The benefits of gardening vertically downwards

Create a food garden layer by layer

Gardening vertically downwards is the key to growing your own food with less work and fewer resources required, says Christina Chung. Starting with trees or climbing vines and working your way downwards fills in all the empty spaces and . . .

Posted: 2024-04-06

Discover the glee of grasses

Native and ornamental varieties offer transformative beauty

“Grasses bring a whole range of new aesthetic possibilities, ” says Nik Friesen-Hughes, landscape designer and owner of Dogwood Landscape Design. “Grasses are a great plant to tie things together. We all want to experiment, and our garden can be . . .

Posted: 2024-05-25

New hydrangea varieties coming soon

The best flowering shrub is getting better

If there is a conundrum with hydrangeas, it is this – new varieties keep getting better and this trend is expected to continue. As satisfied as you may be with the hydrangea varieties you are currently growing, you can . . .

Posted: 2024-08-24

RENOVATIONS: Yard masterpieces

Stone and concrete fountains ready to go with your flow

There are so many new outdoor products available to enhance decks, gardens and landscapes that I created a second part to my May 3 column to include more of these novel items. Shelmerdine's has a remarkable collection of innovative fountains and . . .

Posted: 2014-05-17

Tear through that to-do list this summer

Many of us are suffering from overexposure to our own homes. We’ve had more time to contemplate and less motivation to tackle the out-of-whack elements in our houses and apartments — the minor repairs that have seemingly taken up permanent . . .

Posted: 2021-07-03

Happiness with Hydrangeas

Exciting options in a growing market for 2023

Plant shoppers across North America can be assured of finding a range of beautiful Hydrangea types and varieties to choose from in 2023. The Hydrangea market continues to grow which makes this an exciting time to select a variety . . .

Posted: 2023-02-25

A new garden every season

Container designs allow people to get in touch with their artistic side

Earl Lieske III has a great eye for container design. A professional horticulturist, Lieske is the custom planter design lead at Chalet Nursery, a third-generation, family-owned business that was named Innovator of the Year by Garden Center Magazine. Chalet is . . .

Posted: 2019-02-23

Grocers offer stress-free planting

This time of year, stores carry potted cyclamen and primula in full bloom

There they are, bright and cheery flowering potted plants, tucked in between the toothpaste aisle and the produce section at my local grocery store. At this time of the year, these pretty flowering plants may seem like the closest thing . . .

Posted: 2018-02-17

Tough plants (and solutions) for hot, dry climates

Take a cue from Medicine Hat

There is a new climate normal for all prairie gardeners and an overriding need to adapt our gardens. Which plants should we be growing that will thrive in the hotter, drier summers we are all experiencing? We have an . . .

Posted: 2023-11-04

Colourful coral bells like a dry cold

Help heuchera hibernate with a little 'insulation'

Whether you like to use the botanical name of heuchera (pronounced hew-ker-a) or prefer to call it by its common name, coral bells, this is a fantastic plant grown for its foliage that gardeners simply can’t get enough of. Most varieties . . .

Posted: 2020-10-10