The Intrepid Canadian Gardener

Creating A New Garden Path

2011-05-31T19:09:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe that it has been 5 months since my last post. Sorry about that. I have been very busy building my gardening website.

One of our spring projects was to create a new garden path. Originally, (4 years ago) we had planted 2 spruce trees on our center garden mound. The 2 trees have grown very quickly and ergo, we needed to move one of them, which we did last weekend. More on that later.

Now that the tree was moved, we dug and moved the earth to get ready to lay down the fabric landscape material. Once the fabric was down we dumped yards of red cedar bark chips along the newly created path. We edged the new path with limestone, which finished the look.

I am quite pleased with the outcome. By moving the large spruce, it actually opened up the view of the ponds from our house view advantage. I am always surprised at how quickly our project come together.

I still have a shrub or two to plant, but I'll wait for the mid summer sales.

Good job, Jim!!

All The Surprise Visitors

2011-01-15T17:36:00.000-06:00

Let me introduce Dexster. The winter in Winnipeg has come in with a vengeance of snow....and white-tailed deer! There are actually 4 in this family of brown fuzzy beasts. Are they cute? Yes. Are they destructive? Yes...they chew on my beautiful somewhat tall cedars in the front yard.

Now, here's the issue. Mr. Christmas (aka Jim) decided to wrap red lights around the 2 somewhat tall cedars. Nice. Except for Dexster and the furry family members pulling down and nibbling on the lower branches. Would they receive a shock? Not likely, but who wants to take down broken light strings in frigid temperatures...not Mr. Christmas (or me for that matter). So, what's the solution? Feed the dam things, of course. I hardly had given this solution much thought when Mr. Christmas walked in carrying a large bag of deer food...a mixture of oats, twigs and sunflower seeds. Now, 6 weeks later, we have all gained a little weight. The humans from my holiday baking and the deer from their daily dose of grains.

Is Dexster and his tag along the only visitors this holiday season? Heck no! Just prior to Christmas and our anticipated visit from our son and daughter-in-law, we discovered Hubert...the mouse. He must have been in the basement for a very short time as droppings were no where to be seen except for the shower. Yes, the shower. Must be our goooood tasting water. Out came the trap and peanut butter. Placed ever so carefully beside the shower, Hubert was trapped within the hour. What a feisty little thing. Releasing him back into the cold was the only option. We are a no kill household. Jim carried Hubert to the front ditch and watched as Hubert scampered into the deep snow.

Whew...lucky for us. Our son and daughter-in-law were to spend their nights in the lower level of the house and sharing the space with a mouse was not an option. My relief was short lived. Low and behold, the very next morning, what do we see in the shower? Yes, Hubert was back. In fact, it had snowed lightly the night before and we could actually see his tracks in the snow from the ditch right back to the garage. What a bugger! Out came the trap and the peanut butter. Here we go again. Within the hour, Hubert was once again trapped. What to do next. Jim was getting somewhat attached to this little creature...this worried me, so while Jim relaxed in the tub, I woke my daughter with a certain catch and release adventure. She would be the driver. This time we would take Hubert to the railway tracks. No way he could find his way back from that location. Being safe than sorry, I covered the trap (so he couldn't see anything) and off we went into the cold car and night. Arriving at the tracks and just down the street from our house, I released Hubert.

Back at the house, Jim's plan for Hubert was quite different. Sad that his new found 'pet' was gone, he quickly shared his thought of maybe buying a cage and keeping Hubert. Not likely.

The First Winnipeg Snowfall

2010-11-24T13:17:00.000-06:00

Image of smaller pond covered with snow!

WOW! What a difference a day makes! On November 18th (image seen in my last post), the grass was so green and the taller perennial grasses were swaying in the wind. On November 19th, the first mini snowstorm hit us. A few inches of the white stuff fell on the city and winter is here to stay.

Today is November 24th and we are about to expereince our second mini snowstorm. The weatherman is calling for another few inches of snow and blowing in open areas.

As the temperature drops, my ponds freeze and I am hoping to get out the old skates and start some winter exercising. I don't ski or snowboard (way too old for that) so skating it is. When I was little, skating was the only winter activity affordable to my parents. My sister and I were lucky to always have a pair of skates.

Soon the seed catalogues will arrive in the mail and I will begin to dream of my 2011 flower gardens...

Backyard Berming

2010-11-13T23:38:00.000-06:00

Our new backyard berm in the fall

I can hardly remember how the area in the above image flooded each spring and during the heavy rains in the summer.

Besides digging the two ponds, we knew something else had to be done. Berming was a natural choice. Bring in the 'dirt', pile it up to make it look hilly and add the sod. Sound easy? Well, sort of. We did have help lugging all of the dirt or clean fill as it is called to the backyard area. The raking of the fill was done by our daughter and the sodding was completed by Jim and myself. The job wasn't easy, but well worth it. After adding the bark pathway, we are quite pleased that water no longer stands, turning the area into a swamp. Now blankets can be thrown down for sun bathing and lawn chairs can be placed and directed to face the waterfall for pure enjoyment!

The berm when we had just completed the sodding

The new berm in the summer planted with annuals and the Sumac shrub

My Fall Garden

2010-11-13T23:20:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that it is November 13 already...wasn't the snow melting just a while back and I was cursing all of the summer rain?

The image above is the last of the waterfall for this year. Today in zero degree weather we turned off the water and 'blew out' the underground pipes. What a job! And cold too! Now we wait for the sub-zero temperatures and for the larger pond to freeze over. Then out come the ice skates and I am back to shedding a few pounds. I always seem to add about 6 lbs from the end of gardening season to the beginning of skating season. I guess it's all that sitting at the computer that causes it...or is it the eating?

The above image was taken last week and I must say that the grass is still pretty green...the leaves have fallen but the grasses edging the pond are still swaying in the wind. I'm excited to see my Dwarf Blue Arctic Willow next year. It grew 3 times it's size in one year and planting it beside the waterfall was simply perfect. This is one shrub/tree that doesn't quickly shed leaves in the fall. Mine still has plenty.

Unfortunately, I did not heed my own suggestion and spray my my Tiger's Eye Sumac with a deer deterrent. Those silly beasts came into the yard and chewed it to bits...and bits. My own fault. I will know better for next year.

My Tiger's Eye Sumac Fall Colors

My Dwarf Blue Arctic Willow

My poor eaten Tiger's Eye Sumac

Marigolds, Petunias, Geraniums and more ordinary blooms...

2010-10-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

I'm at rest for a moment. Contemplating on whether my Sumac Tigers Eye will return or will I once again please my husband and my grandmother's memory by planting Marigolds, Petunias and Geraniums in my 2011 flowerbed gardens??

The whisper of the more refined gardeners in my garden circle tell me that planting such ordinary blooms leaves little to the imagination. As they tour my garden and turn over every leaf with their meandering eyes, I get the impression that they are more interested and wowed by the double pond and stream creation than by my colourful and ordinary plant selections. Actually, their facial expressions expose the wonderment of where in the heck is the Astrantia (Masterwort) or the Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera or is it vice versa?) planted? To some extent I agree, my garden is far too colourful...not enough low lying/growing greenery. But, that's how my family likes it!

I have come to realize that I am not yet at the stage (yes, there are gardening stages) where planting involves muted colours (or maybe a punch or two of bright colour), various shades of green and variegated leaves. Heck, I just graduated from the planting only annual and perennials, to planting various garden shrubs. I'm progressing, really...I am.

I have promised these far more seasoned and educated gardeners, that in 2011, I will graduate to my next stage...plant more shades of green, whether it be perennials with very difficult Latin names to remember or annuals that have a more exotic appearance. However, one thing is for sure, whether they be in a container or planted by the side of the waterfall, Marigolds, Petunias and Geraniums will always have that special spot in my flowerbed gardens. My Oma would be proud.

My Fall Flower Gardens

2010-10-15T19:29:00.000-05:00

Will my Sumac Tiger's Eye survive a cold Manitoba winter? I sure hope so. Many gardeners believe that this variety of Sumac is not a hardy in our zone 3, however my other variety of Sumacs have done very well thank you and have popped up in several spots on my peninsula garden. I realize that they are a bit aggressive but I really don't mind. I'll just pull them up and plant them else where. After all I do have 400 feet of space. The image above is dated the end of September, while the image below is dated October 15th.

While I am always sad when the leaves fall from the trees signalling winters approach, I am amazed at the vibrant coloring some of annuals give so close to freeze up. Take for instance the image below of the annual Salvia Mystic Spires. Throughout the summer, this annual salvia bloomed a beautiful blue/purple color. Now, in mid October, the coloring has deepened to a deep bluish purple. Just amazing.

Surprisingly my Pavement Roses finally stopped blooming. The leaves are turning yellow and the hips have formed. Of all the rose hips in my garden, the hips from the Pavement Roses are by far the most outstanding. They look like mini crabapples. I captured the image below on October 15th.

The soft needles from both Siberian Larches have turned yellow and are now dropping. The Dwarf Korean Lilac, which grew 2 fold this season also has leaves that turn and yellow orange in the fall. And would someone please tell my Limelight Hydrangea to stop blooming? I will be heart broken when the temperature drops below freezing later this week. That message should also be sent to my Leopard's Bane. This SPRING blooming perennial has not stopped blooming. I have no idea why.

It's time to start the task of deep watering all of the garden shrubs and evergreens. As I move the deep water wand from tree to tree and shrub to shrub, I will take the opportunity to give the shrubs a slight haircut.

Doris

Growing The Limelight Hydrangea

2010-09-30T13:39:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited!! I finally have a hydrangea blooming...and its almost October! Even my Leopards Bane is still blooming and it is a late spring to early summer bloomer. Go figure.

What a squirrely growing season the 2010 year has been. Similar to 2009, this spring and summer has been on the wet side...really wet side. On the bright side, we seldom put the water hose into the pond.

The only other Hydrangea, besides the Limelight pictured above, that bloomed this year was the Quick Fire planted by the large pond. My Annabelle has plenty of leaves and I can certainly see some buds, but within the next week the hard frost is to hit us and these buds will be history.

Let me know if you have expereinced the same crazy growing season.

My 5 Favourite Compact Herbs For The Flowerbed Garden

2010-09-13T23:53:00.000-05:00

Why not mix herbs with your blooms? I do. Not only do I enjoy the colour that these herbs give to my gardens, but each separate scent is amazing. Not to mention that each herb serves a purpose within my bathtub, kitchen or underwear drawer!

Basil: grows to a dwarf bush-like plant, only about 12 inches tall. Pick for cooking prior to it blooming. Just keep snipping it and it keeps growing.

Oregano: another dwarf bush-like herb in growth. Variegated leaves and will flower pink. Grows to about 6 inches tall. I plant it as an edging annual plant in my middle flowerbed.

Lavender: my all time favourite. I grow as much as I can. Not only do I love the tall purple flower spikes (18 inches in height), I enjoy drying the Lavender and using a few springs in my bath water. Once dried, the Lavender Anouk makes great sachets for under the pillow or for our delicates. Try soaking some Lavender in water and spray lightly on linen/bedsheets.

Chives: who doesn't want Chives in the garden? Ready to snip and drop into so many recipes like...fresh mozzarella salad ...mmm! Grows to 12 inches tall with purple flowers. A great attraction for bees.

Lemon Balm: I planted the Lemon Balm as an annual in the summer of 2009. In mid July of this year I discovered, a most pleasant surprise, the Lemon Balm growing in three areas of my middle garden. Adding a few lemon leaves to a glass of ice tea is perfect. Try freezing a few leaves with water in ice cube trays and adding to your next punch bowl.

There you have it, my 5 favourite compact herbs for the flowerbed garden. Enjoy!

September Garden Update

2010-09-07T21:29:00.000-05:00

This video was taken September 7th. Some of my annuals and perennials did not preform to my expectations. Too bad.

I had really hoped that with an early spring this year my plants would have bloomed earlier for longer enjoyment. Not to be. Two my hydrangeas won't even bloom before the first frost hits later this month. Only my Limelight is blooming and that's because I planted it this year!

I lost more than 25 perennials this year from a rather warm 2009 November and not enough snow cover. Then came the early 2010 spring (no snow by early March), only to be followed by a very cold and wet May/June. This cold and wet weather really stunted the growth of many of my perennials. If it sounds like I'm whining...I am. On well...there is always next year!!

Yellow Jacket Stings

2010-09-05T00:24:00.000-05:00

WOW....stung by a nasty Yellow Jacket on Saturday afternoon, while picking my neighbours sweet black grapes hanging from her chain link fence. I had always known that I had some form of reaction to these stings, but this time the reaction was pretty severe.

The immediate pain was immense. My poor neighbour ran to get some antihistamine. I could feel a reaction coming on.Thank goodness Jim was home. Within seconds my breathing became laboured and I left dizzy enough to sit down on the kitchen floor.

It didn't take long before my middle finger swelled to almost double its size and I could no longer function with my hand.

What to do? Tried to ice it...the pain was just too great. Cleaned it, put on a anti itch creme and called it a day. So much for my transplanting my climbing roses and shrubs on Sunday. I hear that the symptoms from these stings can last for between 24 to 72 hours... just great.

Just don't ask to see my sting...it's my middle finger and it's as stiff as a board. You might think that I'm giving you the 'finger'.

Have a great Labour Day long weekend!

Doris

A Way To Deter Rabbits From Your Garden Flowers

2010-09-02T14:51:00.001-05:00

Yes, this is a video showing our 'bugs' bunny. This must be an off-spring of Bugs senior, a rabbit who lived under our gazebo last gardening season...but who can tell?
As I believe in dealing with my garden critters the 'friendly, humane' way, Jim and I discovered that Bugs Jr. enjoyed Cheerios, the 5 grain Cheerios, if you please. Every day Bugs comes out from under the back gazebo and waits in a certain spot. At first, Bugs was a little jumpy and dashed away if you came too close. After a few days of repeat feeding, Bugs now sits patiently and quite calmly just waiting for us to pour out the Cheerios. Either strewn on the grass or on a plate, within the hour the cereal snack is gone.
This has most definitely helped in curbing the attack on my plants and it is quite enjoyable watching Bugs stuff his/her cheeks full. Hope you enjoy the short video and why not check out my YouTube Channel.

Best Long Blooming Perennials

2010-08-31T17:22:00.000-05:00

Maiden Pinks - Dianthus

Coreopsis - Zagreb

I wish the rain would finally stop! The ditches are filled once again...there is another threat of over-land flooding and my flowerbed gardens are a 'muddy' mess!!

Actually, come to think of it, the last time I was able to take any decent flower images was August 23rd. How pathetic is that? And now tomorrow is September 1st. and within two weeks I am quite sure there will be the threat of frost...but I'm off on a tangent and this post was supposed to be about my suggestions for the best long blooming perennials.

The image to the left is the beautiful and dainty Dianthus Arctic Fire. This evergreen perennial does not totally die-back in the winter and is one of the first perennials to green in the spring. If you remember to deadhead, the Arctic Fire will bloom all summer long. The Dianthus make great groundcovers and work well under any type of rose shrubs or taller perennials.

The images to the right is one of my favorites, the Coreopsis Zagreb. As the seasons pass, this long blooming perennial can grow into a small shrub, just covered in tiny yellow daisy-like blooms. This is another perennial that requires deadheading if you want the continued blooming, but that's easy to do. Just take your garden scissors or your fingers and snip/snap off the spent blooms.

Both of these perennials require little maintenance other than the deadheading and are not bothered by any pests that I can remember. As always, I suggest adding a teaspoons of Myke's growth hormone to the hole prior to planting and keep well watered until established. You can find additional information on these two perennials using the link below. Because these two perennials are quite popular, they can be found in any local garden center and it's not too late to plant them right now.

Why not check out my web page for additional best long blooming perennials.

The Escape of the Monarch Butterfly

2010-08-23T17:09:00.000-05:00

Here we have it...I watched this beautiful winged flyer being born...amazing. This Monarch Butterfly had just opened her wings for the very first time. Slowly and gently, her wings flapped in the wind. Gathering energy from the sun's rays, it wasn't long before she flew to the sky. How do I know it's a girl? Male Monarch's have a black dot on the lower part of each wing.

I had been watching the cocoons for several days and as each day passed, the cocoons became lighter in colour. At one point, you could actually see the colour orange of the forming butterfly.

To the left is the empty transparent cocoon. From the time the caterpillars manifested themselves into their respective cocoons, it took 14 days for the entire transformation. Isn't Mother Nature just amazing!

Earlier in my gardening days, I had not given any thought to the Monarch Butterflies or cocoons. I always appreciated the beauty of the butterfly, but never invested the time to plant their host or watch them evolve.

I can remember back to my good old school days...I thought the whole process was rather boring. Today, I have come a long way to appreciating what is given to us as miracles or genetics as my husband calls it.

From the beginnings, I had 10 caterpillars roaming the Swamp Milkweed. They ate vigorously, up and down the leaves. I have a page dedicated to the Monarch Butterfly on my website. Check it out a view a short video of these furry fat creatures munching Monarch Butterfly. Once they outgrew their skins (a total of 5 times) they formed their chrysalis. I managed to find 7 cocoons.

In the image below, can you see the black formation of the Monarch wings?

I have already decided to plant additional Swamp Milkweeds for next season. As it stands for this year, the Monarch caterpillars did not destroy my plants as feared by many gardeners. In fact, my plants have tripled in growth/size and are about to bloom for the second time!

Doris

Monarch Butterfly Cocoons

2010-08-14T16:06:00.000-05:00

What a miserable day...rain and wind. I'm sure that when the clouds clear I will find a few of my plants water logged or turned to mush. The first half of August was hot and muggy, so you would think that I would enjoy a cooler day. Not so. It seems that whenever we get rain, we literally get a deluge of water, ergo making it very difficult to work in the garden. No sense in compacting the soil. Oh well...a few days of reprieve allowing me to update my web site and make blog entries.

Within the next few days my cocooned caterpillars will emerge as Monarch Butterflies. The cocoon will become transparent and the butterfly will become visible. Can you already see (in the above image) the butterfly transforming inside? I have documented this wonderful act of Mother Nature and can been seen on my website My Gardening and Landscaping Makeover. I had never before planted the Milkweed, which is the host plant. And unlike other gardeners, I didn't even mind them munching on the leaves.

Blue Chalk, Angelina and Mezzo

2010-08-13T00:49:00.000-05:00

This trio...what a combination. Sedum Angelina to the far left...in the center, the Blue Chalk and to the right, the Dorotheanthus Mezzo.

I was determined to plant a succulent container this season but I was on the hunt for something different to plant...something that would cause other garden lovers to stop and say, wow.

If you can imagine, the trio were just tiny plants when I discovered them at my favorite garden center. And now, as the summer days are fleeting by, the Blue Chalk is looking a little more shrub-like and the Mezzo is trailing as it should with tiny buton size red flowers tucked neatly with the white edged succulent leaves.

All of the plants require a certain amount of sun light and can actually be planted in direct sun. Mine are in a part sun location. The Sedum Angelina, will eventually provide a wonderful contrast colour of yellow, star shaped blooms and the lime green spikey leaves make another great contrast to the deep green leaves of the Blue Chalk.

Maybe next year I'll consider a larger container...I think that this one is going to be an issue pretty soon.

Bonfire Begonia

2010-08-10T22:23:00.003-05:00

Here comes another new discovery for me late in the planting season. It wasn't until I visited a rural garden center that I discovered this beautiful begonia. Only three lonely plants sitting on an upper ledge...somewhat covered by some empty pots. Could someone have put these delicate looking gems aside, trying ever so hard to hide them from plain sight?

Naturally, any plant that glows such a magnificent coral red immediately catches my attention, no matter how hard someone tries to hide the plant.

Have I been living under a rock not to notice this annual in my previous adventures to the garden center? While the tag indicates that the Bonfire works well as a border plant, I can't imagine planting it in the ground! This begonia belongs in a planter box, basket or container...allowing for the naturally curving branches, filled with an abundance of brightly coloured blooms, to fall gently downwards.

Patience is needed to pick up the spent blooms, but really who cares. This annual is self cleaning, meaning that no deadheading is required. I must confess, however, that I do help it along and pick off the seed pods. I'm probably the only gardener that also deadheads the Lobelia. Crazy, I know.

Now, don't go thinking that I have so much time on my hands, it just that the plants seem to look so much better when only the living blooms are attached to the stems!

So, go ahead, find the Bonfire Begonia and while you are at it, buy another container for planting. Just remember to add Myke's growth hormone prior to adding the begonia. This begonia also prefers a moist soil, so don't forget to water regularly. Enjoy!

The Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar

2010-07-31T20:35:00.003-05:00

This is the first year that I planted the Swamp Milkweed. Many gardeners have expressed their dismay in planting this perennial simply because of the Monarch Butterfly caterpillar. Then why have the plant in the first place?

The Milkweed perennial is the host plant for the Monarch Butterfly. No other plant will do. The Monarch can lay up to 400 eggs on the underside of the leaves. Not that each develops but when they do, the transformation of their life cycle is amazing.

Yes, true... this caterpillar does eat the leaves, however this is exactly why I planted the perennial. Actually, I also planted the Swamp Milkweed for my grandson, Sebastian. At his age, being 9 years old, just loves anything related to bugs.

As the caterpillar grows it sheds its skin 5 times before it transforms to the jade green chrysalis. Wait 10 days to 2 weeks and watch the Monarch emerge.

Besides watching the caterpillars, this perennial looks terrific planted by my waterfall and pond.

I was surprised to see how well the this Milkweed bloomed and grew in size for its first year. It tripled in size and has bloomed for well over 6 weeks.

For the next few weeks, I shall watch in wonder as my two caterpillars go through their life cycle.

Rabbits, rabbits and more rabbits...

2010-07-01T18:55:00.006-05:00

Believe it or not, this is our newest little addition to our under the back porch abode. This is Bugs, Jr. I have told told by the neighbours that Bugs Senior is still around, but I have not seen her for quite sometime.

It has come to my attention that once you have one, the possibility of there being additional brothers and sisters is quite likely. For the past 2 months, I have only seen the above, unless the critters are that smart and are tricking me by all looking the same.

Up until last week, Bugs had little if any damage to my plants. He/she was very busy only eating the taller grass. Although not friendly enough to approach (and why would I), Bugs does allow me to garden rather close by and feels quite comfortable in having his/her picture taken...even a close-up.

Then the enivitable happened. Last week right in front of my eyes, little Bugs chewed off a perfectly good, healthy stem from my new planted Astilbe. Good grief! Do rabbits like Astilbe? I thought not. Well, they don't. Looking straight at me, she just left the poor broken stem sitting on the ground beside the plant and scampered away. It was almost as if a round of defiance was in order.

My husband Jim believes it's because we had not filled up her feeding bowl with Cheerios cereal, 5 grain, of course. This could be true. Yikes...I have not filled the bowl today...better get on that right away.

PS - I have many options that I use to stop deer and rabbits from eating my shrubs and perennials that really work. If you would like further information, please visit Stop Deer and Rabbits.

Pavement Roses

2010-06-25T23:11:00.008-05:00

The image above show the bee enjoying my Purple Pavement rose. This hardy rose (zone 3) actually survived the 2009/2010 winter. Because of a warmer than usual fall and a slight snow cover, my Morden roses along with many perennials forgot to settle in for a long winter's nap. Ergo, they did not emerge in the spring.

My 2 Pavement roses, the Purple and the Foxi not only survived, but are blooming in great numbers. This is one tough rose shrub. If you want colour and fragrance along a driveway or walkway...even if you throw salt to melt the snow, this shrub will arrive the following spring.

And yes, they are both very fragrant. Even working a few feet from the shrubs, I can still smell the sweet fragrance. The Purple is a single bloom, while the Foxi is a double deep pink bloom. I purchased them last year at the end of the season and I must say they did not look very healthy. As usual, I figured I could nurse them back to health and indeed I did.

The draw back to the Pavement rose are the very thorny (wear thick gloves) stems and the inside leaves have a tendency to turn yellow early on. I check on my Pavement roses regularly and snip off the yellowing leaves. Don't forget to feed your roses (once every 2 to 3 weeks) and deadhead the spent blooms to keep the rose blooming. Stop feeding and deadheading at the end of August and allow the shrub to form the beautiful huge rosehips. Hopefully by not feeding and not deadheading, the rose shrub understands that it must now get ready for their winter sleep. This doesn't mean that the rose stops blooming. At the end of August there will still be plenty of buds on the shrub to bloom all the way through September. Last year my Pavement roses bloomed into October. Besides, the huge bright red rosehips are very attractive all by themselves.

Creating a Wooden Retaining Wall

2010-05-27T17:29:00.011-05:00

Both Jim and I enjoy looking out our back window and seeing a bit of a rolling landscape. Since buying our property 3 years ago, we have made many changes in the landscape to include 2 ponds, a waterfall, several flower gardens and have given some height relief to a very low lying flat backyard area.

To achieve this we have bermed the land in several areas. In the image to the left Jim has completed the wooden retaining wall built from preserved wood. This wall will hold back all of the dirt piled up against it to create the new berm. The wall was necessary as the side yard fencing is wire.

The image to the left shows the wall at an angle view. Jim dug holes 1 ft. deep for the posts and used 2x6 preserved wood slats. We chose a triangle design...the wall slats become longer as the wall reaches the ground level. We will be pushing the dirt up against the wall and we do not want the wood showing.

Once the dirt is in place, we will add top soil and then we will sod the area. To view the entire process please visit my web page: http://www.my-gardening-and-landscaping-makeover.com/wooden-retaining-wall.html

The Greatest...PaperPots

2010-04-26T23:15:00.007-05:00

PaperPots: I bet your wondering, "Pots made out of paper?" Well...yes and no. These pots are made from unbleached natural kraft paper laminated to a strong woven-mesh polyethylene inner lining. This results in a strong, light grow pot.

Perhaps this post sounds more like an ad for this pot, but I have tried this Paperpot for growing tomatoes and it works. I can only imagine how well this pot would be for apartment dwellers who can only garden on their balconies.

Actually, anything can be grown in a Paperpot...tomatoes, flowers, bulbs.

Are you moving? What a great way to move your precious perennials from location to location. And what about 'heeling' in your plants for a short period of time prior to permanent planting? There are so many ways to use this pot.

By the way, this Paperpot is recyclable , slug resistant and offers great drainage. More great reasons to try this pot. I love sharing new and great innovative garden products...oh yes, this is a Canadian West Coast company. Please visit their web site info@paperpots.com

My Weeping Pussy Willow

2010-04-26T22:45:00.004-05:00

Just before Easter, as I trudged through our local grocery store, a pot of hanging pussy willows caught my eye. I had never seen or heard of the grafted weeping variety...and ergo I needed to know more.

The young lady behind the counter really had very little knowledge on the plant other than to read the attached card that came with the plant.

Turns out this plant is called the Salix Caprea Pendula or The Weeping Pussy Willow. Beautiful. The fluffy silvery white catkins turn a golden yellow and once bloomed, the plant becomes covered in dark green leaves. It is winter hardy to my zone 3 and enjoys a drink more than not.

It has been said to cut the plant stems back to within two inches of the main stem once the bloom period is over, but I am going to wait awhile as I am enjoying the plant as is.

There is a bit of folklore to the Weeping Pussy Willow: Legend has it that the willow is bestowed with magical power capable of fulfilling wishes. For a wish to be granted, ask permission of the willow explaining your desire. Select a pliable shoot and tie a loose knot in it expressing your wish. When your wish is fulfilled, return and until the knot. They say to remember to thank the willow for your gift.

My Flower Carpet Roses

2010-03-28T19:28:00.004-05:00

In my mind I knew exactly what I wanted for my middle flower garden...a perfect groundcover...a little bit green...a little bit of colour. I did plant several varieties of Lamiums, however this perennial does have a tendency to wander and I really wanted more colour. Ergo, I planted two varieties of the wonderful Flower Carpet Rose Series.

In the summer of 2009 I planted the Amber Series, pictured to the right (the image was taken from my garden on August 4th), and the Scarlett Series. Both varieties grew extremely well in my Zone 3 garden. In fact, under my watchful eye and care (I use MYKE's growth supplement), these groundcover shrubs, grew to well beyond the height and width expected. The leaves remained a glossy, deep green and this groundcover rose bloomed well into September even though I stopped deadheading in mid August.

As October drew near I cut the ever-growing shrub to 1/3 of its size...just enough so that I could fit the entire plant under the styrofoam cap. Our winter snow cover protected the plants and thankfully our region did not experience a January thaw as in most years. I find winter thaws and re-freezing really tough on my roses.

As April comes near and the sun warms the ground, I am anxious and maybe a bit nervous as to how these lovely groundcovers survived our Zone 3 winter!

Berms in the Landscape Design

2010-03-13T20:36:00.003-06:00

The image above is from my backyard taken June 17, 2009. We had just laid down the fresh sod.

In every part of the world a Berm is called something different. I recently posted a reply on the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Forum to someone who was looking to build a 'bund'. Again, another great word for a berm.

What's a 'berm'? Actually it simply a formed earth mound. Berms can be as high as you like or can just be tiny hilly mounds. Berms can be planted with all sorts of groundcover, shrubs, spreading evergreens or even sod.

We created berms in our landscape in order to bring some relief to our front and backyard landscape. And, besides enjoying a hilly landscape, certain portions of our backyard were low lying and always filling up with rain water so this made perfect sense.

As I explained to my fellow gardeners in Britain, clean fill can be purchased through local gardening supply stores, garden centres or from ads placed in local newspapers. Many advertisements are for 'free fill' so check around. Just make sure that it is 'clean' meaning that the fill does not contain large stones, bricks, tar shingles or other garbage.

The job is not an easy one, but the reward of either raising a low lying area or simply adding height to an area of your yard is plentiful. In the above image, the area collected far too much water in the spring with the snow melt and even though we created the big pond, too much water is too much water!

Ponds and Streams

2010-02-20T23:31:00.005-06:00

When the dream became a reality. Jim always said that he wanted two ponds connected by a stream and a sand beach. Really...a sand beach? In the middle of the city? Really?

The above image gives a glimpse at our 10ft high limestone waterfall, our larger pond, the connecting stream and of course the sand beach. I wanted a proper enclosure for the fire pit but Jim insisted on keeping it natural. Ergo, the fire pit is surrounded by larger rocks and not the metal insert I suggested. I must admit it does look pretty good, pretty rustic. Great for making s'mores by the camp fire.

The sand is actually from a beautiful beach just 50km north of Winnipeg, Grand Beach. The fine grain white sand allows for the toes to hide within and the sand castles form perfectly. Our grandson Sebastian enjoys deep digging so thank goodness we carried in enough sand to make the beach 12 inches thick. Underneath the fine sand sits a few inches of coarser sand.

We outlined the stream with our usual spray paint method, however after laying the poly and pool liner (using the same method as when building our two ponds) and adding the river rock, we both concluded ...the stream should be wider. Oh well, too late. I guess we didn't take into account the added space for the river rock. Please check out my web site for a more detailed description on our pond and stream creation: http://www.my-gardening-and-landscaping-makeover.com/building-a-pond.html

Great Soil With Gold (Compost)

2010-02-12T15:38:00.007-06:00

Can you imagine having such rich garden gold right in your backyard?

When we first moved to our new property, I had no idea of what lurked in behind the old oak trees. More trees, I thought.

Boy, was I wrong! I walked along the winding path, which led me to an astonishing discovery. There, in front of my wide open eyes lay a mound of compost...at least 30 ft. wide, 30 ft. long and approximately 7 ft. high. This must have been a collection of a lifetime within the pile.

I knew immediately that my garden soil would be extraordinary...the best ever!

As Jim outlined my flowerbeds (to my design, of course), then tilled, then loaded on the soil from digging the ponds, he just knew his next task was the compost pile. Yup. He was right.

To complete the process I always order a 5-way garden soil mix, then add in that wonderful compost. It was really quite the ordeal, I mean getting that compost to my flowerbeds. The compost pile is at least 130 ft. from my flowerbeds. So, with wheelbarrows in hand, Jim (and me too at times) managed to move enough compost to leave a pretty big dent in the pile.

It all worked out. I am positive that the added nutritional value was the key to my Flower Carpet Roses growing almost twice the size indicated on the labels. Eeeek...I actually had to give my carpet roses a hard prune prior to the snow falling!

Stones and more stones...

2010-02-11T22:46:00.006-06:00

Ah yes, the stone quarry. For the past 15 years Jim and I have been playing Fred & Wilma Flinstone. It's true.

We rent a truck and off to the Stonewall quarry we go. We try and venture out on cloudy days or on days that are not too brilliant in sunlight. For some reason the quarry becomes a bake-oven at high noon and without proper sun protection...well, it ain't pretty.

As the day is long, Jim and I stumbled over and in between the stones, rocks and boulders, just to find that right one. With rubber mallet in hand, we clobbered and hacked at the larger pieces and by day's end or pure exhaustion, we would have enough red limestone to barely frame one half a flowerbed. Usually our flowerbeds are lined 2 to 3 rows high.

That being said, we persevere every year and bring home the stone. I believe that the rented truck already knows its own way.

If you check out my way to outline flowerbeds, you will see that by spraying the desired flowerbed form on the ground first, then lay down landscaping fabric, then add 1/4 down stone on top of the fabric, you will have made a great base for the limestone...and no weeds will grow through. Another great reason for this kind of hardscaping border is that you can use the gas powered edgers without worrying about lobbing off the tops of your plants!

Once the limestone is laid, Jim still pours a bit of left over gravel in between the limestone. With all complete, the border is sturdy and after a few rains, viola...will not move.

A Caribbean Pond Oasis - The Begining

2010-02-09T17:28:00.005-06:00

Can you imagine water so blue? In the Caribbean maybe...

We could not resist coloring the water. The dye used is 'critter' friendly and although I have heard it said that coloring the water doesn't look natural, we like it.

We used a heavy duty pool liner (the blue) and sand and poly as a base. Then we added the different sizes of river rock and finally placed odd sized boulders. All of the stones and boulders were delivered to our driveway and hauled to the back by us...oh...my aching back.

Creating a Wooden Retaining Wall

2010-02-09T17:09:00.004-06:00

How do you like our new cedar fence? We have 266 more feet of fencing to build. With the new cedar fencing barely aged a week, pushing wet clay soil against it wouldn't be the smartest.

Back in 2005 when building our above/onground pool at our previous home, Jim created a sturdy retaining wall. Why? We were building the pool into the backyard slope. In order for there to be no issues, Jim decided that a half circle retaining wall would give the added protection for the pool sides. Please see http://www.my-gardening-and-landscaping-makeover.com/retaining-walls.html for complete instructions and images. Ergo, Jim decided to, on a much smaller scale, do the same for in front of the fence. This way the soil rests against the treated lumber and not the new cedar wood.

Jim left a space between the retaining wall and the fence for the placement of a weeping tile or also called a drainage pipe (made from corrugated plastic). He then covered the pipe with gravel. This space has also been renamed as the 'rabbit highway'.

Preparing The Flowerbeds

2010-02-09T16:05:00.004-06:00

The weather forecasters called the spring of 2008 in Winnipeg as wet. Really? I thought that every spring was really, really wet in Winnipeg. After all, there is a ton of snow to melt!

The small kabota was no match for Winnipeg's soaked clay gumbo. After digging out the 2 ponds, Jim tried ever so slowly to move the clay dirt into mounds for my flowerbeds. Everything work fine until he reached a certain height. Then 'all heck' broke loose. It is with great thanks to our maker above or just great timing that Jim managed to jump out and free of the kabota as it fell to its side. The image shows Jim trying to push the tractor back up. Not going to happen.

With the help of the rental people and a winch, they up righted the beast and Jim continued his mission. By the way, the mission was accomplished!

Digging For Gardens and Ponds

2010-02-09T15:47:00.005-06:00

In April of 2008, as the frost slowly left the ground (and I mean slowly), my husband Jim began his quest of digging the 2 Caribbean ponds and while he had the 'digger' in his possession (he had so much fun) it made sense to create my mounded flowerbeds.

Is it allowed to have fun using spray paint? We did. Prior to the digging, we purchased orange spray paint to outline our 2 ponds and outline the shape of all flowerbeds.

This ingenious idea came from Jim. In doing so, we realized that our larger pond would have been far too large and definitely unmanageable. We lobbed off at least 8 feet from the length and 3 feet from the width. Much better.

Every Garden Starts Somewhere

2010-02-09T13:43:00.001-06:00

The best start to My Garden Makeover Blog shall be like the Mary Poppins song...let's start at the very beginning ...a very good place to be.

When we purchased our current property back in 2007, both my husband Jim and I were over-joyed at the endless possibilities of a 400 foot backyard. Our previous home, though quite comfortable, left nothing more to the imagination. We had completely renovated the inside and and the outside ...take a look for yourself. http://www.my-gardening-and-landscaping-makeover.com/garden-design.html

We built a pool into a slope (see the above image), built a cedar enclosure for the hot tub, built a barbecue cedar gazebo, installed interlocking stone patio and not to mention the creation of countless gardens growing well over 200 different perennials. Oh yes, I can't forget to add the pond and mini waterfall.Within the 8 year span of completing the above projects, we knew that at some point the 'landscaping itch' was going to affect us and we would need to scratch. Indeed we did.

We found an incredible property with a reasonable blank canvas. Here our imaginations could go wild ...so to speak.

Jim could finally create his Caribbean Oasis. We were never really the summer cottage types. The thought of traveling (tired from a weeks work) so many hours on a Friday night, only to be repeated again so soon on a Sunday night (tired just thinking of the weeks work ahead) had no appeal to us.

The first summer we walked, talked and measured. Then came the demolition of the existing garden structure, an arbor, and small perennial garden.

Watch out ...next comes the digging...

Wonder If My Carpet Roses Will Survive

2010-02-08T23:01:00.003-06:00

Last year, 2009 was my first year for planting Flower Carpet Roses http://www.my-gardening-and-landscaping-makeover.com/carpet-roses.html. I planted the Scarlett and the Amber.

While it has been said that these rose shrubs grow on the smaller side, mine grew to new heights of over 4 feet and almost as wide. I normally do not like to hard prune my roses in their first year of planting, but honestly, these grew so huge and were calling out to be trimmed. I obliged.