Sharing Seeds

Look at all those seeds just waiting for a ride on a summer breeze!

It's ironic: what is a success story for a weed can be a bit of a horror story 

for the average gardener. 

All that progeny just looking for the smallest opening- 

that empty patch of soil in amongst all those fancy garden flowers!

Plants in the garden can sometimes seed prolifically too. 

Let it slip your mind to cut back your chives in June and you may live to regret it!

Even though I am fairly vigilant, it seems I am forever 

pulling out little chive seedlings.

Sunflowers seeds seem to work in league with backyard birds. I started with a few plants two 

summers ago and now sunflowers are popping up all over the place.

Sadly other garden plants never seem to self-seed. 

I'd be thrilled to find some Balloon flowers seedlings (Platycodon grandiflorus) sprouting along the white picket fence, but in all the years I have grown them, I haven't found a single one!

So this year I decided to collect the seeds and give them a helping hand. 

Maybe if I give them a perfect growing conditions, they'll be more successful.

Seeds can be amazingly beautiful. These floss on these wildflower seeds is as light as air. 

In amongst the wild yellow tansy, they sparkle in the sun.

On the other hand, these False Indigo (Baptisia) seeds come in rather 

sinister looking packaging.

And these clematis seed heads make me think of hairy spiders.

They're kinda creepy don't you think?

It seems to me that the appearance of some seeds must be a matter of survival.

It is hard to believe that something this pretty...

...could become something this ugly.

But actually, it's a really clever strategy.
Who would want to eat something that looks this unappetizing?

It's foxgloves that have got me hooked on growing flowers from seeds.

They're biennial so you have to grow them the first summer to have flowers in the second.

Canterbury Bells

I have also fallen in love with biennial Canterbury Bells, annual Lavatera,
and the delicate white and blue flowers of Love-in-the Mist (Nigella).

This fall I have been harvesting seeds to make more of my favourite plants. These Allium 'Millenium' were one of the most beautiful flowers in my garden in mid-August.

So I saved some seeds for myself and some to share with gardening friends.

I've dried them and now they are ready to go into my homemade seed packets.

I use small coin envelopes (# 3 coin envelopes available at Staples) for my seed packets. 

I even created my own seed labels using a 2" x 4" transparent Avery mailing label (Avery 18663). It is super easy to download a template and print up your labels on a home computer.

So friends will find in their Christmas cards a mix of seeds that might include 

some 'Baby Joe' Pye Weed and....

....seeds from Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium altissimum 'Prairie Jewel'. 

I know that the plants grown from my Helenium seeds will not be true to their fancy hybrid parents. (They will only come true when propagated from cuttings.)

But it could be interesting!

 Who knows what will pop up next spring: perhaps a through 

back to the hybrid's parents or grandparents?

Some plants I already have in such abundance there is no need to collect seed.

I am sharing these seeds too- this time with the birds and other creatures
that inhabit my garden each winter.

5 Ways to Dress-up a Basic Evergreen Wreath

Basic evergreen holiday wreaths are available here at most grocery and big box stores.

One of the best thing about these store-bought wreaths is that all the hard work is done for you. 

They're also affordable- I picked this one up at Walmart for $12.98. 

But, they are a little ho-hum. 

So for fun, I gave myself a little assignment: 5 ways to dress up and personalize a basic, store-bought evergreen wreath.

The first thing I did was to give my wreath a bit of a haircut. As you can see, it was looking a bit like a shaggy dog! You could barely see through the centre.

The first design I came up with was themed on birds and the color blue.  

How-to in a nutshell: (For more detailed instructions and a materials list, click this link.) Insert some boxwood sprigs, dogwood branches and red berries into your store bought wreath and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Take some white craft paint and dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones and branches where snow would naturally collect. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie the pinecones into the wreath.

Remove the rope hanger from a little cardboard birdhouse ornament, poke a hole in the bottom and inserted a florist's pic. Add a dab of hot glue to secure the pic onto the birdhouse. 

Insert the birdhouse pic into the wreath and allow it to catch in the evergreens. Clip 3 bluejays and 3 little bluebirds onto the dogwood and berry branches (I found these at Michaels craft store).

Finally, attached a blue bow with some florist's wire. 

My next idea was to use a mix of fruit and berries to add a little pop of color to all that green.

How-to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a material list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs to add a some leafy texture. 

Next, add in red and orange berry branches and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Apply a dab of hot glue to the bottom of the yellow and red mini-apples (I found these at Michaels craft store). Insert a florist's pic into the hot glue and hold it for a minute or so until the glue sets. Insert the finished apple pics into the wreath. 

Attach a red bow with florist's wire. 

I think roses are a lovely holiday flower. This wreath combines white roses with red berries.

How to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a materials list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs red berries into the store bought wreath and allowed them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

I bought a stem of little white silk roses and a stem of white forsythia (I found these at Michaels craft store). I cut the large stem into a number of shorter branches and inserted these branches into my wreath. 

I did the same for a stem of pearl berries and glittery gold eucalyptus (also found these at Michaels craft store)- cutting one large stem into several smaller branches. 

I then added the smaller stems of pearl berries and glittery eucalyptus. 

Finally, I fastened a white bow with some florist's wire. 

My third wreath is inspired by the "Twelve Days of Christmas" song that has the refrain 

"and a partridge in a pear tree". 

Okay, this probably isn't a partridge, but it is close enough.

How to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a materials list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs and red berries branches into your wreath and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Apply a dab of hot glue to the bottom of the yellow mini-pears (I found these at Michaels craft store). Insert a florist's pic into the hot glue and hold it for a minute or so until the glue sets. 

Insert the finished pears pics into the wreath. 

Gather three feathers together in your fingers. Hold them at the top of a florist's pic and wrap the fine wire around and around to create a feather pic. Insert several feather pics around the circumference of the wreath. 

Clip on your partridge.

Attach a red bow with florist's wire. 

I thought that my final wreath should have a garden theme- this is a garden blog afterall- so I decided to do a red ladybug wreath with a pretty plaid bow.

How to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a materials list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs and red berries branches into wreath and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Take a single large stem of glittery eucalyptus (found at Michaels craft store) and cut it into a number of shorter branches. Insert the shorter eucalyptus branches into your wreath. 

Take a large branch with gold glitter (found in the floral department at my local grocery store) and cut it into a number of shorter pieces. Add them into the wreath allowing them to catch in the evergreens.

Take the red wooden ladybugs (found in the craft section of my local Dollar store) and apply a dab of hot glue onto the back. Place them on the gold branches and hold them in place for a few seconds until the hot glue has set. Note: If you can't find ladybugs, festively colored butterflies might be fun (look for butterflies at Michaels)

Attach a plaid bow and jingle bells to the wreath with some florist's wire. 

While I was working away making these holiday wreaths I came up with at least 

five more themes...ah well, maybe next year!

Have a wonderful weekend!

My Garden: Summer into Fall

Snow began to fall last Sunday bringing the 2014 gardening season

 come to an abrupt conclusion for me. 

What a spring, summer and fall it has been in my garden! What is that oh-so-familar quote? Change is the only constant.

Three big trees came down in June and suddenly there was sun where previously there was shade.

The view along the picket fence last summer.

In August the city redid the sidewalk at the front of the house making it wider. I figure that I lost six to twelve inches of garden along the white picket fence. The workers who relaid the concrete sidewalk slabs were respectful of my garden, but the plants still suffered horribly. My late summer display of blooms was not at all up to its usual splendour.

Sadly, I don't think it will ever look this good again!

My picture taking in late summer and fall was spotty at best. 

Here is a sampling of those images. It is a bit of a long post, but I figure you will only read up on the plants that happen to catch your eye.

Phlox paniculata 'Nicky', yellow Rudbeckia, Caryopteris divaricata 'Snow Fairy' 

and Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Late August

Phlox paniculata 'Nicky': Nicky's deep plum color makes it a great companion for late summer Rudbeckia and Echinacea. Full sun or light shade. Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Phlox paniculata 'David's Lavender': I think this has become one of my favourite varieties of phlox. The flowers are a lovely lavender-mauve. Full sun or light shade (mine is in light shade). Average to moist growing conditions. Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Agastache 'Blue Fortune': Height: 60-75 cm (20-30 inches), Spread: 45- 60 cm (18-23 inches). Full sun or light shade. Normal, sandy or clay soil are fine. Average, dry or moist growing conditions. Zones: USDA 2-9

White Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium altissimum 'Prairie Jewel': is pretty, but unlike the pink forms of Joe Pye Weed, 'Prairie Jewel' flops on rather weak stems. As you can see here in this picture, 'Prairie Jewel' ended up leaning heavily on the Agastache in front of it. Next year I must remember to support it properly. 'Prairie Jewel' blooms later than the pink varieties I grow and is a welcome addition to my fall garden. Height: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches), Spread: 60- 90 cm (24-36 inches). Full sun. Average to moist growing conditions. Zones: USDA 4-9.

Mid-September

Phlox paniculata 'Creme de Menthe': blooms a little later than many of the other varieties of phlox in my garden. One of its best features are its green leaves with cream colored margins. Full sun or light shade. Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Agastache 'Blue Fortune' in late September.

Agastache now brown and dry at the end of October

Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium dubium' Little Joe'

September

Dwarf Perennial Sunflower, Helianthus 'Happy Days': I think it is about time I cut this poor plant some slack. Though I like to experiment with new plants, I am always a bit apprehensive when a perennial is unfamiliar. It's a case of once bitten twice shy: I have enough problems already with aggressive plants like lily of the valley and goutweed.  

I was suspicious the moment I removed 'Happy Days' from its nursery pot and saw long white roots wrapping around the root ball. Worried that it might be yet another vigorous spreader, I planted it in one of my raised beds where it could only travel so far. It has been in the garden for 3 years now and seems fairly well behaved. It has not spread wildly, but it does seem to shift its location slightly each year; preferring to move to a fresh spot each spring.

Height: 55-60 cm (22-24 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). My plant is in light shade. Average to moist well-drained soil. Water well until established. It blooms for at least a month when deadheaded. Zones: USDA 4-9

Mid-September

Mid-September

Rudbeckia triloba 'Prairie Glow' : This plant is relatively new to my garden. When it came up this spring, I did not recognize the stems or leaves and almost pulled it out as a weed! But the neat plum colored stems made me hesitate and I am glad I held off. 

This is a new selection of Rudbeckia with bi-color blooms. It is a short-lived perennial with a tendency to reseed itself as it did in my garden. It is easy to grow in average or moist, well-drained soil. It is tall, and a bit floppy, so it is good to give it some support. Full sun. Height: 90-120 cm ( 36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches) . USDA Zones 3-10.

Rusty wondering when I am going to stop taking pictures and go inside to get his breakfast.

Mid-September

Anemone hupehensis 'Prince Henry': After a few failed attempts, I think I have finally found a good spot for growing anemones. My plant is just a year old, but is doing well. I have high hopes for lots more flowers next summer. 'Prince Henry' likes rich fairly moist soil and part shade. Height 60-80 cm (20-30 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (20-35 inches) USDA Zones 5-9.

Hollyhock Mallow, Malva sylvestris 'Purple Satin': This was an impulse purchase made this spring. I have always admired the self-seeded Mallows growing wild in the neighbourhood. They flower long after most other plants have succumbed to frost. The Mallows growing in wild patches here are relatively compact, so I was somewhat unprepared for the monstrous size of 'Purple Satin'. This plant reaches 3-4 feet! Even a tomato cage could not keep it upright.

Malva sylvestris 'Purple Satin': is a biennial that likes to reseed itself. Maroon flowers appear in mid-summer and continue well into the fall. Full sun. Height: 150 cm ( 3-4'), Spread 45-60 cm (18-24 inches). Average to moist water needs. USDA Zones: 4-9.

Note: I also grew some Mallow from seed and learned the hard way that Malva sylvestris seedlings hate being moved, so plant it where you want it to grow. 

 September

Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes': Full sun or light shade. Average to moist growing conditions. Height: 60-75 cm (20-30 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Sorry, this is one of my oldest clumps of phlox and I am not sure of the cultivar.

I have to ask: Does this....

 ...look anything like this? 

I added Rosa 'Palmengarten Frankfurt' this spring, but the blooms don't look anything near as nice as the ones on this fine specimen at the Royal Botanical Garden in Hamilton. Even the shape of the flowers seems slightly off.

Perhaps time will tell.

I also a number of groundcover roses to my raised beds and a Hybrid Musk rose 

I have long admired called 'Belinda'.

Sedum spectabile 'Neon' with another clump of Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Sedum spectabile 'Neon': This Sedum has light green foliage and magenta-pink flowers.  Full sun. Like all Sedums, it is attractive to butterflies. Height: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches) Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9

Sedum 'Pure Joy': has a low, rounded mound of blue-green foliage and pale pink flowers. Grow it in poor to average well-drained soil. Full sun. Height: 20-30 cm (10-12 inches) Spread: 45-50 cm (18-20 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Early October

One of the things I love about Sedum is the way to changes color as the weather gets colder. I am not certain if this is Sedum 'Autumn Fire' or Sedum 'Autumn Joy'.

 Lobelia x speciosa 'Dark Crusader' and Lobelia siphilitica 'Alba'

 Last year I added three different varieties of Lobelia. They all bloomed for the first time this summer- not a spectacular display, but it is bound to get better with time.

Great Blue Lobelia or Cardinal Flower, Lobelia siphilitica 

Ironweed, Vernonia gigantea: is a skyscraper of a plant. Fairly new to my garden, there were exactly three stems crowned with purple flowers this summer. Height: 180-210 cm, 

Spread: 90-100 cm Full sun. It prefers moist soil, but my plant has average moisture only. 

Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana: One final tall perennial. This is Pokeweed a plant native to northern and central North America. I have one plant that is about 6' or 7' tall. When they first appear in spring, the young shoots of the plant are edible (often refereed to as "poke sallet"). 

Parts of the mature plant and berries however, are poisonous (so not a great plant choice if you have kids). Pokeweed has outrageously colored magenta stems and berries that hang like grapes. At first the berries are green in color and then magenta. As they mature, they darken to plum and finally become shinny black.

A word of warning: I grow this Pokeweed because I love tall plants and I think the stems and black berries are neat. I am really, really careful not to let the berries fall to the ground. Each little berry has tons of seeds. What is a cool plant could easily become a big problem if you are not really careful.

Fall was lovely here, but it disappeared far too quickly. So many chores remained unfinished! 

Oh well. There is always next year.

Have yourself a wonderful weekend!