Echinops ritro ssp. ruthenicus is a broadleaf deciduous perennial with blue foliage. In spring, summer and fall blue flowers emerge. Attracts bees and butterflies making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun and regular - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in well-drained, lean and average soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant. CHARACTERISTICS Plant type: perennial Plant family: asteraceae Foliage: deciduous blue Mature size: 1 FT - 2 FT - wide, 2 FT - 3 FT - tall Flowers: blue blooms in spring, summer and fall Uses: spiky GROWING CONDITIONS USDA Zones: 3a - 10b Sun exposure: sun Watering frequency: regular - low Resistant to: deer, heat Soil needs: well-drained, lean and average PURCHASING INFO We research and publish independent data for garden enthusiasts, collaborating with nurseries to provide diverse plant descriptions. Depending on seasonal availability, you can purchase plants directly through us (fulfilled by trusted partners) or via our links to reputable online retailers. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

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Now that is summer again, folks and their pets are out and about in the yard, hiking, swimming and doing all things outdoorsy. And so are nature’s little pests…ticks. Ticks can be quite harmful to your pets and to we humans. So, here is a simple homemade tick repellant you can use for your family […]

Looking to liven up your garden or your balcony, but unsure which plants are safe...

Anyone who has been in a longterm relationship will tell you that holding on to a little mystery helps keeps the romance alive. Where t...

Explore Gillimcg's 4134 photos on Flickr!

There are some landscape materials I cannot get enough of. Decomposed granite is a material comprised of pieces of granite 3/8ths of an inch across, and smaller. The smaller pieces are known as "fines". The fines sift down in between the 3/8 inch pieces, and interlock the decomposed granite. This makes for a surface that delivers that

Could there be any better spring flower to showcase on Valentine's Day than old-fashioned Bleeding Hearts? I have three varieties of Bleeding Hearts in my garden; Dicentra spectabilis, Dicentra spectabilis 'Goldheart' and Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba'. All three are planted in part-shade. The pretty, fern-like foliage appears in early May and lasts well into mid-summer, when conditions here in Southern Ontario tend to get drier than Dicentra prefer. By then, their fading foliage is hidden by other plants. The dangling heart-shaped flowers generally last into early June. Here are just a few of the many cultivars available: Common Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabilis: This common variety is still one of my favourite Bleeding Hearts. It takes a few years to come into its own, but when it does, Dicentra spectabilis forms a generous mound of fresh green foliage. You can refresh the plant after it flowers by cutting it to 6" above the ground, but even so, it will go dormant by late summer. Light to full shade. Height: 70-90 cm, Spread: 70-90 cm. Average to moist soil. USDA Zones 2-9. Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabilis, 'Goldheart': This Bleeding Heart has amazing golden foliage and magenta colored, heart-shaped flowers. Height: 60-90 cm, Spread: 60-90 cm. Part or full shade. Average to moist soil. Will go dormant by late summer. Hardy: Zones 2-9. A heart lovin' bee Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabilis, 'Alba': This Bleeding Heart has bright green foliage and white flowers. Height: 70-90 cm, Spread: 70-90 cm. Light shade to full shade. Average to moist soil. Hardy: Zones 2-9. Fern-leaf Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa 'Bacchanal': has grey-green foliage and deep magenta flowers. Height: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches) Part or full shade. Average to moist soil. USDA Zones 2-9. Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa 'Luxuriant': is another compact fern-leaf Bleeding Heart that has blue-green foliage and clusters of magenta-red flowers. Fern-leafed varieties are great for the front of a border and may also be used in containers. Height: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). Part or full shade. Average to moist soil. USDA Zones 2-9. Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa 'Adrain Bloom': 'Adrain Bloom' is a compact plant with blue-green foliage and clusters of magenta-pink flowers. Removing spent flowers should encourage a long season of bloom. Height: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). Part or full shade. Average to moist soil. USDA Zones 2-9. Have a Happy Valentines Day! Bookmark this post with a PIN.

The creeping fig is a climbing evergreen plant that's a common ground and wall covering in warmer parts of the country and a houseplant in cooler areas. Often called a climbing fig vine, they're low maintenance, easy to propagate and deer and rabbit resistant but poisonous to indoor pets.

Some of my favourites: Larkwhistle Garden Located in Grey-Bruce County, Larkwhistle is probably one of Ontario's best private gardens. Winters on the Bruce Peninsula and long and harsh. The marginal topsoil is thin and sandy. Despite these challenges, noted garden writer Patrick Lima and his partner, the photographer John Scanlan, have managed to create a magical garden full of color. The garden was once open to the public, but it's owners have recently retired. You can still visit Larkwhistle Garden in this series of posts: Part 1 and Part 2. Garden Canadensis This garden combines conifers, deciduous trees, shrubs and perennials in a truly masterful way. In Part 1 there is a general overview of the garden. In Part 2 we look at some of the artful plant combinations and in Part 3 we look at conifers and the way they are combined with other plants. A Secret Garden In a word, Carole's garden is stunning! There are 3 posts: Part 1 presents an overview of the garden, Part 2 tours at the pond and shade garden and the Part 3 looks at the amazing backyard. Jacquie's Garden in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia One of the great advantages of laying out a garden on a slope has been the ability to look down on the garden from on high. Jacquie found herself looking out her window at the as yet untouched expanse of grass in the backyard: "I'd sit upstairs by my living room window and plan where to dig the next garden patch. When that project was finished, I'd do the same thing until the whole garden was mostly the way I wanted it." See how Jacquie's garden came together in a two-part series of posts: Part 1 and Part 2. The Garden of Duff and Donna Evers There is an enviable view of a lake which sparkles through evergreen trees at the back of the home of Duff and Donna Evers. There is a short plateau of land with a deck and then the property rolls down in a gentle incline to a lake. In a series of three posts, you can visit their spectacular garden filled with blooming rhododendrons, azaleas, a collection of magnolias trees and spring flowering perennials. Part1: The Lakefront Terrace Garden, Part 2: The Upper Terrace and Lakefront, Part 3: The Woodland and the Gate of Lost Marbles Merlin's Hollow Landscape architect David Tomlinson, designed and began work on his beautiful garden in 1981. On the 3/4 of an acre that surrounds his home in Aurora, Ontario, David set out to create a series of gardens within a garden. There is a Perennial Flower Garden, a Fragrant Garden, a Rock Garden and a Winter Garden. Visit David Tomlinson's garden in early spring in this blog post and in June in this blog post. Each year, David Tomlinson opens Merlin's Hollow to the public free of charge on the 2nd Saturday in May, the 2nd Saturday and Sunday in June and the 1st Saturday in July and the Sunday of the following weekend. Beautiful Tapestry In her lovely garden, Heather Bradley has woven a rich tapestry using shape, color and texture. Flowers are not the focus. They are just one of the many elements. Take a stroll down the moss-covered paths in this blog post. The Rock Garden in Truro Nova Scotia When Dr Bernard Jackson retired to Truro, Nova Scotia after spending 22 years as the Director of the Memorial University Botanical Garden in St. John's Newfoundland, he was approached by the Agricultural College in Truro to create a new rock garden for their campus. A series of three posts look at the garden Dr Jackson created with a team of staff and volunteers. The series also offers planting notes on the rock garden and alpine plants as well as advice from Darwin Carr, the Operational Manager for the grounds at the Dalhousie University campus. The final post in the series takes a look at the garden's collection of conifers and notes creative ways to incorporate texture into any garden. The Rock Garden Part 1, Part 2: Planting Notes, Part 3: Creative Ways to use Texture. Shade Gardens: A Natural Forest Garden Visit this peaceful garden in a forest-like setting that is a quick commute from downtown Toronto. "I have many native plants and have tried my best to integrate what I have created into the natural surroundings of a very special woodland that is at the heart of this area- many of the trees in our backyard having never been cut," says the homeowner. The garden in spring and in summer. A Bird-Friendly Shade Garden One of the biggest transformations that mark the shift from winter into spring is the emergence of the green leaves. Never does green foliage look as fresh and vibrant as it does in the spring! In this bird-friendly shade garden foliage is the star. An Asian Inspired Garden 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 a natural stream in the backyard, she borrowed a neighbour's power tools and made it herself. See the pond-less waterfall in the front garden in Part 1 and the shaded backyard in Part 2. A Storybook Shade Garden This garden speaks to the personality and imagination of the woman that created it. You know a little something about her by the time you wander the pathways and stop at all the little vignettes. And I think that's great. Take a tour of this garden here. A Shade Garden in the Toronto Beaches The Beaches neighbourhood, just 20 minutes east of downtown Toronto, has the casual atmosphere of a lakeside resort town. If your very lucky there is a view of Lake Ontario, and even if your not, the lakefront is often within walking distance. Though there is lots of new development, many of the charming homes sit on shady, tree-lined streets. This garden is as charming as the Beaches neighbourhood in which it resides. A Garden in the Shade Shade is a huge challenge for most gardeners. This garden in Hamilton, Ontario manages to be both shady and colorful: Part 1 and Part 2. Cottage Gardens: The Little Blue House on the Corner If the vibrant blue color of the house on the corner of Victoria Street doesn't grab your attention, the charming cottage garden certainly does. Bright annuals overflow the window boxes and flowers spill onto the sidewalk in front of the white picket fence. Visit this garden in Part 1 and Part 2. Joe's Garden A regular feature on garden tours and open on a number of occasions each summer, Joe's garden is probably one of Brampton's best known private gardens. See Joe's garden here in Part 1 and Part 2. A Garden Twenty Years in the Making This garden in Mississauga is one of my most "pinned" gardens which is no surprise because the planting and the front and back of the house are just beautiful. Part 1 and Part 2 A Pretty Cottage Garden "When we bought the house in 1992 the gardens consisted of scruffy lawns, untended areas of ground cover (mostly Lily of the Valley) and an overgrown cedar hedge that had seen better days. The house called out for the grace and charm of a traditional, informal cottage garden," says the homeowner. See what the garden looks like now. A School Teacher's Garden The birdbath planter in Karen's front garden is one of my most popular pins on Pinterest. Visit Karen's front and back garden in these two posts: Part 1 and Part 2. Cynthia's Garden So often in a suburban garden, you find yourself standing on the lawn while you look at the garden from a polite distance. In Cynthia's garden a flagstone path invites you inside a large corner section of the garden. An Artist's Garden Eleonora, an artist and interior designer, has made many changes to the home and garden that she inherited from her parents. Together with her husband, she has added rocks and fencing, an arbour entry and a series of raised beds. See this work in progress in this blog post. City Gardens 10 Ideas to Borrow This post zeros in on the many small pieces of inspiration a garden can offer. The house is a typical bungalow–long and low. The yard is wide but shallow. At the back of the house, there are two distinct elevations. As you will see, the homeowner has played up this shift in elevation with a set of stone steps that lead from the upper level of the garden to a lower terrace with a large area for entertaining. How the Other Half Garden Every year, Through the Garden Gate, offers local garden enthusiasts a chance to peak into some of Toronto's finest private gardens. In this blog post see two gardens in the exclusive Rosedale neighbourhood in downtown Toronto. Two Very Grand Gardens Though it seems to hail from a bygone era, the first garden and ivy-covered house in this post actually date from the late 1930s. The second home and garden put me in mind of a summer party in a Jane Austin novel. I can imagine ripe strawberries and champagne as part of an elegant, but casual afternoon tea or perhaps a more grand affair with a big tent erected on the lawn, tables laid with crisp, white linen and fresh flowers, women in flirty summer dresses and men in light summer suits. A Romantic Garden This garden was my personal favourite on the Through the Garden Gate tour in 2012. Visit this tradition garden in downtown Toronto. A Poolside Garden This garden in the Forest Hills area of Toronto incorporates a swimming pool into the garden in a tasteful way. An Old World Garden Though it is set in the centre of a big Canadian city, this garden feels private and remote. The atmosphere is decidedly Old World. A Weekend Trip to the Toronto Islands The Toronto Islands is a crescent-shaped cluster of small islands in Lake Ontario just off-shore of downtown Toronto. There is no bridge to the islands. If you want to go there, you must travel by ferry. In this two-part series, you can hop the ferry and tour of a few of Ward Island's many incredible gardens: Part 1 and Part 2. A Sunken Garden One of my personal favourites: the front garden is an ivy-covered courtyard and lotus-filled pond. The backyard is a shade garden in a ravine setting. A Walled Garden of Peonies and Roses Many of the gardens on the 25th anniversary Through the Garden Gate tour in 2012 were designed and planted by professionals. They were fabulous, but often somewhat impersonal. This garden was different. The design and the choice of plants all had a definite personality behind them. Country Gardens: Marnie's Garden "Never worry about what someone else's garden looks like compared to yours. Be inspired by them! Enjoy the journey, learn from your mistakes, share plants with others and you will find others will be generous with you. Work hard. Get dirty. Never mind what your fingernails look like! Fall into bed exhausted and dream about tomorrow. Before you know it, thirty-five years will have passed. You'll still love your garden and you won't be able to wait to get out there," is Marnie Wright's advice for novice gardeners. Visit her garden in part 1, part 2 and the shade garden. This Walled Garden is built inside the foundations of an old barn. Clematis and other vines cover the old concrete walls, while poppies and lavender thrive in the bright sun and gravely soil. A Visit to a Flower Farm Technically it is not a garden, but if you love dahlias, you'll want to check out these posts on Butt's Berry and Flower Farm: Part 1 and Part 2. A Romantic Country Garden: This country property has many striking features, but the rose-filled courtyard is the garden at its most romantic and beautiful. A Landscape in Vignettes Beth Powell's large country garden reveals itself through a series of whimsical vignettes. Quirky and original container plantings, a canoe filled with flowerpots and floating in the pond, a seating area that seems plucked from the Tuscany countryside and a rain garden are among this gardens many unique and novel features. Visit Beth's garden in a two-part series of posts: Part 1 and Part 2. A Garden Filled with Lavender and Heather Above the sky is a clear cerulean blue. In the near distance the sea; dark and mysterious, shimmers in the August sun like a mirage. In between the two, set on the crest of the rolling Nova Scotian hillside, sits a navy blue house... Small Gardens: Making the Most of a Small Outdoor Space Not every gardener has a big property to work with. Sometimes a townhouse courtyard or an apartment balcony is the only outdoor space available. In this post, you will find ideas for making the best use of any outdoor space. A Rose Garden This is a fairly new garden, but it already has great promise. Roses and a classic focal point make for a pretty country garden. The Garden that wasn't on the Tour For those of you looking for inspiration on a small scale, this garden certainly fits the bill. Small Space Gardens plus a Book Reviews In this post, you can find photos of several small local gardens and find a reference to two recent books on the subject of gardening in a small space. Sandria's Garden Sandria brought a love of flowers to Canada with her from her native Barbados. Though she works as a nurse by day, gardening is one of her true passions. Private Water Gardens: A Pretty Water Garden: Oversized ponds are one of the big trends in garden water features. This is one of the nicest examples I've seen. The Sperling Garden, Hamilton, Ontario An old swimming pool located off the back deck is artfully transformed into a large figure-eight-shaped pond. A Japanese style wooden bridge crosses the pond at its narrowest point and links the two sections. Visit this lovely garden and pond in this blog post. A Small Garden with a Pretty Pond: There are lots of little ideas that you can take away from this suburban garden: a nice way to edge your flowerbeds, plant combinations, a way to add privacy to a deck and a nice way to go about filling a garden urn. Sneak Preview: Big and Small Ponds to Inspire You Preview the 2012 Pond Tour in support of the Dr Bob Kemp Hospice to find inspiration to create your own garden pond. Nursery and Display Gardens Grange Hollow Nursery Grange Hollow is a nursery in Grey County just south of Owen Sound that sells a range of annuals, vegetable seedlings and perennials. "This would not have been a prosperous farm," says owner Katherine Taylor. By the time the Taylor's bought the farm in 1972, there was little of the two-acre property under cultivation. There were no gardens and not even a lawn. The only sign that this was once a farm was an ageing orchard, a little bit of rhubarb, some currants and a single lilac bush. But in this most unlikely of places, the Taylor's saw potential. Take a tour of Grange Hollow's display gardens in Part 1 and Part 2. Willow Farm Grasses This nursery and garden is a 48-acre hobby farm in the Big Head River Valley that specializes in ornamental grasses (95 varieties no less!). Visitors are welcome to wander around the garden, which features perennials and display beds. There are also winding trails that lead to the river. Nursery plants are for sale to the public. Group and bus tours are welcome. See a preview of the nursery and display garden here. Blossom Hill Nursery near Peterborough, Ontario specializes in growing peonies and delphiniums. See the nursery's display garden and photographs of some of the peony varieties the nursery has on offer in these two blog posts: Part 1 and Part 2. Gardens Plus This is a nursery and display garden that focuses on daylilies, but they do have a nice assortment of hosta. This post looks at plant pairings for hosta. Lost Horizons Nursery Lost Horizons Nursery has one of the most beautiful display gardens I have ever seen. The nursery itself offers over 3000 plants from around the world, many of which are extremely rare. Visit the garden in this blog post. To visit the Lost Horizons website click the link. Lost Horizons Nursery and Display Gardens are located just west of Toronto on Highway 7, two miles west of the town of Acton, Ontario. For complete driving directions click here. Plant Paradise Nursery Plant Paradise Nursery, Garden Centre & Display Gardens is located in Caledon, Ontario. I visit the display garden in early spring with this blog post. Rideau Wood land Ramble Rideau Woodland Ramble Nursery and Display Garden is situated on 7 acres of woodland in Merrickville, Ontario (located near Ottawa). The display garden showcases rare and unusual hostas, grasses, conifers, magnolias and a range of shrubs, trees and perennials. Visit the display garden in this blog post. To visit the nursery website click this link: Rideau Woodland Ramble Nursery. Public Gardens: The Music Garden Designed by Julie Messervy in collaboration with famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the landscape architects of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation departments, the Music Garden is a musical interpretation of Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello. Visit the garden in late summer in this blog post. Lucy Maud Montgomery Memorial Garden Did you know that the beloved author of the Anne of Green Gables series of books spent half of her life living in Ontario and not on Prince Edward Island? Lucy Maud Montgomery lived in the small town of Norval, Ontario from 1926 to 1935. It may also surprise you to learn that Lucy Maud's husband suffered from a mental illness and that the author herself had a life long struggle with depression? Visit the recently redesigned public garden built and lovingly maintained by the Norval Garden Club in memory of Lucy Maud Montgomery in this blog post. Edwards Gardens in Toronto Adjacent to the Toronto Botanical Garden is Edwards Gardens, a former estate garden featuring perennials, roses and an extensive rockery. We visited Edwards Gardens one Sunday afternoon in early September. See the garden, in all its early fall splendour, in this blog post. We also made another fall visit in this earlier blog post. The Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton, Ontario At the Royal Botanical Gardens, visitors can stroll through 2,700 acres of flowers and plants, which include a bird sanctuary and woodland arboretum. We have visited the garden many times. Visit the Rockery in May in this blog post. Visit the annual Rose Festival, in this blog post. To visit the RBG website click this link. The Brickworks in Toronto Is it possible to beautify and repurpose an old industrial space? Evergreen a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing nature back into Canadian towns and cities thinks that it is. In 1984, the Brickwork's factory closed its doors and then in 1986, the land was expropriated by the City of Toronto and the Regional Conservation Authority. The site's quarry was restored as a park and natural area. The environmental group, Evergreen focused on the site's historic buildings, revitalizing them through a process they refer to as "adaptive re-use." Late Summer & Fall Gardens: Late Summer at its most Beautiful Photographs of a number of local gardens taken in late summer. Fall Color in Eramosa Township The expansive flowers beds brimming with fall color leave no doubt that this small farmhouse in Eramosa township is a gardener's home. Visit the garden in this blog post. Sharpe Schoolhouse Garden, Caledon Ontario Old School Road in Caledon, Ontario was so named because, in the days gone by when children walked to school, there was a school built every two miles along the road. Visit a restored schoolhouse and the surrounding gardens in this fall blog post. A Garden by Acclaimed Landscape Designer Piet Oudolf The search for something beautiful to photograph invariably takes me to the Toronto Botanical Garden each fall. The Entry Walk Garden by renowned Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf is always at its best at this time of year. No matter how many times I visit, it never fails to inspire me.

With these alternatives to a grass lawn, you can attract more pollinators to your landscape, replace struggling turfgrass in the shade, and spend less time watering.

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Beautify your autumn home, with nary an orange gourd in sight.

by Catherine Kavassalis Ferns add wonderful texture to the tapestry of your garden. Weave them in amongst your perennials or give them special places to showcase their grace and elegance. In northern temperate regions consider an easy to grow species like: Lady fern Athyrium filix-femina, the evergreen Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides, or a stately Wood fern like Drypoteris goldiana (seen below), the pretty Bulblet fern Cystopteris bulbifera, or one of our ‘flowering’ ferns like the Royal fern Osmunda regalis. With dozens and dozens of choices, the possible compositions with your other plants are endless. While many temperate ferns prefer woodland conditions (e.g. part shade), they are adaptable. The rule of thumb is more sun, more moisture. Thus something like Sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis, is the happiest dancing along riverbanks in dappled sun, playing peasant beside the aptly named Royal fern, Osmunda regalis. In drier conditions, they need shade. Onoclea will cope with my fast draining sandy soil only in full shade with some supplemental watering. Both Sensitive and Royal fern are dimorphic, having fertile fronds that are very different in appearance. They are sometimes called ‘flowering’ ferns. While Onoclea produces beautiful black beads on its fertile fronds, Osmunda sends up architecturally beautiful stems bearing wrinkled golden brown sori. Related to Onoclea, the Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, also produces ‘blooms’ of dimorphic fronds that can provide a wonderful vertical backdrop to a perennial bed. It can enchant a dark corner but also withstand full sun, if moisture is sufficient. Ostrich Ferns massed with hosta. Private garden Mississauga, ON. Ostrich Ferns form a backdrop for hosta. Private garden Mississauga, ON. Ferns are one of the perennials that form a backdrop for this pond on the Toronto Islands. Maidenhair fern with their dark stems. A closer look at Maidenhair ferns. Maidenhair Fern in a private garden. Blue Cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides (left) and a closeup showing the rachis and lime pinnules. A Northern maidenhair fern surrounded by other shade perennials in Catherine's garden in Oakville, ON. Photo by Catherine Kavassalis In my very dry garden, the extraordinary Northern maidenhair fern Adiantum pedatum spp. pedatum is the most admired by visitors. Though she would grow best in a moist woodland, a slowly spreading clump has established in my xeriscape that is visually stunning. In early spring, she unfurls her deep black rachis (stems) with lime pinnules (leaflets) in front of the purple shoots of blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) and it only gets more sublime as the season progresses. While she was at first in full shade, a neighbour removed a tree. She has continued to thrive in part sun with supplemental water during the hottest parts of summer. A cascade of Little Bulblet fern, Cystopteris bulbifera in the sun. Photo by Catherine Kavassalis The Little Bulblet fern, Cystopteris bulbifera, has tried to rival the maidenhair by popping up next to a display of daylilies and geraniums. In full afternoon sun, this pretty fern has created a picturesque landscape that draws the eye. The more observant will crouch down to find the treasure the Bulblet fern bears. Curled up on the backs of fertile fronds are little gems - adorable baby ferns that can be shared with friends or used to create new drifts in the garden. Drifts of ferns can be lovely. Roy Diblik, landscape artist and author of the book The Know Maintenance Garden, created a beautiful design using two of my favourite evergreen ferns, Polystichum acrostichoides and Dryopteris marginalis (seen below). He recommends planting these in drifts with sedges: Carex pensylvanica, C. brevior and C. grisea. Geranium maculatum, Mertensia virginica and Caulophyllum thalictroides are suggested as accents along with a few inter-planted bulbs of Narissus ‘February Gold’ and ‘Thalia’ to create a striking low maintenance fernery. Pure genius. Lady Fern, Athyrium felix-femina' Lady-in-Red' If you are limited on space, a pretty Lady Fern, Athyrium felix-femina takes up little room but adds effortless beauty. From the native to the many cultivars, like ‘Lady-in-Red’ or ‘Frizelliae’ there are many variants to enjoy. Lady-in-Red with its splendid red rachis can be used as a vivid accent to bring out the reds in neighbouring Red barrenwort, Epimedium × rubrum. Japanese Painted Ferns A Japanese Fern mixed in with Heuchera and Hosta. Private garden Oakville ON. Japanese Painted Fern in a private garden in Mississauga, ON. Japanese Painted Fern, Athyrium niponicum 'Burgundy Lace' (left) and Coral Bells, Heuchera 'Berry Marmalade'. Or you can go exotic and use an Asian Athyrium niponicum var. pictum cultivar with a matching Heuchera, and a contrasting Hosta for simple perfection in the shade. There are now many other easy care ferns from around the world on the market, like Autumn Fern, Dryopteris erythrosora, that will make you weep for more garden space. Begin with a few and soon you will be adding more and more. Ferns are simply fabulous. Hosta 'Joy Ride' (left) and Japanese Painted Fern, Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Silver Falls' There are now many other easy care ferns from around the world on the market, like Autumn Fern, Dryopteris erythrosora, that will make you weep for more garden space. Begin with a few and soon you will be adding more and more. Ferns are simply fabulous. A Selection of Ferns for Moist to Wet Soils Maidenhair fern, Adiantum pedatum Native Range: North America, Asia Height: 30-75 cm (1-2.5 feet) Spread: 30-45 cm (1-1.5 feet) Light & Exposure: Part-shade to shade–a woodland fern Zone: 3-8 An unusual deciduous fern with curved reddish brown to black stems and arching compound fan shaped blades. Stunning. Most lush in humus-rich moist soils, but it adapts to average garden conditions. Best in bright shade. It is also worth finding a spot for its cousin, the dainty semi-evergreen Himalayan Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum venustum. Hart’s tongue, Asplenium scolopendrium Native Range: North America, Asia Height: 30-45 cm (1-1.5 feet) Spread: 30-45 cm (1-1.5 feet) Light & Exposure: Shade–on moist rock piles Zone: 5-9 With its erect arching tongue-shaped leaves, this evergreen fern forms lovely clumps in deep shade. American (var. americana) plants are tetraploid and have smaller leaves than their diploid European counterparts. If seeking native species, verify the plant source at your local nursery. Walking fern, Asplenium rhizophyllum Native Range: North America Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches) Spread: 15-25 cm (6-9 inches) Light & Exposure: Part-shade to shade–a moss rock fern Zone: 5-8 This fern is characterized by pretty lance shaped leaves that arch over mossy rocks and sprout babies from their tips. An attractive colony can form over mossy rocks. Not for beginners. Deer fern, Blechnum spicant Native Range: Northern Hemisphere Height: 22-45 cm (9-18 inches) Spread: 30-60 cm (12-24 inches) Light & Exposure: Part-shade to shade–average to moist coniferous woodlands Zone: 5-8 This fern forms neat tufts of mostly evergreen leathery fronds that are simple pinnate. It spreads with creeping rhizomes. Erect fertile fronds form an attractive vertical spray surrounded by a fountain of sterile. Prefers acidic soils. Spinulose wood fern, Dryopteris carthusiana Native Range: Northern temperate regions Height: 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) Spread: 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) Light & Exposure: Part-shade to shade–moist woodlands and conifer plantations Zone: 3-8 Easily grown, this is classic clump forming woodland fern. It has bright green lace shaped bi to tripinnate fronds that are a favourite of florists for greenery. Male fern, Dryopteris filix‐mas Native Range: Northern temperate regions Height: 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) Spread: 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) Light & Exposure: Part-shade to shade–dense forests to open woodlands Zone: 4-8 This is an easily grown classic vase shaped deciduous fern. Can grow in average to wet soils. It is a nice filler plant. The narrow statueque 'Barnesii' would be a nice companion beside a woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) or Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginiana). 'Fluctuosa Cristata' (also called 'Parsley') is a ruffled, dwarf cultivar that can go into dry shade or containers. A heritage variety prized by Victorian collectors, 'Grandiceps Wills,' with its bunched tasseled arching fronds, is also worth planting. This is just a sampling, the choices are vast! This post was written by Catherine Kavassalis About Catherine: Catherine Kavassalis is a passionate gardener and conservationist. A scientist, educator and inspirational speaker, Catherine endeavours to stimulate interest and awe in the living world. She is member of the Halton Master Gardener group, the Past President of Oakville Horticultural Society and a former member of the Board of Directors for the Royal Botanical Gardens. Catherine loves to garden and has had her own eclectic organic garden featured on several tours. For more on cultural conditions of ferns, visit the authoritative Hardy Fern Foundation hardyferns.org

it’s cold already and it’s high time to think of our minors like wild birds, for example. To make some treat for them you’ll need coconut fat, cold water,

Learn beginning gardening tips to make flower purchasing and planting easy. Find ideal flowers and plants and create a no-fuss garden.

I thought that I was so darn clever. Every spring I find myself wishing I had a bit more money for annuals to use in my container plantings. It is especially nice to have trailing plants like ivy or potato vine spilling over the rims of my hanging baskets and urns. But viny annuals tend to be expensive, and I can never afford enough to do a proper job. Then last spring, I saw a number of baskets and containers like the one above that made use of : False Lamium 'Variegatum' or Lamium galeobdolon ' Florentinum' "Lord knows I have plenty of that darned stuff! I am forever ripping it out of the garden." I grumbled to myself. The False Lamium 'Variegatum' in my garden isn't my own. It's my neighbour's. Each spring it creeps under our shared fence and then spreads like wildfire through the back of my flowerbeds. I tear it out, but it always comes back the moment my back is turned. Despite its attractive variegated leaves, I've grown to hate it on sight ! False Lamium 'Variegatum' spreads in two ways. It has diminutive yellow flowers that end up dropping little seeds that look like a grains of black pepper. Even more importantly, the plant sends out runners that settle to the ground and root a few inches or feet away from the mother plant. (Think strawberry plants and you pretty much have it pictured.) Despite my negative feelings about False Lamium, I found myself admiring the pleasing way it spilled over the top of plant pots. At least in a pot it was contained and therefore prevented from spreading everywhere, right? Wrong! I got started in this folly by ripping out some plants from my flowerbed and planting them in the window box under my kitchen window. I was so happy with the effect that I pulled out a few more plants and added them into the boxes that hang along the fence just inside the back gate. Then I stood back and admired my handwork. Who could argue with free container plants, I thought smugly. A week or so later I noticed with horror, that the False Lamium by the kitchen window had begun to set seed before the plants had even finished flowering. The little black seeds were in danger of dropping into the garden under the window. I got out my scissors and brutally snipped off all the flowers. Disaster averted. But then a couple of months later, I noticed that the runners which made such a pleasing cascade over the edges of the boxes had reached down almost 4 ft to the ground and were in danger of taking root. I was both dismayed and impressed with the plants determination to create offspring. It seems where there is a botanical will, there is a way. As I am sure it is in many of your own garden's, Lamium maculatum is a staple groundcover in my backyard. I have it everywhere- in the shade, and even in the sun (although it prefers a little shade). I find that the most common mauve colored plant is the best proformer and self-seeds everywhere. Did you know that there are a few other varieties apart from this good old dependable one? Lamium maculatum 'Shell Pink' for instance, has pretty, soft pink flowers. I also have this one, Lamium maculatum 'Aureum' which has heart-shaped chartreuse leaves. This Lamium seems to be a bit less robust than the more common variety and prefers half-shade in my experience. This is probably my favourite Lamium. I like those light silver-green leaves as a goundcover in front of hosta. Similar in appearance, Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy' has white flowers. 'Pink Pewter' had soft pink flowers. I also really like this other variety of False Lamium, Lamium galeobdolon 'Herman's Pride'. It makes a well-behaved, attractive upright plant with somewhat unimportant yellow flowers in early summer. What is great about this plant is the silver-green foliage and the fact it likes shade. Lamium galeobdolon 'Herman's Pride' even tolerates drought. This is a variety of Lamium that I added to the garden last summer: Lamium maculatum 'Anne Greenway'. Here it is in a container planting. For now, I have left the False Lamium, Lamium galeobdolon ' Florentinum' in my container plantings. Am I arrogant to think that I can keep it in check? Ask me again how clever an idea this was in the spring, and I may be regretting it immensely. As for the rest of the Lamiums I have showcased in this post, I couldn't imagine a shade garden without them! Have a great weekend everyone! My garden alphabet so far: 'A' is for Astilbe, 'B' is for Butterfly, Three 'C's, 'D' is for Delphinium, The Letters 'E' and 'F' , 'G' is for Geranium , 'H' is for Hollyhocks, 'I' is for Iris, I have skipped 'J' and 'K' for now, as I want to do a bit more photography, and today we have 'L' is for Lamium.

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