A Preview of the Canadian Cancer Society's Annual Garden Tour: Paula's Garden

For Paula, gardening is a passion deeply rooted in family.

"My parents only really started gardening about 35 years ago with their purchase of a house in Mississauga.  However, it was at their current house purchased 5 years later where they both truly invested (time and funds) into their garden," Paula tells me.

"They started with a designer's plan but soon abandoned that to shape their garden in their own way.  Over the years the garden has evolved from a limited set of familiar plants from their experiences in the Azores (where our family obsession with hydrangeas comes from) to a garden full of many varieties and colour."

In her mother's case, a love of gardening reaches back through the generations to Paula's great-grandparents.

"My mother often reflects on her memories of growing up in her grandparent's gardens and we feel that is likely her inspiration. She has a real knack for flower and plant design," says Paula.

Her father and sister have also been a big influence.

 "My father has become a collector with over forty varieties of hydrangeas and an even greater number of hostas. Each year my parents expand or reshape parts of their garden to fit in new ideas or plants. As my sister grew up, she started taking a more active part in recommendations and new ideas."

A flagstone walkway leads to a seating area at the side of the house and then splits to lead visitors in two different directions. One path leads to a back patio and the other to a log cabin style shed.

 Container plantings by the side door.

There is something to be said for having a big expanse of a single plant. Here native Ostrich Fern has been allowed to colonize a large area. The effect of a big swath of fresh chartreuse is dramatic.

An idea to Steal: Don't feel you have to clutter your garden with a million different kinds of plants. Sometimes one is all you need to make a dramatic statement!

Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris is a clump-forming, upright deciduous fern. 'Fiddleheads' emerge at the base of the clump in spring and unfurl into broad green fronds. This fern is easily grown in medium to wet average garden soil. It will colonize an area with favourable conditions over time. Part-shade to full shade.  Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 3-7.

 Ostrich Ferns

The front garden.

The purchase of her own home provided Paula with an opportunity to experiment with garden design and plant choices. The property was not without challenges. When she bought the house, the sloped front garden was a mix of periwinkle, ferns and a few trees. The shaded backyard offered a narrow terrace with a steep and rocky drop to a natural creek.

Paula was unfazed, "I did not think I had much of a hand or interest for gardening and wanted a low maintenance garden.  I relied on my parents a lot in the first few years. My father shared many of his hostas and other plants and helped with all the heavy lifting (for instance, he laid almost all the flagstone)."

"My mother became my design advisor.  My sister started contributing recommendations and gifts of new plant varieties. All of them helped with the work!"

Epimedium lishihchenii 'Fairy Wings'

An idea to steal: Start a collection of an unusual plant that interests you. 

Barrenwort or Epimedium is a shade plant that offers an amazing range of flower shapes, sizes and colors. The foliage also varies in color, size and shape. 

It's fascinating to see a range of different cultivars grouped together as Paula has done in her garden. To get a better idea of the diversity of Epimedium available, check out the listings Epimedium on the Lost Horizons Nursery website.

 Epimedium x warleyense 'Orange Queen'

Barrenwort, Epimedium x warleyense 'Orange Queen' is a non-invasive groundcover for shade. 'Orange Queen has sprays of tiny, creamsicle-coloured flowers in mid-spring. Old foliage can be trimmed back to the ground to show the flowers to best effect in the spring. This is a fairly adaptable shade plant that will flourish in average, sandy or clay soil. It is also drought tolerant once established. Divide in early fall. Height: 20-25 cm (8-10 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches), USDA zones 4-9.

Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum

Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum is a great plant to naturalize in a woodland setting. In spring, plants with two large leaves produce a single white flower that becomes a yellow fruit. The unripe fruit is slightly poisonous but is edible when fully ripe. This native plant spreads by creeping rhizomes and will often carpet a forest floor. In mid-summer, it goes dormant. Grow this native in average, medium moist, well-drained soil. Part-shade to shade. Height: 30-45 cm. USDA zones: 3-8.

A closer look at the"apple".

Dwarf Western Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum aleuticum 'Imbricatum'

 Brunnera macrophylla 'Dawson's White' (left) has heart-shaped green foliage that is edged with cream. Sprays of pale blue flowers, which closely resemble forget-me-nots, appear in mid-spring. This cultivar is more sun tolerant than the older Brunnera macrophylla 'Variegata'. Part-shade to shade. Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches).  Zones 2-9.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Looking Glass' (right) has cool-toned, silvery-grey leaves that have fine, blue-green veining and leaf edges. Sprays of blue flowers emerge in spring. Average soil is fine and moist conditions are best. Part-shade to shade. Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 3-8.

Dwarf Bearded Iris

When she set to work, Paula was surprised to find she shared her family's passion for gardening.

"Over the years I've discovered that I enjoy gardening more than I thought I did. I began applying more of my own ideas to the overall design.  My sister and mother are still my advisors even when we (occasionally) disagree on plant preferences," she laughs.

"My sister Ozzie and I are very close. She and my niece are a significant part of my life.  (Family is important for us). I think, however, my sister is even more interested in gardening than I am.  Ozzie loves researching techniques, plant varieties, nurseries, etc. I wouldn't have the gardening knowledge or a variety of plants without her. My dad starts teasing Ozzie that she has started her plant orders in January and jokes that she orders from all over the world."

Mature trees tower over the backyard and cast the garden into the shade.

Trilliums love the sandy, free-draining soil.

Large Flowering Trillium, Trillium grandiflorum is a wildflower native to Ontario. They have white flowers with three petals which are held aloft on a stem containing a whorl of three leaves. 

Trilliums are spring ephemerals that require patience. They can take up to 7 years to go from seed to flower. As the flowers fade, they turn from white to a soft pink. Trilliums require moist, well-drained, slightly sandy soil that is rich in organic matter. Full to part-shade. Height: 20-50 cm (7-19 inches) USDA Zones: 4-9.

Even Paula's Dad has benefited from Ozzie's interest in plants.

"He loves the variety she has introduced to his collections. My sister regularly drops off new plants for me to add to my garden. Especially any that my parents may not be a fan of."

Next week Paula's garden will be one of the eleven gardens on this year's tour in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. Not surprisingly, everyone has pitched in to help get ready.

 English Button Daisy, Bellis perennis

 Double Primula in the front garden.

Lungwort, Pulmonaria saccharata 'Silverado' has green leaves when it emerges in spring that quickly become splashed with silvery-grey. The flowers appear as early as April and are purply-blue and pink. Part-shade to shade. Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches).  USDA Zones 2-9.

"My entire family still regularly pitch in with the labour.  My sister and dad were here most of the day," says Paula.

All the hard work has paid off. "I enjoy sitting or walking through my garden, appreciating the beauty of the plants and feeling a sense of accomplishment when plants are thriving and the garden looks good. A day spent in my garden is something I look forward to -  it’s my stress relief."

The 13th Annual Spring Garden Tour in support of the Canadian Cancer Society will be taking place on Sunday, May 27, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  This year’s tour will take place in the Clarkson area of Mississauga where eleven homeowners have graciously agreed to share their lovely gardens with tour participants.  All proceeds will go to the Canadian Cancer Society to help fight cancer.

Tickets will be available for sale online at ccsgardentour.com

An Asian-Inspired Garden, Part 2: The Backyard

After chatting with Carina about her garden, one of the things I came away admiring the most was her resourcefulness. When she needed a bridge to span the natural stream in the backyard, she borrowed a neighbour's power tools and made it herself.

Challenges were tackled head-on, and if her initial solution didn't work, she's wasn't discouraged. She simply moved on and adopted a fresh approach.

An overview of the garden as seen from the back of the house.

Many a homeowner would have been defeated by the uneven terrain in Carina's backyard. 

The ground slopes steeply down from the back of the house. In the centre of the yard, a stream divides property in two. On the far side of the stream, the ground shifts again, this time on a sharp incline.

The lawn just behind the back of the house was not fairing well, so Carina got rid of it! Instead, she created a Japanese style rock garden using crushed limestone, pebbles and large boulders.

This view of the shows the sharp incline. 

 The bridge Carina made herself.

A closer look at some of the hosta along the stream bank.

"The back garden has a lot of shade and is boggy from underground springs. Astilbes, Foam flowers (Tiarella), Brunnera, wild gingers, lilies, Bleeding hearts (Dicentra spectabilis) thrive in the wet environment, unfortunately so did ferns, Goutweed and Lily-of-the-valley which I completely removed in one area," says Carina.

An old stump is now a host for a variety of plants. 

In this area, a Euonymus adds a splash of yellow. There is also iris, a Bleeding Heart, and if you have eagle eyes, you might even notice a Cobra Lily (edge of the photo middle right).

Carina's hosta's look amazing, so I made a point of asking her how she deals with slugs and snails. "Racoons drank the beer traps I put out," she laughs. 

Her method is quite basic but very effective; she handpicks the slugs from her hosta with a set of tweezers or chopsticks and drops them into a soapy bucket of water. Carina found it to be a quiet task that's therapeutic after a hectic day of nursing.  

A line of Carex and a rocky drainage ditch that flows into the natural stream.

The line of "grass" you see is actually Carex a perennial that has fine, grass-like foliage. I am not sure of the exact cultivar but will give you a reference to one that looks quite similar.

Sedge, Carex oshimensis Evercolor 'Everillo' forms a mound of cascading lime-green leaves. This grass-like perennial likes moist, rich soil, but it will tolerate dry shade with occasional watering. Part to full shade. Evergreen. Height:45-50 cm (18-20 inches), Spread: 45-50 cm (18-20 inches). USDA zones: 5-9.

Red Trillium, Trillium erectum is native to North American woodlands and has many common names including Beth root, Stinking Benjamin, Wake-Robin and Indian Balm. This is a long-lived perennial that can live for up to 30 years. In the spring it has chocolate-red blooms that have a somewhat unpleasant scent up close. Trillium erectum likes moist, rich, well-drained soil. Part to full shade. Height: 20-50 cm (8-19 inches), Spread: 22-30 cm (9-12 inches). USDA zones: 4-9. 

False Solomon's Seal, Maianthemum racemosum, syn. Smilacina racemosa

False Solomon's Seal, Maianthemum racemosum, syn. Smilacina racemosa has a number of common names including False Spikenard and False Lili-of-the-Valley. It is native to North American woodlands and has lance-shaped, green leaves. Tiny white flowers are followed by green berries that become red in late summer.  It spreads by creeping rhizomes but is slow to get established and produce a good display. Part-shade to Full Shade. Height: 60-90 cm (23-35 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (23-35 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

Redbud blossoms that have fallen into a birdbath at the back of the property.

I always like to ask gardeners about the wisdom they've gained after years of experience.

"Depending on lot size, grading, the condition of your soil, the amount of sunlight/shade and your budget, planning is important. I did not plan well, so I am speaking from experience after lots of trials and errors made over the years," Carina advises.

"Learn as much as possible about the type of plants you like. This will save you some headaches, time and money. Find out how they grow and spread, how much sun or shade they like, how tall and wide they get and whether they are high or low maintenance. Prepare the soil, water them well and regularly in the early days."

Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum' (left) and Canadian Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense (right)

Two great shade-loving perennials from the far side of the stream:

Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum' has dark green leaves accented with red. Soft yellow and cream flowers appear in mid to late spring. To make the tiny flowers more visible prune the previous season's foliage to the ground in late winter/early spring. New foliage will follow the flowers. Drought tolerant once established. Divide in the fall. Height: 20-30 cm (8-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA zones: 4-9.

Canadian Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense is native to the woodlands of Eastern north America. It bright green, heart-shaped leaves and insignificant brownish flowers that are largely hidden by the foliage. It will colonize an area and tends to be more vigorous than European Wild Ginger (Asarum europaeum), but is not considered to be invasive. Part to full shade. Sandy or clay soil is fine. Average to moist soil suit this plant best. Height: 10-15 cm ( 4-6 inches), Spread: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

Last year Carina sold her home and garden. She's retired now and wants to be free to do some travelling and hopes to visit family in Malaysia more often. I asked her what she will miss the most about her garden.

"The large lot size afforded a lot of privacy," she laments. "I shall miss being outside with a good book, puttering in the garden, enjoying the birds and the occasional wildlife that visits; as well as the water feature out front."

It must be hard to leave behind a garden that you laboured almost thirty years to create, but Carina isn't looking back, she's moving forward into the next phase of her life.

"Gardening is hard work, but it doesn't feel like work once your garden gets established and it rewards you back," she muses. Based on the lovely garden Carina's managed to create, the rewards have been many.  

Missed part 1? Go back and see Carina's front garden here.

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An Asian-Inspired Garden, Part 1: The Pond-less Waterfall

"It was the 60+ year old English house I bought in 1982 that had an established though long neglected garden that started my love of gardening," says Carina Wong.

Originally from Malaysia, Carina had gone to England to study nursing and decided to stay on after she graduated. When she purchased her first house in March, she had no idea there was a large garden sleeping through the final days of winter. 

When spring brought the garden to life, Carina was at a loss how to handle the mature garden she'd inherited. At that time, she had no experience with gardening. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, she hired someone to help her in those early days. Then, slowly over the next seventeen years, the garden ended up teaching her how to be a gardener. 

A move to Canada saw a fresh set of gardening challenges. 

A visitor to the garden sits by the pond.

"I wanted an English-themed garden for the front of my new house," Carina recalls.

The property she bought in Mississauga had two large maple trees in the front yard that cast a tremendous amount of shade. Carina had one removed and limbed up the other to let in a little more sun for the roses she hoped to grow. Other than the two maples, the garden she inherited had a lawn and a narrow flowerbed that ran along the front of the house. 

"I had many lovely roses, but sadly the arrival of Japanese beetles nine or ten years back became too big a problem to keep under control. The roses were sad and any blooms were quickly decimated. In the end, I got rid of over 30 rose plants! How should I put it - gardening phases come and go with the gardeners' aging process!"

The idea of installing a pond in the front yard began as a solution for a grub problem in the lawn. On the advise of her local garden centre, Carina tried to treat the problem with a pesticide. The chemicals smelled horrible and they were expensive. Worst of all, the grub problem persisted even after a couple of treatments. So Carina decided to dig up the lawn and put in a pond.

Over the years the pond went through a number of phases. In its first incarnation, it was a small preformed plastic pond. Not satisfied with that, Carina hired someone to come in and create a larger pond. A number of years later the skimmer broke, and rather than replace it, Carina decided to replace the high maintenance pond with a pond-less waterfall that was a lot less work. 

The interlocking brick was another time saver. No more lawn tomow! 

The garden along the front of the house.

1. Bearded Iris with variegated foliage 2. Tall allium 'Purple Sensation' 3. Rhododendron 4. Stonecrop or Creeping Sedum 5. Allium 6. Thyme 7. Moss Phlox, Phlox subulata 'Emerald Cushion Blue'

A closer look at the Moss Phlox (left) and the Thyme (right)

Phlox subulata 'Emerald Cushion Blue' creates a low mound of green needle-like leaves. In the spring, it is covered with lavender-blue flowers. This is a clump-forming perennial and is not invasive. Good drainage is essential for over-wintering moss phlox. Once established this plant is quite drought tolerant. Height: 10-15 cm (4-6 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm(18-23 inches). USDA zones: 2-9.

"I have happy memories of sitting on the park bench under the Canadian Maple in the evenings and listening to as many as 13 pairs of frogs' croaking - is there a better way to describe the beautiful sounds they make? Sitting on that bench also offered me the perfect vantage point for improving the layout and making changes over the years as well as enjoying a glass of wine or two!", smiles Carina. 

A birdbath and one of the roses that still remain in the front garden.

In the part 2, we'll head into Carina's wonderful backyard.

A Preview of the Canadian Cancer Society's Annual Spring Garden Tour

A sure sign that spring has arrived is the start of the garden tour season. One of the first events in the GTA is the Canadian Cancer Society's Annual Spring Garden Tour.

This year the tour moves from affluent neighbourhood of Lorne Park in Mississauga to gardens in area of the Rattray Marsh. Located on the Lake Ontario shoreline, the Rattray Marsh is one of the last remaining lakefront marshes on the western end of Lake Ontario. 

Helen Donato, one of the event's organizers, tells me that the gardens on this year's tour offer a number of interesting water features including a "fabulous waterfall" and an infinity pool that blends seamlessly into a view of Lake Ontario. There is also a garden with many interesting and unusual plants that backs onto the Rattray Marsh.

Liz Primeau, former editor of Canadian Gardening Magazine and author of In Pursuit of Garlic, will be speaking on growing garlic in one of the tour gardens mid-afternoon.

Master gardener Edel Schmidt will be on hand to discuss pruning and to answer any questions you may have.  

GARDEN DETAILS:

Location: Private Garden, Mississauga, ON

When Photographed: End of May

Zone: 6a

Today, I am delighted to give you a preview of one of the private gardens that will be open to the public on this year's tour.

As you will see, the Kent's garden has a gentle informality about it. It is not overly fussy or pretentious, allowing the visitor to feel immediately at ease.

Right off the front walkway there is a small frog pond.

Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabillis, 'Alba' (bottom image): Height: 70-90 cm, Spread: 70-90 cm. Part to full shade. Average to moist soil. You can refresh the foliage after it flowers in early spring, but even so, it will go dormant by late summer. Hardy: Zones 2-9.

A path leads from the front door to a little courtyard which must be the perfect place 

to enjoy coffee in the morning . 

When I visited last year at the end of May, Columbines were in bloom throughout the garden.

Columbine are easy to grow from seed. Full sun/part shade. Depending on the cultivar, they are anywhere from 25-70 cm tall. Spread: approx. 25-30 cm. Average to moist soil. Normal, sandy or clay soils all work. USDA Zones 2-9. 

Columbines are relatively short lived, but self-seed well. I think they are indispensable in a May/June garden.

Isn't this a pretty tree?

Golden Chain Tree, Laburnum x watereri 'Vossii': Height: 18 m (15-20 ft) Spread: 15-18 m (15-20 ft). A Golden Chain Tree requires a sheltered, part-shade location and well-drained soil. Young trees have smooth, green-colored bark, which deepens in color with age. The tree's foliage is like a pointed clover leaf and chains of bright yellow, fragrant flowers appear in May or June. Prune after flowering. USDA Zones: 5-7

A grouping of Alliums (most likely 'Purple Sensation')

The branches of a Redbud tree, with its sweet pink flowers, hangs over an arbor in the front garden.

A Lilac (Sorry, not sure of the cultivar.)

Northern Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum pedatum (top left): Part to Full shade. Height: 30-60 cm, Spread:30-60 cm. Moist growing conditions in a variety of soil types. USDA Zones: 2-9 

Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum (on the bottom): Is a great groundcover for shady areas if you have ample space for it to spread (often considered invasive). It also makes a wonderful understory for late spring bulbs. Height: 10-20 cm Part shade to full shade. Average to moist growing conditions. Smells like fresh cut hay. USDA Zones: 2-9

Amsonia (Sorry, not sure of the cultivar. Quite possibly Amsonia tabernaemontana?)

Another arbor, this time in the backyard.

Bugelweed: This is a case of "Be careful what you wish for!" Yes, it has pretty blue flowers, but it is a plant can be invasive, especially given the right growing conditions. As you can see, it forms a pretty dense mat of foliage. But if you have a moist, shady spot where it can spread at will, then this might make a great groundcover.

Bugleweed, Ajuga: Full sun, part shade or full shade. Prefers moist growing conditions and will spread a little less vigorously when conditions are on the dry side. Height: 10-15 cm. If you are considering Ajuga, try looking for one of the newer cultivars that is supposedly less invasive like Ajuga genevensis.

You can see a Tricolor Cooper Beech in the distance on the left and up close on the right.

Tricolor Cooper Beech, Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea Tricolor': Sun/part shade. Height: 12 m (over 40 ft) Spacing: also 12 m (40 ft). Low maintanence. Can live as long as 120 years. Flower: Insignificant

And so ends this little preview. 

For any of you that live in the GTA, the Canadian Cancer Society's Annual Spring Garden Tour represents a great opportunity to support a very worthy cause, while visiting some of Mississauga's finest private gardens. 

P.S. I will have the winner of the book draw up next.

Here are all the details that you need to know to attend:

More information about the Canadian Cancer Society Tour:

Date: Sunday, May 25th

Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Advance Tickets: $15

Advance Tickets Available at: Battaglia's Lorne Park Marketplace at 1150 Lorne Park Rd.,  Crafted Decor at 232 Queen St. S. in Streetsville, Heritage Fruit Market at 780 Southdown Rd., Impressionable Gifts at 74 Lakeshore E. in Port Credit, and the Canadian Cancer Society at 2227 South Millway in Mississauga.

Day of the Tour Tickets: $20

More Information: gardentour2014@mail.com or call (905) 608-8411

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