In one week it will officially be spring…..though in most parts of Canada it feels like spring has been with us off and on all winter (I am told the apple trees have already blossomed in Vancouver!).  For the first time, some species of migratory birds, never even bothered to leave and the Great Lakes did not freeze over.  The attraction will be strong for hard-core gardeners to get back into the dirt weeks ahead of time.  But not so fast!  It may be tempting to unwrap your delicate shrubs and plants and remove any protective mulch you put in place last autumn.   My plants and trees (…

Water Wise Gardening  Here in Eastern Canada (Montreal) we are fully immersed in the dog days of summer. After a cool, damp spring that left most of the region water-logged and flooding, we have shifted to the extreme opposite. The heat and sun have been with us day-in, day-out with only the occasional deluge when a thunderstorm rolls through. Even those have been few and far between and most of the lawns and parks have transformed from lush green carpets to straw-like bamboo mats. Gardeners invest time and money and lots of love into transforming their outdoor space into temporary oases…

Where did the summer go?  We are already into the first week of August, and if your garden is anything like mine, it could use a little freshening up.  We have had many bouts of extreme heat and frequent torrential downpours which can take their toll on perennials in full flower (like tall garden phlox and helianthus) leaving them drooping to the garden in a sodden mess. Clumps of daylilies, lady's mantle and cranesbill, may be looking a little messy in the border.  Perhaps your annuals are leggy and tired looking.  Perennials  Shear back early perennials by half. Lady's mantle, cranesbill,…

 Spring Clean-up Guide for your Garden It’s March the 6th in Montreal and the forecast is calling for a daytime high of 9 degrees C and lots of sunshine. The pavement is dry as a bone and the snow banks are making a valiant effort to retain their birth but it looks like they’re losing their battle (YES!). What a difference a year (make that two years) makes. At that time, we were making our way to beautiful Chateau Montebello, in between major snowstorms.   We returned a few days later on perilously icy roads to a leaky roof (due to the weight of the snow) and roofs collapsing all over the…

The Christmas decorations are packed away, extra fat has been packed on and some of us are lucky enough to be packing suitcases en route to more gentle and balmy temperatures. The gardeners all seem to be gazing longingly at the frozen landscapes that, just a few months ago, were lush and green...and almost exotic in comparison!  Even our friends in ‘tropical’ B.C. have been dealt their share of ‘old man’ winter (and a grumpy old man at that!). Take heart, volumes of glossy, beautifully illustrated gardening books and magazines await our deprived eyes – if you’re a gardener, you’ve must have…