My Safe Harbour

Scilla in Mom's garden.

It's the first week in May. It has been a tough week and a really long day, but phase one is complete and my parents have been moved from their house of over fifty years into their one bedroom apartment at the Berkley.

Now in their nineties, my parents have putting off making any kind of change for years, but a stroke in early spring left my father unable to manage the stairs. Despite his limited mobility, it was my Dad who continued to be determined to stay in the house, even at great cost to my mother, who had health issues of her own. However impractical, the house was safe and comfortably familiar for both of them. It has taken months of dogged negotiation to make them see that it is finally time to make a move.

Pulmonaria in Mom's garden.

I sit on a corner of the bed and look around me at the half-empty room. It's taken the last of my energy to make up my bed for the night, which is a mattress and box spring sitting on the floor of what was the family room. For years the huge undertaking of closing the house served as an excuse, so to make the task less overwhelming for my parents, my brother and I convinced my parents to grab what household things they felt they needed or wanted, and to leave the rest behind to be disposed of properly at a later date.

I feel no particular nostalgia for the house where I grew up. I haven't lived in Nova Scotia for almost thirty years. With my parents gone, it feels even less like home. It's just a half-empty shell that already feels cold and impersonal. The dated decor looks shabby and I worry how saleable the house will be.

As I look around the family room, the remaining furnishings are an odd hodgepodge of things. There's no house phone, no radio, no tv and no internet. My room for the night feels like it has all the charm of a prison cell. Exhausted, I climb into bed and wonder if my parents, who are probably just as uncomfortable in their new bedroom at the Berkley, will get even a wink of sleep.

Mom's rock garden in better days of old.

When I arrive at their apartment the next morning I find my Mom, who usually gets up at nine, has been up since seven moving things around the apartment, and rearranging her houseplants on the stand that we setup in front of their new living room window. I feel encouraged that this is a sign that she has started to accept their new circumstances.

When I find my Dad in the bedroom however, he seems a bit lost and bewildered. Together we all head down to the dining room for their first lunch. Dad, who has lost ten pounds since the stroke, eats every bit of the three course lunch with relish. The coming months will be an adjustment, but I feel more convinced than ever that we did the right thing.

On the plane ride home to Toronto, it occurs to me that when the house is sold in the fall, I'll have nowhere to go home to. While the house of my childhood has not felt like "home" for years, it was a safe harbour to which I always returned.

Euphorbia 'First Blush' 

I arrive to find the garden hasn't waited for the gardener. April was unusually cold, but in the second week of May, the heat is not only on, it's turned up to high and the temperatures are so scorchingly hot gardening is uncomfortable.

After doing a post on properly pruning clematis, I look with dismay at the clematis it is now too late to prune. With the sudden heat and dry conditions, I worry that I have already missed the perfect opportunity to move perennials around.

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Cowslip Primrose, Primula veris 'Sunset Shades

Euphorbia 'First Blush'  in behind with Euphorbia 'Bonfire' to the left. 

Geum 'Mai Tai' in the foreground.

Geum 'Mai Tai' forms a low mound of course green leaves. In early spring, soft apricot flowers are carried on tall branching stems. Removing faded flowers will encourage new buds. A hard pruning after it finishes flowering will also refresh the foliage. Divide in fall. Average garden soil and moisture conditions will work for this plant. Height: 40-45 cm (16-18 inches), Spread: 30-35 cm ( 12-14 inches). USDA zones: 5-9.

Self-seeded Columbine

Sweet Rocket in front of a Dogwood tree.

Weedy Sweet Rocket

Pinks over top of Thyme

False Indigo, Baptisia

I get to work, but its hard to know what to tackle first. It seems everything needs my attention. Which fire to put out first?

I like to begin at back of my deeper flower borders and work to the front. By summer the beds are always so densely packed, it's a safari into a dense, mosquito-infested jungle to do any weeding. Better to get the weeding done early when plants are just emerging from the ground. Edging the beds to keep grass out and mulching are also high on my list of priorities. I couldn't manage a garden of my size without mulch to keep the weeds somewhat at bay.

Siberian Irises

Lupins I grew from seed.

Before I know it, the lupins are flowering. They are past their peak by the time I find the time to take pictures, and a little over a week later, the fuzzy pea-like seed pods have formed.

The white peonies in the back garden open and the flowers smell divine! I had hoped to move them early this spring, but now it will have to wait for fall.

Usually the display of peonies in the front garden is one of June's highlights, but for some reason the buds on peonies in the centre of the flower border have shrivelled- a mystery that I will have to puzzle through and solve.

Geum triflorum: Height: 30 cm, Spread: 40-60 cm. It tolerates most soil types, but like most perennials, it will be happiest in well-drained soil that has been enriched with some organic matter. Full sun is best. Once established Geum triflorum is pretty low maintenance and is very drought tolerant.

Foxgloves I grew from seed.

Jacob's Ladder, Polemonium caeruleum: forms a low mound of ferny foliage with star-shaped blue flowers on tall, upright stems. It can self-seed prolifically given the right growing conditions, so deadhead it after flowering if you wan to limit seedlings. Average garden soil is fine, but Jacob's Ladder likes the soil to be moist. Height: 45-80 cm (18-31 inches), Spread 30-45 cm ( 12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Most magnificent of all are the pink roses along the fence marking the entrance to the backyard. The display of blooms has never been as lush. 

Explorer Rose 'John Cabot' : This rose has arching stems that can reach 3 meters in height  and can be used as a climber. It has glossy foliage and pink rose that are lightly fragrant. Its thorns are quite lethal!

The time that remains with my parents is precious now. I call them almost every day to check on them. Two weeks ago Dad was back in the hospital again. There were a few tense days, but he made a good recovery.

With the house to be sold in the fall, things will never be quite the same. The safe harbour to which I will now return is a place of childhood memories.

I will be travelling for a few days. Have a wonderful weekend!

Which do you prefer: Symmetry or Asymmetry?

Who knows why we like the things we do! What is it that makes a certain color our favourite? And what is it about a shape or texture that attracts or repels us? Preferences are a mystery, but we definitely seemed wired to be more attracted to some things and than others.

Though you may not have given it much thought, when it comes to symmetry or asymmetry, I bet you have a natural tendency to choose one over the other. 

In the entry way above, a pair of black urns filled with ivy and pink hydrangeas flank either side of the door. The symmetry continues in the plantings along the pathway. Clumps of Japanese Forest Grass and the pink impatiens are repeated on either side of the walkway. Even the boxwood hedges are meticulously clipped to the same height.

Here is how the dictionary defines symmetry:

Symmetry: the quality of something that has two sides or halves that are the same or very close in size, shape, and position: the quality of having symmetrical parts.

The human body is symmetrical: two eyes, two ears, two arms and two legs. Perhaps that is why symmetry feels so comfortable.

Symmetrical container plantings seems like a popular choice for the front of a house. I think it's because there is something soothing about the perfect balance of like things.

White Alyssum, pansies and white daffodils fill the two urns.

In this garden the symmetry continues all the way to the front door, where a pair of urns are filled with white pansies, daffodils, ruffled ranunculus and branches of pussy willow.

Here is another example of classic symmetry, this time in a back garden. Everything is perfectly balanced on either side of the bench: the lattice work, the evergreen shrubs and the two urns filled with peach flowers.

So here's a little test. 

When you look at this front porch, do you feel like something is amiss? If this were your house, would you feel the urge to plant up a matching pot of pink geraniums and place it somewhere on the opposite side of the door?

If so, chances are you are a person who loves symmetry.

Before you decide which you like best, lets take a quick look at asymmetry. If symmetry is classic, asymmetry feels modern. There is something more sophisticated and edgy in the makeup of this form of balance. Here is how the dictionary defines asymmetry:

Asymmetry: lack of equality or equivalence between parts or aspects of something; lack of symmetry.

In my opening example, there are still two similar urns, but they aren't directly opposite one another. One is at the top of the staircase, and the other is at some distance at the bottom.

Here's a second more traditional example, where the containers are similar, 

but they aren't the same size. 

One is dramatically larger and taller than the other.

The balance of symmetry tends to feel formal and restrained. 

Asymmetry seems to a better job of transcending styles. My first example was contemporary arts & crafts, the second was quite traditional, and the look here may best be described as casual country.

As well as containers, plantings can employ asymmetry. The box balls are symmetrical, but the dominant evergreen tree has no mirror on either side of the gate, so the balance of the whole feels asymmetrical.

At the bottom of this stone staircase, the planting is completely different on either side.

So what do you think? Which pleases you the most? 

Symmetry or asymmetry?

Book Review & Giveaway: Raised Bed Revolution

If you think that a raised bed is nothing more than a simple rectangle made of wood, this is the book that will change your mind.

The revolution, that author Tara Nolan writes about in her new book, is a fresh and innovative approach to the design, materials and construction of raised beds.

Image by Proven Winners from Raised Bed Revolution  © Quarto Publishing Group 

and Tara Nolan 2016.  Used with permission of the author.

With a growing interest in homegrown vegetables and fruits, raised beds have become increasingly popular. They elevate the traditional backyard veggie patch and make it organized and neat. Raised beds can be used for more than just vegetables of course. Here is just a sampling of the great ideas presented in the book:

• Creating a raised bed where you park newly purchased perennials is a smart idea. Plants raised in nursery pots are quick to dry out even after you plant them. I found my success rate with new purchases increased exponentially when I placed the plants for a time in a raised holding bed where I could keep an eye on them and water them regularly. Then I wait until fall or the following spring to plant the more established plants in their final positions.

• A small raised bed is a great way to control an aggressive spreader like mint or oregano.

• Placing a cutting garden in a raised bed makes a garden that is utilitarian neat and tidy. Tara also suggests that adding flowers to your raised vegetable beds is a great way to attract beneficial insects and valuable pollinators.

 Photograph by Donna Griffith.  Image from Raised Bed Revolution  © Quarto Publishing Group 

and Tara Nolan 2016.  Used with permission of the author.

• Growing herbs is yet another way to use a raised bed. There are a number of plans in the book, including this vertical herb planter, that allows you to grow herbs in close proximity to your kitchen.

• A raised bed can be used to create a garden pond. I love the mini bog garden project that uses a stock tank on wheels. The stock tank has an industrial vibe and the bog garden functions almost like a container planting. There is also a more traditional pond framed by a raised bed in the book. The ease in this type of pond design is the lack of digging required. Raising it up also makes it easier to access the pond's filter pump.

A raised bed that also serves as a cold frame.

• A raised bed can help extend the growing season. A simple row cover can transform a raised bed into a mini-greenhouse that can really be useful in the chilly days of early spring. With a few modifications, it's easy to turn a raised bed into a cold frame that will allow you to grow cold weather crops into the winter.  

Photograph by Donna Griffith.  Image from Raised Bed Revolution  © Quarto Publishing Group 

and Tara Nolan 2016.  Used with permission of the author.

Raised beds have lots of advantages, which Tara details at length, but just to give you an idea, here are a few:

•  One of the beauties of raised beds is they allow you to garden in a small footprint.  The pole beans, in the picture above, are a beautiful example.

• The soil in raised beds thaws drains and warms up earlier than soil in the ground making it possible to get a head start on cool-weather crops like peas, lettuce and beets.

• Because you fill a raised beds with fresh, nutrient-rich soil, you can garden almost anywhere; on top of gravel, clay or poor soil, pavement and even rooftops.

• Raised beds make it easier for those gardeners who may have trouble bending over or kneeling down to plant and weed.

Photograph by Donna Griffith.  Image from Raised Bed Revolution  © Quarto Publishing Group 

and Tara Nolan 2016.  Used with permission of the author.

Included is lots of practical advice on choosing an appropriate site, as well as the size, height and spacing between your raised beds. Tara offers tips on types of wood to use, alternate materials, and what soil is appropriate for a raised bed.

The book aims to inspire readers with tons of ideas and easy-to-follow projects. The wide range of plans all have a picture of the finished project, as well as pictures of the step-by-step instructions.  A detailed drawing, list of materials, tools required, and a cut list make each item achievable by the average DIYer with basic carpentry skills.

I should also mention that as well as the raised beds, there are plans for various plant supports, an obelisk, a protected strawberry planter and a classic Versailles-inspired planter box.

Photograph by Tara Nolan. 

For those who aren't particularly handy with a hammer and a saw, Tara devotes an entire chapter to creative up-cycled materials and containers. I love this washbasin on top of an old sawhorse that Tara's Dad put together for her.

Photograph by Donna Griffith.  Image from Raised Bed Revolution  © Quarto Publishing Group 

and Tara Nolan 2016.  Used with permission of the author.

And here an attractive way to up-cycle plastic pails to grow veggies.

This is not a book that you need to read cover to cover just to get started. The information is well organized and presented. Chapters are subdivided making it easy to find a subject or an answer to a question you might have.

If you are interested in fun and creative garden projects, you are going to love this book!

I have a copy of Raised Bed Revolution to give away to one lucky reader. I will have to send these books through the mail, so I will have to limit entry to readers in Canada and the USA.

Please leave a comment if you would like to be included in the book draw. The draw will remain open for the next 7 days. If you are not a blogger, you can enter to win on the Three Dogs in a Garden Facebook page. Please make sure there is a way for me to track down your email address should your name be drawn.

About the author:

Tara Nolan is a freelance writer, editor and digital consultant. For over six years, Tara was web editor of Canadian Gardening.com. She is a member of the Canadian Garden Writers Association and is co-founder of the blog Savvy Gardening. Tara has written for many publications including the Toronto Star, Glow magazine, Elle Canada and Canadian Living. Raised Bed Revolution is Tara's first gardening book.

What's Eating my Lilies?

Understanding the lifecycle of a garden pest is the first line of defence. Knowing how to spot lily beetle eggs, recognizing their rather disgusting looking larvae and having a simple method for eliminating the adults can go along way to having better looking lilies in your garden this summer! In her second post, Jean Godawa tackles the subject of lily beetles.

Lilioceris lilii

Like street lights, stop signs or fire trucks, the bright red colour of lily leaf beetles (Lilioceris lilii) certainly attracts our attention. The beauty of this insect, especially against a leafy green backdrop, becomes irrelevant however, as you see the damage it causes to your lilies.

Lily Beetle Eggs

After spending the winter protected from the elements, adult lily leaf beetles emerge in the spring, coinciding with the emergence of lily plants. They mate then lay orangey-brown lines of eggs on the underside of lily foliage. These pests can lay over 400 eggs in a season.

Lilioceris lilii larva

When the eggs hatch, the orange larvae feed under dark shields of their own excrement. Well protected from predators, the immature insects grow and continue to damage the plant. 

Healthy Lilies

Defoliated lily with buds intact

Several adults and larvae together can completely defoliate the lilies in your garden.

After a few weeks, the larvae drop to the soil where they pupate for a few more weeks then become adults. In the fall, this new generation will seek out shelter or burrow into the soil to overwinter. The cycle begins again in spring.

The best defence against these red nuisances is to destroy them before they have a chance to lay eggs. If you’ve been plagued by lily leaf beetles in the past, keep watch for the emerging adults as soon as your garden starts to wake up in spring.

Hand-pick the beetles off your plants and squish them between your thumb and forefinger. Don’t worry, they won’t bite, but you have to be quick. When disturbed or threatened, the beetles drop to the ground on their backs. The underside of these bright red creatures is black and blends in well with the soil.  

If the thought of squishing bugs is too unpleasant, you can drop them into a bucket of soapy water to destroy them. Where space permits, shake the plant gently over the bucket to get rid of any beetles you can’t see.

If you missed the opportunity to find the adults and there are already gooey black larvae munching away on the plants, you can hand remove those as well. Where several larvae or eggs are infesting a leaf, or if you just can’t bring yourself to squish poop-covered creatures, it might be more effective to just cut the leaf off, if the plant is otherwise healthy and robust.

Lily beetles are not originally from North America so there are no natural predators here to keep the population in check. A tiny parasitic wasp from Europe is being studied as a potential control agent for this introduced species.

We’ve been conditioned to recognize red as a warning colour. Whether by natural design or coincidence, bright red lily leaf beetles warn gardeners that their lilies are in danger.


About Jean Godawa: Jean is a science teacher and writer. She has been writing science-related articles for print and online publications for more than ten years. Jean holds a degree in biology and environmental science with a focus on entomology from the University of Toronto. She had conducted field research in the tropical rainforests of Asia and South America.

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