Fall wildflower seed planting

Anyone familiar with my blog knows that I love a short-cut. I also think it’s important to introduce as many native plants into my garden as possible. And if I can combine a task that’s easy and/or fast with more beneficial plants as a result, well, I’m all in. Which is why planting wildflowers by…

Daisies to the rescue of a complicated world

With news headlines getting ever weirder and more worrisome, I recommend daisies. There’s nothing quite so charmingly uncomplicated as a daisy and there are so many ways you can make the world a better place with them. Give someone a daisy bouquet. Wear a pair of $800+ daisy and gold glitter heels. Plant them in…

Dahlia 'Fire and Ice' is red and white, perfect for Canada 150.

Celebrate Canada Part 3 Red, White and Fun all over

Sure, you could go traditional and plant a maple tree on July 1st in celebration of Canada’s big 150. Or you could flaunt your patriotism a tad more quietly with a Canadian-bred, new for 2017, velvety red rose. But if what you really want is to go all-out, in-your-face “Hooray For Canada!!!” then bright red and…

Plants Of The Year and then some

In the calm of late winter, just before interest in seed-buying and plant-planning gets truly serious, gardening aficianados and various plant brands herald their choices for Plants Of The Year. Sure, we know that these accolades almost always coincide with various public relations and marketing campaigns but what’s the harm? If the Vancouver Courier can…

Back away from the coneflowers

You see them there, looking vaguely sinister in near-black silhouette, projecting explosions of spikiness. So it’s totally understandable that you might want to wade into your garden bed, armed with a sturdy pair of pruners, and give your coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) the big snip. Hey, you’re making the garden tidier and, let’s face it, friendlier…

In your garden a little wildness must go

Are you ready to go a little wild in your garden? Miriam Goldberger says there are 60 ways to do it. (Don’t get your rubber hose in a knot quite yet.) We’re talking sixty of her favourite native wildflowers and grasses. She knows what she’s talking about. Miriam is founder and co-owner of Wildflower Farm, a…