Frost Protection

Having a partially shaded garden has it's perks. Most of my perennials and bulbs are just peaking through, where in sunnier spots they have flushed tender growth from the last two weeks of warmth.

Lee Valley's Floating Covers

The weather forecast is calling for -3°C (26°F) this evening, which can certainly cause damage to your tender plants.  For perennials and low growing plants cover with old towels or bedsheets, weighed down on corners. You can buy frost protection fleece or cheese cloth material, but in a pinch what you have around the house will do. Just don't use fabric that is overly weighted, which can break, bend and damage stems.

Lee Valley's Ventilating Cloche

Lee Valley's Garden Cloches

I've also used in the past overturned plant pots, cloches, pop bottles (with bases cut off) which also work great.  In windier situations, place a large stone over such plastic covers, or heel in with some soil so that it remains stable.  With the darker pots, you must remove them in the sunlight the next day but with the clear plastics/glass, you can leave until fear of frost is gone. All plastic covers should have a venting hole so that it doesn't get too hot inside.

I've also used newspaper and garbage bags, but the items mentioned above were most effective.   Some folks may have budding and partially leaved Japanese Maples. These should be covered with sheets if possible.

Hopefully with these methods, frost damage can be avoided. Unfortunately for fruit trees, a large tarp or cloth needs to cover the entire tree if you want to protect the bloom. This is hard to do.  Many fruit groves use overhead sprinkling systems to run all night to make sure the cold air doesn't come in contact with the blossoms and leaves.  


So many things we can do to try and prevent these strange springs, but thankfully, plants will recover in time.

Watering the garden in March

Helleborus x Gold series

I honestly cannot ever recall having to water the garden in March. I looked outside this morning and saw my Helleborus Gold flowers drooping. 

Thankfully, they perked up again.

Mini Narcissus " JetFire "

I'm not sure what to make of this early spring. I enjoy seeing the garden come alive...

Sedum telephium " Autumn Joy "

Blue Scilla

It's so strange having to water my partly shaded garden. Can't imagine how full sunny beds are fairing.


Given the way things are turning out,  I will start mulching and adding more compost to keep up moist levels.

Thankfully there is rain in the forecast later this week.

I figure, the garden is in the usual stage of late April early May already. Wow...

My Brunnera macrophylla " Variegata " has reverting leaves. Wondering if the heat and the strange winter/spring has helped to cause this reversion. 

Canada Blooms 2012

Oh Canada! Great use for Kalachoe's eh? :-P

Canada Blooms this year was a joint venture with the National Home Show.  It's been a few years since I attended Canada Blooms, as I have felt many of the garden trends and designs are unrealistic to maintain, and the average home owner can't afford such extravagance. It used to bother me to see spring/summer forced material blooming all at once and to see plant material suffer. But I can see how it drives the garden economy and gives people a joy to see spring colours in full show. So, I decided to give it a go.

The Canada Blooms portion of the show was a lot smaller and more concentrated. Overall it was a great show, a little less showy than years past and the market place was smaller than I remember. However, the National Home Show section was a nice draw once we were done with the Blooms portion.

Like a bone-head, I forgot to check my camera to see if I remembered the memory card. Forgive my photos, as they are from my camera phone.  Sorry.

Here are some of the highlights I chose:

I'm quite partial to interesting floral designs. Aren't these sweet?







Orchids, sphagnum moss, Kermit Mums, Aspidistra leaves.

Peace on Earth

I thought this one was quite clever. Called "Peace on Earth". This photo does not capture it at all. The wood use is all drift wood, weathered by water. It must of taken hours to put together and years to collect. I really think it was done well.

The next photos are of the Green Zone section. I enjoyed this most. Living walls, roof top gardening, and interesting containers used to grow veggies.

This is the roof top garden display.. I really like the concept, but how realistic it is to maintain it in this patterning is uncertain. It certainly points to a great trend and environmental focus.

Living salad bar. So cool. This was a part of the Food Share section. Lettuce and sprouts were in growing mediums, with grow lights above. Harvest as you make dinner.

Sorry, I tried a close up. Sprouts growing in these cool clay pellet medium.

Humber College's Landscape Design display featured a more earthy, Urban Homestead theme. Loved it. This living wall, herb and veggie boxes, are quite fun. Tilted to reach appropriate sun levels. I really thought it was a great method to screen in privacy and provide yummy nibbles. Their sustainable features are an example to where gardening trends need to go. I am glad to see my former alumni heading this direction.

Plant World's Display

I feel bad as my camera cut off the other container, but a colleague of mine put these together, and I think they may have not been the showiest, but they certainly have unique elements that could realistically be situated in your own backyard. Well done Edward!



It was a fun evening. Parking is free after 5pm, which I took advantage of. Cheers to the Bloom display designers and organizers.

Life Is Emerging

Blue and White Scilla

The unusual warm weather has put a spring in everyone's step. People are outside, walking, running and enjoying this early gift of spring. It's been really lovely out. However, I can't help but be concerned for fluctuating temps that may come down the pike. Let's hope April's weather is not overly severe. I would hate to see fruit trees bud and a harsh frost kill off tender blooms and other budding shoots.

I planted several bulbs last fall. And I am thrilled, as my neighbours warned me about squirrels digging up all theirs over the years. Most of them are popping up!  I am just not used to the litter layer of leaves and debris I've left. I can see their beneficial use. The earth is quite loose and not compacted from the rain!

In sunnier areas around my neighbourhood I've seen Narcissus (Daffodils) and Crocus already in bloom. It's sooo early! My shadier spot out back is coming along though.

Narcissus " Jetfire Tops "

I figured, the smaller the garden, the smaller the bulb would do the trick. Scilla, Muscari, Species
( "Chrysantha" ) Tulips, and dwarf Narcissus " Jetfire Tops " varieties are mainly multiplying bulbs. Smaller flowers and dwarfer habit, but they increase in number over the years. They won't take too much time to bloom and their foliage won't need to be removed, leaving my perennials to grow in and around them.

I planted them in 3's only because I hope they will multiply in larger batches next season.

Chives

Soon I will be able to cut back and use my chives again. Yay!

Oregano

One bonus of the mild winter is my oregano overwintered and...

Chrysanthemum

 ...my Chrysanthemum.

Here in the greater Toronto Area, it's a hit and miss generally to overwinter Chrysanthemums. So I am grateful.

Strawberry "All Star"

My strawberries have flushed leaves and look twice a large as last year.

Sedum telephium " Autumn Joy "

I was late bringing out some overwintered perennial Sedum "Autumn Joy" from the garage where I stored them. Last October I uprooted and divided them, transplanting into pots too late in the season to get them planted in time for overwintering. I have a garden I tend to and will be planting them there hopefully in a few weeks. Within 3 days of this warm trend, they grew all this pale new growth. I am always so amazed at plants and their will to grow, even in the darkest spots. I'm going to prune them back hard later, I just brought them out to colour up a bit before I do it. I'm just amazed!

Finally I see my roses have started to flush as well.

El Nino, warming trend - whatever it is, I"m going to keep my ear tuned to the weather reports in case winter hits one last blow. Let's hope not.