea, Hornwort, Sagittaria, and Vallisneria grow under water just like the plants you see growing in naturally occurring ponds and lakes. They absorb excess nutrients from the water that cause algae. They also liberate oxygen, provide spawning space for fish, as well as shelter and protection for baby fish.  Use one bunch per 2-3 square feet of open surface area (less is required for large ponds).
2. Floating Plants - Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce, Duckweed, Salvinia, and the floating leaves of Water Lilies help to shade the water thereby reducing evaporation so that you will not need to constantly add more water. At the same time, the water stays cooler creating a healthier environment for plants and fish.
3. Marginal Plants - remove a lot of the nutrients that algae would normally feed on. Consider hardy Pickerel Rush, Variegated Sweet Flag, Yellow Water Iris, Corkscrew Rush, Cattail, or tropicals such as Canna, Taro, and Papyrus to make the edge of your water garden more attractive and help to keep the water clear.
4. Water Lilies - available in in two forms; hardy which can be cut back and left in your water garden over the winter, and tropical which you would treat as annuals or lift and winter inside.
The major visual difference between them is that hardy Water Lilies have their bloom on the surface of the water with the foliage while tropical blossoms rise on long stems well above the leaves. Both are easily grown requiring only 6 hours of sunlight per day, rich soil, and quiet water. Hardy Water Lilies bloom yellow, red, apricot, white, and pink. Tropicals are white, pink, red, yellow, purple-violet, and blue.

• Snails - a beneficial addition to your eco-system. Snails feed on the algae that sticks to the side of your pond and submerged plant containers.
• Fish - will eat some algae, mosquitoes and other insect larvae. Be sure you have the right number of fish appropriate for your pond size. Stock 2.5 cm of mature fish per one square foot of pond surface area. Do not over feed your fish as the algae thrive on decomposing fish food. Feed fish only what they can consume within the first few minutes.
  
  Filters and Skimmers
  The two basic types of filters are mechanical and biological. The idea behind them is to circulate the total volume of water through a filtering system once every 1 to 2 hours.
• Mechanical Filters - a simple mesh or screen device that traps floating debris. Attach this to the pump inlet to keep foreign objects, fish, snails, and tadpoles from getting into the pump. Many biomechanical filters also include a sponge or mesh pre-filter. Keep your filter clean and replace once a year.
• Biological Filters - uses bio-balls, plastic mesh, beads, or lava rock to filter suspended solids and support beneficial bacteria that absorb excess nutrients and chemicals. Any disturbance agitates the beneficial bacteria. A skimmer is best installed at the far end of the pond from the waterfall or stream. The pump is placed inside so that it sucks any leaves or other floating matter into the skimmer. This prevents anything falling to the bottom of the water garden that Be sure to check, empty and clean the skimmer often.
  
  Ultraviolet Filters
• Ultraviolet Filters - helps to eliminate green water. Ultraviolet radiation makes single-celled algae clump together. In a larger mass, algae can be removed easier with the all-purpose pond filter.
  
  Pond Shade
• Pond Shade - a blue-tinted liquid that filters sunlight to reduce algae and cool the water. Safe for all aquatic plants and fish. Follow package directions to avoid too much shade.
  
  Barley Straw
• Barley Straw - place in your pond shortly after the ice melts to prevent string algae. As the straw decomposes, it converts to hydrogen peroxide. If kept at consistently low levels the algae growth will be inhibited. You can purchase Barley Straw in a mesh bag with an attached string. Anchor the bag so that it floats on the surface, in or near moving water. Each bag should last approximately 6 months.  Your pond water will likely turn green in the spring before your plants have a chance to grow and cover the surface. If this persists, add more plants or get rid of a few fish.

*Do not ever completely empty the water from your pond and start again. This will shock your fish and will take longer to create a natural balance again.

Amaryllis is a flowering plant that is available in the fall for indoor cultivation and is truly spectacular for the sheer size of the bulb, the lily-like flowers and long, strap-like leaves. They are easy to grow and with proper care will bloom again in future years.

Choosing Amaryllis
There are many Amaryllis to choose from in terms of colour and the time it takes the flowers to appear.
Unusual colours include Black Pearl, Gold Medal, Solomon and Charmeur.-Double Amaryllis includes Dancing Queen, Pasadena, Nymph or Aphrodite.

• Bulbs such as Pizazz, Razzle Dazzle, Merry Christmas, Candy-floss and Blushing Bride are guaranteed to bloom in only 4-6 weeks.
• Amaryllis that have a particularly exotic appearance include Papillio and La Paz.
• Amoretta and Scarlet Baby are multi-flowering miniature specimens.

Whatever your décor, there is an Amaryllis that is just right for you.
Boxed gift sets make an ideal holiday present for the beginner or the most discriminating gardener.

Planting Tips

• Amaryllis likes to be crowded.
• For single bulbs, choose a pot that is 2½ to 5 cm wider than the diameter of the bulb and about 17 cm deep.
• Plant multiple bulbs in a wider container to make a statement.
• Ensure there is at least one drainage hole. Cover the hole(s) with pieces of broken clay pots or a fine-mesh screen to prevent soil from washing out.
• Use soilless or seed starting soil mixture to fill the container halfway. Pack the mixture firmly.
• Place the Amaryllis so that a ¼ to ½ of the bulb is above the soil. This prevents water from accumulating around its neck that would cause it to rot. Firm soil around the bulb and water it well. Do not water again until it shows active growth.
• Place the planted container in a bright, warm room that is 18-24°C by day and cooler at night. The first signs of the bud stalk will start to push up within a few weeks. Leaves may appear at the same time or later.
• Water whenever the top of the soil feels dry and fertilize twice a month with a water soluble fertilizer such as Parkwood® Water Soluble 15-30-15.
• Rotate the pot regularly to encourage even growth.
• Ensure a form of support is provided. The flower stalk will elongate quickly to a height of 45-100 cm and become very heavy when the 4 blossoms at the top start to open.
• Move the plant into a cooler spot away from direct sunlight as the flowers will not last as long in the heat and bright light.

After Flowering Tips

• Feed the bulb and let it go dormant for a period of time. Producing the tremendous blooms uses up all the previously stored energy.
• The plant now requires plenty of water, fertilizer and sunshine so the long leaves can carry on the process of photosynthesis and replenish the bulb’s food supply.
• Remove the flower stems and place the plant in a sunny window.
• Water when the soil is dry to the touch and fertilize twice a month to promote healthy foliage. The more leaves produced means more flower stalks next winter.
• Pots can be moved outside in late May. Start in the shade so the foliage does not burn. Gradually move the bulb so that it can receive at least 4 hours of sunshine per day. You can remove the bulb from its container and plant it directly into the garden. Ensure you are very gentle as the fleshy roots resent rough handling. You can also leave the bulb in its pot and sink directly into a bed.
• Continue to water and feed the bulb regularly throughout the summer.Dormancy
• Leaves will begin to turn yellow and die back by late August. This is the beginning of the bulb’s dormant stage.
• Stop watering and fertilizing.
• Lay the pot on its side so rain won’t moisten the soil. If the bulb is in the ground, dig it up.
• Dry the bulb completely in the shed or garage.
• Bring the bulb inside before the first hard frost.
• Cut off all the dead leaves and store it, still in its pot or loose, in a dark, cool basement (about 13°C) for approximately 2 months.

Revival

• 6-8 weeks before you want your Amaryllis to flower again, bring it out of its resting place.
• Remove the top 2.5 cm of soil with a spoon and add a fresh soilless mix or re-pot the bulb if it summered directly in the garden.
• Water the bulb well and follow the rest of the initial planting instructions. If it doesn’t re-flower give it another year to gather enough strength to re-bloom. Another reason an Amaryllis may not bloom again is if its roots have been disturbed too often.
• Re-pot only when the bulb looks really crowded (about every 3-4 years). Do this after the dormancy period at the start of the new growth period.

Raccoons/Skunks

• White grubs are a perfect food source for these animals and they will destroy your lawn to get at them. For small areas apply Critter Ridder. For larger segments place well-anchored chicken wire to prevent them from digging. After a week or two passes the wire can be removed.
• Treat your grub problem before these voracious insects chew their way through the grass roots killing your whole lawn. Beneficial Nematodes are a long-term organic solution to rid the grubs.
• To prevent raccoons from ravaging your water plants and eating all your fish, make it impossible for them to get intoyour water feature. Position flat flagstones so they hang over the water. Raccoons do not like jumping in from an edge. Also, postions rocks with large cavities at the bottom of the water garden to provide a hiding place for fish.
  
  Rabbits
• Spray your plants with Green Earth Animal Repellent, or a homebrew of Tabasco, garlic, and chili powder.
• Surround your vegetable garden plot with strong metal netting or chicken wire stapled to sturdy posts in early spring. Bury 10 cm below the ground or bend the bottom edge outward so they can’t burrow under.
• Plant common Foxglove, Bishop’s Hat, Bergenia, Catmint, Spiderwort, Globeflower, Gooseneck Loosestrife, Lungwort, Rosemary, Periwinkle, Golden Elder, Rockspray Cotoneaster, and Anthony Waterer Spirea as rabbits do not like these.
• Protect the trunks of your Crab Apples and fruit trees in late fall with spiral wrap so rabbits cannot chew the bark through winter.Remove the wrap in early spring.
  
  Deer
• Deer are inconsistent in their likes and dislikes. What they won’t eat in one garden, they’ll completely devour in another. If it’s a very severe winter they’ll eat anything including roses.
• Deer destroy Junipers, Yews, Cedars, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Euonymus, Hostas, and Daylilies. They also find fruit and vegetables delicious. Corn and apples are particular favourites.
• Deer seem to dislike plants with leaves that are sticky, aromatic, or hairy. So, they generally stay away from things like Herbs, Garlic, and Lamb’s Ear.
• Deer stay away from Barberry, Holly, Potentilla, Forsythia, Privet, Burningbush, Hypericum, Weigela, Butterflybush, certain Dogwoods (Cornus Alba), Boxwood, Japanese Pieris, and Caryopteris.
• Deer do not seem to like Perennial varieties of Salvia, Lavender, Black-Eyed Susan, Yarrow, Iris, Artemisia, Speedwell, Columbine, Rose Campion, Peony, Lupine, Monkshood, Lady’s Mantle, Astilbe, Beebalm, Russian Sage, Foxglove, Poppy, and many Ornamental Grasses.
• Fencing is the best way to keep deer out but should be at least 3 m (9 or 10' high) to prevent them jumping over it.
  
  Squirrels
• Squirrels live for Crocus and Tulip bulbs. To keep them from being dug up in fall, lay chicken wire over your planted area.
• Use Critter Ridder around your plants.
• Squirrels stay away from bulbs of Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crown Imperial, Allium, Scilla, Snowdrops, Grape Hyacinths, and Camassia.
• If you feed the birds, expect the squirrels to get their share of the seed in the feeders.
  
  Cats
• To minimize a cat's digging, try Critter Ridder.
• Spray the area they keep returning to with citrus juice; they don’t like the smell. Even placing lemon, orange, or grapefruit rinds can help.
• Cover the soil with thorny branch clippings, a thick layer of bark chips, or chicken wire.
• Do not encourage them with plantings of catnip.
• Avoid using Blood Meal or Fish Emulsion fertilizer. Cats are drawn to the smell of both.
  
  Moles
• Purchase commercial "thumpers" available to create vibration that discourages groundhogs too.
• Moles do not like castor beans. Make a solution of 1 tablespoon of castor oil and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap in one gallon of warm water and spray the area thoroughly.
• Place dog or cat hair at the entrance of the mole runs to scare them away.

Annuals provide great colour, form, and texture to any garden. Unlike Perennials which blooms for a limited amount of time, Annuals will flower continuously (with the proper care) until the frost hits. There are so many annuals to choose from; whether you plant a few or a lot, you will never be bored.

Selecting Annuals

• Determine your light exposure in the areas you intend to plant in.
• Choose your colour scheme. This will determine what you grow from seed or purchase.
• Determine height and spread of the plants you want so you will know how many to buy. Annuals can be tiered in the garden from tall at the back to short in the front.
• Annuals are great for container gardening.
  
  Tall Annuals for Sun
• Canna Lilies - are available with tropical-looking green, deep purple, or variegated foliage. Flower colours range from red, pink, yellow, or orange. Canna Lilies are bold and dramatic especially when combined with Dahlias.
• Sunflowers - are easily grown from seed or plant. There are many new cultivars available (including shorter ones) with colours other than yellow.
• Cleome or Spider Flower - a robust annual and vigorous self-seeders.
• Cosmos - popular for their wispy, delicate foliage and single white, pink, rose, and crimson blooms. Great cut flower and very easy to grow.
• Brazilian Verbena - a see-through type of plant that weaves itself beautifully through others, stands up well without slumping and very heat tolerant. The clusters of purple flowers combine beautifully with many colours.
• Purple Majesty Ornamental Millet - adds strong structure with bronze, corn-like leaves and distinctive seed heads.
  
  Medium Annuals for Sun
• Geraniums - very popular because of their tolerance to heat and drought. Geranium blooms last a considerable amount of time. They are available with upright and trailing habits. Many new Geraniums are available with variegated and deeply lobed leaves as well as pointed spidery flower petals.
• Scented Geraniums - grown mainly for their foliage and have diverse fragrances as rose, nutmeg, and lemon.
• Marigolds and Salvia - will add a bright touch to your garden.
• Snapdragons - available in many bright colours and sizes, including trailing.
• Marguerite Daisies, Tithonia, Felicia, Osteospermum, and Gerbera - display daisy flowers on bushy, upright plants.
• Nicotiana - distinctive for its flat, star-shaped flowers in shades of white, lime-green, pink, and red.
• Angelonia - has bundant flowers are available in purple, blue, pink, bi-colour, and white.
• Deep Purple Heliotrop or Night-Scented Stocks - have beautiful fragrance.
• Pentas - best known for attracting butterflies.
  
  Short Annuals for Sun
• Pansies and Violas - a welcome sight in spring.
• Icicle® Pansies - available in the fall and last until snowfall and start blooming again in early spring.
• Vinca - a compact annual with shiny leaves and flowers that resemble Impatiens.
• Dusty Miller, Ageratum, and Alyssum - ideal for edging.
• Trailing Verbena, Potato Vine, Bidens, Fan Flower, Lotus, Million Bells, Surfina, Wave Petunias, Swan River Daisy, Sanvitalia, Licorice Vine, Bacopa, Launentia and Anagallis - Annuals that spread horizontally or cascade when planted in containers.
  
  Annuals for Hot, Dry, Poor Soil
• Zinnias (available in short, medium and tall sizes), Gazania, Portulaca, Licorice Vine, or Nasturtium - plant these where it seems nothing else will grow.
  
  Annuals for Partial Shade
• Impatiens - perfect in areas with partial shade. They will not flower in heavy shade and will often wilt in hot sun. Individually, they form a domed mound. Together, they can grow to resemble a hedge.
• Fibrous Begonias and Nierembergia - flourish in sun or partial shade. They too grow in a mound and produce masses of flowers all season long.
• Lobelia - prefers morning sun and is either mounding or trailing.
• White Star/Blue Star - two newer cultivars that are heat and drought tolerant.
• Fuchsia - an exotic, delicate look with blooms that resemble a ballerina’s tutu. Colours range from white through pink, rose, lavender, and purple. Prefers cooler temperatures so it’s best to keep it out of the hot afternoon sun.
  
  Annuals for Full Shade
• Tuberous Begonias - produce large, colourful flowers with dark, pointed, green leaves.
• Dragon Wing/Angel Wing Begonias - grow in any light and blossom continuously. These can also be brought indoors.
• Browallia and Wishbone Plants - two more flowering annuals for shady or partial shade conditions.
• Coleus - appreciated for its vibrant foliage, not its flowers.
  
  Exotic Annuals
• Blue Plumbago, Bougainvillea, Mandevilla, Angel’s Trumpet, Brugmansia, Allamanda, Flowering Maple, Hibiscus, and Passionflower - a tropical flavour and all can be overwintered indoors.
  
  How to Grow
• For clay or sandy soil, dig out several centimeters and replace with Parkwood® 3 in 1, extra peat moss, composted cattle manure, compost, or vermiculite.
• Annuals can be started from seed indoors; some can be sown directly into soil in spring. Larkspur, Love-in-a-Mist, Morning Glory, Sweet Pea, and Nasturtium prefer direct sowing.
• You can also purchase started plants in cell packs, 4”, 10” or one-gallon pots.
• Use Parkwood® Transplanter 5-15-5 to get annuals off to a strong start. Then fertilize every 1-2 weeks with Parkwood® Flower Food 15-30-15 to encourage continuous blooming.
• For annuals with larger flowers like Geraniums, Zinnias, Salvia, and Marigolds cut off blooms (deadhead) when they start to fade so the plant won’t go to seed.
• Watch carefully for insects and disease and treat promptly.
• In late fall, pull up spent plants, empty containers, and compost all the disease-free material.

Garden Plants That Attract Birds. Birds feed on seed, berries, fruit, nuts, and insects. Some of these things can be provided by plant material in your own garden. Look for the bird symbol beside plants in our Garden Guide to quickly identify special ornamental plants that provide these materials. Plants that attract birds range in size.

• Trees - Mountain Ash, Shubert Chokecherry, Birch, Crab Apple, and Hawthorn
• Smaller Shrubs - Serviceberry, Highbush Cranberry, Quince, female Winterberry, Pagoda and Gray Dogwood, Russian Olive, Honeysuckle, Elder, and Sumac.
• Vines - Boston Ivy, Virginia Creeper, Wild Grape, and American Bittersweet
• Annuals - Sunflowers, Cosmos, Zinnias, Marigolds, and Celosia
• Perennials - Globe Thistle, Black-eyed Susan, Asters, and Ornamental Grasses in the winter garden are valuable seed sources during a long, cold winter.
• Berries from - Fairview, Iowa, and Spartan Juniper, female Holly, Oregon Grape, and Wintergreen.
• Some birds love Sweet Cherries and Blueberries so be prepared to cover your fruit with black netting if you hope to harvest any for yourself.
  
  Bird Feeders
  Besides plants in your garden that naturally produce food for the birds, you can also provide a constant supply of seed and nuts in bird feeders. There are many styles and sizes of bird feeders to choose from.
• Wood Feeders
• Plastic Feeders
• Hanging Feeders
• Pole Mounted Feeders
• Squirrel Proof Feeders
  Bigger birds like Blue Jays and Cardinals won’t land on a small feeder. Tubular feeders have small perches with small or large seed openings. There is also a tubular feeder called an "Upside Down Feeder" that is for Goldfinches only. These are the only birds that will land on a perch and flip upside down to feed from the small opening directly below.
  
  Birdhouses
• While all the plant material listed so far can be a food source as well as a shelter and nesting site, you can also purchase birdhouses for specific birds.
• Birdhouses vary in size including the diameter of the hole so other birds can’t get in.
• Place a birdhouse in the shelter of a tree, away from predators, and facing away from prevailing winds and precipitation.
• Purple Martins, the largest member of the Swallow family, like to live together in groups. Martin houses are available and are designed for their special needs. They are mounted on a pole and require thorough cleaning each year before a new colony will take up residence. Purple Martins are great because their primary food source is mosquitoes.
  
  Birdseed
• Feed the birds year-round, not just in winter, so you can enjoy the beauty of summer visitors too. Don’t worry about the birdseed that falls on the ground unless it germinates. Mourning Doves and Juncos love to clean up the leftovers.
• Sunflower Seed - available in two forms: and striped. These types will attract all birds while the black is a particular favourite of Blue Jays, Cardinals, and Chickadees.
• Wild Finch mixture and Niger Seed - sold in smaller quantities to specifically attract Finches.
• Suet Cakes - an important food source to many birds in winter especially Chickadees, Woodpeckers, and Nuthatches. You can purchase a suet cage that fits a suet cake perfectly if you don’t already have one built onto your feeder.
  
  Water
• Birds need water to survive as much as they need food source.
• If you aren’t near a natural body of water, you can provide it in a birdbath, fountain, or small water garden in partial shade. Not only will birds drink the water but they will bathe in it and cool off in hot weather.
• Change the water frequently so harmful bacteria does not build up.
• Put out fresh water each day or invest in a birdbath heater for the winter to prevent the water from freezing.
  
  Shelter
• Feeding stations left out in the open most likely will not attract birds as this draws attention from hawks and cats. Birds need to be able to escape quickly to nearby trees, evergreens and shrubs to hide. The dense foliage of Spruce, Pine, Fir, and Hemlock also provides ideal nesting sites as well as winter shelter.
  
  Birdhouses
• While all the plant material listed thus far can be a food source as well as a shelter and nesting site, you can also purchase birdhouses for specific birds.
• Birdhouses vary in size especially in the diameter of the hole so other birds can’t get in to raid a nest of eggs.
• Place a birdhouse in the shelter of a tree, away from predators, and facing away from prevailing winds and precipitation.
• Purple Martins, the largest member of the Swallow family, like to live together in groups. Martin houses are available and are designed for their special needs. They are mounted on a pole and require thorough cleaning each year before a new colony will take up residence. Purple Martins are highly prized because their primary food source is mosquitoes.

Attracting Hummingbirds
If you are planning a new garden with lots of flowering plant material, why not include plants that will attract one of nature’s smallest miracles; the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird?

• A hummingbird’s main source of food is nectar. They will be attracted to any coloured flower that holds nectar.
• Their first choice is to fly to red, pink, orange, and purple flowers that have tubular, funnel, or bell-shaped blossoms.
• Hummingbirds also consume aphids, spiders, and other small insects.
• Encourage Hummingbird to visit your property by:
  1. Planting flowering material that will provide nectar from spring through fall.
  2. Provide fresh water in a birdbath if you don’t already have a water feature.
• Spring-blooming plants that Hummingbirds are fond of are: Fruit Trees, Horse-chestnut, Crab Apple, Lilac, Flowering Quince, Azaleas, Weigela, Columbine, and Foxglove.
• In summer, plant Annual Fuchsia, Salvia, Nasturtium, Morning Glory, Petunia, Snapdragon, Cleome, and Zinnia.
• Perennials that attract hummingbirds include Penstemon, Bee Balm, Phlox, Bell Flower, Red-Hot Poker Plant, Cardinal Flower, Hollyhock, Lavender, and Liatris.
• Vines include Honeysuckle and Trumpet Vine.
• In late summer, Hummingbirds enjoy Butterflybush, Rose-of-Sharon, and Gladioli.
  
  Hummingbird Feeders
• Place Hummingbird feeders near the flowers you wish to attract them to and near windows where you can watch these little birds close up.
• Buy Hummingbird food for your feeder that you mix with water or you can prepare your own. Mix 4 parts water and 1 part white sugar, boil for 2 minutes, and cool. Refrigerate whatever you don’t immediately use.
• Clean your feeder thoroughly every 2 to 3 days in hot weather and refill with fresh sugar water. The build-up of bacteria can be detrimental to Hummingbirds.
• Avoid honey or artificial sweeteners. These will cause a fungus to form on the Hummingbird’s tongue.
  
  Attracting Butterflies
• Butterflies use the plants in your garden as a food source, to lay their eggs, food for the larvae and pupating.
• Plant a variety of flowering plant material that Butterflies are attracted to for three of the four seasons.
• Butterflies are attracted to the scents of certain garden plants rather than the flower colour and shape.
• Some crossover plants that will bring both Butterflies and Hummingbirds are Lilac, Rose-of-Sharon, Butterflybush, Bee Balm, Lavender, Liatris, Cardinal Flower, and Annual Nicotiana.
• In spring, Butterflies will visit gardens with Perennial Candytuft, Primula, Wall Cress, Soapwort, and Shrubs such as Bridalwreath Spirea and fragrant varieties of Viburnum.
• Summer offers Annual Heliotrope, Alyssum, Cosmos, Lantana, as well as Perennial Shasta Daisy, Helen’s Flower, Coneflower, Pincushion Flower, Daylily, Tickseed, Black-eyed Susan, and Butterfly Weed.
• Shrubs like Summersweet, Caryopteris, and Potentilla are also favourite summer destinations.
• For fall, Butterflies will be encouraged to linger before their long migration with Chrysanthemums, Sedums, and Asters.

Originally, the term Bonsai simply meant ‘a plant grown in a container’. Today, Bonsai means ‘miniaturized plant, shrub, or tree in a planter’. This miniaturization process is achieved by planting in a smaller than normal container and by judicious pruning to make the plant resemble its larger counterpart in nature. The art of Bonsai was developed long ago in the Far East where it was considered an expression of the harmony between heaven and earth, man and nature. The care and attention required to maintain a Bonsai was believed to enhance inner tranquility and composure. This philosophy has not changed. Contemplating the beauty of a contemporary Bonsai in the midst of hectic lifestyles forces the viewer to slow down and feel refreshed.

Indoor

• The plants used for indoor Bonsai are tropical and subtropical. They can be kept inside the house, apartment, or condominium year-round because in their natural habitat they are used to consistent warm temperatures without a lot of variation.
• Place this type of Bonsai in bright light. For summer it may need to be moved to avoid direct midday sun that is too hot. Turn regularly to promote even growth.
• Frequent misting is very beneficial. The shallow root system should never be allowed to dry out completely. Feel the soil for coolness and dampness. If it’s room temperature and dry to the touch as well as pale in colour it’s time to water.
• Use a small watering can or immerse the whole pot up to or even over the rim for about 20 minutes. Be sure to drain off any excess water.
• During the Bonsai’s growing season, when light levels are higher, feed your plant every two weeks with a fish base or fish emulsion fertilizer available at your nearest Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre. Fertilize every 4-6 weeks for the rest of the year.
• A young Bonsai will need to be re-potted about once every two years. To maintain a miniaturized form, the roots are loosened and pruned by about one third so it can be transplanted into a container 1 cm - 2 cm (0.4” - 0.8”) larger with fresh soil.
• The older Bonsai plants produce few roots. Ensure the inner root area remains intact. An older specimen is re-potted when the soil is exhausted or when the roots are so dense they need pruning. In this case, the Bonsai can be re-potted into the same dish.
• Changing the soil and container depends on the species, age, and condition of the plant. A good mixture of soil for Bonsai consists of 1 part compost, 1 part sand, and 1 part indoor potting soil.
• Finished indoor Bonsai can be purchased or you can train your own from seed, cutting, or started plant.
• The best plants for indoor use are Weeping Fig, Serissa, Azalea, Small Leaf Schefflera, Jade Plant, Fukien Tea, Ming Aralia, and Chinese Zelkova.
  
  Hardy Bonsai
• Hardy Bonsai are readily identifiable. We grow them to their mature size in our outdoor gardens.
• The best candidates for miniaturization are Junipers, Pine, Spruce, Boxwood, Crab Apple, Cotoneaster, Beech, and Japanese Maple.
• Hardy Bonsai, unlike Indoor Bonsai have to go through their normal winter dormancy. They can not be kept inside.
• These bonsai need to be kept at temperatures between 0°C - 5°C (32°F - 40°F). Place in a cool garage, porch, or basement window or place hardy bonsai in a cold frame out of direct sunlight and firmly pack garden soil around and over the top of the container. Continue to monitor the plant’s moisture level and keep an eye on it for the duration of the winter.
  
  Bonsai Styles
• Bonsai can be classified by size.
• Trees less than 5 cm (2”) are called Thimble.
• Trees between 5 cm - 15 cm (2” - 6”) tall are referred to as Mame by the Japanese and Miniature by Westerners.
• Trees between 15 cm - 30 cm (6” - 12”) are termed small Bonsai, 30 cm - 60 cm (12” - 24”) specimens are medium, and 60 cm - 125 cm (24” - 48”) are large Bonsai.
• Anything over 125 cm (48”) is called an Emperor.
• There is a classification that describes the angle at which a single trunk stands in its pot. It includes formal upright, informal upright, slanting/windswept, cascade, semi-cascade, broom, and literati.
• A tree can be trained so that roots are exteriorized to grow down over a rock or a rock can be a container so the plant appears to be growing on a mountainside.
• Small landscapes can be constructed of rocks, plants, moss, tiny figures and temples.
  
  Training Bonsai
• To create shapes from scratch requires special training with copper wire and pruning.
• Purchase a good book on this subject and invest in proper Bonsai tools for all training and ongoing maintenance.

Bromeliads and Air Plants are distinctly different and desirable because of their striking foliage and unusual
flowers. Both groups come from the same large familyof plants known as Bromeliaceae which includes pineapples
and Spanish moss.

Bromeliads
• Bromeliads originate in Central and South America,as well as the Caribbean.
• They grow in various natural habitats from hot, drydesert, to moist rainforests, to cool, mountainous regions.
• Bromeliads all consist of a spiral arrangement of leaves called a “rosette”.
• Some popular Bromeliads are Scarlet Star (Guzmania lingulata minor), Earth Stars (Cryptanthus), Blushing Bromeliad (Neoregelia carolinae tricolor), Bird’s Nest Bromeliad (Nidularium innocentii), and Flaming Sword (Vriesea splendens).
• The best known Bromeliad is the Silver Vase (Aechmea fasciata) with its long, leathery, silver-green, strap-like leaves that are edged with sharp spines. The overlapping foliage forms a natural, watertight urn shape hence the common name “Urn Plant” (Aechmea). In the jungle this urn fills with and holds rainwater, twigs, insects, and other natural debris which provides moisture and nutrients for many months. After several years a flower stalk (called a “scape”) emerges from the center of the rosette and rises above the arching leaves. At the tip is a prickly pink flower that produces tiny blue florets. This flower lasts several months and is very dramatic. The only drawback to this plant is that it only blooms once.

Care of Bromeliads
• The purchased plant is potted in a soilless mix that drains well.
• Water the soil when it just begins to feel dry to the touch.
• Do not overwater a Bromeliad, but it is crucial to keep water in the cup formed by the overlapping leaves. Empty them every 1 to 2 months and refill them with fresh water.
• Bromeliads love high light and humidity. Position them in a bright, sunny location to imitate their natural environment.
• Bromeliads are slow-growing and do not need much fertilizer. Granular, slow-release fertilizer can be applied on the soil surface but not in the cup.
• Remove the flower stalk with a sharp knife or pair of scissors when the flower stalk starts to lose its bright, vibrant colour and turn brown.
• Pests rarely bother Bromeliads. If scale or mealy bug becomes a problem, remove them with a Q-tip dipped in Rubbing Alcohol.

Propagating Bromeliads
• When the flower is cut off, energy is redirected to produce side-shoots or “pups” around the base of the mother plant. These offsets feed from the main plant until they’re large enough to set roots of their own and survive as a separate plant. When the pups are a third to half the size of the parent plant, they can be separated and potted up individually.
• Plant each one in a light soil that drains easily and quickly. Mix equal parts of mulch/fine bark nuggets, Perlite, and peat moss or soilless mix for the best soil. Keep in mind that the longer they’re left on the mother, the faster they’ll reach maturity and bloom. The entire process will take about 3 years.
• Once the offsets have been removed the original plant is generally discarded since it will not bloom again or produce a second generation of pups. Sometimes the separated Bromeliad refuses to bloom.
• Exposing the plant to ethylene gas can trigger the flowering process. Simply place the Bromeliad in a plastic bag with a ripe apple. Keep it out of direct sun for a week. The apple will release ethylene causing a chemical reaction that tells it to stop producing leaves and start producing a flower spike.

Air Plants
• Known as Epiphytes in the wild, Air Plants (Tillandsias) attach themselves to trees, branches or rocks.
• Roots serve only to give plants a firm anchor to whatever they are growing on.
• They take nothing from the host plant, but rather absorb all of their moisture and nutrition requirements from the air through their highly specialized leaves. These leaves contain tiny scales called “trichomes” that hold greater amounts of water against the leaf surface for a longer period of time. Trichomes also help to reflect intense sunlight away from the surface of the foliage. They are what give Air Plants their characteristic grey colour.
• Some Air Plants have thin leaves. This indicates they originated in areas with more rain so you may need to provide them with more moisture.
• Thick leaf varieties come from areas prone to drought.
• Like Bromeliads, Air Plants also flower when they’re mature. 1 to 2 months after the bloom has finished, new plants form around the base. The offsets can be removed and mounted on driftwood, seashells, coral, crystals, or lava rock using non-water soluble glue.

Care of Air Plants
• The right amounts of light, water and air circulationare key factors for success with Air Plants.
• Light should be bright but filtered from April toSeptember. Direct sun in the summer burns the foliage.
• From November to March as the intensity of the sunlight diminishes, Air Plants can be placed in direct sun.
• Air plants will also flourish under full spectrumfluorescent lights.
• Dip the whole plant in tepid water for a few seconds and then shake off all excess moisture. Do this moreoften in a hot, dry environment and less often in a cool,humid one.
• Ensure enough light and air circulation is givenfollowing each watering as the Air Plant will rot ifkept consistently wet or moist.
• Misting is very beneficial but should not be the solemeans of watering. Mist between regular watering to increase humidity.
• If leaves become shriveled, the Air plant is dehydratedand can usually be revived by soaking it in waterovernight. Be sure to shake off all excess moisture the following morning.
• Air Plants do not need a lot of fertilizing. Simply dilute an all-purpose or flowering water soluble fertilizer to ¼ or ½ the strength and spray the leaves several times per season. If the water in your area is hard, distilled water is highly recommended since lime deposits stain foliage.

Poinsettias
• Poinsettias are very sensitive to fluctuations in temperature. Bring your plant home wrapped in plastic or paper. Do not leave it in your car.
• Once inside your home, place the poinsettia in a warm, well-lit area away from drafts, radiators, or ventilating ducts.
• Place your poinsettia in a waterproof container or saucer so moisture does not damage your furniture or floor.
• Poinsettias do best in moist but not soggy soil. Water when the surface just starts to feel dry. Overwatering a Poinsettia can result in leaf wilt and/or leaf drop.
• If you feel ambitious and want to bring your Poinsettia back into full colour for the following Christmas, cut back the stems so they’re about 20 cm (8”) tall in late March or April. This prevents the plant from becoming leggy.
• Give your Poinsettia a short resting period of a few weeks and water less often.
• By early June with new growth underway transplant the Poinsettia into a pot 2.5 cm - 5 cm (1” - 2”) larger. Keep the plant in a sunny window or move it outside into light shade away from drying winds.
• Fertilize with Parkwood®Water Soluble 15-30-15 and water regularly.
• Watch for insects and spray with an insecticidal soap if necessary.
• In September bring the Poinsettia indoors. For the next 8-10 weeks your plant must receive 14 hours of complete darkness each night. Place a cardboard box over it or put it in a closet overnight. Continue to keep the soil moist and fertilize every 2-3 weeks. When small bracts begin to appear you can return the plant to normal light conditions.

Christmas Cactus
This succulent houseplant acquired its name for blooming around Christmas time. There is also an Easter cactus that flowers later. Stems of these plants are in segments and they arch gracefully as they mature. At the end of each stem a bright pink, red, or peach flower forms.
• Keep the cactus moist but not wet when it is in bloom.
• Let the plant rest once it has finished blooming.
• Water less but never let it dry out completely.
• Place it out of direct sunlight during spring and summer.
• In the fall, keep your plant in a room with daylight only to trigger a new flowering cycle.
• Fertilize with Parkwood® Flower Food 15-30-15 during bud formation and blooming.

Cyclamen
Cyclamens are perfect if you like to keep your home at a cool temperature or you have a window that needs colour.
• Flowers come in shades of red, pink, magenta, mauve, and white.
• Some blooms are ruffled.
• Some varieties are fragrant.
• All Cyclamen have attractive heart-shaped leaves with silver tracings.
• Cyclamen do best in a bright east or west window with a daytime temperature of 18°C (65°F) and an evening temperature as low as 5°C - 10°C (40°F - 50°F).
• The cyclamen grows from a tuber on top of the soil
• Watering should be done from the bottom. Sit the plant in a deep saucer, add water to the saucer, and leave for a half hour.
• Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with Parkwood®Water Soluble Flower Food, 15-30-15.

Azaleas
• Azaleas produce masses of flowers over a 4-6 week period.
• They like bright light and a lot of water. Misting regularly is a definite bonus.
• Soil must not be allowed to dry out or flower buds and leaves will drop.
• To prolong the life of your Azalea, take it outside during the summer months and place in a partial shaded area.
• Water regularly to keep soil moist and fertilize with Parkwood®Flower Food 15-30-15 about every 2 weeks.
• Leave the plant outside until the end of October, spray it with an insecticidal soap, treat the soil with an insecticidal dust, and bring inside. The contrast between the cool outdoor temperatures and the consistent warm temperature inside shocks the Azalea into another round of flower production.

Kalanchoes
• This succulent, desert-like plant comes in cheerful shades of yellow, pink, and red as well as white and peach.
• It loves sun and only needs to be watered every 2-3 weeks.
• When blooming is finished, trim back the flower stalk and keep it in the sunniest south or west window.
• Chances are it will start blooming again in 6-8 weeks.

Chrysanthemums
• Florist Mums are available year-round and provide colour for 2-3 weeks.
• For Christmas, a white Chrysanthemum is grown in a pot with a Poinsettia to become a “Mumsettia.” Cineraria
• Cineraria comes in intense blue and pink flowers.
• Its daisy-like flowers contrast sharply with very large leaves.
• Be sure to keep the soil moist at all times but not wet. Mixed Planters
• A popular gift idea is a basket or decorative container planted with 3-5+ tropical plants that might include trailing Variegated Ivy, an African Violet, a Kalanchoe, a Palm, and a Prayer Plant.
• Place this arrangement in bright light and water only when the soil is dry to the touch.
Potted Bulbs
• If you didn’t start your own Paperwhite Narcissus or Amaryllis bulbs earlier in the fall, you can purchase them in tight bud or just as they start to open.
• The trick to keeping the flower stems short so they don’t flop over is to hold back on the water and place in a cool window where they last longer.

Cattleya Orchids are native to the Americas, particularly to the tropical regions, where they thrive in high humidity and abundant light. The colour range is vast and exotic. Blooms can be 13-18 cm (5- 7”) across in white, yellow, orange, purple, pink, lavender, blue, green, and red. Some are even multicoloured. The flower has three narrow sepals, two broader side petals, and a large, tubular lip at the bottom. Cattleyas bloom in spring, fall, or winter depending on the variety. Overall the plant grows 30-45 cm (12-18”) tall.
Cattleyas are epiphytic orchids. In the wild they attach themselves to trees and rocks. They have well-developed water storage organs (called pseudobulbs) and large, fleshy roots. Unifoliate Cattleyas have a single leaf growing from each pseudobulb. The flower stem bears 2-6 large flowers with showy lips. Bifoliate Cattleyas have 2 or 3 leaves that emerge from each pseudobulb. Flowers are smaller but more abundant with smallish lips and a thick, waxy texture.

Light
• Cattleyas like bright light and some direct sun, especially during the winter months. In the home, an east, west, or south window is suitable. Sparse blooming indicates insufficient lighting.
• Plants should be naturally erect, without much need of staking; colour should be a medium olive-green.
• Like many other orchids, Cattleyas can be successfully grown under four 40 watt fluorescent tubes.

Temperature
• Aim for day temperatures of 21-29°C (70-85°F) and night temperatures of 13-15°C (55-60°F).
• Cattleyas can tolerate 35-38°C (95-100°F) if shading, humidity, and air circulation are increased accordingly.

Water
• Keep plants evenly moist when in bud or bloom.
• When not in bloom, dry out thoroughly between watering.
• In summer months copious watering is needed as the transpiration rate is high.
• In winter, keep plants barely moist, but not so dry that the pseudobulbs shrivel.
• Flood pots with water until excess runs out the bottom. Empty the surplus from the saucer so the orchid is never standing in water.

Humidity
• Provide 50-60% humidity for Cattleyas.
• Place pots on trays of moistened pebbles. A hygrometer is a good investment when growing orchids so you can regularly monitor humidity levels in your home. This is especially important with each changing season. Fertilizer
• Cattleyas can be grown in a pure bark mixture or an orchid potting mix.
• In pure bark use a water-soluble Parkwood®30-10-10 formula twice a month during the spring and summer and once a month in the fall.
• For other potting mixes use Parkwood®All-Purpose 20- 20-20. If in doubt simply dilute the 20-20-20 by half so it becomes 10-10-10 and fertilize every week.
• Do not fertilize in winter when light intensity and plant growth is naturally slow.
Repotting
• Cattleyas should be repotted every 2-3 years in spring when the potting medium begins to break down and/or when the plant has outgrown its pot.
• Choose an Orchid mixture that’s airy and drains well.
• When dividing the rhizomes for propagation, ensure each division contains 3-6 pseudobulbs.

What to Watch for
• Mealybug, thrips, aphids, and scale are possible intruders.
• Safer’s Insecticidal Soap or End-All are gentle but effective controls. Spray 3-4 times at weekly intervals to be sure control is complete.
• Be sure to keep plants out of cold, dry air while they’re in bloom as the delicate flowers are easily damaged.
• If light intensity is too high, the normally yellow-green foliage will turn more yellow and burn. If the foliage is dark green and limp the orchid is not getting enough light.

Clematis is one of the most popular flowering vines. They bloom in almost every colour; flowers can be single, double, or semi-double, ranging from small to large. Their shape can be tubular, star-like, flat open discs, or nodding bells. Depending on the cultivar, flowering can take place in spring and again in late summer, all summer long, or in late summer through fall. Given proper support, they are easy to grow. Clematis climbs by twining slender stems (petioles) around a wire (non-rusting, either galvanized or plastic coated) or other thin supports. They can be grown on a wall, fence, pergola, trellis, arbour, obelisk, or pole. They can also be trained to grow on trees, conifers, shrubs,
or with climbing roses.

How to Grow
• Light, wind, soil, and pH are all factors that need consideration.
• Clematis should have their top growth in at least 6 hours of sun per day.
• Pale coloured flowers can bleach in strong, afternoon sun and would be better grown in a location with partial shade. Consider the exquisite lavender-blue, large flowered variety Ramona.
• Clematis grows best in loamy, moist soils that drain well. They do not like wet feet. If the soil is heavy clay, it is a good idea to amend it before planting with coarse builder’s sand and plenty of manure or compost.
• For sandy soil, add as much organic matter as possible. Keep clematis well watered at all times and never allow them to dry out.
• Clematis thrives in alkaline soil (pH value more than 7). Determine your pH with a soil test kit available at any Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre.
• If the soil is extremely acidic, add lime at the time of planting. In future years, test the soil first and add lime when required.

How to Plant
• Immerse the container in a bucket of water for an hour before planting.
• Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and twice as deep.
• Loosen the base and sides of the hole.
• Add 10 cm (4”) of manure or compost to the bottom of the hole then Parkwood®3 in 1 Planting Mix.
• Very gently remove the Clematis and its support from the container. Don’t rush the process as stems can break easily.
• Loosen the roots and place the root ball in the prepared hole with the crown (the spot where the stem meets the roots) 2.5-5 cm (1-2”) below the soil level. This allows new buds to emerge from below the ground in the event the vine is seriously damaged.
• Fill the sides of the planting hole with Parkwood®3 in 1 Planting Mix. Dilute Parkwood®Transplanter as indicated on the package directions and water in well.
• Plant a low growing perennial or small shrub close to the newly planted vine. This will maintain moisture and shade the roots to keep them cool which is an important requirement for Clematis.
• Once established, feed Clematis with water soluble Parkwood®All Purpose 20-20-20.

Maintenance
• Early each spring apply Parkwood®Garden All 4-12-8 at the recommended rate.
• As plant growth becomes vigorous you can fertilize Clematis until the flower buds are just about to open, then stop feeding. This prevents the buds from opening in quick succession and prolongs the flowering period. • When the flowers are finished start fertilizing again with the Parkwood®Garden All 4-12-8 to invigorate the plant and encourage another flush of flowers, especially in the repeat flowering cultivars.
• Maintain constant moisture throughout the summer.
• Eliminate feeding and reduce watering by September.

Problems
• Powdery mildew can sometimes affect Clematis. Watering in the morning is a good way to help prevent this. If the powdery mildew still appears spray with sulphur.
• Clematis Wilt is far worse. This disease travels rapidly and is often fatal. Symptoms include sudden wilting and collapse of either a previously healthy stem(s) or the whole plant. The wilted stems turn black. There is no effective control. You can cut stems back well below the level of infection or right to ground level. Remove the infected material immediately and do not compost it. Disinfect your pruners.

Pruning
• Clematis that bloom in April or May flower on last year’s wood. Some Clematis produce 2 flushes of blooms in spring on old wood and again in late summer on the new growth. These two groups really do not need any pruning unless they’ve become very large and unwieldy or need weak and dead stems removed. If pruning is absolutely necessary it can be done after the initial flowering.
• To encourage a bushy vine with a lot of flowers, prune these clematis in early spring every year. Cut back all the old stems to the lowest pair of live buds. If not pruned this group often produces straggly plants with only a few blooms at the top.
• If you do not know which type of clematis you have, bring a flower or the plant tag into your local Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre. Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to advise as to the variety name and pruning requirements.

Prune After Flowering
‘Angelique’, ‘Anna Louise’, ‘Arctic Queen’, ‘Carnaby’, ‘Cezanne’, ‘Dr. Ruppel’, ‘Guernsey Cream’, ‘Henryi’, ‘Marie Boisselot’, ‘Mrs. N.Thompson’, ‘Multi Blue’ , ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Niobe’, ‘Parisienne’, ’Picardy’, ‘Pink Champayne’, ‘Ramona’, ‘Sugar Candy’, ‘The President’, ‘Vyvyan Pennell’

Prune in Early Spring
‘Blekitny Aniol’ (Blue Angel), ‘Claire de lune’ (Blue Moon), Clematis tangutica, Clematis terniflora, ‘Ville de Lyon’,
‘Comtesse de Bouchard’, ‘Ernest Markham’, ‘Gipsy Queen’, ‘Hagley Hybrid’, ‘Jackmanii’, ‘Rouge Cardinal’

The relationship between plants and insects is known as “companion planting”. Long before the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, it was known that certain plants grow and/or taste better when planted next to each other. One type of plant may help another by providing shelter From wind, sun, or frost. Plants may help each other by improving the soil with minerals and nutrients. They can attract birds and other natural predators that will deal with harmful insects on plants. Plants can also repel specific insects. Today companion planting is by far the safest, natural way to garden organically.

Mixed Planting
• It’s easy to lure insects away from the plants they like to feed and lay their eggs on by planting a variety of things together.
• So many different “smells” confuse insects, hopefully, to the point where they’re unable to locate their preferred food source.

Plants That Naturally Repel Insects
There are many beneficial herbs that keep insects away.
• Peppermint – repels ants, white cabbage moth, aphids, and flea beetle. Since Mint is a notorious spreader that can easily get out of control establish it in pots that are above ground or sunk below where roots can’t escape drainage holes.
• Garlic – discourages aphids, fleas, Japanese beetles, and spider mites.
• Perennial Chives – repel aphids and spider mites, two very common garden pests. Chives are often planted among roses to keep aphids away and to resist the Black Spot disease.
• Basil – drives away flies and mosquitoes.
• Borage – deters that monster of vegetable garden insects, the tomato hornworm.
• Rosemary and Sage – repel cabbage moth, bean beetles, and carrot flies.
• Annual Marigolds – can be used anywhere to deter Mexican bean beetle, squash bug, thrips, tomato hornworm, and whitefly. They are also known to repel harmful root knot nematodes (soil dwelling microscopic white worms) that attack tomatoes, potatoes, roses, and strawberries. The root of the Marigold produces a chemical that kills nematodes as they enter the soil. If a whole area is infested, at the end of the season, turn the Marigolds under so the roots will decay in the soil. You
can safely plant there again the following spring.
• Nasturtium – is another annual, in this case a trailing vine that keeps away Colorado potato bug, squash bug, and whitefly.
• Artemisia or Wormwood (perennial) – deters slugs that are so devastating to foliage.
• Radish – can be planted to discourage cucumber beetle, squash bug, and stink bug.

Ideal Planting Companions for Vegetables
The following is a list of vegetables and their ideal planting companions, plus combinations to avoid.
• Beans like celery and cucumbers but dislike onions and fennel.
• Beets are compatible with bush beans, lettuce, onions, kohlrabi, and most members of the cabbage family. Keep pole beans and mustard away from them.
• Cabbage, celery, dill, onions, and potatoes are good companion plants. Dislikes include strawberries, tomatoes, and pole beans.
• Carrots, lettuce, radish, onions, and tomatoes are friends. Dill isn’t, so plant it at the other end of the garden.
• Corn prefers to be near pumpkins, peas, beans, cucumbers, and potatoes. Keep tomatoes away.
• Cucumbers like sweet corn, peas, radishes, beans, and sunflowers. Dislikes include aromatic herbs and potatoes.
• Lettuce grows especially well with onions. They are also compatible with strawberries, carrots, radishes, and cucumbers.
• Onions can be planted near lettuce, beetroot, strawberries, and tomatoes but keep well away from peas and beans.
• Peas, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, turnips, radishes, beans, potatoes, and aromatic herbs are good companions. Keep peas away from onions, garlic, leek, and shallots.
• Radish grows well with beetroot, carrots, spinach, parsnip, cucumbers, and beans. Avoid planting near cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, or turnips.
• Squash can be planted with cucumbers and corn.
• Tomatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley are good companion plants. Basil improves growth and flavour. Plant vegetables, herbs, and flowers in your garden to attract predatory insects that will feed on the harmful, undesirable insects.
• Perennial Yarrow attracts ladybugs that consume masses of aphids.
• The Lacewing feeds on aphids, mealybugs, mites, and scale but needs lots of pollen from flowers and evergreens for shelter.
• Wasps and bees are also beneficial to the garden.
• The preying mantis is a friend, so don’t discourage it from visiting.
When you create a natural balance in your garden you’ll discover how much better everything grows and you won’t need to worry about damaging the environment.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Gardening with Herbs
• Growing Vegetables

Homeowners can do their part by recycling most yard and kitchen waste. “Composting” is a simple process in which this material can be turned into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner often referred to as black gold. The addition of compost to any
garden soil encourages plants to develop a deeper, more fibrous system that makes it more vigorous, productive, and drought resistant. Compost also conditions the soil so it’s able to retain the moisture and nutrients as well as allowing more air into the soil system. Healthy roots depend on air, water, and readily available nutrients.

What to Compost
• Household waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings, crushed eggshells, coffee grounds, paper filters, flowers, tea leaves, tea bags, hair (animal and human), and newspapers can all be composted.
• Outside, grass clippings, leaves, deadheaded flowers, and chopped up twigs and branches are ideal components.

What Not To Compost
Be aware that certain things should never be added to compost. They either take too long to break down, add unwanted resins, or attract undesirable pests like rats and raccoons.
• Fatty foods like cooking oil, or salad dressing, charcoal from a BBQ and pet waste.
• Diseased or insect infested plants, anything from a Walnut tree, Spruce and Pine needles, and plants with ripe seeds.

Where to Compost
• For suburban and urban residential properties where space is at a premium, you can purchase a strong, plastic composter. It will not take much room and can be set on concrete patio stones to keep it level.
• Your compost bin should be 20 cm - 30 cm. (8”-12”) away from walls, fences, and plants and placed in partial shade.
• It needs to be accessible so you can keep adding material even in winter but out of major view. Along the side of your house is one possibility where you might consider setting up more than one bin.
• On a larger property the homeowner has the luxury of setting up a larger composting area to handle the increased volume of yard waste.

How to Compost
• Start with a 15 cm (6”) layer of Parkwood® Garden-All, manure, or compost from a previous batch. The micro-organisms and friendly bacteria in these materials are crucial to speeding up the breakdown of all organic material.
• Add a layer of “greens”. This green layer is high in nitrogen which helps the micro-organisms re-produce and, therefore, make the decomposition process quicker. The key is not to use too much, especially fresh grass clippings that can turn to green slime. You’ll know you’ve used too much nitrogen material if you catch a scent of ammonia.
• Balance your green and your nitrogen layer 50/50 with a “brown,” carbon layer that could be dried grass clippings, dry leaves (chopped and saved from the previous fall in clear garbage bags), strips of newspaper,straw, or a very thin layer of sawdust or hardwood ash from a fireplace. Carbon provides the micro-organisms with energy and this too results in faster decomposition.
• Always bury your food scraps in the centre of the pile, under the layer of soil.
• After each layer of green, add 2.5 cm (1”) of soil or a commercial Compost Accelerator and a layer of brown Carbon.
• Continue this layering to the top of your composter.

Water
• Decomposing organic material needs to be moist but not wet.
• Too much water results in an unpleasant odour of rotten eggs.
• Open compost piles need to be covered if rain is forecasted to prevent this condition and the leaching away of nutrients.

Air
• Turn your compost regularly. The more often you do this and the compost is kept consistently moist, the quicker the material breaks down.

Heat
• Your compost pile will start to heat up to an ideal interior temperature of 35°C - 55°C (95°F - 131°F.) Higher temperatures will slow composting but most weed seeds, insects, and diseases will be killed.
• If the interior falls below the optimum temperature, turn the pile over and it will heat up again.
• During winter you can keep adding your green nitrogen layers, to 2.5 cm (1”) of soil or Accelerator, and brown carbon layers and wait until spring for the heat to build up inside again.

Finished Compost
• Compost should be ready in approximately 2-3 months especially if you’ve chopped up larger material into smaller pieces, you’ve turned the pile regularly to add air, kept it moist but not wet, and layered green and brown material with soil or Compost Accelerator that’s full of beneficial micro-organisms.
• When the pile no longer shows traces of greens and browns and is a dark, crumbly brown with an earthy fragrance it’s ready to be worked into garden beds. You can use a screen to filter out larger chunks that can be returned to the ongoing pile for further decomposition.

Troubleshooting
Problem

• Bad odour Too many greens Add browns and mix.
• Rotten egg smell Not enough air Turn pile for several days until odour is gone. Top with soil.
• Pile isn’t composting Too dry Add water until damp.
• Flies around pile Exposed food
• Unwelcome animal visitors (raccoons, dogs, rodents, etc)

Likely Cause

• Too many greens
• Not enough air
• Too dry
• Exposed food
• Exposed foods or wrong items added

Solution

• Add browns and mix.  Turn pile and top
• Turn pile for several days until ordour is gone. Top with soil.
• Add water until damp.
• Bury food or cover with a layer of soil.
• Remove any meats, fats, dairy products.
• Bury food scraps and cover with soil.

If you love the flowers in your garden, take the time to grow more so you have enough to enjoy them in your home as well as in your garden. Every flower arrangement you create from your garden will be unique depending on what’s in season at the time and your choice of vase or container.

Annuals for Cutting
• Grown every year from seed or started plants.
• Annual Cornflower, Sweet Peas, Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella), Cosmos, Larkspur, and Bells of Ireland are best planted from seed directly into well drained soil, enriched with peat moss, manure, or compost, in an area that receives a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Started annuals such as Pansies, Salvia, Calendula, Snapdragons, and Zinnias will bloom sooner than
seed-growing plants, so you will be able to start picking earlier in the summer.
Perennial Flowers for Cutting
• Lily-of-the-Valley, Oriental Lilies (Stargazer and Casa Blanca), Lavender, and beautiful herbaceous Peonies (Festiva Maxima and Sarah Bernhardt) all have a beautiful fragrance.
• Liatris, Veronica, and Perennial Salvia add a wonderful contrast to daisy-like flowers such as Blanket Flower, Shasta Daisy, Purple Coneflower, and the Black-Eyed Susan.
• Perennial flowers that give real presence due to their sheer size include Monkshood, Lupines, Delphiniums, Asiatic Lilies, and Summer Phlox.
• Bearded Iris falls into the category above but the bloom will only last a few days when cut.
• Pincushion Flower, Columbine, and Astilbe, all have unique flower shapes and colours that will draw attention to arrangements.
• Asters and Chrysanthemums are proven favourites in fall arrangements.
• Yarrow and Baby’s Breath are two of the longest lasting fresh cut flowers.

Bulbs for Cutting
• Darwin, Single Late, and Lily Flowered Tulips make particularly handsome cut flowers.
• For a touch of the exotic, Parrot Tulips always evoke a reaction.
• Daffodils secrete a poison when cut that affects other flowers. They will need to stand in water for a day on their own before being transferred to an arrangement.
• Narcissus (like Actaea), Geranium, and Hyacinths are wonderfully fragrant and will add a powerful perfume to any room.
• Spring-flowering bulbs must be planted in the fall. Mark your calendar in order to take advantage of the best selections in September.
• Summer-flowering bulbs are planted in spring for summer bloom.
• Acidanthera (formerly Gladiolus callianthus) and Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum) are very fragrant and last well as a cut flower.
• Dahlias come in every size, shape, and colour.
• Freesias are cherished for their scent and graceful, arching blooms.
• Gladiolus is the star of the August garden and is usually grown specifically for cutting.
• Calla Lily is a beauty that needs no companion in a vase to make a stunning arrangement. Other Plant Material for Cutting
• Roses can be displayed individually, in a bouquet, or combined with perennials.
• Sweet William (biennial), has a 2 year life cycle, comes in many shades of pink and is sweetly scented.
• Hydrangeas make an amazing cut flower with their large and showy blooms.
• Include attractive foliage in your flower arrangements like perennial Artemisia, Hosta, Globe Thistle, Sea Holly, and Lady’s Mantle.
• Evergreen English Ivy and annual Licorice Vine drape softly over the edge of a decorative container.
• Annual Scented Geranium is upright in habit and its leaves come in many fascinating shapes.

How to Pick Cut Flowers
• Pick your flowers in the morning using a sharp bypass hand pruner (secateur) after the dew has dried off the petals. This will keep them looking fresh and last longer.
• Have a pail of tepid water close by. Immerse the stems immediately. Peonies often harbour ants while Dahlias may be home to Earwigs. Leave them in the pail of water in a shaded location outside for a day or immerse them for a few minutes in water before arranging.
• Once inside, re-cut the stems on an angle under running water and remove all the lower leaves that would be below the waterline.
• Mixing a floral preservative into room temperature water will prevent you from having to change the water every day.
• Keep an eye on the water level and top up as necessary.

Trees are an important part of landscaping. They add beauty and a sense of structure to any garden, street, commercial property, or public space. Environmentally, they are essential to our survival. Trees moderate climate by cooling in summer (deflecting sun and heat) and warming in winter (deflecting wind), thereby reducing energy costs. They improve air quality by removing dust and other particulates from the air. The leaves absorb harmful carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulphur dioxide and give off huge amounts of life-giving oxygen. Trees also absorb sound and provide shelter to birds and other wildlife. Their size provides privacy wherever it’s required.

How to Choose a Tree
• Know how tall and wide a tree will grow before purchasing.
• A red oak (Quercus rubra) that matures to a height of 18 m (60’) and a width of 15 m (50’) may not be appropriate on a lot that’s only 12 m (40’) wide.
• Planting a tree too close to a structure or overhead wires will cause problems.
• The existing soil condition is another consideration.
• Some trees like Catalpa, and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) are more tolerant of clay soils.
• Honey-locust (Gleditsia) and Russian Olive (Elaeagnus), on the other hand, handle dry or poor soil.
• Pin oak (Quercus palustris) and Hackberry (Celtis) tolerate moist conditions.
• Trees that flower add a special feature.
• The early flowers of a magnolia are a sure sign spring has arrived.
• The large blooms of a Horse-Chestnut Aesculus) are very impressive in late May.
• Remember that flowers can lead to fruit or nuts that drop so plant this type of tree away from sidewalks, walkways, driveways, and swimming pools.
• Foliage colour, especially autumn colour, can also be eye-catching and provide contrast.
• The deep purple of Shubert Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana ‘Shubert’).
• The beautiful creamy white and green leaves of a Harlequin Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Drummondii’).
• The fiery red in autumn of our native Red Maple (Acer rubrum).
• The golden yellow of a Serviceberry.
• The form of a tree can also make a visual impact. Any plant with a weeping shape becomes a living piece of sculpture and a focal point.
• For a house that’s very tall, a narrow, columnar tree such as a pyramidal English Oak, Glenleven Linden (Tilia cordata ‘Glenleven’) (Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’) or Columnar Siberian Crab Apple (Malus baccata ‘Columnaris’) would be in proportion.
• For a large property, the pyramidal shape of some Lindens (Tilia) would contrast well with the roundness of a Crimson King Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’) or the asymmetrical branching of a Honey-Locust (Gleditsia).
• Finally, some trees are available as a single trunk or multi-stem. Clump Birch (Betula) is a favourite specimen because there’s so much more white bark to appreciate when there are 3 or 4 trunks.

Large Shade Trees
• Where you have room and require shade and/or privacy, trees such as Beech (Fagus), Birch (Betula), Honey-locust (Gleditsia), Linden (Tilia), Maple (Acer), Mountainash (Sorbus), Oak (Quercus), and Tulip Tree (Liriodendrontulipifera) are good choices.
• London Plane Tree (Platanus acerifolia ‘Bloodgood’) grows very large and is almost as wide as it is tall. It’s noteworthy too for its multi-colour, “camouflage” bark and its pollution tolerance.
• One of the slowest growing trees and also one of the oldest on earth is the Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba). Its fan-shaped leaves turn yellow in fall and are unique. Another advantage is its resistance to insects, disease, and pollution.

Medium-Sized Trees
This group is perfect for urban and suburban lots where space is limited.
• Magnolia, Ornamental Pear (Pyrus), Kwanzan Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’), and Crab Apple (Malus) all flower superbly in spring.
• Following the above is the Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida and Cornus kousa), Golden Chain tree (Laburnumx watereri ‘Vossii’), Hawthorn (Crataegus), and Ivory Silk Japanese Lilac tree (Syringa reticulate ‘Ivory Silk’).
• Two trees that deserve a lot more attention are Hornbeam (Carpinus ) and Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum).

Small Standard Trees
For foundation plantings and mixed borders, when a shorter ornamental tree around 175 cm (6’) tall would add just the right vertical note, consider such flowering standard trees
• Flowering Almond (Prunus triloba ‘Multiplex’), Purpleleaf Sand Cherry (Prunus cistena), Pee Gee Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’), Dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), Fragrant Snowball (Viburnum carlcephalum), and Bristol Ruby Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Bristol Ruby’).
• Weeping forms like Weeping Mulberry (Morus alba ‘Pendula’), Red Jade Crab Apple (Malus ‘Red Jade’), Weeping Peashrub (Caragana arborescens ‘Pendula’) or Weeping Kiku-Shidare Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kiku- Shidare’) also make interesting specimens.
• For colour contrast and winter evergreen interest Emerald Gaiety and Gold Tip Euonymus standards (Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’ and ‘Gold Tip’) are excellent.

Tree Care
Once you’ve selected a tree that’s right for your conditions, follow the Sheridan Nurseries Planting Guide instructions.
• Keep turf at least 30 cm (1’) away from the trunk(s) at all times to prevent any damage to the bark by lawn mowers or string trimmers.
• Spread 5-10 cm (2-4”) of mulch over the root zone to help prevent weeds, minimize moisture loss, and keep roots cool.
• Water the young tree well and deeply for the first 2 years to get it established.
• Prune dead, broken, or diseased branches at any time. Other pruning is generally done in summer when tree sap isn’t flowing to any extent.
• Fertilizer spikes for trees can be driven into the ground at the drip line in spring to provide slow release nutrients for the whole year. Repeat every spring.
• At any time, if your tree doesn’t look quite right, look carefully for insects or disease. When in doubt bring sample leaves or a twig to the Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre nearest you for analysis and advice. A tree can last decades or, in the case of oaks, centuries. It not only enhances the beauty of any garden, it’s essential to human health. The environment needs healthy trees. Give them the care and respect they deserve.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Maples
• How to Design your Own Garden
• Winterizing the Garden

Dormant spraying combines Horticulture Oil and Lime Sulphur to kill overwintering insects (such as scale and mites), insect eggs, and diseases on certain hardy landscape plants.

What Plants Benefit From a Dormant Spray Application?
• Dormant Oil and Lime Sulphur are best applied to fruit trees, roses, ornamental shrubs like Highbush Cranberry and European Snowball, evergreens such as Cedars, Green Junipers, and Euonymus, and trees like Hawthorn, Crab Apple, and Honey Locust.
• Do not use a dormant spray on Beech, Butternut, Colorado Blue Spruce, Hickory, Holly , Sugar Maple, Japanese Maple, or Walnut.

When to Spray
• This combination spray can only be applied when plants are completely dormant.
• Applying at the incorrect time can burn leaf buds that have started to swell or show any sign of green.
• Choose a day from February through March when the temperature will remain at 0°C (32°F) or above for a minimum of 24 hours.
• Distribution of the spray will be more efficient on a day without wind. Higher wind speeds will result in little of the mixture adhering to the plant.
• Dormant Spray will coat and dry most effectively when no rain, snow, or sleet is in the forecast.
• Spray early in the morning so the plant will be completely dry by evening. Do not spray if there is any chance of frost overnight.

How to Spray
• Mix Lime Sulphur and Horticulture Oil (available together as a Dormant Spray Kit) according to the package directions. The easiest method of application is to use a specific Dormant Spray Applicator that attaches to your garden hose.
• You can also mix the spray according to the box instructions in a 1 or 2 gallon tank sprayer.
• For small jobs, use a handheld mister bottle or pump sprayer.
• In all cases, spray the plant starting at the top until it just starts to drip off the branches. If you start spraying from the bottom, you will run out of product before the job’s done.
• For roses, be sure to spray the soil around the base of the plant as well to control Powdery Mildew and Black Spot.

Safety Tips
• Mix only what you can use. You cannot save the prepared solution for later use.
• For spraying any garden pesticide, wear protective clothing, long sleeves, a hat, chemical-resistant gloves (not your kitchen rubber gloves), and anti-splash goggles.
• Wash hands and face after use.
• Do not let any of the mixture fall or drift onto such hard surfaces as interlock, natural stone, brick, concrete, stucco, wood, or aluminum siding as it may leave a permanent stain. If necessary, tape a large piece of plastic to the area first, and then spray.

Keep in mind that all plants require water, light, and nutrients to grow. There are however, some plants that need little water or can go for extended periods without watering (once established). These are what we call “drought- tolerant.” plants. There is a relatively new concept in landscape design called “Xeriscaping”. This is choosing plants that will survive on only the natural water that is available to them. These plants should be grouped together in a dry sunny area of your garden.

Evergreens
• Junipers – grow naturally in many dry environments ranging from rock outcrops to sand dunes.
• Yuccas – do best if they aren’t watered (once established). They grow a long taproot and will be able
to find all the water they need on their own. Yuccas look like a desert plant with their spiky, pointed leaves. They also have very showy 150 cm - 175 cm (5’ - 6’) tall flowers that appear in July.

Trees & Shrubs
• Honey-locust – is a shade tree that can withstand drier summers and a wide range of soil conditions.
• Turkish Hazel – not as well known, these are an excellent choice for drier sites. It grows 12 m (40’) tall, has a broad, pyramidal shape with interesting corky bark, and dark green foliage that turns yellow in October.
• Larger shrubs like the Russian Olive (mature height 7 m (23’)), Devil’s Walkingstick 5 m (16’), Sea Buckthorn 4 m (13’), and Sumac 5 m (16’) are suitable choices
• Smaller shrubs like Bayberry, Honeysuckle, Butterflybush, and Caryopteris are also good choices for a dry garden.

Annuals
For continuous summer colour, plant:
• Celosia
• Amaranth
• Gomphrena
• Sunflower
• Zinnia
• Portulaca
• Gazania
• Dusty Miller (mix in to provide contrast with its grey leaves)

Perennials Flowers
The perennial category can be divided into “moderately” drought-tolerant and “very” drought-tolerant. The first group includes:
• Artemisia
• Red Valerian
• False Indigo
• Daylilies
• Lavender
• Red-Hot Poker
• Russian Sage
• Thyme
• Marguerite Daisy
• Sea Lavender
• Wall Cress
• Basket-of-Gold
• Rock Rose
• Creeping Baby’s Breath Some very drought-tolerant perennials with succulent,
fleshy foliage are:
• Prickly Pear Cactus
• Sedum
• Hens & Chicks (sempervivum)
• Purple and Yellow Ice Plant
• Donkey-tail Spurge

Other drought-tolerant perennials suitable for xeriscape include:
• Sea Thrift
• Butterfly Weed
• Gloriosa Daisy
• Blue Flax
• Liatris
• Edelweiss
• Blanket Flower
• Sea Holly
• Purple Coneflower
• Thread-leaved Coreopsis
• Blue Seakale
• Yarrow
• Perennial Bachelor’s Button

Perennial Ground Covers
Perennial Ground Covers may be a practical solution if you are interested in replacing your lawn grass.
• Crown Vetch and Goutweed – will cover a large area very quickly but proceed with caution as these two ground covers are virtually unstoppable.
• Lamb’s Ears, Creeping Phlox, New Zealand Burr, Pussytoes, and Snow-in-Summer are suitable for smaller areas.
• Ornamental Grasses – are deep-rooted and suitable for xeriscaping. These include Mosquito Grass, Lyme Grass, Fescue, Blue Oat Grass, Oriental Fountain Grass, and Feather Grass.
• Big and little Bluestem, and Switch Grass (Panicum) are beautiful North American natives that get by on very little water.

Establishing Drought Tolerant Plants
To lessen the frequency of watering any part of your garden you need to:
• Incorporate a lot of organic matter like peat moss, manure, and compost into the planting bed. This will create a more fertile soil and the organic matter holds onto moisture making it available to plants for a long period of time after rain or watering.
• Cover the soil with 5 cm - 10 cm (2” - 4”) of mulch such as bark chips, cedar mulch, or cocoa bean mulch to minimize moisture loss through evaporation. The mulch also makes it more difficult for weeds to get established.
• For the first year, your xeriscape plants will need supplemental watering during dry periods.
• After 5 to 7 days without water, use a trowel to check the soil. If it is dry four inches down, water deeply.
• In the second year and subsequent you can let your plants go for 10 days to 2 weeks between deep watering (i.e. water needs to penetrate the soil to a depth of 10 cm (4”) to do any good).
• Water in the morning before 10 a.m. or in the evening after 6 p.m. This will prevent the water from evaporating during the hottest hours of the day.
• Keep the leaves of your xeriscape plants dry when you water them. Watch for signs of wilting or leaf

How to Choose Dwarf Plants
When choosing plants for your small space there are a few things you need to know to ensure you have success.
• Location – Too often plants outgrow their location because the mature size of the plant was not calculated. This is especially important when selecting plants for your small space. Choose a plant that will always fit in its designated area.
• Light Requirements – This will be an issue if not taken into consideration. Some plants need a minimum of 6 hours sunlight per day to maintain their vibrant colour while others will only thrive in low light. Sheridan Nurseries can assist you in selecting plants best suited for your space. The Garden Guide will provide you with height and spread, zone hardiness, light preference
in addition to key characteristics of the plants.
Dwarf Trees (125 cm - 4 m/4’ - 13’ Tall)

The most suitable trees for small spaces can also be very decorative.
• Purpleleaf Sand Cherry (Standard) – has purple foliage all season and fragrant flowers in May.
• Weeping Pussy Willow and Weeping Peashrubs – have graceful trailing branches that “weep” to the ground.
• Cranberry Cotoneaster Tree – has a round, arching form and attractive, small red berries in fall.
• Peegee Hydrangea – produces large, cone-shaped blooms in late summer to autumn.
• Dwarf Lilac (standard) – has perfect globular form and produces mauve flowers in May. It never requires pruning.
• Flowering Almond – produces masses of double pink blossoms in the spring
• Fragrant Snowball – is remembered for its large, very fragrant, white flowers.
Shrubs (40 cm - 150 cm/16” - 5’ Tall)

Consider a Dwarf flowering shrub. They will add colour and contrasting texture.
• Dwarf Fragrant Viburnum, Nikko Slender Deutzia, Dwarf Lilac, Miniature Snowflake Mock Orange, and Carol Mackie Daphne. Almost all Potentillas and Spireas make good choices for a small garden.
• If you would like a shrub with showy coloured leaves, look into the Cutleaf Japanese Maple (red), Goldmound Spirea (lime green), or Goldflame Spirea which leafs out orange-red in spring, turns light green for summer, and goes back to orange-red for fall.
• Dwarf Burningbush is grown specifically for its scarlet red colour in autumn. The branches also have unusual “winged” bark to peak interest in the winter.

Evergreens

There are a few good choices for upright, slow-growing evergreens.
• Dwarf Alberta Spruce
• Adams Columnar Yew
• Sargents Weeping Hemlock
• Bristlecone Pine.

For a miniature tree-like appearance consider a grafted standard.
• Globe Blue Spruce
• Dwarf White Pine
• Euonymus

Many evergreens and broadleaf evergreens grow in a natural round form without trimming. These include:
• Little Giant Globe Cedar
• Dwarf Mugho Pine
• Globe Blue
• Nest Spruce
• Jeddeloh Dwarf Hemlock
• Green Gem and Green Velvet Boxwood (both introduced by Sheridan Nurseries in 1973). If you’d like a low evergreen hedge look no further than the Green Mound Boxwood, (a Sheridan Nurseries introduction in 1976). If you are looking for a dwarf evergreen with irregular form consider the Dwarf Hinoki or the Golden Dwarf False Cypress.

Perennials
Perennials can be used in small spaces as long as care is taken to select non-spreading varieties. Many will grow well in a restricted space. Consider the following:
• Alpine Columbine
• Fern-leaf Bleeding Heart
• Bergenia
• Dwarf Bellflower
• Coral Bell
• Stella d’Oro Daylily
• Blue Elf Delphinium
• Primula
• Dwarf Hosta
• Pinks
• Thrift
• Liriope
• Dwarf Iris
• Silver Mound Artemisia

The smaller Ornamental Grasses create contrast in the perennial garden with their different textures and forms.
Consider these interesting choices.
• Black Mondo Grass
• Blue Sedge
• Blue Fescue
• Golden Variegated Hakonechloa
• Japanese Blood Grass

How to Create a Landscape Design With Dwarf Plants
Whether designing on a small or large scale, always follow the same principles of balance, proportion, repetition, and
variety of form, interesting texture, and a cohesive colour scheme. In a small space, do not use too many different plants and
colours or the area will end up looking busy and appear cramped. To create the illusion of more space, consider a
change in elevation. For a small backyard, you may wish to design two or three levels with steps between, giving the
appearance of garden “rooms”. Use layering in the garden to create the interest. For example under plant Golden Dwarf
False Cypress with Blue Chip Juniper, so it emerges from a low blue carpet of a contrasting evergreen texture. You could
also under plant a Weeping Japanese Maple with Burgundy Glow Bugleweed.
With a little planning, a small area can be transformed into a collective garden of unusual plants of varying form, colour,
and texture. As you choose slow-growing plants that are right for your garden (remember the two key

All plants require light, air, water, and nutrients to grow. As they mature, plants often use up the naturally occurring nutrients in the soil around the root zone. These nutrients need to be regularly replaced in order for the plants to continue to grow and remain strong. The plant food that gardeners provide is called fertilizer.

What do the Numbers Mean?
There are three numbers listed on all fertilizer packaging.
• The first number is nitrogen (N) which is responsible for promoting strong leaf and stem growth as well as plant colour. So, when foliage is normally a bright green and suddenly becomes pale, chances are nitrogen is required.
• The second number is phosphorus (P) which promotes strong root development that is essential for delivering nitrogen and other nutrients to the leaves. It also encourages greater flower production that, in the case of fruit, results in a larger crop.
• The third number is potassium (K) which is needed for general vigor. It strengthens plants to resist insects and disease and to better withstand poor soil and drought.
• Together, the three elements are referred to as primary or macronutrients. Micronutrients include copper, iron, manganese, zinc, boron, chlorine, and molybdenum. Some or all of these may be included in the formulation and are listed accordingly
• The actual number represents the percentage present of that element. Fertilizer often contains in smaller quantities such secondary nutrients as calcium, magnesium, and sulphur.

Why Are There Different Formulas?
Plants are individuals and they need different things.
• Evergreens are mainly foliage plants and require a lot of nitrogen. The most common formula for this group is found in Parkwood®Evergreen & Shrub Food 30-10-10.
• Annuals are grown for their continuous flowering so higher levels of phosphorus would be beneficial. Parkwood®Flower Plant Food 15-30-15 is excellent for promoting blooms that last longer.
• To minimize the shock of transplanting, a formula like Parkwood®Transplanter 5-15-5 would immediately strengthen and promote root development.
• Spring lawns need nitrogen to encourage strong, green growth. Parkwood®Lawn Food 21-6-12 is perfect for this purpose.
• In the fall as the weather gets cooler, lawns start to go dormant and their need for nitrogen is less. Parkwood® Fall Lawn Food 6-8-14 strengthens grass roots for winter with a higher concentration of phosphorus and builds up resistance to disease and injury with more potassium.
• There are fertilizers available for specific needs. Super Phosphate 0-20-0 is just phosphorus for plants that may be sluggish about flowering.
• Bulbs grow better with Holland Bulb Booster 9-9-6.
• The formula for Jobes fertilizer spikes for roses is 12-16-12.
• A simple way to feed most outdoor plants is with a general fertilizer like Parkwood®All Purpose Plant Food 20-20-20 or Parkwood®Garden-All 4-12-8, specifically formulated for vegetables.
One of the best ways to determine the health of your soil is with a test kit available at all Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centres.

How is Fertilizer Applied?
• Fertilizer comes in a granular slow-release form or a compressed spike that’s pushed into the soil. It’s also available as a powder or liquid that is diluted with water.
• Granulars are spread over the surface of the soil or lawn, at the recommended rate, by hand for smaller areas or with a spreader for larger areas. Generally, it lasts 6-8 weeks.
• Spikes for trees and shrubs, fruit trees, and evergreens are pushed into the ground at the drip line in spring.
• For mature specimens, a root feeder mixes water with a fertilizer pellet and distributes the solution through a long shaft pushed into the soil. It can also be used for deep watering during periods of prolonged drought.
• Liquid and powder fertilizers can be applied over a large area with a hose-end sprayer that attaches to a garden hose or, for small jobs, diluted with water in a watering can or bucket.

When Are Fertilizers Applied?
• Spring is the best time to fertilize when outdoor plants start growing again.
• Be aware of the time period that fertilizers release nutrients so you know when or if you need to re-apply.
• Most granular fertilizer is slow-release and may be applied once or twice a year for perennial and mixed borders.
• Lawns are fertilized 2-4 times a year depending on their general condition. Fertilizer spikes are put into the ground once in spring.
• Anything mixed with water is quickly used by plants and is, therefore, applied more often.
• Grass needs fall feeding. Stop fertilizing after September 1, and roses by August 1. This allows the natural cycle of dormancy to take place rather than forcing growth that may not have time to harden off before winter.

What’s Organic Fertilizer?
Organic Fertilizer is derived from once living vegetable or animal material that may include kelp, seaweed, fish, bone meal (2-14-0), and blood meal (12-0-0). Even manure and compost can be considered organic fertilizers. Inorganic or synthetic fertilizers are manufactured from a chemical process or mined. The concentration of nutrients is usually higher.

Indoor Plant Fertilizer
House plants have their own needs.
• Schultz Instant 10-15-10 is highly recommended for all.
• For flowering plants try Schultz Bloom Builder 5-30-5.
• African violets perform well with Schultz African Violet
Plus 8-14-9 or Parkwood®15-30-15..
• Orchids like Schultz Orchid Food 19-31-17. Better-Gro makes two products for orchids; Orchid Bloom Booster 11-35-15 and Orchid Plus 20-14-13.
• Even Cactus and Succulents have their own fertilizer. Schultz Cactus Plus 2-7-7 maintains healthy plants and promotes flowering.
• Fertilize houseplants when they show active signs of growth. They often rest from November to March because light levels are low. At this time, it’s better to feed them once every 4-6 weeks. In all cases, read package instructions carefully and follow dilution rates exactly. If in doubt ask the staff of trained horticulturists at your local Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre.

Like sequencing flowering shrubs and perennials that bloom from spring through fall, fragrant plants can also be chosen to delight our sense of smell over the same period. As our windows are usually open in May and early June, before the air conditioning goes on, place the earlier fragrant specimens near the house so you can fully appreciate them both inside and out.

Spring
• Spring flowering bulbs like Puschkinia, Hyacinths, Daffodils, and Narcissus are a fresh welcome after winter.
• The perennial Lily of the Valley is distinctive with its old-fashioned fragrance as well as the Siberian Wallflower with its bright yellow or orange flowers.
• Annual, large-faced Pansies planted in pots or garden beds are also revitalizing.
• The shrub, Dwarf Fragrant Viburnum, begins its performance in April and is followed in May by Burkwood and Fragrant Snowball Viburnum. These three varieties are all strongly scented and make a huge impact.
• Rose Daphne, a broadleaf evergreen, is equally impressive especially considering its overall small scale.
• Lilacs bloom in spring and early summer with a strong fragrance.
• The vigorous vine, Wisteria, has massive knockout flowers with a lovely, light scent.
• The Carol Mackie Daphne is also worthy of inclusion for its small variegated leaves in green and creamy white.
• In June, there are many fragrant plants that will capture your attention. Think of annual Sweet Peas or perennial Peonies that are sumptuously scented both outdoors and in as a cut flower.
• Roses dazzle with their variety and colour but they are not all fragrant so read the tags carefully. Some noteworthy scented roses include Blue River, Mr. Lincoln, Fragrant Cloud, and Double Delight or consider the climbers; America, Royal Gold, or Zephirine Drouhin.
All of the David Austin roses were developed specifically for fragrance and disease resistance.
• Two outstanding trees that are surprisingly and delightfully scented are Ivory Silk Japanese Lilac Tree (introduced by Sheridan Nurseries in 1973) and Linden.
• The Hall’s Honeysuckle vine starts flowering in June and continues into October with creamy-white and yellow, sweetly fragrant blossoms.
• The flowering shrub, Mock-orange, is also identified with June and the varieties, Glacier and Miniature Snowflake are your best choices for fragrance.

Summer
• White Alyssum
• Deep purple Heliotrope
• Pastel-coloured Night Scented Stocks
• The summer-flowering bulb, Acidanthera (now named), deserves wider cultivation for its very fragrant white, star-shaped flowers with maroon throat and grassy foliage. These bulbs can easily be planted anywhere in the sun during spring. They are adaptable to container planting so their heady scent can be near you on your deck or patio.
• Oriental Lily and Summer Phlox are two perennials that draw your attention as the days get hotter.
• Several varieties of Hosta including Honeybells and Royal Standard boast fragrant blooms above bold foliage.
• The shrub Summersweet, flowers and attracts us with its scent in late July
• Butterflybush takes the stage in August.
• Scented Geranium, Lavender, Mint, Rosemary, and Thyme that, when brushed against, release a lovely fragrance.

Fall
• Chrysanthemums are synonymous with fall and have a fragrance uniquely their own. Choose whatever you like for your fragrant garden and add another dimension that provokes questions, wonder, and nostalgia.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• How to evaluate your Gardening Needs
• How to Design your Garden

Soil that doesn’t drain properly can lead to major frustration along with struggling or dying plants. Re-grading the entire area is one option. Drainage can be improved by installing weeping tile, dumping quantities of sand and gravel, or building raised beds. These methods are not inexpensive in terms of materials or labour but a more practical solution would involve working with the condition and not against it. Many plants will tolerate dampness and thrive beautifully; just choose wisely.

Shade Trees
• If a large specimen tree is required, consider the London Plane Tree (Platanus acerifolia ‘Bloodgood’).
• Native trees like Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Pin Oak (Quercus palustris), or Red Maple (Acer rubrum) are particularly adaptable as they are used to fending for themselves in natural areas.
• Golden Weeping Willow (Salix Alba tristis) is certainly elegant and provides great winter interest with its bare yellow branches but it grows to an enormous size (15 m/48’ high and wide) and has roots that travel far beyond its crown. Plant it only if you have a very large property and it can be positioned well away from foundation walls, swimming pools, driveways, plantings and septic systems.

Evergreens
Cedars (Thuja) grow very well in moist soil.
• Bareroot Hedging Cedars are often referred to as “swamp” cedars. Several upright or pyramidal forms are available growing anywhere from 3 m (10’) to 8 m (26’) tall depending on the cultivar.
• Emerald Cedar is probably the most popular with its vivid green colour in all seasons, and appealing texture.
• Globe Cedars fit in anywhere and can be pruned to maintain a tight, round shape.
• The Larch (Larix) and Dawn-Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) are two deciduous conifers that add great character to any garden. Both have soft foliage that turns golden-yellow in fall before the needles drop.
• Dwarf Bog-Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia) is a low, creeping broadleaf evergreen with blue grey leaves. It has small, pink, urn-shaped flowers in May. It also prefers acidic soil and can be planted at the base of the Evergreens described above.

Deciduous Shrubs
There are many shrubs that can grow in damp conditions.
• Native shrubs such as Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum), Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis), American Elder (Sambucus canadensis), Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), and St. John’s Wort (Hypericum kalmianum) are the most tolerant.
• If you want a tall shrub that will provide screening, consider Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora), Pussy willow (Salix caprea), European Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum opulus), or Brilliant Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolius ‘Brilliantissima’).
• If you want a shrub on a smaller scale, consider the old-fashioned Bridalwreath Spirea (Spiraea vanhouttei) which appears to grow just about anywhere including shade. • Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is very attractive in the summer garden and also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
• Hydrangeas provide interest with their white, pink, blue, or mauve flowers. They’re can be versatile in sun or shade but will droop without an adequate water supply.
• Dappled Willow (Salix integra ‘Hakuro-Nishiki’) is appealing spring through fall with narrow leaves that are green, white, and pink. It’s also available as a small standard tree.

Perennials for Sun, Partial Shade
Many perennials flourish in damp gardens. Consider any of the following:
Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides), Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Sneezeweed (Helenium), Spiderwort (Tradescantia), Primrose (Primula), Turtlehead (Chelone), Beebalm (Monarda), Aster, Obedient Plant (Physostegia), Goatsbeard (Aruncus), Meadow Rue Thalictrum), Globeflower (Trollius), Bergenia, Bugbane (Cimicifuga), Knotweed (Persicaria), Daylily (Hemerocallis), Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica), and Joe-Pyeweed (Eupatorium purpureum)

Perennials for Shade
Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia), Trillium, Foamflower (Tiarella), Primrose (Primula), Bleedingheart (Dicentra), Astilbe,Monkshood (Aconitum), Ferns, Toadlily (Tricyrtis), Ligularia, and Rodgersia all withstand moisture and low light. Certain varieties of Hosta such as Frances Williams, Royal Standard, Krossa Regal, Lancifolia, and Sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ are appropriate considerations also.

Perennials for Bog Gardens
These perennials can actually survive in shallow water and are often referred to as “marginals” or “bog plants”. Corkscrew Rush (Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’) is very unusual with its bizarre coiled foliage. Make a large statement with Meadowsweet (Filipendula purpurea and ulmaria) and Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum). These are tall and impressive. Blue Water Iris (Iris versicolor), Yellow Water Iris (Iris pseudacorus), and Japanese Iris (Iris kaempferi) flower beautifully. Marshmarigold (Caltha palustris) is a spring treat with yellow, buttercup like blooms. Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata ‘Chameleon’) and Ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinacea ‘Picta’) are two perennials that spread rather quickly. To contain their lateral growth plant them in a deep, bottomless container.
For more suggestions on hardy perennials for wet sites, visit the Water Gardening section of a Sheridan Nurseries Garden
Centre near you.

Growing herbs is a fun part of gardening
• They are easy to grow
• You can plant them practically anywhere
• Their fresh taste in cooking is incomparable
• Herbs have also gained great respect for their medicinal properties in recent years

Choosing which herbs to grow in your garden will depend on
• Which you like to cook with
• How big they grow
• Whether they’re annual, biennial, or perennial
• Lavender, Thyme, Sage, Borage, and Marjoram have the added feature of attracting Butterflies and Honey Bees.

Annual Herbs
• Dill
• Sweet Marjoram
• Coriander
• Rosemary
• Summer Savory
• Chervil
• Basil - comes in several varieties but is sensitive to cool temperatures, not just frost, and cold winds so plant out the first week of June to avoid injury
• Sweet and Lettuce-Leaf - are by far the most popular for cooking
• Bush Basil - is a small, compact form with tiny leaves
• Cinnamon and Lemon - both have a distinct fragrance and flavour

Biennial Herbs
These herbs have a life cycle of 2 years, produce flowers and seeds in the second year and then dye off.
• Caraway
• Parsley

Perennial Herbs
This long-lived group includes:
• Oregano
• Sage
• Chives
• Lavender
• Catnip
• Lemon Balm
• Winter Savory
• French Tarragon
• Thyme.
• Mint - is notoriously invasive and needs serious containment. Growing them in a large pot that can be left out year-round is the safest solution.

Ornamental Herbs
These herbs have particularly attractive foliage or flowers and can be used in mixed or perennial borders.
• Bronze Fennel grows 90 cm - 180 cm (3’ - 6’) tall and has outstanding feathery leaves that start out dark purple and turn to metallic bronze.
• Golden, Purple, and Tri-colour Sage have beautiful variegated foliage and a compact form.
• Lemon and Silver Thyme have tiny gold and green and white and green leaves respectively.
• Creeping and Woolly Thyme are very low and grow well between flagstones. They flower exquisitely and, when walked on, release a fresh scent.
• Purple Ruffles Basil has dark purple leaves with a crinkly texture. It makes a bold edging plant.
• Pineapple Sage has an intense scarlet bloom that appear in the fall.
• Garlic Chives have perfect round, white flowers on long thin stems in late summer.
• Lavender has terrific, mauve, purple, or deep blue fragrant blossoms that last over a long period. It can be planted individually, as a mass, or as a low hedge.

How to Grow Herbs
Herbs prefer sun and well drained soil.
• You can start them from seed in late March inside your home in propagation trays or sow the seed directly into the ground in May.
• You can also buy plants that are already started at any Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre.
• Once planted, don’t be concerned with a lot of fertilizing. One or two applications of Parkwood® All-Purpose 20-20-20 diluted in water are sufficient for the growing season. Herbs that are over fertilized grow too quickly and their flavour isn’t as strong. If insects become a problem, spray with Insecticidal Soap. It’s non-toxic and becomes totally inert.
• Mist foliage with water a couple of days after application. Since herbs are fairly heat and
drought-tolerant, don’t overwater them. Let them dry out completely between watering. You’ll know if you’ve given them too much if you have spindly, leggy growth and yellow leaves.

Harvesting Herbs
For the best concentration of taste, pick leaves just as the herb begins to bloom. This is when the oil content in the leaves is greatest.
• Harvest in the morning after the dew has evaporated and before the heat of the sun dissipates fragrance.
• Herbs can be dried by tying stems together in bunches and hanging them upside down in a dry, warm spot out of direct sunlight where air circulates freely.
• Dry them for a few weeks until the leaves are brittle. Pick off the leaves, put in airtight bags or jars, and store them in a dark, dry place.
• Don’t crumble the leaves until you’re ready to cook with them. Remember, dried herbs have more concentrated flavour than fresh.
• Herbs that are better frozen than dried include Basil, lemon Balm, Parsley, Tarragon, Chives, and Lemon Verbena.
• Pick them the same way as for drying, rinse them quickly in cold water, and shake dry. Chop the leaves coarsely, place them in Ziploc bags, and store in the freezer. They last 4-6 months before they dry out and lose their essence.
• Herbs can also be used to flavour oil as well as vinegar which make wonderful and original gifts.

Indoor Herbs
For those who really love cooking with fresh herbs all year, you can grow Bush Basil, Chives, Oregano, Marjoram, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, and Rosemary indoors.
• Choose the sunniest window to grow them in or augment existing light with an incandescent “grow” bulb in any fixture.
• Herbs can also be grown under fluorescent lights. Inside your home, herbs don’t like to be too hot and they prefer a cooler temperature at night.
• Mist them a couple of times a week.
• Watch for Spider Mite webs that can easily be treated with Insecticidal Soap.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Companion Planting

Gardeners love perennial flowers for their infinite variety, their hardiness, and the ease with which you can propagate more.
They return each year so they are also cost efficient. How do you select what’s right for you?

Light
Your first consideration will be the light conditions that vary throughout your property.
• For heavy shade, Ferns and Hostas will flourish
• For sunny conditions (6 hours per day) the Russian Sage and Purple Coneflower will do beautifully.
The majority of perennials grow well in partial shade (especially in eastern exposures) when they are not in the hot afternoon heat.

Colour
Perennials come in every colour imaginable.
• Perennial Salvia, Delphinium, and Veronica come in many tints and shades of blue
• The Cardinal Flower is the most intense scarlet-red.
• Monkshood and several varieties of Aster represent the colour purple.
• Butterfly Weed is synonymous with orange.
• The Sarah Bernhardt Peony should be your choice if you are looking for light pink
• Choose the Rose Campion if your interest is radiant pink.
• Moonbeam Coreopsis is lemon yellow
• Rudbeckia varies from yellow to gold.
• White can be used in any grouping to cool the “sizzling” colours, to blend with softer tints, or by itself as a “pure white garden.”

Height
Perennials fall into 3 distinct height categories (short, medium, and tall).
• The short varieties are frequently used in rock gardens, as ground covers, and/or as edging plants. One of the most versatile, low-growing perennials for sun is Sedum.
• Medium-sized perennials include such favourites as Peonies, Lupines, and Shasta Daisies.
• Tall varieties like Hollyhocks, Mullein, Joe-Pye Weed, as well as various Ornamental Grasses are impressive and add bold structure to any garden. Some tall perennials like Delphiniums require staking so maintenance should be considered.

Time of Bloom
Unlike annuals that bloom all summer, perennials have a limited flowering time.
• The Tree Peony blooms for only a few days and the Astilbe a few weeks.
• The bloom could last several months which is the case for the Pincushion Flower or Thread leaved Coreopsis.
• The trick is to have your perennials bloom specifically when you want them to whether it’s late winter with Hellebores, spring with Columbines and Rock Cress, mid-summer with Daylilies and Summer Phlox, or fall with Bugbane, Japanese Anemones, and Chrysanthemums.
• When your perennial isn’t flowering you may want to rely on attractive foliage colour like the green and white leaves of Brise d’Anjou Jacob’s Ladder, Norah Leigh Summer Phlox, and Variegated Obedient Plant. Perennial (Herbaceous) Borders
The tradition of perennial borders with long gardens that are brimming with perennials that are sequenced to bloom from spring through late fall, tiered from short at the front to tall at the back are hardly practical on our smaller properties.
We can however adapt the idea to grow perennials along a sidewall of the house or along a fence in the back garden, and instead of planting in groups of 3 of the same plant to create a large “drift” effect, just establish 1 plant. The challenge is to have something blooming from April to November.

Mixed Borders
Perennials can easily be planted with shrubs, evergreens, smaller shrub roses, bulbs, and annuals. It’s important to keep proportion in mind so a perennial isn’t lost against a large neighbour. In foundation plantings, where the overall form of the plant and its foliage are as significant as its flowers, remember Bergenia, Siberian Iris, Autumn Joy and Brilliant Sedum, Hostas, Lady’s Mantle, Perennial Cranesbill, and small to medium size Ornamental Grasses.

How to Grow Perennials
For the most part, perennials are fairly adaptable.
• Perennials do best in well-drained soil that’s had Parkwood®3 in 1 Planting Mix, peat moss, manure, or compost worked into the top 20 cm (8”) before planting.
• Add granular Parkwood®Garden-All 4-12-8, at the recommended rate, to the amended soil.
• Perennials can be purchased as starter plants in small pots in the spring or in various sized pots ranging from 1, 2, 3 and 5 gallon sizes. When easing the plant out of its container, check to see if its root bound. If this is the case, gently loosen the moistened root ball with your fingers, place in the planting hole, and firm soil around it.
• Dilute Parkwood®Transplanter 5-15-5 as directed and soak the area. Keep your perennials well watered the first year to get them established.
• Before winter sets in, cut all your perennials back close to the ground unless you wish to leave seed pods for winter interest or as a food supply for birds.
• Do not prune back Ornamental Grasses, Lavender, and Russian Sage in fall. They are best trimmed back in early spring.
• Water your perennials deeply before the ground freezes up in late autumn and mulch any plants that you feel may be borderline hardy or might be exposed to a lot of cold, winter wind.
• Once established, feed your perennials in April or May with Parkwood®Garden-All 4-12-8 and again in July. Granular fertilizers slowly release nutrients over a 2 month period while water-soluble fertilizer needs to be applied more frequently.
• Deadhead spent flowers regularly except when you’re seed collecting. Always keep the garden tidy so insects
can’t hide under decaying leaves.

Dividing Perennials
Your perennials may need to be divided if they are flowering less, the flowers become smaller, or do not develop fully.
• Divide the plant in the spring before it can fully leaf out.
• With a sharp spade or 2 garden forks, split or quarter the clump. Leave one portion in the ground and transplant the other half (or the other three quarters) to a new location.
• Use Parkwood®Transplanter to get your newly planted divisions off to a good start. There are 2 perennials that should not be split in the spring. The Herbaceous Peony should be divided or moved in mid to late September while the Bearded Iris prefers to be divided in mid to late summer.
If you’ve never gardened with perennials or are just starting, have no worries. Perennials are easily moved when colours
clash, the tall one is in front of the short one, or you have too many daisy flower forms blooming side by side.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Ornamental Grasses
• Ground Covers

As the name implies, ground covers can be used anywhere that bare soil needs to be covered. Most often they replace areas of lawn where grass simply won’t grow. They can be used on slopes where erosion is a problem, they can replace grass grown on a slope when mowing is difficult and hazardous, or they can be used with small gardens, compacted soil and shade for city dwellers. Beyond these very practical reasons, ground covers are being used more and more because of their colour and offer much more interesting texture than grass alone.

How to Choose a Ground Cover
First you need to carefully evaluate the area where you want to grow a ground cover. Ask yourself the following questions.
• Is it sunny or shady? If shady, is it partial or full shade?
• How tall do you want it to grow?
• How fast do you want it to spread?
• Do you want one that’s deciduous or evergreen?
• Do you want it to flower?

Ground Cover for Shade
Evergreen
• Periwinkle
• Wintercreeper
• Japanese Spurge
• English Ivy
• Wintergreen
These will look good all year round.

Deciduous
• Goutweed
• Hosta
• Wild Ginger
• Ferns
• Foamflower
• Bugleweed
• Lily-of - the-Valley
• Sweet Woodruff
• Lamium
• Lamiastrum
• Barrenwort
Be cautious with Goutweed or Violets. They are intensely invasive and are hard to contain.

Ground Cover for Sun
• Low spreading Junipers
• Bearberry
• Coral Beauty Cotoneaster
• Vancouver Gold Broom
• Heaths & Heathers that need acidic soil
• Paxistima & Mountain Cranberry provide evergreen interest
• Rockspray Cotoneaster and Stephanandra have an attractive arching form
• Sun Rose, Creeping Phlox, Snow- in-Summer, Serbian Bellflower, Cranesbill, and low Stonecrops are all perennial flowers.
• Lamb’s Ears and Silver Brocade Artemisia are also perennials with distinctive silvery-grey foliage.

Cover For Dry Conditions
• Evergreen choices include low spreading Junipers & Bearberry
• Perennials include Woolly Yarrow, St. John’s Wort, Low growing Potentilla, New Zealand Burr, Fleece Flower, Hens & Chicks, low Stonecrops, and Goutweed. Crown Vetch can spread like a weed so give it lots of room.

Ground Cover For Moist Conditions
• Bog Rosemary is Evergreen
• Creeping Jenny, Foamflower, and Chameleon plants are perennials.

Ground Cover For Small Areas
• Creeping Thyme, Scotch and Irish Moss, Corsican Mint, Hens & Chicks , Woolly Yarrow, Carpathian Bellflower,
Pussytoes, Ice Plant, and Creeping Mazus are slow growing perennials.

Ground Cover For Large Areas
• English Ivy and Hall’s Honeysuckle are evergreen vines that spread quickly.
• Virginia Creeper is also fast but deciduous.
• Crown Vetch, Goutweed, and Ribbon Grass are all perennial, deciduous, and grow rapidly.

Ground Cover For Colourful Foliage
• Try perennial Bronze Beauty or Burgundy Glow Bugleweed, Yellow Creeping Jenny, or Chameleon Plant.

How to Grow Ground Cover
All plant material benefits from the addition of organic matter like peat moss, manure, and/or compost to the soil before planting.
• Space your ground cover plants according to the tag instructions.
• For larger installations, purchase your ground cover in flats of 50 or 100 plants and tear them apart gently at planting time.
• Keep new plantings moist while they are establishing themselves and spread cedar mulch between plants to maintain moisture and discourage weeds.
• If the large planting of a low ground cover looks flat and boring, consider interspersing clumps of spring-flowering Daffodils, Ferns, or Hostas. This will give a bit of height, contrasting colour, and a variation of leaf shape and size.
• Plant several different ground covers. Each mass should be separately contained with an edging so they don’t grow into each other.
• Ground covers like to spread. They need the containment of an edging like black plastic to keep them in check.

In order for Rhododendrons to develop successfully in colder climates they need:
• Porous or acidic soil.
• To be planted in an area that receives morning sun with shade in mid to late afternoon (shade tolerant, not shade loving).
• Protection from winter wind (do not plant in open areas unless well protected with burlap screening).

Soils
• Well drained, yet moist acidic soil with high organic matter.
• Sandy loam with added peat moss is ideal.

Planting
• The hole for planting must be 15 cm deeper than the root ball and 2 to 3 times wider.
• Loosen soil in hole (do not remove).
• Make raised bed with 50% Parkwood®3 in 1 (well rotted compost can also be used) and 50% Peat Moss.
• Do not plant deeper than what the plant was in the nursery container.
• Carefully remove the plastic or metal container (if your pot is fibre you need only remove the rim and bottom). If your plant is balled and burlapped (B&B) untie knots and pull burlap back from the stem once plant is placed in hole.
• Before planting, loosen roots carefully by hand if they are circling soil.
• Ensure soil mixture is compact around root ball.
• Water thoroughly and fertilize with Parkwood® Water Soluble 30-10-10 Food.

Mulches
• Mulch surface with shredded bark, cocoa beans or a mixture of peat moss and compost or cattle manure.
• Do not cultivate around plants, remove any weeds by hand.

Watering
• Water only when soil has dried out. Soak thoroughly using a gentle overhead sprinkler or soaker hose on the surface.
• Check moisture levels weekly (more if weather extremely hot).
• Ensure soil is moist before the ground freezes in the fall. Fertilizing
• Fertilize in early spring (as soon as soil warms up and root growth begins).
• Use Parkwood®Water Soluble Evergreen & Shrub Food, 30-10-10, according to the package directions.
• Fertilize again once new growth has matured with Parkwood®Water Soluble Fertilizer Flower Food 15-30-15. This will encourage new bud growth for the following year.
• Iron deficiency can result from high soil pH and can be corrected by acidifying the soil with peat moss for a long term green colour. In short term, plants can be sprayed with Iron Chelate.
• Do not use Aluminum Sulphate to acidify the soil as it leaves build up in the soil and will cause harm to your plants over time.

Pruning/Dead-Heading
• Very little pruning is required unless your plant becomes uneven or grows over a walkway. This can be done while plants are in bloom if you would like the cuttings.
• Greater branching can be encouraged by removing the centre bud of the leaf bud clusters in late fall.
• Dead-Heading is the removing of finished flower clusters. Dead-Heading encourages enhanced flower bud production for the following year.

Winter Protection
• Use a burlap screen, staking four corners and an opening left at the top to ensure the burlap does not touch the plant.
• Leaves or cut up evergreen boughs can add extra protection around the base of the plant.
• Spray an anti-desiccant such as Wilt-Pruf.
Companion Plants
• Deciduous Azaleas add additional colour (yellow and orange).
• Mountain-Laurel (Kalmia) and Pieris add different foliage texture and will flower in any partially shaded area.
• Wintergreen (Gautheria procumbens), Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) and Twinflower (Linnaea b orealis) are an excellent ground cover for moist acidic soil in shaded areas.
• Hardy Ferns, Primulas, Columbines, Daylilies, and various wildflowers such as Trilliums, Foam-flower, Virginia Bluebell, Wild Ginger and Jack-in-the-Pulpit can also add interest and should be planted at the same time so as not to disturb the surface roots of plants after they are established.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Shade Gardening

To determine what kind of rose will serve you best; consider flower shapes, sizes, colours, fragrance and how much maintenance it will require.

Miniature Roses
• Blooms all summer.
• Minimal care other than watering and fertilizing.
• Adapt well to containers.
• Can overwinter when protected.
• High success rate as they aren’t grafted.

Floribunda Roses
• Shorter and bushier than hybrid tea roses.
• Single or double flowers appear in clusters on a single stem.

Hybrid Tea Roses
• One perfect flower at the end of a single stem.
• The blooms are not as plentiful as a Floribunda but they are larger.

Grandiflora Roses
• Produces a large flower but occur in clusters like a Floribunda.

David Austin Roses
• Fragrant.
• Many different flower forms and sizes with modern roses (repeat bloom).
• Important for their shrub habit that allows them to be planted in perennial and mixed borders.

Climbing Roses
• Fast growing.
• Needs support.
• They will add vertical height on a trellis or they can climb over an arbour, pergola, or fence.
Shrub Roses
• Bushy, flowering shrubs
• Range in height from 50 cm - 250 cm (20” - 8’).
• Developed for hardiness, dense growth, and low maintenance

Standard Tree & Patio Roses
A Hybrid Tea, Floribunda or Shrub Rose bush is grafted onto a tall stem to make it look like a tree. Patio roses are a shorter form.
• Once they are joined, they are not winter hardy if the tree is left standing in the ground or in a pot.
• To survive winter, they need to be dug up and potted. In late November, when they are containerized, move them into the garage, place them against the house wall that gives off some warmth, and water thoroughly.
• Remove them from the garage in early April and return to the garden.
• Shrub roses are now budded onto tall hardy Rugosa rose stems. These do not require any special winter protection.

Planting Roses
• Choose a sunny location which allows for 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day away from tree roots with good air circulation.
• Dig a hole twice as wide and 20 cm (8”) deeper than the container.
• Prepare a soil mixture of 1/3 Parkwood®3 in 1, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 manure, and 150 ml (10 tablespoons) of bone meal per plant. Place some of this mixture in the bottom of the hole. If your rose comes in a plastic pot, water and gently ease it out and position it in the hole so that the graft or bud union (the swelling just above the roots) is even with the final soil level. If there is no bud union, ie. Shrub Roses which are now grown on their own roots; make sure that the root ball is above grade to allow for some initial settling of the soil.
• Backfill the sides with more of the prepared soil mixture and firm into place.
• Roses that come in brown fibre pots need to have the rims trimmed down to the soil level in the pot, the bottoms cut right off, and 4 equidistant slits cut up the sides.
• Lower the pot into the planting hole but don’t try to remove the sides, leave them on since they’re biodegradable. Fill the sides with the same soil mixture and water the area well.

Fertilizing Roses
• Spread 125 ml (1/2 cup) of granular Parkwood® Garden-All 4-12-8 around each rose bush about mid April after you’ve removed its winter protection.
• Repeat this application after the first flush early in June and then again in August.
• You can also fertilize every three weeks with Parkwood® Flower Food 15-30-15 water soluble fertilizer. Do not fertilize again after mid-August.

Watering
• Roses generally need to be watered deeply twice a week in summer. This means a good soaking of the area.
• Since foliage is sometimes prone to Black Spot and/or Powdery Mildew, try to keep the leaves as dry as possible.
• Water with a watering can or watering wand rather than leaving on an overhead sprinkler.
• Water only in the morning.

Pest Control
Roses, like all plants, can have insect problems.
• Watch for aphids which are small, soft-bodied insects that can be bright green, brown, red, or black. They usually cluster around the new growing shoots or on young flower buds.
• Spider mites are tiny and suck sap from the underside of leaves. Look for flecked foliage that turns yellow and drops off. Insecticidal soap is the easiest, most environmentally friendly solution to these problems.
• Black Spot looks exactly like its name while Powdery Mildew is a white, powder-like covering of the leaves and stems. Try to grow roses that are labeled “disease-resistant” to minimize the occurrence of these 2 conditions. If this happens, it has to be treated or your rose bush will defoliate and be weakened in the process.
• Sulphur Dust, Lime Sulphur and Safer’s Defender are three excellent organic fungicides. Start using one in early July, before you see any signs of disease, and continue every 2 weeks until late September. Safer’s End-All is an organic insecticide that can be used to control most insect pests. Dormant Spray can also be applied in March/Early April.

Pruning
• For Floribunda, Hybrid Tea, Grandiflora, and David Austin roses, prune out all dead wood (brown twigs and end of branches) in early spring (before leaves are fully expanded).
• Prune healthy wood (green in colour) back to 30 cm -60 cm (12” - 24”) above ground, or higher if not winter killed, just above an outward facing bud.
• Climbing and Shrub Roses should only have dead wood pruned out. Do not cut out much healthy wood as this will interfere with flowering. Limit climbers to 3-5 strong canes and prune out the rest right down to ground level.
• When roses start their blooming cycle, remember that removing spent flowers (called “deadheading”) promotes more flowers. Cut back the finished flower stems to just above the first leaf with five leaflets.
• Always remove injured canes or sucker growth from the bud union as soon as you see it.
 

The taste of vegetables grown from your garden is so superior to store-bought we often can’t resist the notion of growing our own. The only mistake enthusiasts make is that they grow far more than their family can consume because they didn’t anticipate the incredible yield.

Where to Grow
• Vegetables need a minimum of 6 hours direct sun per day.
• Plant away from tree roots, in well-drained, level soil with easy access to a garden hose.
• Add 20 cm - 30 cm (8” - 12”) peat moss, manure, and/or compost as well as granular Parkwood® Garden-All 4-12-8 to the top of your soil to improve the condition and fertility before you plant.

What to Grow
• Decide what you want to grow and sketch it out on graph paper.
• Group the vegetable crops according to height to prevent one from shading another.
• Plan to put the small-growing, quick-maturing ones together as well.
• Keep in mind that some vegetables really like to sprawl.

How to Plant
• You can start vegetables from seed in propagation trays in your home starting in March/April.
• You can sow seeds directly into cool soil in April for the best yields of peas, lettuce, onions, radishes, beets, and spinach. These particular seeds can be sown again in late August for a second “cool-weather” crop that matures in fall.
• You can purchase plants that are started in May at a Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre.
• It’s very important to read the seed package or growing tag to know exactly how much space to leave
between each plant and the correct distance between rows. Some vegetables like carrots, that grow profusely and quickly, need to be thinned out so they have sufficient room to mature. This kind of information is also clearly indicated.
• At the time of planting your started vegetables, water in Parkwood®Transplanter 5-15-5 to minimize transplant shock and establish strong roots.

Maintenance

• Four weeks after planting, apply more granular Parkwood®Garden-All 4-12-8 for a slow, steady release of nutrients all summer long. 
• Vegetables will not tolerate competition from weeds so keep the area weed-free. This can be done by laying down porous landscape fabric and/or a thick layer of mulch such as cedar mulch, pine needles, or bark chips between rows.
• If necessary, pull weeds by hand or gently cultivate with a hoe without disturbing shallow roots.
• Watering is crucial to success, so never allow the soil to dry out completely. It should be moist at all times. Feel the surface with your hand for coolness or dig down 10 cm (4”) to see exactly how far water has penetrated.
• Watch carefully for insects and disease. Sheridan Nurseries sells several lines of natural environmentally friendly insecticides and fungicides that can be used safely by simply following the package directions. Consult one of our experts for easy solutions to your questions.
• Harvest your vegetables promptly when they’re at their peak. You can freeze or give away the surplus.

Tomatoes
Selecting which tomato varieties you wish to grow depends on your preference for such things as sweetness, meatiness (as in Beefsteak types), and quickness to maturity.
• The early tomatoes ripen 8 to 10 weeks after planting while the later varieties ripen in about 12 weeks.
• Tomatoes are very frost sensitive.
• Tomatoes need to gradually get used to the light, wind, and variable spring temperatures. You can do this by setting them out during the day in shade and moving them into a bit more sun each day for 5 days. Take them back inside or into the garage overnight if freezing temperatures are predicted. This is called “hardening off”.
• You can plant them directly into the garden on the May long weekend or when all risk of frost has passed.
• For all varieties (except Cherry Tomatoes) insert a strong stake into the ground right beside the plant so you won’t damage the root system with insertion later. Another option is to place a tomato cage over the whole plant. As the tomato grows larger, tie the main stem securely to the stake with rags or old pantyhose. Don’t use rope or a twist tie that can cut into tender plant tissue.
• Since diseases can build up in the soil, grow your tomatoes in a different part of your vegetable garden every year or at least every 2 years. This is known as “crop rotation” and it’s a good idea for all the vegetables you grow.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Composting
• Companion Planting
• Starting Plants from Seed

The decision to grow your own fruit is an easy one because it’s delicious and economical but there are other considerations to take into account.
• Ensure you have enough space to grow your fruit trees. For most fruit you have to plant two trees to cross pollinate. This means that to grow pears you need two different kinds of pear trees. An apple tree will not pollinate a pear.
• All fruit needs at least 6 hours of direct sun per day and well-drained soil amended with peat moss, manure, or compost.
• Fruit trees require an ongoing spray program to control insects and disease if you wish to produce a healthy crop of fruit that is edible.

Apple, Pear, Sweet Cherry, Plum
• To produce fruit, these trees need a second variety to cross-pollinate. If Bartlett is your favourite pear, you have to plant another kind of pear to set fruit on both.
• To grow Japanese Plums you have to plant two different kinds of Japanese Plums. You can’t cross a Japanese Plum with a European Plum. While most European Plums are self-pollinating they benefit from having another European Plum in the vicinity. In this case, you can’t use a Japanese Plum.
• The specific variety of sweet cherry called Stella is classified as self-pollinating but you will have a better yield with another variety of cherry planted nearby.
• Apples can be pollinated by a Crab Apple, eliminating the need for a second apple tree.
• In all cases, if your neighbour has one of these types of fruit trees that aren’t self pollinating, you will not need to establish a second tree in your garden. Bees travel easily from one yard to another.
• Another option for small properties is to purchase what is called a 4-in-1 fruit tree where, on a single trunk, four different varieties have been grafted. For instance, you can grow four different kinds of apple on one tree.

Apricot, Nectarine, Peach, Sour Cherry
• For these fruit trees you only need to plant one, as they are “self-pollinating.” They are very practical for small spaces if you have room for just one fruit tree.

Blueberries
• Two different kinds of blueberries need to be planted for the best fruit production.
• Blueberries require an acidic soil (work a lot of peat moss into the area before planting).
• Blueberries are sun lovers.
• Set plants 1 m - 1.5 m (3’ - 5’) apart.
• Blueberries not only have terrific tasting fruit but they also have a brilliant autumn foliage colour. Strawberries
• Ever bearing and June-bearing strawberries prefer a sunny location.
• They prefer a soil that drains well so you may have to add compost or Parkwood®3 in 1 Planting Mix.
• A layer of mulch like straw or cedar mulch around plants controls weeds, provides winter protection, and protects blossoms from late spring frost.
• Make additional plantings each year since fruit production declines in the second and third year.

Raspberries
• Plant raspberries in sun.
• Ensure soil is amended with manure or compost and Parkwood®3 in 1 Planting Mix
• Position the canes 45 cm (18”) apart in rows 1 m (3’) apart.
• “Ever bearing” raspberries such as Heritage produce fruit every year in late summer/ early fall on new canes.
• All other raspberries produce fruit on canes that have grown for 2 years. Since these thicker canes never produce fruit again, they need to be cut out at ground level once the harvest is complete, leaving the thinner one-year old canes that will bear fruit next year.

Currants & Gooseberries
• These fruits are self-pollinating so one plant will suffice.
• They prefer well-drained, fertile soil.
• Amend the soil with manure or compost and Parkwood®3 in 1 Planting Mix.
• Position currants singly or 60 cm - 100 cm (2’ - 3’) apart, in rows 125 cm (4’) apart
• Gooseberries can be established as a single bush or 100 cm - 125 cm (3’ - 4’) apart.
• Currants and gooseberries flower and produce fruit on last year’s wood so don’t prune them in the spring.
• After 3 or 4 years when the older wood becomes less productive, thin out branches to encourage new growth when fruiting has finished for the season.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Dormant Spraying

When you add annuals to your garden in May, it’s generally because you want continuous colour in certain areas right through the summer and into the fall. Chances are you love to place brimming pots at the front door, on the deck or balcony, on steps, around a swimming pool, even in your garden beds. Hanging baskets add a very important splash of colour well above ground. They can decorate an empty garage, house wall, fence or lattice privacy screen, porch or a covered entrance. All a hanging basket requires is a hanging device from which it can be suspended. Wall brackets are available in many attractive styles. They can be found in either wrought iron or wood that is left natural or stained.

How to Select a Hanging Basket
• First determine the light conditions i.e. full sun, partial shade, and full shade.
• For full sun, the ivy and upright Geraniums are always popular due to their wide range of flower colours and their ability to take heat. Sunshine Impatiens, varieties of Petunias and Trailing Verbena also offer variety. “Wave” and “Surfinia” Petunias assure you plenty of flowers that require little maintenance. Trailing Temari and Aztec Verbena are outstanding performers all summer in many shades of pink and mauve as well as red, burgundy, peach, and white. Million Bells, Bacopa, Bidens, Scaevola, and Trailing Lantana are newer selections also for sunny conditions.
• For partial shade your hanging basket choices are Fuchsia, Lobelia, Shade Impatiens, and Streptocarpus.
• For full shade, Non-Stop and Angel-wing Begonias will brighten any corner.
• Another innovative change is the concept of hanging Baskets with several types of annuals and trailers pre-planted in a 12”, 14”, 16”, or 18” fibre pot or wire basket. They are full with a wide variety of colour, form, and texture.
• Pre-planted hanging baskets are available at your nearest Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre from early May right into summer.

How to Plant Your Own Hanging Basket
You can easily plant your own hanging basket with your favourite annual(s) to exactly suit your garden.
• It’s less expensive and highly original but it may be a number of weeks before you achieve overall fullness and profuse flowering.
• Choose from a wide range of hanging containers.
• Purchase Parkwood®Enriched Potting Mix, a potting soil that’s ideal for hanging baskets and planters. Moss-Lined Baskets Old-fashioned wire baskets have made a tremendous come-back because of their natural, non plastic appearance, their capacity to maintain moisture longer and allow air to reach plant roots, and the opportunity to plant not just at the top but also down the sides.
• Purchase annuals (including vines and trailers) in cell-packs and individually poke them through the gaps in the wire sides.
• Many wire baskets come with a pre-formed sphagnum moss or coco mat liner that only requires the addition of soil and plants. You can also purchase a bag of sphagnum moss that you soak overnight so it’s pliable and easier to work with.
• The next day, place the basket on top of a bucket for support while you work.
• Gently line the basket with strips of moss to a thickness of 5 cm (2”) making sure to overlap each piece so it doesn’t fall through the wire grid and soil won’t escape.
• With the sphagnum moss or pre-formed liner in place, start filling the basket with soil to the level where you want to insert the first annuals.
• Take a sharp knife and cut through the outer moss liner to make room for the insertion of a cell-pack annual through the wire.
• Add soil to the next level, plant, layer again to within 2 cm (0.5”) of the top. Space your plantings out all around the container according to how big each plant will grow. The final effect will be one of complete round fullness and a tapestry of interweaving plants.

How to Maintain Your Hanging Basket
• Be very aware of cold winds and cool evenings in May that can burn foliage or kill off the fleshy stems of such annuals as Sunshine Impatiens, Shade Impatiens and Begonias.
• If at risk, take your basket inside overnight and re-hang the following day.
• The best way to make your hanging basket bloom continuously all summer is to fertilize every 1 to 2 weeks with Parkwood®All Purpose 20-20- 20 or Parkwood® Flower Food 15-30-15 water soluble, mixed at the recommended rate.
• Regularly remove spent flowers (called “deadheading”) so plants can’t go into a cycle of seed production. This is another key to blooming success.
• Turn your basket regularly for even growth.
• Water your hanging baskets according to the temperature and the hot drying winds. You may have to water twice a day as the weather gets warmer (morning and early evening) during prolonged periods of drought and continuous high temperatures.
• Hanging baskets tend to dry out quicker than anything else in your garden as it is above ground with heat and wind all around the container.
• Water more frequently if you see your plants wilting or the edges of the leaves drying out.
• If you’re going away for a weekend, take down your hanging basket, place it in full shade, and water heavily.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Balcony Gardening
• Perfect Annual Containers

For those with limited space who want to have an attractive garden year-round on a deck or balcony, plant only the hardiest small trees and shrubs in containers. The trick is to use the right plants, the right size and type of planter, the appropriate soil, regular watering and proper placement of plants.

Choosing Containers
For plants you’ll be over-wintering you need containers that can handle freezing and thawing. Most ceramic or clay pots will probably crack, as will inexpensive plastics.
• Rot and moisture-resistant wood is ideal. It can be left as is to weather naturally or stained to suit your colour schemes.
• Half whisky barrels are also ideal. They are large, relatively inexpensive and can also be stained or painted.
• Concrete planters are tough and durable but heavy in larger sizes and are not always easy to move.
• Thick, high-grade plastic pots come in all shapes and sizes. Some are even coloured to look exactly like terra cotta.
• Cast iron is very elegant and sturdy but can rust and leave a stain on any surface they touch. They can be treated with rust proof paint. In all cases, your containers need at least one drainage hole at the bottom to allow excess moisture to escape and some form of insulation (Styro foam works nicely)

Planting Small Trees
• In a half-barrel or equivalent size you can plant dwarf standard trees like Weeping Peashrub, Dwarf Lilac, and Russian Olive.
• A flattened fruit tree, called an “espalier,” that’s grafted with 2 or more varieties for cross-pollination, is very attractive against a bare wall in a container that’s at least 75 cm (2.5’) high and wide.

Evergreens
• Your evergreens, especially broadleaf, should be planted in a sheltered area to protect them from the cold winter winds. If not, affix strong casters to the bottom of a large wooden planter so that your containerized evergreens can be moved against a wall out of the wind.
• Topiaries, Upright Cedars, Junipers, and Dwarf Alberta Spruce all make definite vertical statements in a half- barrel or similarly sized pot. They can be under planted with annuals, perennials, an evergreen groundcover, or a draping evergreen like Dwarf Japanese Garden Junipers.
• Medium size evergreens such as spreading Junipers for sun, Mugho Pine, various Globe Cedars and the Dwarf Alberta Spruce can be potted up on their own or in combination with other plant material.
• Yuccas may survive but broadleaf evergreens such as Euonymus, Oregon Grape, Holly, Japanese Pieris, and Mountain-laurel burn very easily over a long, cold winter.
• Boxwood is slow growing, and can be tried in weatherproof planters that are a minimum of 40 cm (16”) deep and wide. For large rectangular containers Green Mound Boxwood can be used at the edge as a formal hedge.

Vines
• If planting vines, provide a means of support like a trellis, obelisk, or tripod upon which a vine can climb.
• Try the hardy Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle in either sunny or shady areas. Shrubs
• Proportion is the key to using shrubs.
• You must have large built in planters so the shrub wil look balanced once it has matured.
• Smaller, deciduous shrubs can work well and will not be burned by the winter wind. Dwarf Lilac, Potentilla and
dwarf Spirea will flower beautifully.

Roses
• Plant smaller, hardy Shrub Roses, such as the Rugosa Rose, the Explorer or Parkland Rose.
• Prepare roses for winter as you would any rose planted in the garden by hilling them with firmly packed soil
and/or by using a rose collar.

Perennials
• Experiment with perennials.
• Keep in mind that plants in planters that are less than 40 cm (16”) tall or wide do not have a good chance of survival.
• Choose larger planters in which you can establish several perennials.

Overwintering
• Continue watering containers all through the fall.
• In late November, water one last time so the soil freezes up with lots of moisture in the event of a mid-winter thaw.
• Keep in mind of the wind and move pots to protect the foliage of evergreens if necessary.
• Start testing the soil for moisture in late winter and early spring.
• Do not hesitate to water in late March or early April if the soil feels dry to the touch and is pale in colour.
• The last watering of the season and watering through April are critical to the success of your container plants.

Maintenance
• Hardy plants often cover more than half of the soil surface so you cannot count on nature providing any
moisture for your containers.
• Ensure you provide enough moisture, especially through the periods of high temperatures as summer wind
will rapidly dry your plants.
• Use a moisture meter if you are uncertain how often you should water. Nutrients in a small soil system will deplete
quickly and leach due to frequent watering.
• Fertilize approximately every 2 weeks from April to August with water soluble Parkwood®Evergreen &
Shrub Food, 30-10-10 or Parkwood®All-Purpose, 20-20-20.
• For flowering plants use Parkwood®Flower Food, 15-30-15.
• If new growth is scarce, flowering reduced, roots growing out the drainage holes at the bottom, or the plant is lifting itself out of its container, you may need to transplant into a larger container.
• Transplanting is best done when the plant is still dormant in early spring.
• Prune plants as required and keep an eye for insects and disease so you can control them.

Planting Tips
• Your containers need drainage holes. A power drill can easily go through wood or plastic.
• Place porous black landscape fabric or very fine mesh over the holes so soil doesn’t wash out.
• Put 2.5 cm - 5 cm (1” - 2”) of gravel on top of the landscape fabric so roots don’t sit in wet soil.
• Use only Parkwood®Enriched Potting Mix, specially blended for planters.
• Follow the planting instructions in the Sheridan Nurseries Planting Guide and backfill the sides to within 2.5 cm (1”) of the top.
Also refer to this Gardening Tip

Adding plants to your home will beautify any interior and increase the amount of oxygen in a room. Some plants are known to actually purify the air according to studies done by NASA. The Peace Lily, Sanseveria, Chinese Evergreen, Heartleaf Philodendron, Spider Plant, Golden Pothos, English Ivy, Gerbera Daisy, and Dracaena Marginata are examples of plants that fight indoor air pollution.

Light
• Before purchasing a house plant, evaluate the lighting conditions of your home as each plant has its own specifications.
• The south and west exposures are the brightest but the further you go back from the windows, the more the light diminishes.
• East windows are bright all morning.
• North windows have low light most of the day.
Visit a Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre nearest you to see the wide variety of tropical plants. They are tagged for high, medium, and low light.

Water
• Watering is the major cause of death in plants.
• When plants are over-watered, the leaves turn yellow and the roots rot.
• Get to know your plants well and their individual requirements. Do not just automatically water all your plants once a week. For example, a small pot in a warm, sunny window dries out faster than a tropical in a 30 cm (12”) container.
• To determine if a plant needs water feel the top of the soil first. If it’s the slightest bit cool and damp, don’t water. Wait until the soil is room temperature, dry to the touch, and paler in colour or the leaves just start to droop.
• Purchase a Moisture Meter at your nearest Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre that will accurately gauge moisture.
• Water to the point where it comes out the drainage holes at the bottom and empty the excess that collects in the saucer after a half hour. Do not let your plants sit in water.
• Invest in a mister bottle to mist the foliage of your plants regularly. Many house plants originate in the Tropics and have come from a moist greenhouse where humidity was high.

Fertilizer
• Fertilize only from March to October when plants are actively growing with Parkwood®Water Soluble, 20-20-20.

Transplanting
• Tropicals need transplanting into a larger container 2.5 cm - 5 cm (1” - 2”) when you see roots growing out
drainage hole, the plant is lifting out of the pot, orwhen new growth is abnormally small.
• Transferring to a new pot is best done in spring or early summer. Be sure to use Parkwood®Enriched Potting
Mix, a lightweight potting soil for tropical plants.

Tropical Foliage Plants
• Lush, tropical house plants come in many sizes, leaf shapes and colours.
• It’s easy to create a tropical paradise ranging from a tall Weeping Ficus tree to a Rex Begonia. Cactus & Succulents
• Cactus and succulents require completely different growing conditions. They store moisture in the fleshy part of their body or leaves so they do not require misting.
• Watering is only necessary about once every 3-4 weeks.
• Cactus and Succulents like to grow in sunny southwest windows and rarely need transplanting due to a tiny root system. If they do require transplanting go to a container 2.5 cm (1”) bigger and use cactus soil which has a high proportion of sand for quick drainage.
• To coax a cactus to bloom in the spring and summer and to keep it in top health use Schultz Cactus Plus 2-7-7 diluted with water as directed.
• Cactus and succulents like the Jade plant require the least amount of. Water them very little and they will live for years.

Flowering House Plants African Violets
• African Violets are one of the most popular flowering house plants because their small size enables them to fit anywhere and the various bloom colours are very appealing.
• African Violets require bright light but not direct sun that can cause foliage to turn yellow and look unhealthy.
A south or west window is probably too intense for summer, but ideal as a winter location.
• Water your African Violet when the soil is dry to the touch. Place your plant in a saucer full of water for about a 1⁄2 an hour. In that time it will draw up what it needs. By watering it from the bottom water will not be splashed on the sensitive foliage or rot the crown. Be sure to turn the pot a little at each watering for even growth.
• Fertilize with Parkwood® Flower Food 15-30-15 or Shultz-Instant Liquid Plant Food for African Violets 8-14-9.

Tropical Hibiscus
• Tropical Hibiscus are available in bush or tree form, in single or double flowers, and in colours of red, yellow, peach, pink, and white.
• The large exotic flower of the Tropical Hibiscus lasts just one day but they are prolific bloomers if placed in an area where there is plenty of sun.
• Many people like to put their Hibiscus outside on the patio for the summer months and bring it back in for the winter.
• In spring acclimatize your plant slowly to direct sunlight or the foliage will burn.
• Be sure to treat the foliage and soil with insecticide before bringing back inside in September.
• Fertilize every 2 weeks with Parkwood®Flower Food 15-30-15 from spring through fall and, if it’s in a very sunny window for winter and wants to keep flowering, fertilize once a month.
• Hibiscus grows rapidly and will probably need to be transplanted every 2 years. Transplant into a container 5 cm (2”) bigger, loosen the root structure gently with your fingers, and add Parkwood®Enriched Potting Mix.
• Cineraria, Florist Chrysanthemums, Persian Violet, Gloxinias, and Rieger Begonias are really intended as a temporary splash of colour and are maintained so long as they’re blooming.
• Easter Lilies and Hydrangeas can be moved outside in May with a possibility of blooming the following year.
• Gerbera Daisies are annuals that when moved outside into full sun will flower all summer with weekly applications of Parkwood®Flower Food, 15-30-15.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Bonsai
• Caring for your Christmas Plants

Every garden is different because it reflects the personality and taste of the garden designer. You can study books, read magazines, take classes, and be able to differentiate between formal and informal styles, cottage gardening and herbaceous borders, Japanese and contemporary styles, etc.
Your final result will be a compilation of everything you like and every fond memory you have of long ago gardens. The following design principles and elements are intended to help you put it all together a cohesive, beautiful, and satisfying landscape design.

Colour
The first step in composition is to determine an overall colour scheme that you like. You will want something that ties in with your house so the gardens become an extension of your home.
• If you’re working with shade, keep in mind that pale colours really jump out from a darker background.  Light pink, soft yellow, peach, and white will be noticed more than dark red, burgundy, blue, or purple.
• “Hot” colours like red, yellow, and orange advance toward the viewer. “Cool” colours such as green, blue, and purple recede. If you blend the hot and cool colours you’ll create a wonderful energy between the two. You can also create a soft, pastel effect or a monochromatic garden that is all white, silver, and green.

Plant Material
• The choice of plant material is determined by existing sun/shade conditions and mature height and spread.
• This last tip concerning size can’t be overemphasized. If you have an 80 cm (30”) space for one plant and put a Beautybush there that gets 3 m (10’) high and 250 cm (8’) wide you’ll be doing a lot of pruning to keep it in bounds.
• The Sheridan Nurseries Garden Guide is your best resource to avoid such concerns.

Form & Texture
• Be aware of the actual shape or form of the plants you are considering.
• Blend pyramidal forms (Blue Colorado Spruce, Upright Japanese Yew) with round (Goldflame Spirea,
Dwarf Mugho Pine), spiky (Yucca, Ornamental Grasses), Columnar (Hicks Yew, Pyramidal English Oak), weeping (Weeping European Larch, Weeping Japanese Cherry), or irregular outlines (False Cypress, Ginkgo) to name a few.
• Consider the form and texture of the leaves. You’ll appreciate and notice this best when you plant a large leaf (like a Hosta) with a small leaf (such as Astilbe). Or plant velvety, felted Silver Brocade Artemisia or Lamb’s Ears under a shiny Mahonia. The contrast is dramatic.

Balance
Balance in garden design can be formally symmetrical where the two halves are the same or almost the same or asymmetrical and informal where components are balanced but not symmetrical.
• You need to balance off vertical elements with horizontal. You don’t want too much of either or
your plan will look very static.
• Deciduous and evergreen plant materials also require balance in order to have winter interest. This is especially important for the front where a minimum of 50% of the planting should be evergreens. They will provide structure and colour for 12 months of the year.
• To further create balance, repeat the actual plant, the form of it, or the colour in several parts of your design. Your eye will link these areas of similarity from one part of a garden to another. If nothing ties together because you have too many unrelated hard landscape materials and plants, your eye
will jump all over the place and there won’t be any continuity to the design.

Proportion
• This part of composition is about the size relationship of plants to each other as well as the relationship of mature plant size to the architecture. In the former case, if you have one huge Maple at the front of your property and all the other plant material is 1 m (39”) or less there’s a huge gap between the two.
• You need to incorporate several other sizes to bridge the gap from short to very tall. In the latter case, plant material that anchors the corner of the house needs to be in proportion to the height of that wall whether it’s a 1-storey or full 2-storey structure. A Weeping Peashrub, for example, that’s only 175 cm (6’) high isn’t in scale, but a Laburnum at 6 m (20’) is.

Conclusion
These are just a few guidelines to help you plan and design your garden.
• Drive around residential neighbourhoods to get ideas. You’ll quickly determine what you like and don’t like.
• Take notes and/or pictures.
• Visit a Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre to look at a variety of plants as well as get advice from
friendly experts.
• Talk to people who love to garden.
• Subscribe to a gardening magazine.
• Tune into programs on radio or television.
• Join a horticultural club.
• Go on a garden tour, or visit a Botanical Garden. Take some time to evaluate your needs as well as your dreams and don’t jump in unprepared. Lastly, if you’re a keen do-it-yourselfer, draw up a 3-5 year plan to stretch your budget over several years and to allow you time to evaluate and finalize your ideas.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• How to evaluate your Garden Needs

Whether starting a garden from scratch or renovating one you need to ask some important questions.
• How you intend to use the space.
• What your budget will allow. For older gardens you need a critical, objective eye to determine what can be kept and what should be eliminated altogether. Sometimes standing on the other side of the street will give you the best perspective for evaluating the front as others might see it. Ask yourself the following questions to help in the decision-making process.

Front Garden
• Does your driveway need repair or replacement? Asphalt is the most practical and inexpensive, followed by interlock and pressed concrete. Aim to colour co-ordinate the latter two choices with the architecture.
• Does your driveway need to be widened so you don’t step out of a vehicle right onto grass? If so, consider adding borders of interlock or natural stone on both sides. If you can’t match the material exactly to the
existing driveway it’s preferable to create a contrast.
• Is the walkway wide enough for two people to walk side by side? Do you want to keep the narrow bed along the garage wall or eliminate it completely? Do you prefer straight, curving, or zigzag lines for your walk?
• Do you want a small seating area or garden bench at the front?
• Do you require more privacy because you’re on a corner property? Do you need to discourage
pedestrians from walking across your lawn?
• Do you need to disguise a hydro or telephone box?
• Do you want a planting across your front foundation? If so, do you have a significant overhang that makes the soil there rock hard and dry? Do you want to start a planting in front of the overhang and cover the dry zone with black landscape fabric and gravel or riverbed stone?
• Have you measured the height of your windows so plant material won’t block it?
• Is 50% or more of the plant material evergreen for winter interest?
• Do you want fragrance in some of your plant material?
• Do you have room for a specimen shade tree or evergreen on your lawn bearing in mind its mature
diameter and the shade it may cast?
• Can you plant on the other side of the driveway so there’s a visual link to the major beds?
• Is your lawn area so small, it could be eliminated altogether and replaced with assorted low maintenance plants, riverbed stone, pea gravel, garden rocks?
• Do you want night lighting?
• Do you have room for beautiful containers or urns that can be planted with colourful annuals? Back Garden
• Do you need a fence or should the existing one be replaced to create more privacy? Do you know the
building code for fences in your area?
• Are you thinking about a swimming pool? If so, install it first. Putting in a pool 5 years later may damage much of what’s already there.
• Do you want a pressure treated wood or cedar deck or an interlock or natural stone patio? Are your
dimensions large enough to accommodate your paio furniture and entertain family and friends comfortably?
• Do you want a hot tub that should be included with the deck?
• Do you need to shade your deck with a tree, retractable awning, large umbrella, or pergola built over top?
• Do you need privacy on the deck (with lattice privacy screens on the sides) and/or along fence or property lines?
• Do you need a play area for children? If so, make it close to the house so you can watch from a kitchen or family room window with an unimpeded view.
• Do you want a vegetable garden that might include herbs?  If so, it has to be situated to receive the most sun.
• Do you want fruit trees?
• Do you want flowering plant material that bloom from April to October?
• Is fragrance important to you?
• Do you want a feature like a gazebo, or arbour?
• Do existing beds need to be enlarged or linked together for a sense of unity? Or do they just need
to be reshaped?
• Where will you put a garden shed and/or a composter?
• Do you want to attract birds, butterflies, and/or hummingbirds to your back garden?

Side Gardens
• Do you have a narrow strip on either side of your house that’s in shade most of the day?
• Is grass struggling to survive? If so, replace it with a random path of concrete patio stones or flagstone
set in decorative gravel or a shade-tolerant ground cover.
• Is there easy access to an air conditioning unit?
• Is this is a good space to store firewood or a composter? When you’ve decided what needs to be done on your property, your next big decision will be whether to hire a landscape contractor to carry out some or all of the work or whether you’ll do it yourself. However you accomplish your vision of a beautiful, functional garden, remember it adds great value to your home and a personal escape from the stress and pressures of day-to-day living.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• How to Design your Garden
• Ground Covers

Water features should be located in an area that receives a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day. This will allow you to plant many varieties of water plants. If possible, place your pond away from trees and shrubs to prevent unwanted leaves from clogging any filtration system you are using. You will want your new pond to be visible from your most used outdoor space and/or from within your home. Don’t forget you will need to have easy access to both a garden hose and electricity.

Basic Steps to Setting up Water Features
• Choose a location for your pond.
• Outline its shape and size with a rope or garden hose.
• Dig a hole to match the depth and size of the pond.
• Remove any stones or rocks that may affect the pond base.
• Add an underlay and/or a 1” layer of sand to support your pond.
• If you are installing a preformed pond, place the pond in the hole and check to ensure the pond is level. The pond must be level in all directions. Backfill around the edges, making sure the soil is well packed under any shelves in the pond. Now your preformed pond can be filled with water.
• If you have chosen to install a flexible pond liner, drape the liner loosely over the hole and hold it in place with bricks or large rocks. Slowly add water to the pond. As the pond fills, continually smooth the liner to minimize creases. As the liner is weighted down by the water it will conform to the design of your pond.
• Once your pond is filled with water, place decorative edging stones around the edge of the liner.
• Leave room for pump cables and hoses.
• Calculate the volume of water in your pond. Once you have established this, you can determine what size of pump and filter you will need. The volume of your pond also determines the number of fish and plants your pond will be able to hold.

Square and Rectangle Water Features
Length x Width x Average Depth = Volume of Pond
Example: 9’ L x 6’ W x 2’ D = a pond volume of 108 cubic feet.

Round Water Features
Top Diameter x Bottom Diameter x Height x 0.785 = Volume of Pond
Example: 3’ TD x 3’ BD x 2’ H x 0.785 = a pond volume of 14.13 cubic feet
To convert volume to gallons
Cubic feet x 7.48 = Gallons
Example: 108 cubic feet x 7.48 = 807 Gallons

How to calculate the size pump you need for a waterfall
A waterfall pump should circulate 100 gallons per hour for every 1” wide of waterfall face plus the lift of the water (approx. 50 gallons per foot) from where the pump sits on the bottom of the pond to top of the waterfall.

Example: 6” wide waterfall x 100 gallons = 600 gallons
Pump is 10’ from top of waterfall or 10 x 50 gallons = 500 gallons
600 gallons + 500 gallons = 1100 gallons per hour

The waterfall pump should be circulating at least 1100 gallons per hour
• Once your pond is in place and you have determined the volume of the pond, you need to choose a pump
and filter system. There are many brands and types of pumps and filters available. See your Pond Specialist at a Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre near you for any assistance.
• Once your pump and filter system are installed, you are ready to add plants, fish and the
appropriate chemicals to your pond.

Many questions are being raised concerning the widespread use of pesticides (insecticides for insect control, fungicides for disease, and herbicides for weeds). What is the risk to the environment, to birds and animals, to beneficial insects, and to humans, particularly children? To replace traditional means of pest control, a new attitude is gaining acceptance and being put into practice. This is called Integrated Pest Management or IPM.

A Healthy Garden Environment
• One of the major reasons plants and turf succumb to insects or disease is stress which can be caused
by prolonged periods (or years) of drought, high temperatures, too much or too little moisture, too much sun, overcrowding, and poor soil. The remedy to the first two is to water deeply when it’s hot and dry or grow drought tolerant plants.
• To minimize disease when there’s too much humidity, water only in the morning, never in the evening and make sure there’s good air circulation around plants.
• The importance of fertile, well drained soil can’t be overemphasized for the general health of all plants.
Adding soil conditioners every year like peat moss, sheep or cattle manure, vermiculite, gypsum to break down clay, and shredded leaf mould create a perfect growing medium. The absolute best additive is compost because it’s also a gentle fertilizer thus eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers. When plants are strong they can resist insects and disease easier.
• By determining deficiencies in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, adjustments can be made so plants are absorbing what they really need. Soil pH can also be tested for acidity and alkalinity so appropriate plants can be selected for the condition or the soil can be amended.
• A simple way to determine soil fertility is with a soil test kit which is available at any Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre.

Insect Control
• Every garden is full of insects. Some are beneficial; some are not. The important thing to keep in mind is that in a healthy environment there is usually a balance between the two.
• Learn to accept small populations of aphids or spider mites, for example, if they’re not damaging plants.
• Carefully observe all your garden plants regularly so you will know when an infestation gets out of hand and threatens an individual’s survival. It’s only at that point when more direct action is required.
• In the case of scale, the ideal time to apply a spray is when it’s in its soft shell stage in August-September and also in early spring. The timeliness of treatment is as important as the insecticide itself.
• Grubs in the lawn are a real concern. Rather than kill them with a chemical why not use beneficial nematodes that are like a natural predator? These microscopic insects invade a grub, deposit bacteria that ultimately kill them, and move onto the next one. As the population of nematodes increases so does their effectiveness.
• There are a number of products available that cause minimal if any damage to the environment. BTK (Bacillus thuringiensis) has been around a long time for controlling caterpillars. Safer’s Slug & Snail Bait is effective and works quickly. Safer’s End-All is a canola-based solution that smothers rather than poisons.  Insecticidal soap works the same way. Look at the full line of Safer’s and Green Earth products for safe controls.
• To determine a solution, the insect needs to be correctly identified and its life cycle understood.
Visit a Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre closest to you for assistance in identifying any unknown problem.

Disease Control
Some plants are naturally predisposed to certain diseases.
• Roses can be prone to powdery mildew, rust, and black spot. You must work on this problem before the disease begins. Also avoid watering Roses in the evening.
• Climactic conditions are a big factor in the proliferation of disease. A lot of rain over a prolonged period definitely sets up a perfect breeding environment. Your best defense is to remove damaged foliage as quickly as possible. Dispose in your garbage, not your compost and do not let it sit on damp soil.
• In the vegetable garden, crop rotation from year to year will also help to inhibit the spread of disease. But remember it’s just one season. No two years are ever alike and the following summer may be hot and dry with little evidence of any disease.

Weed Control
• Weeds grow wherever there’s a gap. When a lawn is thin and in poor vigour it’s often overtaken with weeds.
• A long-term goal should be thickening the turf by over seeding.
• Aerating is appropriate too, so new Parkwood® 3-in1 Planting Mix and compost can be added to the
root system for a stronger, thicker turf.
• Where grass won’t grow, for instance, in shade under mature trees, plant ground covers such as Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), or Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum). They form such a thick carpet, weeds will not grow through.
• Physical barriers are also effective. Parkwood® Landscape Fabric prevents weeds from growing through but it is still porous.
• Cedar mulch and bark chips are excellent for preventing weed growth, minimizing evaporation,
and keeping plant roots cool in summer.
• Cutting plants back before they go to seed prevents dispersal. This is particularly true with dandelions,
crabgrass, and thistles.
• Also, if you have the time you can manually dig out the weeds.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Composting
• Companion Planting

Members of the genus paphiopedilum are found in southern Asia, in habitats ranging from hot jungles to cool mountain peaks. They are semi-terrestrial, growing in rich humus and other material on the forest floor as well as on cliffs in pockets of humus and occasionally in trees. Much like the Phalaenopsis, these are considered the easiest Orchids to grow in the average home. Lady Slipper Orchids grow 10-30 cm (4-12”) high and bloom most abundantly in fall through spring. The truly unique flower occurs on a single, upright stem and is characterized by a prominent pouch (the“slipper”) flanked by two horizontal petals and crowned by a broad dorsal sepal that is often attractively striped or speckled. Although the size of the flower varies with the variety, many are 7-10 cm (3-4”) across. Each bloom lasts approximately 4-6 weeks, even as long as 3 months. Leaves are 15-20 cm (6-8”) long, strap like, leathery, and solid green or mottled.

Light
• Lady Slipper Orchids do not require high light levels.
• Choose an east or west-facing window or near a shaded south window. Direct midday sun will actually
overheat the plant and scorch the leaves.
• Paphiopedilums also grow well under fluorescent lights.
• Ideally, place plants 15-30 cm (6-12”) below 2 or 4 tubes that are full spectrum for 12-14 hours a day.

Temperature
• Mottled-leaved Lady Slippers are the warm growing type and prefer 15-18°C (60-65°F) at night and 24- 29°C (75-85°F) or more during the day.
• The green-leaved varieties are the cool growing type so night temperatures should be around 10-15°C
(50-60°F) with day temperatures around 24-27°C (75-80°F). In fact, they must have night time temperatures of 15°C (60°F) or less from mid-March to mid-June to set flowers.
• To protect plants from rot when it’s cold keep humidity low and avoid moisture on the leaves or in the crowns of the plants.
• In extreme heat, protect plants from burning by shading them more, increasing humidity and air movement around the plants.

Water
• Lady Slipper Orchids have no pseudobulbs that store moisture so water must be constantly available
to the roots.
• All of these Orchids need a moist growing medium – never soggy, never dry.
• Water once or twice a week and keep in mind that over-watering can be fatal.

Spring Fertilizer
• Rake the lawn in April when it’s firm enough to walk on without leaving footprints.
• Apply Parkwood®21-6-12 Lawn Food for strong, green growth. Some of the Nitrogen (the first number in the formula) will release quickly for a rich green, carpet effect while the rest slow releases over a
6-8 week period.
• Apply Turf Maize if you had Crabgrass the previous year. It can be used up to mid-May to prevent crabgrass seed from returning.
• When using either fertilizer, water in well immediately after application.
• Your lawn only requires one application of fertilizer. Choose Parkwood®21-6-12 Lawn for your needs.

Summer Fertilizer
• Apply an application of Parkwood®21-6-12 Lawn fertilizer in July. This granular fertilizer is nitrogen rich and will help keep your lawn healthy and strong.
• Follow the instructions on the bag for application in conjunction with Parkwood®Lawn fertilizer.
• Now is the time to prepare your lawn for Grub control and European Chafer as well as other lawn insects.  Apply Nematodes to your lawn according to the package directions. Nematodes will move into the root
zone to control the grubs where they are feeding.
• For the best results, apply Nematodes in July to mid-August when larvae are actively feeding near the surface.

Fall Fertilizer
• Apply Parkwood®6-8-14 Fall Fertilizer in the autumn anytime from September to November. This is crucial for strengthening your lawn throughout the winter months.
• Make certain you water in well after application.
• The 8 in the formula is Phosphorus which strengthens the roots for winter.
• The 14 in the formula is Potassium which builds resistance to winter injury and disease.

Seeding Your Lawn
Your lawn can become thin and patchy for many reasons including shade, heavy traffic, drought, insects, and disease. To rejuvenate and thicken your lawn, over seed in spring and/or early fall.
• Start by cutting the lawn shorter than usual and rake the area thoroughly.
• Put down a root-promoting fertilizer like Fafard Viva Lawn®.
• Prepare the area for repair by raking it clean and roughen up the soil surface with a rake.
• In the area to be seeded spread 2.5 cm (1”) of Viva Lawn Repair. Do not use Topsoil or 3 in 1 when seeding as they’re too heavy and will smother tender young seedlings as well as your existing lawn.
• Spread the seed by hand. Use 20% more grass seed than you need to ensure good coverage and to account for birds eating the seed. For larger areas or for over seeding the entire lawn, use a rotary spreader.
• Rake in seed lightly with a grass rake and tamp gently.
• Rope off seeded area to avoid disturbance to the seedbed.
• Water well and keep moist for the next 4-5 weeks. The bluegrass content in the Parkwood®mixtures
takes approx 3-4 weeks to germinate.
• For even thicker turf, seed again in September when the days are still warm and the evenings cool.
• You can safety mow your newly seeded lawn when it’s 5 cm - 6 cm (2” - 2.5”) high.

Seeding a New Lawn
• To seed a new lawn, remove all stones and construction materials from the site.
• Wood that’s buried will cause mushrooms to grow in your lawn. This will continue until the wood’s completely decomposed which can take several years.
• Slope the area gently away from the house and rake level.
• Be sure you have a 10 cm (4”) base of top quality topsoil or 3 in 1. To calculate your soil and grass seed
needs, bring in your square footage to any Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre. A staff member will determine how much you need.
• Spread the soil over your lawn area, add Fafard Viva Lawn®, according to the package instructions on the box and mix in to the existing soil with a rototiller.
• Rake the soil level, spread seed, and tamp according to the instructions above.
• Rope off the seeded area and keep well watered for 4-5 weeks.

Sod
Sod is the quickest way to repair bald spots. It comes in rolls approximately 2 m (6.5’) long and 40 cm (16”) wide and is easily cut to fit.
• Follow the preparation instructions above for seeding a new lawn and start laying the rolls of sod starting at the rear of your area and work to the front so you’re not walking on the new sod.
• Ensure each strip is firmly butted up against the previous one so there aren’t any gaps.
• With a lawn roller that’s one third filled with water (any more and it will be too heavy) roll the whole area to eliminate air pockets and to ensure the sod makes contact with the soil below.
• Water the area for 3-4 hours afterward.
• Lift a corner of the sod to make sure water has penetrated through the sod to the soil base below.
• Water each day for the next 2 weeks and keep moist during hot summer weather.
• Mow as needed.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• What’s Bugging your Lawn

Potted Christmas Trees are a nice alternative to artificial or cut Christmas trees. Bring your potted live evergreen in your home for the Christmas holidays. Once the holidays are over, plant outdoors for years of enjoyment. There are a few key things to keep in mind if you would like to make your potted Christmas tree a permanent part of your garden.

Preparation
• In November (when the ground’s still workable) dig a hole where you intend to place the tree after the
holidays.
• The hole should be approximately 50 cm (20”) deep and 60 cm (24”) wide.
• Loosen the soil at the bottom with your shovel.
• Add 5 cm - 10 cm (2” - 4”) of gravel on the bottom if you have heavy clay.
• Add 15 cm - 25 cm (6” - 8”) of Parkwood®3 in 1 mixed with some manure or compost.
• Place the remainder of your soil mixture in the garage or basement so it does not freeze solid when you’re ready to backfill the sides at planting time in late December.
• Cover the planting hole with planks of wood or a sheet of plywood.
• Purchase your fresh potted evergreen at a Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre near you in late fall. There are plenty of varieties and sizes to choose from.
• Bring your evergreen home and leave it outside in the cool temperatures.
• Water every 2 or 3 days to the point where you see water exiting the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot.

Bring Your Potted Christmas Tree Inside
• Keep your potted evergreen inside for a maximum of 7 to 10 days.
• Be sure to position your tree in the coolest area of your home (i.e. near a window or door) and away from direct heat sources.
• Place a large, sturdy drainage tray under the tree for when you water.
• Decorate your tree with LED mini-lights and your favourite Christmas decorations.
• Water your living Christmas tree everyday.

Planting Your Potted Christmas Tree
• Harden your evergreen before putting it right into the ground after Christmas.
• Take your tree outside for a few hours each day and put it back in the garage overnight. It will gradually re-adjust to the colder temperatures.
• After a week has passed trim the rim of the fibre pot down to the soil level with a sharp knife and remove.  Cut the bottom right off.
• Make four evenly spaced slits halfway up the fibre sides from bottom to top but do not remove. Leave the sides on to maintain the integrity of the root ball so it doesn’t fall apart during planting.
• Place the container in your pre-dug hole and backfill the sides firmly with the soil you stored in the garage.
• Water the area thoroughly, and then put an extra 10 cm (4”) of soil over the top to help insulate the root zone for winter.
• Maintain moisture in the foliage by spraying your evergreen with Wilt-Pruf to prevent windburn or you can surround your specimen with burlap stapled to sturdy garden stakes.

After-Care
• Remove the burlap and the extra insulation soil once the ground begins to thaw in the spring.
• Dilute Parkwood®Transplanter 5-15-5 with water to promote immediate root growth.
• Repeat this treatment twice more at 2-week intervals with regular watering in between.
• Continue to keep your evergreen well watered especially through prolonged periods of high temperatures and drought.
• The following spring, make a yearly application of an evergreen fertilizer.

Natural Christmas Decorations
• Prune your female and male Holly in December and bring the branches inside to decorate your home.
• Yellowtwig, Red Osier, Siberian, Ivory Halo, Silverleaf, or Winter Beauty Dogwood makes wonderful dried flower arrangements.
• If you don’t grow your own Dogwood you can buy stems from your nearest Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre. We also stock Curly Willow, Winterberry branches and many more.
• Fresh wreaths are also available in Cedar, Balsam or Fraser Fir, Boxwood, Evergreen Magnolia, and mixed evergreens.
• Cedar or Balsam roping can be swaged across a fence or porch or spiraled down columns.
• Near the house, on an evergreen(s) in the back garden, you may want to string dried fruits, berries, rosehips, raisins, cranberries, dried apricots, even dried Sunflower heads as a Christmas present to the birds.  Both wreaths and roping can be used indoors for a short period of time before dropping needles. To prolong the use of any fresh evergreens inside your home, spray with Wilt-Pruf before bringing indoors. This clear spray locks in moisture to keep greens going longer.
Also refer to this Gardening Tip
• Caring for your Christmas Plants

There is no such thing as a maintenance free garden, but you can reduce the workload with some careful planning.

Lawns
• A large to medium-sized lawn requires a lot of effort if you want it to look good. You have to water, mow, fertilize, control weeds and insects, de-thatch, aerate, and sometimes over seed.
• If your lawn is in poor condition now, think about putting a lot of time into it for one year to bring it back to a thick, healthy state or simply sod over and start again. Once restored, it’s a matter of maintenance through proper watering and fertilizing rather than battling weeds, grubs, or thin spots every year.
• Establishing a ground cover under mature shade trees or replacing grass with gravel along the side of the house where it’s always shady is much easier than reseeding every year.
• You can also reduce the size of the lawn area with wider beds of shrubs, evergreens, and ground covers.
• Small lawns can be eliminated completely and replaced with paths and areas of smooth riverbed stone or pea gravel interspersed with a variety of slow-growing plants and groundcovers, interesting rocks, and perhaps a bench or birdbath.

Evergreens
• Choose evergreens or broadleaf evergreens that, when fully grown, exactly fit the space where you’ve planted it.
• Think about replacing your Cedar hedges with a wood fence, surmounted with attractive lattice. Train a flowering vine to cover the lattice and there’s almost no maintenance.

Flowering Plant Material
Annuals, perennials, and some flowering shrubs like Lilacs need to be “deadheaded”. Perennials need to be cut back close to the ground every fall and many varieties also need to be split in half every 3-5 years or their entangled root systems will stop them from flowering.
• Choose dwarf flowering shrubs that require no deadheading and little pruning of any kind like Potentilla, Dwarf Lilac, Carol Mackie Daphne, the dwarf Spireas, Compact Lemoine Deutzia, St. John’s Wort, and Miniature Snowflake Mockorange.
• Plant larger shrubs that are self-sufficient like the Weigela, Burningbush, Cotoneaster, Winterberry, and Serviceberry. Roses
Rose care normally includes deadheading, fertilizing, insect and disease control, and winterizing. Shrub Roses don’t require this much care. The Ottawa Explorer series, in particular, is renowned for its hardiness and low maintenance.
• Choose a Shrub Rose based on mature size, flower colour, and fragrance and forget the Hybrid Teas.
• Carpet Roses were recently introduced and are gaining popularity for their disease-resistance and prolific blooming. Smaller than most Shrub Roses, they’re easy to maintain.

Watering
• Consider installing an in-ground irrigation system that’s on a timer. It’s easy to program to go on at specific times and days of the week. At any time you can change it depending upon natural weather conditions.
• Purchase a soaker hose that gently seeps water into the soil. They take the place of hooking up sprinklers or watering by hand.
• Group together plants with similar water requirements so some aren’t overwatered while others aren’t getting enough.
• Consider drought tolerant plants that may only need watering every 10 days to 2 weeks.

Weeds
• Lay black landscape fabric on top of the enriched soil when establishing a new garden to prevent weed
growth. Peg it down with plastic pegs designed for this purpose so the fabric doesn’t shift, and cut an X in the fabric big enough to get the root ball into the ground.
• Once planted, cover the porous fabric with 3 cm - 5 cm (1” - 2”) of bark chips, cedar mulch, or cocoa bean mulch. These same mulches or gravel can be used anywhere in established gardens to stop weeds growing between plants. They also hold moisture in the ground longer so you don’t have to water as frequently.
• Mulches are biodegradable, be sure to top them up regularly when they start to disappear. Landscape
fabric is also ideal under gravel paths.
• For interlock driveways and walkways, brush silica sand over the joints every year or two so the spaces between stones are packed like concrete. Weeds simply can’t establish themselves so you don’t have to worry about getting rid of them.
Also refer to these Gardening Tips
• Ground Covers
• Dwarf Plants for Small Spaces
• Drought-Tolerant Plants

Shade Trees
• Red Maple
The leaves are medium to dark green in the summer and the fall colour varies from yellow to reddish-orange to brilliant red. A very hardy tree which thrives in full sun and does well in most soil types but prefers moist soils.

Medium to fast growing.
• Sugar Maple
Best known for making Maple Syrup, bright green
leaves turning orange, red, and golden yellow in fall.

Thrives in full sun to full shade.
Likes well drained moderately moist fertile soil.
• Columnar Norway Maple

More compact form of columnar.
Excellent for street planting and narrow spaces.
Generally free of pests, disease and wind damage.
• Globe Norway Maple
A dense, rounded, very symmetrically growing tree.

Ideal for height restrictions.

• The foliage is a dark green in the summer, changing to yellow in the fall.
• Crimson King Maple
• Is a variation of the Norway Maple, but the leaves are more red than purple.
• Adapts to all soils, sand or clay.
• Thrives best in full sun.
• Brilliant deep maroon foliage from spring right through to fall

Harlequin Maple

• Light green leaves edged in white, with some leaves showing a mix of white and green.
• A striking accent tree.
• Morgan Red Maple
• The leaves are medium to dark green in the summer with orange-red to red fall colour.
• This tree thrives in full sun and prefers moist soils.
• One of the fastest growing red maples.
• Broad, oval shaped head. This specimen is very hardy.

Sheridan Silver Maple

• Tolerant to most soils, but prefers moist soil.
• Renowned for its fast growth rate and green
• foliage with the shimmery silver underside.
• The silver maple shouldn’t be used on small
• properties.
• This is a native tree.
• Culture of Large Maples
• Fertilize in the spring with tree fertilizer stakes.
• Pruning must only be done in the summer months (The sap runs so quickly in the late winter, early spring that it will not stop if pruned at the wrong time of year).
• Rake all maple leaves off the lawn before winter arrives (accumulation can seriously damage your lawn).

Under planting a Large Maple

• Many Maple varieties grow tall and wide which can cast dense shade.
• If you have grass growing underneath, it may be difficult to maintain a healthy lawn in that area as the Maple takes most of the moisture and nutrients from soil.
• As your Maple matures and the grass diminishes, consider a bed of low maintenance ground cover to replace the lawn.
• There are many attractive year round broadleaf

One of the delights of our Conservation areas, Provincial and National Parks are the plants in their natural habitats. These native plants have evolved to survive in the natural areas of these particular regions. Many of these plants will adapt to conditions found in suburban or rural gardens. When you think of White Pine, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, Paper Birch, or Hemlock you have a distinct image of Eastern Canada. We can use these native plants and wildflowers in our residential gardens but we must do so carefully.

Smaller Native Plants

If you are a city gardener, there are some smaller-scale ornamental trees that are perfect for your lot size.

• The Downy Serviceberry and Pagoda Dogwood are easy to grow, will handle full sun or shade, flower in spring, and have attractive coloured autumn foliage and fruit.

Some native shrubs worthy of consideration are:

• Bayberry with its waxy, blue-grey, aromatic fruit
• St. John’s Wort with its bright golden-yellow flowers against blue-green leaves
• Fragrant Sumac with its brilliant red fall foliage and adaptability to poor soil
• Red Osier Dogwood with its burgundy-red twigs looks great in the winter.

Large Native Plants

Some of the native trees and evergreens mentioned above as well as Ohio Buckeye, Ironwood, Tamarack, Balsam Fir, and White Spruce, are large specimens that may cast significant shade and/or produce acidic soil. Some may grow too large for a small city or suburban property. However, if your property is an acre or more, they are ideal and require little maintenance.

Wildflowers

Wildflowers fall roughly into 2 categories.

1. Those that naturally grow in forest shade – Trillium, Dog-toothed Violets, Hepatica, Bloodroot, Jack-in-the- Pulpit, Ferns, Solomon’s Seal, and Wild Ginger. These native flowers grow in the richest, blackest loam soil imaginable created by decades of decaying leaves, twigs, and branches.

• You need to provide a similarly rich soil condition that drains well.
• For sandy or clay soil, add a lot of compost, peat moss, and/or manure.
• Plant other shade-tolerant perennials like Astilbe, Daylilies, or Hostas in the immediate vicinity since many of the spring shade wildflowers disappear completely after flowering.

Mulch between plants to conserve moisture and help minimize weeds.

2. Those that grow in the sun in open meadows – Mullein, Joe-Pye Weed, Goldenrod, and Butterfly Weed. Wildflowers for sun can easily be started from seed mixtures that are composed of annuals, biennials, and perennials.

• They grow randomly in a scattered pattern.
• Some statuesque wildflowers are highly prized in perennial borders where they look perfectly at home and contained, rather than sprawling.
• When trying to grow native plants in your own garden, try to recreate, as best you can, their natural growing habitat. Never take wild specimens directly from nature. They are protected by law so future generations can also admire them in the wild rather than at a Botanical Garden. Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centres only sell native plants that are propagated by seed, division, or cuttings.
   

Oncidium Orchids are naturally found in the warm temperate regions of the Americas from Florida to Argentina. The varieties most often sold here produce long arching sprays of numerous, exquisite yellow flowers variously speckled with brown, burgundy edged with yellow (often referred to as “wildcats”), creamy-white and light burgundy, and purple and white. Blooms are much smaller, more delicate looking than on a Phalaenopsis but similarly they appear to be hovering. Oncidium’s nickname is “dancing lady” or “dancing doll”. All orchids can be divided into 2 major groups depending on where they naturally grow. These are epiphytes that cling with fleshy roots to some kind of support like a tree or rock. These exposed roots are frequently misted with dew or rain. But they dry out quickly because they’re exposed to the air. Terrestrial Orchids grow directly in soil on the forest floor and prefer evenly moist, but not soggy, conditions. Oncidiums are epiphytic.

Light

• Depending on the particular variety, Oncidium Orchids like bright to nearly full sun. Most will flourish with one to several hours of direct sun a day.
• Generally, thicker-leaved plants can stand higher light levels.
• Grow oncidiums in an east, south, or west window.
• Oncidiums can also be grown under artificial light. Place orchids 15-30 cm (6-12”) below 4 fluorescent tubes.

Temperature

• Oncidiums like 13-15°C (55-60°F) at night and 21-29°C (70-85°F) during the day.
• They will handle higher temperatures if humidity and air circulation are increased accordingly.

Water

• Oncidiums have pseudobulbs that actually store water so they require less watering than thin leaved or thin-rooted orchids.
• Water Oncidiums thoroughly when the top half of the potting medium has dried out. This may be every 2-10 days depending on weather, pot size and type of potting medium.
• Water less when the orchid appears to be resting.
• If the pseudobulbs begin to shrivel, water more often.
• Be sure your Oncidium has excellent drainage as its roots don’t like to stay wet.

Humidity

• Humidity should be between 30 and 60%. Many oncidiums require less humidity than other orchids.
• Place plants above moist pebbles in trays with as much ventilation or air movement as possible, without any cold drafts. This promotes rapid drying after watering and minimizes the chance of rot. Or you can mist the foliage and aerial roots in the morning especially during periods of hot weather.

Fertilizer

• Fertilize regularly while plants are actively growing.
• Apply Parkwood™ 30-10-10 twice a month for oncidiums planted in a bark-based potting medium.
• For plants in other media or mounted on bark slabs use Parkwood™ All-Purpose 20-20-20 twice a month.

Repotting

• Repot Oncidium Orchids at least every 2 years in spring when new growth is 5-7 cm (2-3”) tall or when new roots appear.
• Remove all the old mix and any dead roots.
• If dividing the orchid, keep the division in clumps of 3-5 mature pseudobulbs.
• Use a medium grade orchid bark.
• Spread the roots over a cone of potting medium and fill in around the roots.
• Maintain a high humidity level but keep the potting mix barely damp until you see new roots penetrating the bark.
• Once the new roots have penetrated the bark, resume normal watering and fertilizing.

What to Watch for

• If leaves start lightening, bleaching out, or burning, the orchid is getting too much light.
• Pests to watch for are scale, mealybug, and spider mites. Remove the first 2 with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Control spider mite with Safer’s Trounce.

Check out our orchid tip on our videos page

Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants known. The prime attraction for growing orchids is the diverse and exotic bloom that is produced. The notion that all orchids are temperamental and difficult to grow is a myth. Some may not be particularly easy however most orchids can be grown anywhere provided that their basic requirements are being met. Orchids are an amazingly adaptable group of plants with somewhere between 25,000 and 50,000 known species. They are naturally found in most parts of the world except Antarctica, with seven species recorded within the Arctic Circle. Orchids are generally divided into 2 categories based on their very specialized root systems.

• Epiphytes grow on trees, shrubs, or rocks in the wild with their roots completely exposed to the air. Others have swollen stems called “pseudobulbs” that store water and nutrients.
• Terrestrials grow in soil or humus. Both can be grown at home in a special orchid bark medium. A one third layer of gravel at the bottom of a plastic or clay pot helps drainage while weighting the pot at the same time.

To select orchids consider a couple important factors:

• Light Conditions – Orchids can be grown on a windowsill that’s facing the right direction or under fluorescent lights.
• Daytime and night temperatures.
• Humidity – is a requirement for all orchids. This can be increased with a fine mist spray around the plant or by sitting pots on damp gravel.
• Fertilizer – Fertilize with Shultz Water Soluble Orchid Food 19-31-17.
• Air Movement – Good air movement around plants minimizes pests and disease.
• Repotting – Repot after flowering every year or two.

Cattleya

• Cattleya Orchids range in colour from white to lavender, blue, green, orange, yellow, and red.
• Flowers generally last 2 weeks.
• Cattleyas like sun so a western or southern exposure is ideal. They will tolerate other exposures but their blooming will be sparse.
• Night temperatures of 12-16°C (55-60°F) with day temperatures of 21-24°C (70-75°F) also produce abundant flowers.
• Watering Cattleyas correctly is important. They like to dry out thoroughly between watering. In winter it’s okay to keep plants barely moist but not so dry that the pseudobulbs shrivel. In the summer when water loss is rapid, they need more frequent watering. Feel the bark or moss medium to determine when to water. If the medium is cool to the touch wait until it’s dried out to 2.5 cm (1”) below the surface.
• Fertilize Cattleyas growing in bark about twice a month during spring and summer and once a month in the fall. Don’t feed them in winter when natural light levels are low and plant growth is correspondingly slow. Plants grown in moss should be fed once a month in summer only. They require no extra fertilizing the rest of the year.

Cymbidium

• • These orchids are readily identifiable for their clumps of swollen pseudobulbs that are surrounded by leathery strap-like leaves.
• • Blooms occur along the length of a flower spike in white, green, yellow, rose, or red from February to early May. One spike can carry as many as 30 flowers, 10-15 cm (4-5”) across, and lasts for 8 weeks or more.
• Cymbidiums need to be grown in high light.
• Cymbidiums prefer cool evening temperatures 16°C (60°F) or lower during the warmest months of the year and 6°C (45°F) during fall to set flower buds.
• Fertilize every 2 weeks from January through July and about once a month from August to December.
• These orchids like to be crowded in their container, repot after blooming when the pseudobulbs are jammed up against the edges of the pot.
• Water lightly after repotting. When new growth starts, increase moisture.

Dendrobium

• This is a large and varied group of orchids.
• “Nobile” types need fall and winter dormancy with little water, no fertilizer and cooler nights.
• They flower on new and old growth.
• All Dendrobiums like bright light, good air circulation, and humidity between 50% and 70%
• Flowers last between 2-3 months.
• Oncidium
• This epiphytic orchid produces long spikes of brilliant yellow flowers, variously marked with brown, that last for 2 months.
•  It likes a sunny window but some shade is beneficial when it’s flowering. Temperatures of 21-30° (70-85°F) during the day and 12-21°C (55-70°F) at night are ideal.
• Oncidium needs plenty of water throughout the growing and blooming season and a dry period with no water for several weeks following completion of new growth.
• Repot every year or 2 with small to medium bark.

Phalaenopsis

• Known as the “moth orchid,” phalaenopsis produce long arching sprays of flowers up to 15 cm (6”) across.
• Individual blooms can last for 2 months or more and the succession of blooms on a single plant may give you flowers for more than half the year. They come in white, pink, yellow, peach, red, purple or green with any combination of stripes, spots, and coloured lower petals called “lips”.
• Phalaenopsis require about half the light needed by Cattleyas. They can tolerate more light through autumn and winter but not direct sun in summer. An east window is perfect but a northeast or northwest one is also acceptable. Aim for temperatures between 16-30°C (60-85°F).
• Water once a week or so. Since they have no pseudobulbs in which to store moisture, “phals” should never be allowed to dry out completely.
• Phalaenopsis can be made to re-bloom from the same green flower spike by cutting off the stem where the first flower was (closest to the plant). A new flower spike may emerge from the node or nodes just below the break, producing new flowers in 2 or 3 months. If you remove the flower spike completely, cut it off with a clean instrument at the bottom near the plant. This will encourage strong plant growth that would support possibly stronger and more floriferous flower spikes when the plant does bloom the next time.

Troubleshooting

• Bud drop occurs when temperatures fluctuate too greatly. Move your orchid to a location with more even temperatures.
• Leaves that turn yellow can mean too much sunlight or water.
• Leaves with black or brown areas can also indicate too much sun or the presence of fungal or bacterial disease.
• To discourage disease, water and mist orchids as early in the day as possible and don’t let pots stand in saucers of water.
• Visit your nearest Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre for advice on the proper use of fungicides and insecticides to kill such pests as scale, mealybug, spider mites, thrips, and slugs.
   

Check out our orchid tip on our videos page

Floaters

• Treat Water Hyacinths and Water Lettuce as annuals, replace every year.
• Remove them completely when frost hits, compost them.

Tropical Marginals

• Tropical Marginals cannot survive freezing. They should be treated like annuals and replaced each spring or you can try to over-winter them indoors. In order to do this, they must be removed prior to a killing frost
• Umbrella Palm, Papyrus, and Parrot Feather can be grown as houseplants. Simply position them in a sunny window and keep moist. It isn’t necessary to keep them in standing water. When the pond water temperature reaches 21°C (70°F) in spring they can be returned to their shallow position in the water garden.
• For Canna and Taro, remove the plants from the pond and let them dry out naturally. When the foliage has died back, cut it off just above the bulb or rhizome. You can keep it in its original pot but don’t let the soil dry out. Another option is to remove the bulb/rhizome, rinse off any soil that clings to it, and store it in slightly damp peat moss or sand, or place the pot(s) in a tub of water in a cool basement that’s 4-13°C (40-55°F).

Tropical Water Lilies

• Tropical Water Lilies can be replaced each year or overwintered indoors. If you choose to over-winter them there are 2 methods.

1. Keep them actively growing by placing them in warm water with bright light and warmth. It will be difficult to maintain a minimum water temperature of 21°C (70°F). This may only be possible in a greenhouse or sunroom. . If your Lily survives it can be returned to the pond when the water temperature reaches 21°C (70°F). This is usually in early June.
2. Over-winter a tropical Lily by letting the tuber go dormant. Leave the plant in the pond until after a killing frost. The cold water will induce the formation of a small, black, grape-size tuber. Older specimens may have already produced several. Gently rinse all the soil from the tubers and float them in lukewarm water for a day. Viable tubers will sink and spoiled ones will float. Discard the spoiled ones. Place the viable tubers in damp peat moss or sand. Store in a cool basement. Check them from time to time to make sure the peat moss or sand doesn’t dry out completely. In early May check to see if the tubers have any sprouts. If there aren’t, place the tubers in distilled water in a sunny window to break dormancy. When roots are 1-2.5 cm (1/2” -1”) long pot them 6 mm (1/4”) deep in heavy soil and submerge the pot(s) in 7 cm (3”) of water. Maintain a minimum water temperature indoors of 21°C (70°F). When leaves emerge and the pond is at least 21°C (70°F) they can be safely returned outdoors to the water garden.

Hardy Marginals & Bog Plants

• This group of aquatics can be left in the pond over the winter if it’s at least 50 cm (18”) deep.
• After frost has killed the foliage, remove the leaves and move the plants to the deepest part of the pond.
• Don’t cut back the stems of Cattails, Rushes, Reeds, or other plants with hollow stems. If these stems fill up with water the crown of the plant can rot.
• For shallow pools or streams, plants would need to come indoors and be placed in a tub of water in a cool place like the basement. The temperature should be around 4-13°C (40- 55°F).
• Hardy Water Lilies & Lotus
• Hardy Water Lilies and Lotus can be left in ponds as long as the roots and crown do not freeze solid and if they can be moved to a depth of at least 80-90 cm (2 1/2 -3’).
• In late fall, remove all foliage so leaves don’t decompose in the water.
• If the pond is shallow and likely to freeze, remove old leaves, bring plants indoors, place in a tub of water, and store in a cool, dark place.
• Return plants to their proper depth after the ice has melted the following spring. Or remove the Lily from the pot, cut off all foliage, and rinse all the soil off the rhizome.
• Store the rhizome in damp peat moss or sand in a plastic bag at a temperature of 4- 13°C (40-55°F).
• Keep the peat moss or sand moist all winter. If the storage medium is too wet, the rhizome will rot. If too dry, the rhizome dehydrates and dies.
• Repot the tubers in spring and return to the water garden after the ice melts.

Fish, Frogs & Snails

Fish can be left in a pond if it’s at least 50 cm (30”) deep in one area.

• Stop feeding them when water temperature drops to 10- 13°C (50-55°F).
• Keep an area heater or bubbler so toxic gases that collect under the ice can escape. You could also bring fish indoors before the water temperature drops to 10°C (50°F) and place them in an aquarium or tank. Keep the water relatively cool and feed moderately. Filtration and oxygenation is needed.
• In spring, return the fish to the pond. Minimize stress by avoiding a sudden temperature change. (No more than 10ºC)
• Tadpoles, frogs, and snails need somewhere to bury. If you aren’t overwintering hardy plants in the pond, place a pan of sand in the bottom into which they can burrow and hibernate until spring.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip - WATER GARDEN MAINTENANCE
 

Container gardening has become increasingly popular in recent years because it can be done in even the smallest space. Gardeners everywhere are expressing themselves with colour and an ever expanding range of plants including tropicals.

Hibiscus & Oleander

• These 2 tropicals are well known and very easy to grow.
• Hibiscus is available in single or double flowers in a range of stunning colours from red, pink, burgundy, yellow, peach and white.
• Hibiscus is also available in a bush form, tree form with single, spiral or braided trunk.
• Flowers last one day but the plant is prolific if given proper cultural care.
• Hibiscus makes an ideal houseplant.
• Oleander (Nerium) also comes as a bush or tree form and grows vigorously.
• Flowers occur in clusters in pure white, peach or pink.
• The pink flowers have a spicy fragrance. Leaves are leathery and willow-like. The wood and sap are both poisonous.

Brugmansia & Datura

• Brugmansia is also referred to as Angel’s Trumpet.
• Brugmansia is woody and has pendulous (not erect) flowers that look like huge flared trumpets, hence the nickname.
• Brugmansia is most often over-wintered inside as a tree.
• Datura is generally grown as an annual and its trumpet-shaped blooms are erect or spreading, never pendulous.
• Spiny round fruit split open to release numerous seeds that can be kept and sown the following year or left on the ground to germinate naturally next spring.
• All parts of Brugmansia and Datura are highly toxic.

South African Mallow, Princess Flower, Royal Robe and Flowering Maple

These 4 patio tropicals are most frequently grown as small standard trees in full sun.

• South African or Cape Mallow is covered almost continuously with small, pale pink, hibiscus-like flowers.
• Princess flower (Tibouchina) has dark green, velvety, 10-15 cm (4-6") long leaves with several prominent longitudinal veins. Large royal purple blossoms, flaring open to 12 cm (5"), are held above the foliage creating a spectacular sight when in full bloom.
• Royal Robe (Solanum rantonnetii) has profuse, saucer shaped, dark purplish-blue flowers about 2.5 cm (1") wide. It tolerates heat and humidity well.
• Flowering Maple (Abutilon) is not part of the Maple tree family. The common name is derived from its attractive maple- shaped leaves. Some varieties have brightly splashed variegated leaves. Flowers are cup-shaped with 5 overlapping petals in red, pink, yellow, white or pastel shades.

Exotic Flowering Vines

Mandevilla, Passion flower and Bougainvillea are excellent candidates to be trained on some kind of vertical support in a container.

• Mandevilla (Dipladenia) has shiny, heavily textured leaves and pink or white trumpet-shaped flowers that can be 7.5 cm (3") across. Twining woody stems make this a rampant grower as well.
• Passion flower which grows really quickly in full sun also looks sensational covering an arbour. The blooms of this tropical vine are incredibly intricate and come in red, blue, mauve and pink. The fruit is edible.
• Bougainvillea produces long, arching, thorny branches. The flowers look like delicate paper but are, in fact, bracts. The true flower is small and white inside the outer showy bracts that can be brilliant pink, purple, lavender, peach, orange or white. Some varieties have interesting variegated foliage. Given lots of sunlight, Bougainvillea blooms all summer long.

How to Grow Patio Tropicals

As all these plants originate from hot, sunny, southern climates they’re used to intense light levels. They also flourish in morning light that lasts until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Keep soil moist during their blooming period or, in the case of Hibiscus, water the plant when it just starts to wilt. Too much or too little water for all patio tropicals will result in foliage turning bright yellow and dropping. The combination of sunlight and regular fertilizing will ensure continuous bloom. Fertilize every 1-2 weeks with water soluble Parkwood™ 15-30- 15 or apply Smart Cote® Hanging Basket Food 14-14-14. These controlled release granules, applied to the soil surface, feed plants for 6 months with just one application.

Over-wintering Patio Tropicals

• Bring your patio tropical inside around late September before night temperatures get really cool.
• Prune plants that put on a lot of growth in previous months.
• Spray several times for insects with an insecticidal soap or Safer’s End-All
• Be sure to treat the soil with Wilson Fungus Gnat Spray. Hibiscus, Abutilon, Brugmansia and Datura are prone to whitefly. They require radical control to prevent clouds of these insects in your home. Because eggs are deposited on the underside of leaves, you need to remove all foliage before bringing indoors. You’ll be truly amazed to see healthy new growth within 3 weeks and the plant should remain insect-free all winter. Remember to monitor carefully all your other plants for insects so they don’t infest the patio tropical.
• Light levels in the northern hemisphere are very low December- March. During this time patio tropicals take a rest. Unless you have a particularly bright sunroom or conservatory chances are plants won’t continue to flower and you may experience significant leaf drop. This is especially true with Bougainvillea.
• Water your plants less through the winter months, stop fertilizing and keep them in a cooler room.
• In March, you can water more frequently and fertilize again.
• When all risk of frost has passed, bring plants back outdoors but place them in shade to start. Direct sun at the start of the season scorches leaves.
• Thriving plants will soon outgrow the pots they’re in and can be transplanted into containers 2.5-5cm (1-2") larger than the ones they’re presently in.
• When you’ve reached the maximum size and can go no larger, you need to lift the entire root ball out of the pot, prune the top of the plant and cut 2.5-5 cm (1-2") off the sides and bottom of the root ball with a very sharp knife and put fresh soil in the bottom of the existing container, center the trimmed root-ball in the pot and backfill the sides. This will need to be done about every 2-3 years.

The best thing about containers is you can put them anywhere, move them around if you need a change, and fill them with different displays for each season.

Choose the Right Container

• Choose containers that will harmonize with your planting and colour scheme.
• Think about containers that are large enough to have some serious visual impact.
• Ensure your container has a drainage hole at the bottom. If excess water cannot drain, your plants will suffer from root rot.
• Use a saucer to prevent staining on the surface below.

How to Plant

• Cover the drainage hole with pieces from a broken clay pot or small stones. Add 1 cm - 2 cm (0.5” - 1") of gravel or more broken clay bits.
• Use Parkwood™ Premium Potting Mix, a potting soil that’s specifically blended for container growing.
• Do not use topsoil or triple mix. These are too heavy, create poor drainage in a container, and your plants will not flourish.
• Water your plants well before removing them from the containers you bought them in. Dry roots are brittle and break very easily.
• If there are masses of roots and you can barely see any soil, pull them gently apart with your fingers.
• Firm plants into the soil and water with Parkwood™ Transplanter 5-15-5 to the point where the water just begins to seep out of the drainage hole.

What to Plant for Spring

• Since trees haven’t leafed out in April, you don’t need to worry quite so much about the shade factor.
• This planting is temporary and only meant to be around for 4 to 6 weeks.
• Spring-flowering Bulbs, Pansies, and Primulas are great choices for spring
• Purchase potted bulbs in early April and transfer them to your container(s).
• Select Daffodils and/or Tulips for height, surround them with Hyacinths (fragrance) and/or Dwarf Daffodils, and then edge the pot with Crocus, Dwarf Reticulated Iris, Pansies, Violas, or Primulas.
• Variegated English Ivy has interesting foliage that can be added to spring planters.

What to Plant for Summer

• Select plant material specifically for sun, partial shade, or full shade depending on where each container is going to be placed.
• Use taller plants to create a focal point at the back if the pot is placed against a vertical surface such as a wall or lattice.
• If the planter is in the open, put the taller plants in the center.
• Focal point plants for sunny conditions (6 hours of direct sunlight or more), are Geraniums, Purple Fountain Grass, Gerbera Daisy, Nicotiana, Sunshine Impatiens, Lantana, Marguerite Daisy, and Blue Victoria Salvia.
• A variety of edging and trailing plants that can be used around the perimeter of a sunny planter, include Petunias, Trailing Verbena, Million Bells, Ivy Geranium, Lotus Vine, Alyssum, Sanvitalia, Bacopa, Bidens, Licorice Vine, Blackie and Lime Sweet Potato Vine, Swan River and Dahlberg Daisy, Diascia, and Ivy.
• For partial shade, pot up Impatiens, Fibrous Begonias, Fuchsia, or Calla Lily with Lobelia, Fan Flower, Ivy, or Lysimachia to billow over the edge.
• For full shade, concentrate on pale colours, especially white, that will jump out from a dark background. Non-stop and Angel-wing Begonias, Coleus, Browallia, Caladium, and Torenia all tolerate these lower light levels.
• Vines can be grown in pots as long as support is provided. Use a trellis, tripod, or decorative obelisk placed right in the container. Annuals such as Morning Glory, Moon Vine, Sweet Pea, Cup and Saucer Vine, Nasturtium, and Scarlet Runner Bean produce a tremendous show.
• Use a flowering standard to achieve a vertical effect. A Tree Rose, Tropical Hibiscus, Fuchsia, Lantana, or Daisy that can be under-planted with either flowering (Bacopa) or foliage (Ivy) annuals.

What to Plant for Fall

• Flowering Cabbage and Kale, Asters, and Chrysanthemums are all frost-tolerant annuals for fall.

What to Arrange For Winter

• Use frost proof containers to arrange Pine, Juniper, Cedar, Spruce, Hemlock, or Spruce boughs with red and Yellowtwig Dogwood, Winterberry, and Curly Willow branches before the soil freezes.
• Add some large pinecones at the edge of the pot to fill in.
• Add white mini-lights as the weather turns colder and everything is frozen firmly in place.
  
  Container Maintenance
   
• Fertilize your annual containers with Parkwood™ Flower Food 15-30-15 every 10 days to 2 weeks for maximum bloom.
• Cut off the dying flower heads as soon as they begin to fade with a sharp pair of hand pruners. This process is called deadheading and prevents the plants from setting seed. Annuals that successfully produce seed don’t feel the necessity to bloom anymore and take a lot of coaxing to bring back into flower.
• In hot weather, water your containers/hanging baskets daily. They tend to dry out quicker than plants that are in the ground. If you’re going away on vacation, someone will need to care for them.

Containers require a little more attention but they have many benefits. Not only do you get to enjoy the beauty of the pots themselves and what’s in them but you can also arrange them and plant them in a different way every year.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip – HANGING BASKETS
Gardening Tip – HARDY PLANTS IN YEAR-ROUND CONTAINERS

Phalaenopsis is considered one of the easiest Orchids to grow. There are native to the tropics of Asia, Africa, and Australia. The name Phalaenopsis derives from the Greek word phalaina meaning ‘moth’ and ‘opsis’ that means like. Since the flat flowers appear along a graceful, arching stem, they look just like hovering moths or delicate butterflies, hence the nickname “moth” Orchids. These blooms can be 5-10 cm (2-4”) across and they have 2 round petals, 3 sepals, and a small, three-lobed lip at the bottom. Phalaenopsis Orchids are available in white, pink, yellow, violet, or red, or marked in combinations of 2 colours, with many variations to choose from. Flowering occurs in winter and spring though growers today are making them available year round. Individual blooms last for 2 months or more and well-established plants can flower 2 or 3 times a year. After the Orchid has finished blooming for the first time, cut the stem back to the second or third lowest bud. A new flower spike often emerges from this node in a few months. You can also prune the whole stem back to 5 cm (2”). This will sometimes promote a secondary spike.

Light

• Phalaenopsis need bright, indirect light. Early morning and late afternoon sun is fine but avoid mid-day sunlight especially in summer.
• Phalaenopsis Orchids also grow well under fluorescent light when they are positioned 20-30 cm (8-12”) below the tubes.
• Foliage should be semi-erect, leathery, and a medium olive-green colour. Dark green, limp leaves indicate not enough light.

Temperature

• Daytime temperatures of 21-29°C (70-85°F) are ideal. If temperatures are hotter than this increase water, humidity, and air movement around the plant.
• Cooler night temperatures around 15-18°C (60-65°F) are perfect. In fall, an even lower night temperature of 13°C (55°F) for 4-6 weeks initiates the production of a flower spike.

Water

• Phalaenopsis do not have pseudobulbs that store water so they can not be allowed to dry out completely between watering.
• If your Orchid is potted in bark, water approximately every 5-7 days. Test the bark first for dryness about 2 cm (1”) below the surface.
• If planted in sphagnum moss it may need water every 10 days or whenever it’s dried out 5 cm (2”) below the surface.
• Remember that plastic pots hold moisture longer than clay. It’s a good idea to water in the morning on a sunny day. The water that collects in the centre of the plant will then have the chance to evaporate completely before dark. This avoids crown rot that would eventually kill the Orchid.
• In particularly hot, dry summers, Phalaenopsis Orchids may need watering every 3 or 4 days. In the winter they may require water only every 10 days. Always feel the potting medium first and don’t overwater.

Humidity

• Moth Orchids need a fairly high humidity, about 50- 70%. Misting is the most immediate solution but do this in the morning so the leaves are dry by nightfall.
• You can also group plants together on trays of gravel and partially filled with water.

Fertilizer

• Phalaenopsis need to be fed regularly. Schultz™ Water Soluble Plant Food for Orchids 19-31-17 provides strong growth. The 31% phosphorus encourages blooming. Dilute in water and follow the instructions on the label.

Repotting

• The growing medium breaks down with constant watering so Phalaenopsis Orchids should be repotted every 1-2 years.
• The best time to do repotting is in late spring or fall when blooming is complete.
• Use a well-drained Orchid mix.
• Phalaenopsis produce new leaves at the top, rather than producing new growth from the base, so they rarely outgrow the size of the pot they are presently in.

What to Watch For

• Moth Orchids are relatively pest-free.
• Spider mite, scale, mealybugs, and aphids can sometimes infest plants. Spray several times with Safer’s Insecticidal Soap.
• Sudden temperature changes and cold drafts can cause flower buds to drop.
• Mature plants that fail to bloom can often be encouraged to do so if given 2 months with 10°C (50°F) nights in the fall.

Check out our orchid tip on our videos page

Water Lilies

Bare-root hardy Lilies are best planted in May and June.

• Use plastic mesh containers which are specially designed for water plants. These are ideal because they are wide, shallow, lightweight and sturdy.
• Most Water Lilies require large containers with a capacity to hold 1/2 - 3/4 bushels of soil per plant.
• Line the mesh basket with burlap or landscape fabric so soil can’t escape and cloud the water with particles.
• Use only aquatic potting soil. It’s very heavy without a lot of compost, peat, or sand since these materials will float.
• Fill the container half full with soil. Add 1 aquatic fertilizer tablet for each gallon of soil used in the pot.
• Place the rhizome in the pot at approximately a 45° angle. Odorata type Lily rhizomes are planted horizontally.
• Add the remaining soil to within 5 cm (a couple of inches) from the top of the tub. Water Lilies must be planted so that the crown from which the leaves grow is even with or slightly above the surface of the soil.
• Gently tamp the soil down and cover with a layer of pea gravel or other rounded stone. Be sure that no soil or gravel comes in contact with the crown. The gravel should hold the soil firmly in place which is essential when fish are present. Without the gravel, fish will disturb the soil which will result in clouded water.
• Tropical Water Lilies are best planted in June when the water temperature is around 18°C (65°F). Follow planting instructions but position the tropical rhizome almost vertically in the pot. Initially place the potted Lilies in 15-30 cm (6-12”) of water. As they begin to grow they can be gradually moved into deeper water. Water Lilies will grow successfully in 15 cm (6”) up to 90 cm (3’) of water depending on the variety. They all prefer to grow in still water away from waterfalls or jets.
• Hardy and tropical Water Lilies should be divided every 2-3 years. You’ll know it’s time to do this when you see that the leaves and blooms are smaller and fewer than usual.
• Repotting can be done any time during the active growing season. Remove the container from the water garden to a shaded work area. Trim excess leaves 2.5 cm (1”) from the rhizome. Lift the whole plant from the pot and hose the soil off the roots. Cut the rhizome into at least 5 cm (2”) sections with one or more growing tips.
• Plant each division as per the preceding instructions with the cut end of the hardy Water Lily rhizome against the edge of the pot and the crown just above the surface of the soil and the gravel. For tropical Water Lilies plant the division vertically in the centre of the pot. In both cases, set the baskets into shallow water then return them to their normal growing depth in several weeks time.

Lotus

Bare-root Lotus tubers are potted up in warm weather in round 3/4 bushel containers. This shape is preferable because a tuber can die if it becomes wedged in a corner of a square or rectangular pot.

• Plant the tuber horizontally and cover with 5 cm (2”) of aquatic soil. The growing tips must be 1 cm (1/2”) above the soil. Be careful not to break the tuber or the growing points as both are quite brittle.
• Place gravel over the top of the soil to lessen disturbance by goldfish or koi but avoid putting any near the growing points.
• Set the container in 10-15 cm (4-6”) of water. Floating leaves appear first, followed by large aerial leaves, and blooms.
• As growth becomes established, move the basket to a depth of 15-20 cm (6- 8”). If blooming doesn’t occur in the first year, you’ll certainly be rewarded the second year.
• Repot an established Lotus every other year. Remove the whole plant and gently hose the soil off the tubers. Divide the Lotus midway between joints and allow 2 or more joints per section. Splitting is best done before it starts to grow in early spring.

Oxygenating Plants

• Oxygenators can simply be dropped directly into the water with the metal band left on to weight them down. Most times they will often root themselves in pots already there.
• Take 2-3 bunches, remove the elastic or lead weight, and push half the plant stem into the aquatic soil in a 20 cm (8”) pot.
• Leave room for at least 2.5 cm (1”) of gravel on top of the soil.
• Place these pots directly on the bottom of the pond in between the Lily and Lotus tubs.

As many oxygenators are tropical they will need to be replaced, like an annual, every year. The exceptions are Elodea and Hornwort.

Hardy & Tropical Shallow Water Plants

Marginal plants should be potted so that the roots are well covered with soil, leaving the crown (from which the leaves grow) protruding.

• Cover the soil with gravel and place in the water at the appropriate depth.
• Marginals that are aggressive growers should be repotted every spring. The rest can be divided every 2-3 years.
• Spring is the best time to repot with the exception of Iris. Iris should be repotted after they bloom so the flowers are not lost for that year
• To see if the aquatic is a clumping, running or horizontal grower, remove the marginal plant from its container and hose the soil off. Most Rushes form a clump like a garden perennial that can be cut into sections and set into the centre of new pots. Cattails form runners that can be cut into long sections and then curled to fit into a container. Sweet Flag, Iris, and Pickerel Rush are horizontal growers with long rhizomes that can be cut into several 7.5-12.5 cm (3-5”) pieces.
• Place the cut rhizomes in the pots with the cut end near the edge of the container and cover with 1-2.5 cm (1/2 - 1”) of gravel.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip – WATER PLANTS
Gardening Tip – OVERWINTERING WATER GARDEN PLANTS & FISH

Why Prune

When a plant grows too large for its space or is blocking the view from a window, it’s time to remove or restrict unwanted growth.

• Pruning dead, injured, or diseased wood is an ongoing activity. Trimming also needs to be done regularly when you need to maintain a specific form such as a hedge or topiary evergreen.
• For shaping hedges, leave the bottom wider than the top so the top growth doesn’t shade the lower.
• For older shrubs like Forsythia and Lilac which can become very dense and tend to bloom less with each year, they need serious rejuvenation. Cut out about 1/3 of the stems right down to ground level to allow light into the centre of the plant thereby encouraging new branches to grow that will flower.
• Dogwoods are loved for their yellow or red twigs in winter but when the old wood loses colour it will need to be removed completely. This process stimulates new growth and these thinner twigs will have the brightest colour.
• Fruit Trees are pruned to allow as much light as possible onto each branch. More light increases flower and fruit production.

When to Prune

• Fruit Trees and some Shade Trees – these trees can be pruned in February/March before growth begins and you can clearly see the bare framework. At this time, cut close comparatively quickly.
• Birch, Honey-locust, Magnolia, Mulberry, Maple, and Linden – these trees bleed profusely in spring and should only be pruned in July.
• Spruce and Fir – these evergreens do not usually require trimming but if you need to promote density you can cut the new growth back by half in June before it hardens off.
• Mugo and Austrian Pines – to keep the growth of these evergreens thick and compact, prune a ½ to ¾ of their soft, creamy-white candles in mid to late June.
• Junipers, Cedars, Euonymus, and Boxwood – these Evergreens and Broadleaf Evergreens put on all their growth in May and June so you may find it easier to shape them once in summer rather than trim them in spring and then again in July/August.
• Flowering deciduous shrubs fall into two pruning categories.

1. All shrubs that bloom before the end of June form their flowers the previous season on last year’s growth. They include Magnolia, Forsythia, Lilac, Flowering Quince, Bridalwreath Spirea, Deutzia, Mock-orange, Flowering Almond, and Purpleleaf Sand Cherry. If you trim them in spring you’re cutting off this year’s flowers. So, prune them immediately after they finish flowering.
2. Summer-flowering shrubs like Tamarisk, Butterflybush, Rose of Sharon, Weigela, Hydrangea, Kerria, Caryopteris, Potentilla, and pink-flowering Spirea can all be pruned in April because they set their flowers on this year’s growth. Fall pruning is not recommended for them because the new growth, stimulated by the trimming process, may not have enough time to harden off by winter. This soft tissue often dies back with cold temperature and needs to be pruned in spring.

• Clematis – has two flowering times depending on variety. May/June flowering Clematis like Nelly Moser, The President, and Bee’s Jubilee blossom on the previous year’s wood so, like shrubs, they can be pruned lightly after flowering. They will produce a second, smaller flush of blooms in September on the young wood. Summer-flowering varieties like Comtesse de Bouchard, Ernest Markham, Jackmanii, and Ville de Lyon flower on new wood grown since spring and can be pruned back to 50 cm (20") in April. This is done to promote blooming and foliage as far down the vine as possible.

How to Prune

Handheld pruning shears, called secateurs, come in two forms.

1. Scissor Secateurs – known as a bypass pruner and makes close, precise cuts.
2. Anvil Secateurs – must be kept sharp at all times so the bark isn’t crushed against the bottom platform.

• Any handheld pruner will cut stems up to 2 cm (0.75") in diameter.
• For larger branches up to 4 cm (1.6") thick and roses use long handled lopping shears. Again, they come in a Bypass or Anvil action with long handles for better leverage.
• To cut even thicker branches a Pruning Saw is perfect. The folding type is very practical as you can safely close the sharp toothed blade for storage.
• To make cuts higher up use a Pole Pruner which has a handle that is extendable. In this case you pull a rope attached to a head that cuts branches up to 2.5 cm (1") in diameter. This cutting head can be replaced with a curved pruning saw for thicker branches.
• Lastly, Electric Trimmers make quick work of shaping hedges and pyramidal evergreens
• Manual Hedge Shears are better for small jobs when you need precise control.

*Keep all your tools sharp and disinfect them often to prevent the spread of disease.

Where to Prune

• For shrubs, roses, and vines cut about 1 cm (0.4") above a bud or leaf at a 45º angle.
• Roses are pruned above outfacing buds so the centre of the plant maintains good air circulation thereby lessening the chance for disease.
• Plants that are bare in the middle can be pruned above an inward facing bud to direct the growth there.
• Tree limbs are completely removed back to the main trunk when they cross each other, cause friction or are just too close together. Branches that form a narrow angled crotch with the trunk should also be removed while branches forming wide angles with the trunk should be retained.
• When establishing a young tree, be aware of the height of the first set of branches from the ground so someone walking under isn’t injured.
• Pruning paint or paste is applied to fresh cuts on branches that are 2.5 cm - 5 cm (1” - 2") thick or more. It prevents penetration by insects or disease while the tree heals itself naturally over a longer period of time
   

This form of gardening originates from England and conjures an image of rocks combined with plants often on a slope. The slope itself can be naturally occurring or constructed, just as the stones can be natural outcroppings or brought in. Generally, the effect is one of plant material cascading down an incline of some degree with rocks holding the embankment in place and setting off the individual character of each plant. The alternative to this “natural” look, when a change in elevation is the case, is constructing retaining walls and/or terraces that look more formal by comparison.

What Kind of Rocks to Use

• Make your rock garden look as natural as possible
• Larger stones are preferable. A lot of small rocks can look messy and ineffective.
• Try to work with stone from your area that will harmonize with your architecture and hard landscaping.
• All the rocks should be of the same general kind rather than a geological collection.
• Novelty rocks simply grab too much attention.
• Weathered stone that’s porous is ideal. Limestone, for example, absorbs moisture and acts as a buffer during dry spells.
• Non-porous rocks such as Granite can cause rapid drying of the surrounding soil system because it doesn’t absorb moisture.
• Avoid all soft and scaly rock, shale, and un-weathered sandstone.

How to Build

• When positioning stones on a slope try to imagine how they would look in their natural state.
• Avoid symmetry. A careful randomness is the look you desire.
• Arrange each rock so its best “face” will show well and then dig it a third to a half into the incline so it looks like an outcropping not a stone sitting awkwardly on top of the soil.
• Slope the stone back to direct rain towards plant roots.
• Vary the size of the planting pockets between the rocks to accommodate the various mature diameters of your favourite plants and to reinforce the idea of randomness.
• Rock garden plants grow best in well-drained soil. After placing the stones, add a mixture of perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss into the planting pockets.
• Avoid rich soil or clay that won’t drain.
• A sprinkling of lime is recommended in areas with acid-type soils. Two plant exceptions are Lithodora and Gentians that prefer the acidic soil condition.
• If your rock garden is going to be more than 2.5 m (8’) wide, incorporate a path and/or steps through it so you can maintain plants, weed, and clean up in the fall.

What to Plant

• The choice of plant material always depends on lighting conditions
• Proportion is paramount in relation to the size of the rocks or boulders you’re using.
• For large scale landscape rocks with approximately 100 cm (40”) between them, you can work successfully with such slow growing specimens as Rose Daphne, Nest Spruce, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Boxwood, Little Giant Globe Cedar, Goldmound and Goldflame Spirea, Dwarf Hinoki False Cypress, Jeddeloh Dwarf Hemlock, Blue Star and Goldstar Juniper, Nikko Slender Deutzia, Dwarf Mugho Pine, Sunburst Hypericum, Dwarf Balsam Fir, and Red Ace, Yellow Gem, and Abbotswood Potentilla.
• Cascading plants like Dwarf Japanese Garden, Blue Chip, and Prince of Wales Juniper, Siberian Cypress, Rockspray Cotoneaster, Stephanandra, Wintercreeper Euonymus, and weeping Japanese Maple work well with the above choices
• Mix evergreen with deciduous and vertical with horizontal to create a tapestry of textures worthy of attention all year.
• For a smaller scale use small stones, miniature bulbs, annuals, and perennials to provide flowering interest for many months.
• Start with spring-flowering bulbs such as Snowdrops, Winter Aconites, Glory of the Snow, Crocus, Iris reticulata, Puschkinia, Scilla, Dwarf Daffodils, and Greigii, Kaufmanniana, and species Tulips.
• For April/May there are many low-growing perennials that would add bursts of colour like Primula, Basket-of-Gold, Pasqueflower, Candytuft, Rock Cress, Creeping Phlox, Dwarf Iris, and Thrift.
• The next perennials to bloom are Woolly Yarrow, Mt. Atlas Daisy, Carpathian and Serbian Bellflowers, Creeping Speedwell, Yellow Ice Plant, Dwarf Dianthus, and Saxifrage.
• For summer you can intersperse annuals that will reliably bloom all summer. Dahlberg and Swan River Daisy, Alyssum, Lobelia, Portulaca, and Nierembergia are easily maintained. Summer flowering perennials include Sun Rose, Coral Bells, St. John’s-Wort, Blue Flax, and Stonecrop.
• For a low mat effect, plant Creeping Thyme or Scotch and Irish Moss.
• For interesting foliage colour try Silver Mound or Silver Brocade Artemisia, bright yellow Creeping Jenny, black Lilyturf, Variegated Liriope, steel blue Donkey-tail Spurge, burgundy Bertram Anderson or Vera Jameson Stonecrop, or Elijah Blue Fescue.

Alpine Plants

“Rock Garden” and “Alpine” plants are used interchangeably but a true Alpine grows above the tree line in mountainous regions.

• Alpine perennials have a dwarf habit, bloom profusely, and prefer a well-drained, gritty soil. These include Gentians, Saxifrage, Alpine Lady’s Mantle, Stonecrop, Edelweiss, Alpine Columbine, Lewisia, Alpine Poppy, Arctic Campion, and Alpine Aster.

Trough Gardens

If you have limited space you can create a miniature rock garden in a special planting container called a trough.

• A trough is a heavy rectangular tray with drainage holes that’s elevated on concrete blocks and filled with a layer of stone at the bottom and quick-draining, gritty soil.
• A standard soil mix for a trough is 20% compost, 30% loam, and 50% fine gravel/sand.
• In a smaller trough, you can try planting succulent perennials like Stonecrops, Hens and Chicks, and Saxifrage with interesting rocks and gravel to finish the top.
• Very slow-growing evergreens can be used in larger troughs. Once planted keep the trough free of weeds and water as needed (every day or every other day in hot weather).
• Troughs with winter hardy plants can stay where they are or be set on the ground in December and covered with evergreen boughs.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip – GARDENING WITH PERENNIALS

Most homeowners have some degree of shade somewhere on their property whether it’s from buildings, a fence, or mature trees. Since shade varies from heavy, where no direct sunlight penetrates, to partial or dappled, you need to observe what kind of shade you are dealing with and plant accordingly.

• Plants with non-green foliage colour like the blue-grey of Junipers or the yellow in Euonymus will not do well in shade.
• Red leaved shrubs like Purpleleaf Sand Cherry or Purple Smoketree or golden shrubs such as Golden Mock-orange lose their vibrant colour if they are planted in shade.

Choose wisely from a wide range of shade-tolerant plant materials and arrange them with variety of form, size, texture and colour in mind.

Plants for Full Shade

• Boxwood, Yews, Sarcoxie Euonymus, and Hemlock are dependable evergreens that add year-round structure to any garden.
• Emerald Gaiety Euonymus, Silverleaf, Silver and Gold Dogwood, Variegated Kerria, Variegated Hosta, Goutweed, or Variegated Solomon’s Seal will contrast successfully when planted next to the above.
• Flowering plants that will flourish in low light are the broadleaf evergreens such as Periwinkle, Mountain Laurel, Japanese Pieris, and Oregon Grape.
• Deciduous shrubs include False Spirea, Annabelle and Bigleaf Hydrangeas, and Double Kerria.
• Eastern Redbud, Downy Serviceberry, and Pagoda and Gray Dogwood are examples of small trees that will tolerate a lot of shade especially in the city.
• Bugleweed, Astilbe, Bellflower, Hostas, Bugbane, Bergenia, Forget-me-not, Christmas Rose, Monkshood, and Lily-of-the-Valley are the best perennials for full shade. Many of these can also be used as ground covers to replace grass.
• Native wildflowers like Trillium, Jack-in- the-Pulpit and ferns originated in full shade so they’re obviously good choices for your shade garden.
• Annuals like the Non-stop or Tuberous Begonia, Torenia, Browallia, Coleus, and Mimulus are good choices for continuous colour and will brighten up any dark corner.
• Plants that produce berries are also interesting in any garden. The evergreen ground cover, Wintergreen, and the female shrub, Winterberry, produce bright red fruit.
• The vine, Virginia Creeper, has blue-black berries in fall that attract birds. Boston Ivy is highly valued because it grows so quickly.
• There are also great flowering vines for full shade like Climbing Hydrangea, Dropmore Scarlet Honeysuckle, and Virgin’s Bower.

Design Tip for Shade Gardens

• To make a shade garden appear more luminous use the palest colours that will jump out from a dark background. White, pale pink, light yellow and peach-orange are very lively.
• Red, blue, and purple, on the other hand, recede into the shade and are, therefore, less noticeable.

Practical Tip for Shade Gardens

Consider hiring a professional arborist to thin out branches on your mature shade trees to allow additional light into your garden. Air circulation will also be improved which should help limit the proliferation of moss.

Plants for Partial Shade

All the plant material listed for full shade can, of course, go into lighter, partial shade.

• Trees like Honey-locust, Ginkgo, Linden, Flowering Dogwood, Golden Chain Tree, Weeping Peashrub, and Saucer Magnolia can be added to the list of tree that do well in partial shade.
• Shrubs that flower well include Oakleaf, Peegee, Pink Diamond, and Unique Peegee Hydrangea, Caryopteris, Mock-orange, Rose-of-Sharon, Carol Mackie Daphne, Summersweet, and Bridalwreath Spirea. Dappled Willow is worth mentioning for its elegant white, pink, and green leaves and Japanese Maple for its feathery, red foliage.
• There are many perennials for partial shade such as Bleeding Heart, Foxglove, Primula, Bearded and Siberian Iris, Lilies, Lupine, Columbine, Globeflower, Ligularia, Coral Bells, and Daylily.
• Wherever there’s a gap in colour in your partial shade garden, plant annual shade Impatiens, Fibrous Begonias, Fuchsia, or Lobelia.
• Hall’s Honeysuckle is not only a semi evergreen flowering vine, but it’s also highly fragrant in June.
• Evergreen interest is created with Spring Heath, Siberian Cypress, Mugho Pine, Nest Spruce, Bearberry and Coral Beauty Cotoneaster, Cedar, and English Ivy. Bright red berries are the hallmark of female evergreen Holly while Firethorn is remarkable for its clusters of orange berries that last well into winter.

Don’t feel as though your options are limited when choosing plants for shaded areas. There are lots of interesting plants to choose from. You can also test the full sun plants in partial shade. Often they prefer the afternoon shade as it’s considerably cooler and moisture is better retained in the soil.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip – RHODODENDRONS
Gardening Tip – GROUND COVERS
Gardening Tip – NATIVE PLANTS & WILDFLOWERS
 

Spring

• Forsythia – Early bloomers with vibrant yellow flowers; their flowers precede their leaves. Fast-growing shrubs with an upright and arching form.
• Magnolia – Elegant pink, purple, white or yellow flowers.
• Flowering Almond – Five-petal masses of rosette blossoms are pink, about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter and are double.
• Lilacs – Blooms for only a brief couple weeks in the spring but has a very aromatic scent that carries for a distance. Available in shades of pink, mauve, purple and pure white.
• Dwarf Lilac – Mauve flowers with delicate, wavy leaves. Ideal for smaller areas (under windows, mixed border, or low hedge) as it maintains a round form without pruning.
• Deutzia, Mock Orange, Bridalwreath Spirea – Has crisp, white blossoms.
• Weigela – Produces colourful, trumpet-shaped flowers in June in shades of pink, red or white
• False Spirea – Produces creamy, white plumes and refined foliage
• Kerria – Produces round yellow blooms and is ideal for heavily shaded areas.

Summer

• Potentilla – Begins flowering in June and continues all through the summer. This small sized shrub will keep compact if pruned.
• Spirea – Offers a great variety in a dwarf size (no taller than 100 cm (40"). Produces pink flowers which bloom from June into July.
• Shibori – Notable for flowering white and several shades of pink, all on one bush.
• Sunburst Hypericum – Blooms from July through October with striking golden yellow flowers against blue-green foliage.
• Summersweet – Blooms in late July. Its fragrant blossoms attract butterflies.
• Bigleaf Hydrangea – Ideal for sun or shade and blooms all summer long.
• Butterflybush, Caryopteris, Rose of Sharon – All bloom in August. These outstanding flowering shrubs will carry any garden successfully into fall.

Fall

• Peegee, Unique Peegee Hydrangea – Large, cone-shaped blooms change from white to bronzy pink over a 2-month period that lasts well into October.
• Burningbush, Amur Maple, Chokeberry – All three have a brilliant red fall foliage
• Sumac, Cutleaf Japanese Maple – Turn a vivid orange
• Goldflame Spirea – Holds its rusty- red leaves into November
• Pagoda Dogwood, Serviceberry – Turns various shades of orangey red to rust. Both shrubs grow well in the sun or shade.

Spring through Fall Interest

There are some beautiful shrubs with brightly coloured foliage that will help to maintain flowering interest in the garden from April to October. These brightly coloured foliage contrast with basic green from the time they leaf out to autumn leaf-drop.

• Purpleleaf Sand Cherry, Royal Purple Smoketree, Red Japanese Maples – Immediately draws attention in any arrangement of plants because the eye sees red first.
• Golden Mock-Orange, Dart’s Gold Ninebark, Elder (golden varieties) – Yellow is the second colour the eye notices.
• Russian Olive, Sea-Buckthorn, and Silver Buffaloberry – Trademark of the softer, silvery-grey look.
• Silver leaf Dogwood, Variegated Weigela, Mottled Tatarian Dogwood, Dappled Willow, and Carol Mackie Daphne – These shrubs best represent variegated (2 or more colour) foliage and sparkle next to a solid coloured shrub.

Winter

Certain shrubs have colourful twigs that show up distinctively in the winter garden.

• Red Osier, Ivory Halo, Siberian, WinterBeauty, and Silverleaf Dogwood – All have red bark
• Yellowtwig Dogwood – Has golden bark.
• Kerria – Remarkable for its thin, lime-green twigs.
• Corkscrew Hazel – Has unusual twisting, contorted branches.
• Female Winterberry and Cotoneaster – These are worthy of inclusion for their striking red berries that last through January.
• Daphne – Flowers violet-red around late March at the same time Arnold Promise and Diane Witch-hazel are blooming.
• Pussy Willow – Their fat, furry catkins are so pretty when forced indoors during winter. Pussy Willows are available in shrub form as well as the standard weeping tree.
  
  Also refer to Gardening Tip – PRUNING PRACTICES

What to Start from Seed

Herbs, vegetables, annuals, perennials, and wildflowers can all be grown from seed in your own home. All seeds are different; some seed varieties require different amounts of time to germinate and grow before taking them outdoors to plant in the garden. Some even need special pre-treatment before sowing like chilling, nicking the seed coat with a sharp knife, or soaking overnight. Read the back of each seed package carefully to learn its particular preferences.

How to Start Seeds

The first step is to know when to start your seeds indoors. This information is clearly indicated on the package.

• If you start too early they’ll become tall, leggy, and root bound before they can be planted in the garden.
• Other seeds, if started too late, will have a lot of catching up to do in the garden.
• Remember that perennials started from seed shouldn’t be expected to bloom until their second year.

Growing Containers

You will need something to grow your seeds in. There are a few options:

• Parkwood® Mini-Greenhouse Kit that consists of a drainage tray, plastic cell-pack inserts, and a clear humid-dome lid.
• Jiffy Peat Pellets that are soaked in water until they have expanded to seven times their size. Each Jiffy pellet becomes a small growing sack with peat soil large enough for sowing two to three seeds. The advantage of Jiffy pellets is that you plant the seedling in its Jiffy right into the garden in spring so there isn’t any root disturbance. This is also the case with individual peat pots and peat cell-packs that are biodegradable. When you don’t have to pull a plant out of its growing container, there is virtually no shock to sensitive roots and they take off quickly without sulking.

Soil

• Choose a soilless mix or Agro-Mix™. These soils are very light allowing fragile young roots to grow easily. They also allow easy air penetration and they’re sterilized to eliminate insects and disease.
• Do not use topsoil, 3 in 1, or houseplant soil. The first two aren’t sterilized and the latter is too heavy of a mixture.
• To ensure young seedlings won’t succumb to a fungus disease called “damping off” (caused by too much humidity and poor air circulation) treat the soil at the time of planting with the liquid fungicide No-Damp™. Simply dilute according to the directions and water in.
• When you’re ready to start your seeds, it’s a good idea to slit open the top of the bag of soil, add some water, and let it stand overnight. Otherwise, the soil is dry and dusty.
• Fill your plastic or peat cell-packs or pots with the pre-moistened soil and spread two or three seeds over the surface of each compartment or pot.
• Lightly cover the seeds with more soil or, if specified on the package, leave the seeds exposed to direct light.
• Set your cell-packs or pots into a drainage tray. The Parkwood® Mini-greenhouse has a plastic cover that can be put over the drainage tray. Don’t snap it onto this tray. Rather, leave a small gap for air circulation. This is left on until the plants touch the cover, then it’s permanently removed.

Light

• All seeds want to grow in warmth, especially bottom heat from being placed on a refrigerator or radiator, with natural bright light or under fluorescent lamps that are kept 15 cm (6”) above your seed flats.
• Be sure to identify what’s sown in each flat by writing on seedling labels with a permanent marker like a Sharpie™ pen. You’ll need several labels if there’s more than one variety in a flat.

Water

• Don’t allow your seedlings to dry out.
• Water them from a mister bottle when the soil surface is dry. Watering with a watering can gives too forceful a spray and will probably dislodge the seedlings and the soil.

Planting Your Seedlings in the Garden

To plant young seedlings outdoors, you need to “harden” them off to ensure they can withstand fluctuating temperatures and wind.

• A week before the May long weekend, place the trays outside in light shade for a few hours each day, bringing them back in at night.
• Each day move them into a bit more light until they’re finally in full sun. If you put the flats in direct sun, the foliage burns and the leaves will have to be plucked off.
• To minimize transplant shock at the time of planting, use Parkwood® Transplanter 5-15-5 as directed.
• Some seedlings can tolerate frost and can be planted earlier than the May long weekend. These seedlings will have the earlier transplanting date on the seed package.

Check out the seed starting video on our videos page

Year-round interest is reason enough to include evergreens in the landscape, but their range of colour and forms makes them irresistible.

Selecting Your Evergreen

• Choose the space where your evergreen will be planted rather than impulse buying, only to decide when you get it home, there is no place to put it!
• Decide how big you want your evergreen to grow in terms of height and diameter.
• Determine what light conditions your space has (deep shade – full sun).

Large Evergreens

Good for privacy or a windscreen when used in groups or individually.

• Silver and Fraser Fir, and Colorado Spruce - Symmetrical pyramid shape.
• Austrian Pine - Irregular open shape, shorter and rounder, long needles.
• Weeping Nootka False Cypress - striking with ascending branches with pendulous threadlike foliage.
• Weeping White Spruce and Weeping White Pine - similarly unusual and makes a lot of impact.

Upright Evergreens

Good for designing or renovating a foundation planting or mixed border where vertical elements are needed. Topiary uprights are great for a focal point but require trimming to maintain their effect.

• Junipers and especially the blue/grey varieties prefer sunny locations.
• Cedars are more shade-tolerant (with the exception of the yellow leaved varieties) and vary in mature height from 3 m - 8 m (10’ - 26’)
• Upright Yews with their dark green needles can be planted in full sun or shade. Since they grow slowly and live a long time, they don’t require much maintenance.

Medium Size Evergreens

Good for horizontal balance and great textural contrast to the upright evergreens especially the broadleaf varieties whose leaves remain all winter.

• Euonymus – are highly versatile and maintain dense form (125 cm/4’ tall or less. They are easily pruned any time of year. There are variegated (2 colour) leaved varieties available for both shade and sun locations. The golden varieties should all be planted in sun to maintain their colour but Emerald Gaiety with its green and white foliage can also grow in full shade.
  
  Medium-sized, Broadleaf Evergreens for Shade
• Rhododendron, Pieris, Mountain Laurel, Mahonia (Oregon Grape), and Holly (with red berries in winter on the female plants).

Medium-sized Broadleaf Evergreens for Sun

• Rose Daphne – Only 40 cm (16") tall and with very fragrant rose-pink flowers in May.
• Yuccas – Bold spiked foliage with flowers on 150 cm - 175 cm (5’ - 6’) spikes in July.

Spreading Evergreens

Evergreens that will not grow over 150 cm (5’) in height

• Gold Star Juniper – Light green foliage and bright yellow tips
• Blue Star – Steel-blue

Compact, Spreading Yews and Round Form Evergreens

Requires little pruning and their shape contrasts well with softer-textured Junipers and Yews.

• Globe Cedars
• Dwarf Spruces
• Green Gem
• Green Velvet Boxwood (introduced by Sheridan Nurseries in 1973)
• False Cypress (dwarf forms of that are very slow growing with irregular shapes and vivid colour)

Evergreen Ground Covers

Good for cascading over a retaining wall or water garden, to fill in bare patches, and anywhere else a very low growing plant is required. They are a great, low-maintenance alternative to grass.

Varieties that change colour in winter

• Siberian Cypress (turning coppery- brown)
• Compact Andorra Juniper (deep plum)
• Wintercreeper (purple)

Broadleaf Evergreens as ground cover

• Vancouver Jade Bearberry
• Japanese Spurge
• Periwinkle
• Wintergreen
• Spring Heath
• Vancouver Gold Broom
• Mountain Cranberry
• Paxistima, Bearberry Cotoneaster
• Heather

Evergreen Vines

• Sarcoxie Euonymus – can easily climb 2 storeys high on the side of a house in sun or shade supporting itself on strong, woody stems.
• English Ivy – best planted on the east or north side of a house to avoid winter burn to its dark green leaves.
• Hall’s Honeysuckle – fragrant creamy-yellow flowers, requires a trellis for support.
• Firethorn – planted for its clusters of bright orange berries requires a trellis for support.

Evergreen Hedges

Good for creating a living fence.

• Emerald Cedar – Has an incredibly rich "emerald" colour that stays true through winter. These do not need any trimming if you are happy with its ultimate height, 4 m (13’).
• Green Gem Boxwood – Ideal for a low fence. Boxwood hedges lend a formal appearance to the garden; they look good beside walkways and patios outlining herb, rose, or perennial gardens. These Broadleaf Evergreens grow only about 5 cm (2") a year so they do not require much trimming to remain small and neat.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip #2 – RHODODENDRONS
Gardening Tip #10 – GROUND COVERS

Vines are great as they make a strong vertical statement and can be used in any garden. They can be a quick disguise as well as add interest to other flowers or an otherwise boring fence. They can even be used as a ground cover for large areas that need quick coverage.

Flowering Vines

Clematis

• Requires the support of a trellis which it will twine happily.
• Requires a minimum of 6 hours direct sunlight to promote good flowering.
• Prefers rich, well-drained soil that can be created by adding manure or compost to Parkwood® 3 in 1 in the planting hole. Clematis thrives in alkaline soil to which lime has been added at the time of planting and thereafter each spring.
• Has a preference for cool, shaded roots. This won’t happen naturally when they’re planted to receive 6 hours of sun. You can provide shade with gravel or mulch or you can plant, at the same time, a low to medium-sized perennial.
• When you’re ready to plant, handle your young Clematis carefully. They’re very fragile and break easily so do not rush the job.
• You’ll enjoy flowers the first year in colours from pure white to lavender blue, through every shade of pink and purple. Some flowers, like Nelly Moser, are striped. Flowers can be single or double. For added impact, plant 2 different coloured Clematis together, like dark purple Jackmanii and white Henryi.

Climbing Roses

• These are very showy performers with masses of flowers on long vigorous canes. Choose your favourite colour and check to see if it’s fragrant as well.

Wisteria

• Flowers in late May.
• Grows stems that become the size of small tree trunks, ensure your support for it is strong enough.
• The long, fragrant, panicle flowers hang straight down and are best viewed over a pergola, a large arbour, or along a roof line or porch.
• To encourage blooming, cut back at least half of the Wisteria’s summer green growth, thus re-directing energy to form spurs from which the flowers will emerge the next year.
• It may take several years before they flower for the first time.

Trumpet Vine

• Flowers in June/July.
• Sometimes requires up to 3 years before you see its orangey-red, trumpet shaped flowers.
• A fast grower and will cover your fence or shed as desired.

Silver Lace Vine

• Flowers in August.
• Grows quickly with impressive blooms.
• Similar to Roses, they prefer lots of sun.

Vines for Fall Colour

Boston Ivy and Virginia Creeper

• Non-flowering vines that grow quickly.
• Both are both adaptable to full sun or shade but when planted in full sun, turn the most brilliant red in autumn.
• Most frequently used to cover a fence, the wall of a house, or as a ground cover to stabilize a slope where erosion is a problem.

Vines with Berries

American Bittersweet and Firethorn

• Produces bright orange berries in the fall.
• Bittersweet is unusual because it requires a male and a female plant to cross-pollinate so the female will produce her berries.
• Plant your American Bittersweet away from trees or shrubs as it has the habit, in the wild, of leaping onto them and smothering them.

Evergreen Vines

This group is very significant because it provides year-round interest in the garden.

Sarcoxie Euonymus

• Utterly dependable in sun or shade.
• Grows strong, woody stems that keep it up-right without a visible means of support.

Wintercreeper

• Needs a trellis or fence to climb as it is not self-supporting.
• Unique because it turns from green to a rich mahogany red in fall so the winter colour is different from the other 3 seasons.

English Ivy

• Distinctive for its dark green, pointed foliage and looks even better when combined with the variegated leaves of Emerald Gaiety Euonymus.
• Plant English Ivy away from prevailing winds as it burns very easily in winter. A north or east wall is ideal.

Hall’s Honeysuckle, Firethorn

• Semi-evergreen vines.
• They don’t maintain all their leaves through winter but a good portion will remain if they’re planted out of direct wind, in a sheltered location, like English Ivy.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip – PRUNING PRACTICES

All gardening requires a degree of on-going maintenance. Installing a water garden does not mean endless hours of work per week.

• Ensure you situate your pond correctly in the very beginning. This will minimize your overall work load.
• Choose an area on your property that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day if you intend on having flowering aquatic plants.
• Be sure the site is level and not at the lowest part of the garden where runoff (especially lawn fertilizer) will upset the delicate natural balance.
• There are only 2 ways to combat algae and permanent green, smelly water:

1. Use swimming pool chemicals to keep water clear
2. Use plants, fish, and/or a biological or mechanical filter.

Spring

• Remove the floating pond de-icer or any other device you have used to keep the ice from freezing over during the winter.
• Reinstall pumps, filters, and lights.
• Check the water pH with a test kit. The correct pH is between 6.8 and 7.4. If necessary, treat the water with a pH adjuster.
• Clean out leaves and organic debris that might have accumulated at the bottom over winter.
• Move existing hardy plants from the bottom of the pond to their proper depth when the water temperature is 4°C (40°F).
• At 15°C (60°F), start feeding fish low protein food when the water is 10°C (50°F). Start fertilizing plants with convenient tablets. To maximize growth and bloom, fertilize once a month until September.
• Add floaters such as annual Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce as well as new water plants when the water temperature is 18°C (65°F).
• This is also a good time to switch to a high protein fish food.

Water Level

• Check the water level of your pond frequently especially during periods of hot weather. If it goes down too far it will cause temperature fluctuations that can adversely affect plants and fish.
• Top up regularly.
• When first filling a new water garden, it’s recommended that the water sit for a week before plants are added.
• Wait an additional week after that to add fish.

Fish and Scavengers

• Adding scavengers such as aquatic snails and tadpoles help the biological balance in your water garden.
• Add Fish to your water garden. These are beneficial because they eat mosquitoes and other insect larvae as well as some algae. However, don’t overstock your pond. Too many fish can deplete oxygen, promote algae growth, and reduce water quality.
• Stock 2.5 cm (1”) of fish per one square foot of pond surface area. Figures are based on the size of the fish at maturity. Common goldfish require very little care. Koi, on the other hand, must be fed regularly, need better filtration, and may outgrow a small water garden. You can reduce the amount of waste from koi by using a low ash fish food.

Filters

• Check all filters in your pond once a week. Less output from fountains, waterfalls, or pumps may indicate that a hose is clogged or the filter is dirty and may require cleaning or replacing.

Summer

• Thin out plants if the water surface becomes too densely covered.
• Simply skim the water for an overabundance of such plants as blanket algae and duckweed or trim out a few Lily leaves.
• Remove all faded blooms and yellowed foliage so they can’t decompose in the water. If left, algae will proliferate and potentially turn the water cloudy and green.
• Watch for brown spot on Water Lily and Lotus foliage. If detected, remove infected leaves immediately and keep the plant growing vigorously by thinning/dividing when necessary.
• Insects that can attack water plants include aphids, Water Lily beetle, China mark moth, and midges.
• Aphids are the easiest to control by blasting them off foliage with a garden hose. Fish will consume them gladly and ladybugs and lacewings are natural predators. If aphids persist, spray with Safer’s Insecticidal Soap. But use it in moderation if you have fish.
• China mark moth affects Water Lilies. They cut off a small piece of leaf and form a cocoon on the underside. They can be rubbed off by hand or treated with BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis), a natural and safe form of control.
• Leaf-mining midges are small, mosquito-like insects that lay their eggs on the leaves of aquatic plants. Larvae are transparent and almost invisible. They tunnel into the leaves and eat the foliage between the veins, leaving visible trails. Remove any leaves that show these trails.
• Water Lily beetles also lay eggs on foliage. When the grubs hatch they mine the leaves. Remove these leaves and hose down the remaining foliage. In fall, be sure to remove the dead stalks of marginal plants as this is where they like to overwinter.

Fall

• Stop fertilizing aquatic plants and continue to remove yellowing or dying foliage.
• If you have fish, switch to food that’s formulated for cooler water temperatures.
• As leaves on trees and shrubs turn colour and start to drop, cover the whole water garden with protective black, mesh netting. It will keep leaves from falling into the pond. If leaves are allowed to accumulate in the bottom and decompose there algae will be a huge problem the following spring. Scoop or vacuum accumulated debris from the bottom before winter.
• Remove pumps and electrical equipment.
• Never drain the water. A preformed, rigid pool without water can crack or warp due to the freeze/thaw cycle. In more extreme cases it can heave itself right out of the ground without the weight of the water to keep it securely anchored. A water garden formed with liner needs the water to retain its shape, to maintain beneficial bacteria, and to help overwinter hardy plants and fish.
• Install a pond heater or bubbler to keep an area of water from freezing so oxygen can continue to be available to fish and toxic gases like methane can escape.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip – OVERWINTERING WATER GARDEN PLANTS & FISH
Gardening Tip – ALGAE AND THE WATER GARDEN

A water garden enables the gardener an opportunity to grow a range of plants that can only be cultivated in this liquid format. These water plants are not only beautiful but they also have the important function of minimizing the build-up of algae. Without water plants, the water will quickly turn green and cloudy.

Algae

• Water contains elements such as salts and nitrates which remain because evaporation is 100% pure.
• The build-up of these elements is one of the major causes of algae.
• Water plants will absorb both; you just have to establish the right ratio of plants to the volume of water.
• When filling your pond for the first time, let the water sit for a week. It may turn green but do not empty it.
• After a week it will be safe to start adding water plants

Water Lilies & Lotus

Water Lilies

• Water Lilies come in two forms; hardy and tropical. Hardy plants can be cut back and left in the water garden over the winter. Tropical plants are treated as annuals or lifted and wintered inside.
• The major visual difference between the two is that hardy Water Lily blooms sit on the surface of the water with the foliage while tropical blossoms rise on long stems well above the leaves. Both are easily grown requiring a minimum of 6 hours sunlight daily, rich soil, and quiet water. They are placed 45 cm - 60 cm (18” - 24”) deep with 20 cm - 30 cm (8” - 12”) of water over the crown of a hardy Water Lily and 15 cm - 20 cm (6” - 8”) over the crown of a tropical.
• Hardy Water Lilies bloom yellow, red, apricot, white, and pink.
• Tropicals are white, pink, red, yellow, purple-violet, and blue.

Lotus

• Lotus leaves and flowers stand 45 cm - 125 cm (18” - 48”) above the water depending on the variety. Exotic fragrant blossoms last 3-4 days allowing the unusual seedpod to develop.
• Lotus requires many weeks of sunny, warm weather and rich soil to bloom well. Hardy to Zone 5, it sometimes won’t flower the first year.
• To overwinter, ensure your lotus is at least 3.5 feet deep in your water garden to protect the tuber from freezing.

The leaves of all Water Lilies and Lotus are attractive as well as very functional. By covering the surface of your pond with lilies and lotus you will minimize evaporation, reduce light that algae needs to grow, and keep the water from heating up.

Floating Plants

• These water plants are classified as “floating” oxygenators. They liberate oxygen that helps to clear the water and they absorb excess nutrients that cause algae.
• Floaters literally float on the surface with their roots dangling in the water, moving wherever a breeze takes them. They shade the water and provide protection for fish.
• They include Water Lettuce with its soft, velvety, blue-green leaves arranged in the form of a rosette, Water Hyacinth with its’ shiny, leathery leaves and blue flowers, and Duckweed with it’s tiny leaves and spreading habit. Duckweed is also food to goldfish. Use one plant per square meter (yard) of water.

Submerged Oxygenating Plants

• These plants also keep water clear and they control algae naturally.
• They provide spawning space for fish and provide shelter for baby fish.
• Oxygenating plants are planted in pots that are placed right at the bottom of the pool.
• There are many submerged oxygenating plants to choose from but there should be a maximum of three plants per square meter (yard).

Marginals

• Planted in shallow water at the edge of a water garden, marginals soften the edge of your feature and give it a natural appearance.
• Hardy shallow water plants include Arrowhead with its distinctive leaf and spikes of delicate white, three-petalled flowers. Pickerel Rush produces tight clusters of blue flowers on tall spikes from midsummer to fall. Variegated Sweet Flag is particularly distinctive with slender green and cream leaf blades.
• There are also tropical marginals some of which can be kept indoors as houseplants.
• Others should be treated as annuals and replaced each year. Read plant signs carefully to confirm.

How to Plant

• Line your open weave black plastic baskets with burlap or black, porous landscape fabric so soil can’t escape and cloud the water.
• Use an aquatic soil for water plants and be sure to cover it with washed gravel, pebbles, or small rocks. The added weight keeps the planter from popping to the surface.
• Place each planted basket in the pond at the required growing depth of each type of plant. If you need to raise a container higher, be sure to place the riser(s) on an extra piece of PVC to protect the PVC liner beneath from tears.
• To eliminate the salt in a concrete block, immerse it completely in a bucket of water for 24 hours. It will take several weeks for your water plants to start growing. Your water may turn green during that time. There will come a time when the water suddenly clears and, if it doesn’t, keep adding more plants.
• Remember that Trapdoor and Melantho Snails live solely on algae. They’re just as important to your miniature eco-system as the fish, frogs, and dragonflies.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip – HOW TO SET UP YOUR POND

White Grubs

• Grubs have a white “C” shaped body, a brown head and 6 legs on its upper half.
• The White Grub is just one part of the life cycle of the June Beetle, Japanese Beetle, and the European Chafer Beetle.
• Eggs are laid in the lawn late June to early July and hatch into Grubs that begin to feed on the roots of your lawn from late July to August. They continue feeding and growing through the fall.
• After the fall they burrow below the frost line to overwinter. As soon as the ground starts to warm in spring, they rise and start feeding again in March/April.
• Raccoons and Skunks love to feed on Grubs so you may realize there is a problem at this time when sections of your grass are ripped up on a nightly basis during the spring months. The second indication Grubs may have invaded your lawn are patches of brown, dead grass where Grubs have consumed the root system.
• The Grubs will continue to feed and grow until mid-May when they develop into their final pupal form. The adult beetle emerges in mid- June, mates, and the females return to the soil to lay their eggs. The cycle then begins all over again.

Control

One completely natural pest control that is currently available is “Beneficial” Nematodes. These microscopic worms enter the Grub, release bacteria, reproduce in the host, and kill it. The Nematodes then vacate the dying insect and seek a new host. All vertebrates (humans, dogs, birds, etc.) are completely resistant to nematodes as are plants, earthworms, and helpful insects like bees and ladybugs.

• Apply Nematodes to your lawn when the soil has warmed up in May (through June & July the Nematode population will rapidly increase from the few released).
• Water the affected area for an hour before application.
• Place the product in a hose end sprayer having removed the filter first. This is very important to avoid trauma to the Nematodes.
• The Nematodes will move quickly through the pre-moistened soil once mixed with water. For small areas, it can be mixed with water and applied with a watering can.
• Keep your lawn moist during the summer as the Nematodes require a film of water in which to move and infect target insects.
• The Nematodes will survive for up to 15 months. A fresh application will be needed following that.
• Keep applying Nematodes for 2-3 years until you are confident your lawn is Grub-free.
• Regular applications of Parkwood™ fertilizer will keep your grass strong and increase root production.
• Minimize thatch build-up so that fertilizer, water, and air can pass into the root zone easily. If you don’t have a de-thatching lawn mower, rake all clippings off the lawn and use a dethatching rake to remove the solid build-up of old clippings.
• Keep your lawn well watered with 2.5 cm - 4 cm (1” - 1.6”) of water per week. If your schedule is too hectic to achieve this, consider installing an in-ground irrigation system so you can set a timer for regular intervals. To keep raccoons and skunks from digging up the lawn in spring and fall, lay well anchored chicken wire over the area that can be rolled up and reused as necessary.

Chinch Bugs

• Chinch bugs are very small, bright red when young, deepening to dark red, and finally dark grey with white patches when fully mature.
• Chinch Bugs suck the juices from the crown and stems of grass with their piercing mouthparts. They inject a poison that causes blades to turn brown and die.
• Chinch bugs are most active when the weather is dry and hot. You will see considerable damage especially in sunny areas of the lawn.
• To test if you have Chinch Bugs, cut the top and bottom off a large juice, coffee, or vegetable can. Force the open-ended can into the grass to half its depth and fill it with warm water. If there are Chinch Bugs in the vicinity they’ll soon float to the surface since they don’t dwell below ground like Grubs.

Control

• For natural control, reduce the use of fertilizer high in nitrogen and sow grass seed with perennial ryegrass that’s been endophyte enhanced. Try Pickseed Fastgrass. Endophyte naturally occurs in many perennial ryegrasses and some fescues which is a deterrent to Chinch Bugs and other surface feeding insects.

Sod Webworm

• The adult Sod Webworm is a small, whitish-grey moth that flies up in zigzag patterns when you walk across the lawn at dusk.
• The larvae are slender, grayish, black-spotted caterpillars that hide during the day.
• Overwintering larvae emerge and begin feeding at night or on overcast days in spring. They mature into moths in early summer.
• Throughout the summer, the moths fly over and drop as many as three generations of eggs per season into the lawn.
• Damage by Sod Webworm is characterized by grass blades chewed off or skeletonized just above the thatch line.

Control

• Natural controls include the use of BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), Pyrethrum, and resistant grasses that are endophyte enhanced.

Also refer to
Gardening Tip– LAWN CARE

In October and November there are a few small tasks to do to help your garden survive the winter and make your property beautiful for the spring.

• Plant your spring-flowering bulbs. Daffodils and Narcissus should go in first because they need time to root in the fall. Squirrels will leave these alone as they are poisonous.
• The remainder of your bulbs can be planted later, right up until ground freeze-up, when squirrels aren’t as busy digging in the garden.
• Empty clay or ceramic pots and store them safely inside. If they are left outside through the freeze-thaw cycles there is a good chance they will crack.
• Concrete or ceramic birdbaths can be turned upside down so the water cannot collect in it. This is not necessary if you intend to use a birdbath heater that provides birds with a constant source of fresh water all winter long.
• Turn the bowl(s) of your fountain upside down as well or cover it with a special fountain cover available at Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centres.
• Clean, oil, sharpen, and repair all your garden tools before storing. Rub linseed oil onto wooden handles to prevent cracks.
• Ensure sprayers are emptied and washed out with hot soapy water.
• Empty the gas tank on your lawnmower, gas trimmer or add a gas preservative.

Lawns

• Apply Parkwood® 6-8-14 Fall to strengthen grass roots, blades and build up disease resistance.
• Make the last cut of the season shorter than usual.
• Rake all leaves off the lawn before snowfall.

Annuals & Perennials

• Remove all annuals from garden beds and containers. Decaying plants in the garden provide a perfect nesting site for insects to overwinter.
• Cut back perennials close to ground level in late fall (except for the Ornamental Grasses, Lavender, and Russian Sage which are all pruned back in early spring).
• Compost all this material.
• Perennials that are borderline hardy, Chrysanthemums, areas that are particularly windswept or very cold should be covered with Parkwood® 3 in 1. This can then be worked into the soil the following spring.

Trees

• Protect tree trunks from assorted rodents, rabbits and deer that enjoy eating the bark of shrubs and trees like Crab Apple and fruit trees during winter by placing a spiral plastic tree guard around them.
• Skoot is another alternative to use. Spray the bark of the tree with this bitter tasting deterrent.

Both products are available at Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centres.

Evergreens

• To keep the branches of your Upright Junipers and Cedars erect, purchase clear plastic mesh or green twine that is spiraled down to the full length of the evergreen.
• Trees that are damaged from the weight of snow and ice will not snap back into place in April and will need to be pruned off.

Rhododendrons

Rhododendrons as well as Holly, Oregon Grape, Mountain-laurel, and Japanese Pieris are prone to windburn. They should initially be planted in a sheltered location. If this was not possible and your plant has a lot of brown, burnt leaves in spring due to windburn or sun scald you will need to take precautions for the winter months.

• Surround your Rhododendrons with burlap stapled to sturdy garden stakes.
• Leave the top of the tent open and place a thick layer of leaves or chopped conifer branches to help insulate the root zone and preserve moisture to the soil.
• You can also spray Wiltpruf on the foliage to seal moisture in the leaves while still allowing the plant to breathe.

Roses

• Clean up all the dead leaves mid to late November and put out with the garbage
• Trim roses back to about 1 m (36”).
• Surround the base of your Floribunda, Hybrid Tea, Grandiflora, or English Roses with an adjustable rose collar purchased at your nearest Sheridan Nurseries Garden Centre. Sink it about 2.5 cm (1”) into the ground where it will firmly freeze into place.
• Pack a mixture that’s half garden soil and half composted cattle manure into the collar. The hut can also be dug 2.5 cm (1”) into the soil or a heavy rock can be placed on top.
• Climbing Roses do not need to be pruned back at all but pack Garden Soil and manure solidly against the base (called “hilling”).
• Shrub roses generally don’t need extra protection but a bit of hilling wouldn’t hurt.

Water Gardens

• Do not allow falling leaves to accumulate in your pond through the fall. Rotting leaves at the bottom are a major cause of algae.
• Place a mesh tarp over the top of your pond to catch the falling leaves.
• Hardy aquatic plants can be placed at the bottom of the pond to overwinter.
• Tropical water lilies need to be removed completely, trimmed back, stored in a cool basement, and kept covered with wet burlap. Do not let them dry out.
• A pre-formed pond should not be emptied. The weight of the water will keep the pond firmly in the ground and prevent it from popping out. The pond can be drained in the spring and refilled.  Be sure to remove any equipment such as pumps, jets, lights, and the transformer. Wipe them clean and store in a dry place.
• If you plan to over-winter fish in your water garden, ensure the ice is kept open in one area to allow the methane gas to escape.

Watering

• Water all your garden beds and trees and lawn deeply in November before turning off the water for the winter.
• Ensure all your outdoor water lines are turned off to prevent pipes from cracking during the cold winter months.