A drawing of a plan for a patio with container plantings

Transforming a garden patio with containers

Containers full of plants can do wonders for adding colour to a garden patio but they can do so much more. They can direct traffic, help wildlife, lend some privacy and give you the feeling that your space is much bigger than it really is. And you don’t need much space to begin with, either.…

Iris danfordiae: Yellow is the new blue

One of my favourite early spring flowers is Iris reticulata. I love everything about them–their scent (as sophisticated as any French perfume), their size (so cute!) and their deep bluish purple colouring accented with a bright yellow stripe and delicate black spots running down the centre of each petal. Then I discovered Iris danfordiae. These…

Wedding Gown hydrangeas: Double the flower power

I thought ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas–with all those minty fresh flower heads the size of my head (see directly below)–were the bee’s knees. Then I discovered ‘Wedding Gown’. The blooms of the aptly named Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Double Delights Wedding Gown’ (also known as ‘Dancing Snow’) really do make you think of ruffles and lace. ‘Limelights’ will always find a…

The OMG Summer Tour, Part 1: A city garden redefines “space-saving”

There were plants everywhere–in the ground, dangling from trellises, stacked over other plants and lining the tops of fences. And yet, despite the sheer number of plants crammed into this garden, there was a distinct sense of calmness and elegance. This was an eye-opening garden. But discovering a place that leaves you gob-smacked is to…

Fun with succulents

Succulents–those chubby, rubbery plants originally hailing from arid climes–are my go-to plants when I want to fill a space with texture, not have to worry about their maintenance and, I’ll admit it, add a bit of humour. Maybe it’s their otherworldly shapes and colours. When succulents are planted in unlikely places, their oddness stands out…

Hedges that buck tradition and 6 other outside-the-box ideas

Hedges with no intention of hedging. Garden beds built for sidewalks. A swimming pool that takes a plunge into the woods. These ideas and more were on display at this year’s Toronto Botanical Gardens Through The Garden Gate tour, this time featuring private home gardens in the Lawrence Park area. Here are my favourites: 1.…

Is your soil healthy? More dirt on dirt.

You used to be able to buy a house, walk out the back door, and, if you were so inclined, dig a little vegetable patch. Nothing complicated. Just plant some carrots and beans or maybe stake a row of tomatoes. But things are so much more complicated now. The Toronto Star ran an expose last…

The movable garden

Commitment-phobic? Then gardening might be the ultimate turn-off. After all, growing plants entails sticking around in the same place to water, feed, prune and, yes, enjoy their beauty, year after year, doesn’t it? Not necessarily. Here are 5 ideas to have green and growing things with you wherever you roam. Click on any photo to read…

Life after dead potted plants

Now that the temperatures are finally dipping below zero celsius here in Southern Ontario, my container plantings are beginning to bite the dust. And so the big fall clean-up begins. But this time around, I’m going to be smarter about it. Having spent this year studying organic horticulture techniques, I’ve found that there are easy ways to…

Container idea: Sunset colours that cool it in the heat

The sun has almost completed its wide arc around your house and is low on the horizon, finally lighting up your back patio. Beads of moisture start to form on your icy G&T. After hours of chilly AC, you’re loving the heat. But for your flower-filled planters, maybe not so much. If you walk out onto your…

Lettuce be: A new view on growing your own

I have to admit that growing my own groceries hasn’t been high up on my WhooHOO-gotta-do-it!!!! list. Except for a brief love affair with basil and tomato plants back in the day, picking herbs and vegetables for me seemed a whole lot easier at a farmer’s market than in your own backyard. [And, yes, I…