Niagara Tropicals

2011-10-23T18:46:00.018-04:00

Flowers Past Present and Future.

October 23 is another beautiful fall day in Niagara. As I was doing some tidying around the garden I noticed a lot of color still. All pictures were taken today. Click on pictures for a closer look.

2011-08-13T12:26:00.001-04:00

There's one thing that can be said about gardening, you can never be sure what to expect.

After a longer winter and a cool spring, I didn't expect much from some of my "marginally hardy" plants. It turns out many are doing things they've not done before. Three out of the four Magnolia grandifloras bloomed well this year. The Eucomis (Pineapple Lily) and Lagerstroemia (Crape myrtle) are both flowering for the first time, although both have been in the garden for years. The Fig has set fruit much earlier than normal, they might even ripen before frost.

View the slideshow below. All pictures were taken today and all plants are winter hardy in my garden without extra protection.

2011-08-13T12:23:00.001-04:00

2011-06-10T18:38:00.013-04:00

It's been a weird spring. After a very slow start, we had tons of rain, then the mercury shot to 33C. Today it's 20C. For a closer look click on the pictures

Magnolia Victoria is ready to bloom in spite of some winter damage.

Magnolia Edith Bogue has less damage, but no buds yet.

Magnolia DD Blanchard will bloom for the first time, which is strange because the winter was a bit longer and colder than last year.

Magnolia Brackens Brown Beauty was new last year, and it lost every leaf this winter. But it's making a comeback.

Yucca elata

Australian Tree Fern (which spends the winter inside)

Spotted Ligularia is a zone 7 plant that has done well here.

A new Fernspray Cypress

Satomi Dogwood

Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus) has flowers with a Pineapple fragrance.

Cactus patch

more Cactus patch

Aucuba

Alium and Foxtail Lily (Eremurus)

2011-05-08T12:39:00.025-04:00

There is a lot happening in the garden today. Survivors of a long winter and (up until now) cold spring, are clamouring to get out of the soil.
Click pictures for a better look
Allium probably won't bloom for another month, but it's still a beautiful plant.

Arundo donax will be 10 feet tall in August

This Aucuba looks pretty good given that it is in full sun. Shade grown specimens usually suffer less winter burn.

Bergenia Solar Flare.

Brunnera Jack Frost always blooms on Mother's Day.

Corypantha survived the winter.

As did the 3' tall Cylindropuntia.

Erica carries it's blooms all winter, but the real show is in spring.

Fargesia robusta with new culms already 12-24"

Hebe suffered little winter damage.

Helleborus Betty Ranicar

New foliage emerging on the Larch.

Magnolia g. DD Blanchard keep surprising me with very little winter burn. Location, location, location. It's on the east side of the house.

A fragrant yellow Muscari

Omphalodes Starry Eyes is a real gem.

As is Polygala buxifolia

Christmas fern (Polystichum)

After skipping last spring, Rhododendron Blue Peter looks ready to bloom.

The bloom on Sanguinaria plena is short lived but spectacular.

Saruma henryii

Skimmia is one of the strongest broad leaved evergreens in my garden.

Viburnum rhytidophyllum is getting ready to flower.

Even the Finches are enjoying spring.

2011-02-17T13:08:00.008-05:00

February 17, the first spring "like" day of the season with temperatures here near 10 C. The desert garden has emerged from a pile of snow.
Yucca gloriosa (foreground) and elata seem fine.
Click on pictures for a better look.

Yucca aloifolia is a bit winter damaged. We'll see what happens in the next month.

I had my doubts about the zone 8 caesalpinia (pictured in flower last year), but a scratch this morning revealed green tissue right to the top.

Hesperaloe in a bed of delopserma, both are fine.

The cacti are likewise fine.

2011-01-26T12:08:00.011-05:00

On Monday January 25 the mercury dropped to -17 C. Today I went to survey the damage and found surprisingly little.
Click on pictures for a better look.
Top (left to right) Hebe shows no damage, Phyllostachys has some damaged leaves, Fargesia shows no damage.
Below that the Prunus laurocerasus has never had winter damage.
In the third row this is the Skimmias first winter and it looks good so far, the Aucuba also shows very little damage and the Magnolia Victoria is starting to show some signs of frost damage.
Below that Magnolia Edith Bogue is untouched by the cold.
And in the last row Magnolia DD Blanchard again surprised me with no visible damage and another Aucuba is still clinging onto its fruit.

2010-09-14T23:02:00.011-04:00

It's been a very hot summer in Niagara. And this has meant the desert garden is doing well. This past spring we added a Caesalpinia that started blooming late August and is still blooming beautifully. I have my doubts about its hardiness, but we'll see next spring.

In my own yard the Clerodendron has also been in bloom since mid-August. Here it is flanked by Magnolia g. Victoria on the right and a Fargesia robusta on the left.

In the front of the house Magnolia g. DD Blanchard has added about two feet this summer. Although while Edith Bogue and Victoria both bloomed in the back yard, the east facing DD Blanchard did not produce any flowers.

It was a different story in a friends garden. His DD Blanchard faces south and did produce flowers. The southern exposure might also explain why the Crape Myrtle is doing so well.

Note the size of the DD Blanchard blooms compared to the beer bottle.

A few weeks ago I stopped by Gregs in Grimsby to see the Trachycarpus he moved last fall. It had been in his garden for three years but needed to be moved for some construction. I suspected it wouldn`t last through the winter, but Gregs protection methods (outlined in an earlier post) paid off. While the original Trachy (foreground) looks a little weathered compared to the new palm added this spring, I have no doubt it will continue to grow in this Canadian garden.

2010-06-29T20:56:00.011-04:00

I recently returned to a garden in Beamsville that i visited last spring, (see Dave's garden in an earlier post, March 2009). Magnolia liliflora blooms later than the more familiar Magnolia soulangia.

A seven year old Paulownia (left) is competing with a Cedrus (right)

Papaver somniferum is not hardy but apparantly seeds itself readily.

Ilex opaca is not thought to be hardy this far north, but here you see that books aren't always right.

I nearly missed this and Dave had to mention it twice, "Hedgehog Holly" (click on picture for a better look)

And another Ilex with very small leaves, although the plant was over my head.

The Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle) is about seven feet tall.

Back in my own garden, the eight year old Magnolia g. Victoria which has never flowered, is loaded with buds this year and the first one opened today.

2010-05-19T20:46:00.006-04:00

A few surprises after a mild winter.

The Corypantha vivipara (aka Escobaria) doubled in size last summer and is now blooming nicely.

The Fargesia robusta, which kept its color all winter, has many new shoots between 7 and 8 feet high.

(Click on picture for a better look)

Yucca gloriosa, which I've been told will not survive here, came through the winter without a scratch.

My "not hardy" Magnolia DD Blanchard is still the nicest of the three I have.

2010-05-04T22:54:00.013-04:00

It's been a while since the last post. April was unusually warm and as a result blooms are here earlier than most years. The (deciduous) Magnolias and spring bulbs are nearly done, Lilacs are in full bloom and many spring flowering shrubs and perennials are making an early show. Below a sampling of what's blooming in the garden today. (Click on pictures for a better look.)

Lithodora is a perennial that behaves like an annual. It flowers from may until frost. Give them lots of sun and very well drained soil. These little alpines will grow a few inches high and spread about a foot.

Prunus laurocerasus is a strong evergreen for zone 6. It's masses of little white, fragrant flowers are poised to open here.

This year we will finally have some to sell at Coles.

Aucuba serratifolia (laurel) is a broadleaf evergreen that flowers in spring, but you've got to look closely.

Sanguinaria plena (double Bloodroot) has pure white flowers that last all too briefly. Plant them along the walk or driveway, so you don't miss the show.

Polygala chamaebuxus is a tiny little alpine with evergreen foliage and these beautiful flowers brought to you courtesy of the macro lens.

Rhododendron ramapo is a dependable little bloomer for someone like myself who doesn't bother too much about giving plants what they need.

Saruma henryi was given to me last year. I was glad to see it survived the winter.

Phlox subulata is as common as the dirt it grows in, but for a spring show it can't be beat.

Omphalodes is still one of my favourites for May bloom.

Mukdenia rossii is not really grown for its flowers. The green "Heuchera-like" foliage takes on interesting red edges in a partly sunny location.

Helleborus Betty Ranicar. I'll admit I paid too much for this, but the flowers will last through the summer, provided you can be bothered to flip them over when everything else starts to bloom.

Erodium 'Bishop's Form' is one of those unusual little plants that always get left on the bench at the nursery.

If you've got a dry spot in the garden it will flower from May until frost and it's dependably evergreen in zone 6.

2010-03-10T11:26:00.009-05:00

On the weekend I drove out to The Niagara Parks botanical gardens to see if there was anything of interest in early March and I was surprised by the variety of plants still in leaf after a cold winter. The bamboo (phyllostachys) is still mostly green.

A beautiful Ilex (not sure which one) is just one of many in the garden. (Click on pictures for a better look.)

This Daphne didn't seem to have suffered in the winter.

A beautiful Pieris looks like it's ready to start blooming.

This Viburnum rhytidophyllum is how my little plant might look one day.

I checked on the Monkey Puzzle tree in Niagara on the Lake and it seems to be doing fine.

This gorgeous Magnolia grandiflora (I presume Edith Bogue) is one of two growing in front of a house in Niagara on the Lake.

2010-01-18T12:05:00.007-05:00

This little windmill palm (in Grimsby, ON) is protected only with Freeze Pruf which the manufacturer claims buys about a half a hardiness zone. So far this palm has seen a low of -14.7 C. I'll post updates as I know more.

This Aucuba in my own garden is doing well despite being completely exposed. The one in the background is in a more ideal, sheltered location. (All pictures taken today)

The Fargesia robusta has not lost any foliage yet.

Viburnum rhytidophyllum.
I saw a nice 9-10 foot specimen in a local garden this week, but I didn't have my camera with me.

The Heather is still blooming. It is a strange winter again.

Hebe sutherlandii has not been bothered by the long stretch of freezing temperatures with lows near -15C.

I wish I could say the same for the Agave. If anyone has any thoughts on whether this will survive I would love to hear them.

2010-01-13T16:21:00.011-05:00

Just a few pictures taken around the garden today. The hardy cacti and broad-leaved evergreens are looking great. The plant I'm most curious about (Agave paryii) is buried under snow. I thought I should leave it that way.

2009-12-10T22:42:00.007-05:00

Today the temperature dropped to 8 degrees Celius below zero as witnessed by the ice covered sedge beside the fountain.

The Arbutus blossoms are frozen solid, but still looking ok for now.

I took this picture of Abelia Ed Goucher a few days ago. It has been in bloom all summer. I checked them again today but the flowers have disappeared.

Another amazing bloomer is Campanula Blue Waterfall. It has also been in bloom all summer and this picture was also taken a few days ago. The blooms are still there today, but a little more shriveled than they appear here.

The cylindropuntia (foreground), pencil cholla (centre left) Agave (centre right) and Yucca gloriosa (behind agave) seem unfazed by the cold.

2009-12-02T22:33:00.018-05:00

It's December the 2nd and so far we've had a few light frosts. Many plants are still green and a few are still blooming. Here is Viburnum pragense which will keep its foliage all winter.

(Click on pictures for a better look)

Magnolia grandiflora Victoria, though not the hardiest, has done well for me.

A nice evergeen grouping, Prunus laurocerasus (evergreen cherrylaurel, top) Polystichum (Christmas fern, middle) Aucuba (bottom).

This is the first year for the hardy Cyclamen so I'm not sure if it's evergreen, but it looks good so far.

The flower is out of focus (I need a new camera) but this Lithodora has been in bloom all summer. You can't beat the blue color.

I think the Erica (Heather) thinks it's spring. It doesn't usualy bloom in fall so I wonder if it will still flower in April.

Still one of my favourite perennials, Euphorbia amygdaloides robbeia can't be beat for deep green foliage.

It sometimes looks like a forgotten houseplant, but the spotted Aucuba looks great right through winter.

Farfugium Kaimon Dake is a new addition to the garden. I had a yellow spotted form years ago but it died after about five winters. Maybe this one is stronger.

And the Leucothoe Margie Jenkins is also bracing for it's first Canadian winter. I think it will be fine.

2009-11-17T03:04:00.009-05:00

I recently visited a Niagara Falls garden with a great collection on uncommon plants. (Click on pictures for a better look.)

This Magnolia Edith Bogue has done very well since being planted as a small plant five years ago. In front is a Cryptomeria.

A great grouping of broad-leaved evergreens (except the Japanese maple) include Aucuba (left), Ilex (top left)) Mahonia bealei (centre), Viburnum davidii (bottom left), Skimmia (top centre) and Leucothoe scarletta (just visible in the bottom.

I was surprised to hear the Colocasia Pink China survived the winter with no protection. I tried these myself with no luck.

This is a plant I hadn't heard of. Daphniphyllum macropodum is native to Asia but is hardy here.

I will have to try and find these this year.

Another plant on my wish list for 2010 is Hosta Empress Wu. (This one is not in the Niagara Falls garden, I found the picture online).

This great bamboo is Sasa palmata. I wanted to ask for a little piece of it, but I think it is still a fairly young plant. maybe in a few years.

2009-10-15T04:21:00.006-04:00

This Clematis rehderiana was planted three years ago and has never bloomed. I was just about ready to replace it when I noticed a few little flowers this week. In spite of the early cold, it has still managed to come into bloom and the flowers are mildly fragrant.
I took the next two pictures at work on containerized plants because my garden specimens will likely never produce flowers or fruit in our climate. The berries (which are toxic) are on an Aucuba serratifolia.
These small flowers are on a Strawberry tree (Arbutus) which we are trying in the display garden at Coles in Grimsby.
There was a very cool, drizzly day last week, and while it wasn't fun to be outside, it created some great effects for photos. The first is Papyrus and the second is a Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla) leaf.

2009-09-16T20:45:00.017-04:00

The kids are back in school and summer-like weather is finally upon us. With that, here's a quick look at how things are growing in the garden.

The Agave has grown a new leaf every month since being planted in May (left). I am curious how it will do in winter.

The little cholla cactus has tripled in size since spring. Yet still no blooms. It gets sun from about 2:00 on, so maybe not enough.

What I thought were flower buds on the Echinocereus (left) turned out to be spiny side shoots. The zone 8 Hebe (right) has recovered nicely from the winter damage.

A newly planted Leucothoe Margie Jenkins (left) is doing well. The three year Grimsby Trachycarpus (right, and see earlier post) is looking great, but the owner plans to move it this fall. I will post an update when I know more.

Another new addition is Viburnum rhytidophyllum (left) which will one day grow over the bamboo behind it. And finally the Campylotropsis that mentioned in my "wish list" has produced a flower, but it is not not the blue that I hoped it would be.

2009-08-21T19:31:00.005-04:00

Well, summer finaly came to Niagara. We've had a few weeks of hot humid weather forcing many plants into growth and bloom. One of my favourite perennials, Kirengeshoma (Waxbells) came into bloom this week.
(Click on pictures for a better look)

I noticed this impressive Albizia in south end St. Catharines has been in bloom now since mid-July

I've added a few new perennials to my collection. I've always liked Stokesia (Stokes Aster) but have never bought one because of their floppy habit. This new one called Stokesia Peachie's Pick stood out because it is sturdy and upright.

Another new addition is Brunnera Diane's Gold. This shade lover has nicely cupped, yellow foliage which should look great once the little blue flowers open in spring.

Finally I took this picture at work of a bee dangling from a yellow Asclepias.

2009-08-06T22:40:00.002-04:00

I planted some Phyllostachys nigra last year. It came throught the winter ok but it was very late to send up new shoots. It is just now starting to show some vigour.

This has me a little worried because I spoke with a lady a few weeks ago who had planted some two years ago. After seeing 20 foot rhizomes creeping around her garden this summer, she decided to dig up the bamboo and discard it.

I went on-line and found some great tips on how to manage an unruly bamboo. The advice I liked best calls for a string to be layed out beyond which you don't want the bamboo to spread. Then simply work the line with a good spade, pushing it as deep into the soil as you can. They recommend doing this in the fall. This, the writer claims, will sever any culms that have crept beyond from their food source, and these will consequently die.

I would love to hear from people who have this stuff in the garden in zone 6. Any tips for control would be appreciated.

2009-08-06T22:06:00.005-04:00

The summer of 2009 is notable for its unusual weather. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but it is a summer of "firsts" in my garden.

I have never seen a Hummingbird in my garden, but this morning there was one very busy little Hummingbird in the Clerodendron. I hope to catch a picture of him later.

The Albizia has never bloomed for me until this year. I did notice though that it is about two weeks later than those further inland, away from the cooling effect of Lake Ontario.

Another first is a bloom on an evergreen Magnolia after it's first winter. This is on Magnolia Edith Bogue which was only planted last summer.

August 4, 2009

August 6, 2009

2009-07-19T22:06:00.005-04:00

Have you ever planted something and couldn't remember where it was the following spring. It's happened to me as well. I had some unusual plants given to me this spring, and added some others I've been wanting to plant for a while. In order to ensure I don't dig them up next spring to plant something new, I undertook to "map" out the garden. This is not a detailed grid map, but rather a list of plants in each of the beds. I hope this will serve as sufficient reminder next spring.
I did not include anything I know won't survive the winter outside here in Niagara.

Acanthus Tasmanian Tiger (Variegated Bears Breeches)
Acer palmatum
Acer pseudoplatanus Brilliantissimum (Sycamore Maple)
Aconitum arendsii (Monkshood)
Aegopodium
Agave paryii
Albizia jullibrissin (Mimosa, Silk Tree)
Albizia Summer Chocolate
Alstroemeria, hardy (Princess Lily)
Amelopsis brevipedunculata (Porcelain Vine)
Anemone hupehensis
Anemone sylvestris
Aquilegia (Columbine)
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-Pulpit)
Arundo donax (Giant Reed)
Arundo donax versicolor
Asimina triloba (Paw Paw)
Athyrium filix-femina (Lady Fern)
Aucuba Gold Dust
Aucuba Mr. Goldstrike
Aucuba serratifloia (Saw Toothed Laurel)
Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle Tree)
Bergenia Solar Flare
Bletilla striata (Hardy Orchid)
Brunnera macrophylla variegata (Siberian Bugloss)
Brunnera Diane's Gold
Brunnera Jack Frost
Calamagrostis Karl Foerster (Reed Grass)
Calycanthus floridus Venus (Sweetshrub)
Campanula cochleariifolia
Campanula persicifolia (Peach Leaved Bellflower)
Campanula sarastro
Campylotropis macrocarpa
Carex Ice Dance
Carex Lemon Zest
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Blue Leadwort)
Cercis canadensis (Redbud)
Chamaecyparis obtusa nana (Dwarf Hinoki Cypress)
Cimicifuga simplex Brunette
Cimicifuga racemosa
Clematis alpina
Clematis Nelly Moser
Clematis rehderiana
Clerodendrum trichotomum (Harlequin Glory Bower)
Coreopsis Zamfir
Cornus kousa Satomi (Satomi Dogwood)
Corypantha vivipara
Crocosmia George Davidson
Cyclamen coum
Delphinium New Millennium
Dianthus deltoides
Dictamus (Gasplant)
Digitalis Spice Island
Dracunculus vulgaris (Dragon Arum, Voodoo Lily)
Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern)
Echinacea Coconut Lime (Coneflower)
Echinacea double white hybrid
Echinacea Doubledecker
Echinacea Sunrise
Echinacea Tiki Torch
Echinocereus reichenbachii (Lace Cactus)
Echinops (Globe Thistle)
Ephedera regeliana (Joint Fir)
Epimedium sulfureum
Eremurus (Foxtail Lily)
Erica carnea (Winter Heather)
Erodium Bishop’s Form
Euonymous alatus (Burning Bush)
Euonymous fortunei Gold Tip
Euonymous japonica rokujo
Eupatorium rugosum (Chocolate Boneset)
Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae (Leatherleaf Spurge)
Euphorbia myrsinites (Donkey Tail Spurge)
Euphorbia polychroma (Cushion Spurge)
Fallopia japonica Milkboy
Fargesia robusta (Clump Bamboo)
Ficus Brown Turkey (Fig)
Forsythia
Gardenia Kleim’s Hardy
Gaura lindheimeri
Gentiana acaulis (Trumpet Gentian)
Gentiana septemfida (Crested Gentian)
Geranium pratense Midnight Reiter
Geum borisii
Hakonechloa macra aureola (Japanese Forest Grass)
Hakonechloa All Gold
Hebe pinguifolia Sutherlandii
Hedera helix Erecta (English Ivy)
Helleborus Betty Ranicar
Hemerocallis Garden City
Hemerocallis Stella D’Oro (Daylily)
Heptacodium miconoides (Seven Son flower)
Heuchera Green Spice
Heuchera Mini Mouse
Hibiscus moscheutos Blue River (Dinner Plate Hibiscus)
Hosta Blue Boy
Hosta Designer Genes
Hosta Francis Williams
Hosta halcyon
Hosta On Stage
Hosta Sum and Substance
Hydrangea Annabelle
Hydrangea macrophylla
Indigofera heterantha
Iris ensata Gusto
Itea virginica (Sweetspire)
Juniper ssp
Kirengeshoma palmata (YellowWaxbells)
Kniphofia Primrose (yellow Torchlily)
Laburnocytisus adamii
Lagerstroemia Pecos (Crapemyrtle)
Larix decidua pendula (Weeping Larch)
Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote (English Lavender)
Leptodermis oblonga
Leucothoe fontanesiana Rainbow
Leucothoe axillaris Margie Jenkins
Ligularia stenocephala The Rocket
Linum perenne (Blue Flax)
Lithodora (Blue Lithospermum)
Magnolia grandiflora DD Blanchard
Magnolia grandiflora Edith Bogue
Magnolia grandiflora Victoria
Magnolia tripetala (Umbrella tree)
Miscanthus gracillimus (Maiden Grass)
Miscanthus Goldbar
Miscanthus strictus (Zebra Grass)
Miscanthus Silberfeder
Mukdenia rossii
Omphalodes cappadocica (Starry Eyes)
Opuntia humifusa (Prickly pear Cactus)
Opuntia imbricata (Chain-link Cactus)
Opuntia kleiniae (Pencil Cholla Cactus)
Opuntia phaecantha
Paeonia suffruticosa (Tree Peony)
Paeonia Itoh
Panicum Heavy Metal (Switch Grass)
Papaver brilliant (Poppy)
Paulownia (Empress of China Tree)
Pennisetum alopecuroides Hameln (Fountain Grass)
Penstemon nana blue (Beard tongue)
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Phlox subulata
Phyllostachys nigra (Black Bamboo)
Physocarpus Darts Gold (Ninebark)
Picea pungens glauca (Blue Spruce)
Pinus mugo (Mugo Pine)
Podophyllum (May Apple)
Polygala chamaebuxus grandiflora
Polygonatum officinale (Solomon’s Seal)
Polystichum polyblepharum (Japanese Tassel Fern)
Potentilla neumanniana Nana (Alpine Cinquefoil)
Primula veris (Cowslip)
Prunus laurocerasus (Evergreen Cherry Laurel)
Pyrus communis (Pear)
Quercus virginiana (Live Oak)
Rhododendron Blue Peter
Rhododendron Ramapo
Rubus fruiticosus (Blackberry)
Rubus idaeus (Raspberry)
Sabal minor
Sanguinaria canadensis plena (Double Bloodroot)
Sambucus Black Lace (Elder)
Sarcococca confusa (Sweet Box)
Saruma henryii
Sciadopitys verticilata (Japanese Umbrella Pine)
Sedum Autumn Joy
Sedum Purple Emperor
Sedum sieboldii (October Daphne)
Sedum ternatum (Appalachian stonecrop)
Sempervivum Oddity
Sempervivum purple beauty (Hens and Chicks)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium Lucerne (Blue Eyed Grass)
Spirea Goldflame
Stewartia psuedocamelia (Japanese Stewartia)
Stokesia Peachies Pick (Stokes Aster)
Taxus media (Yew)
Thalictrum aquilegifolium (Meadow rue)
Thalictrum flavum gluacum (Yellow Meadow rue)
Thuja occidentalis (Cedar)
Tricyrtis Samurai (Toadlily)
Trollius Gold Queen (Globeflower)
Tsuga canadensis Jeddeloh (Dwarf Hemlock)
Vacciium corymbosum (Blueberry)
Viburnum plicatum (Doublefile Viburnum)
Viburnum plicatum Summer Snowflake
Viburnum pragense
Viburnum rhytidophyllum (Leatherleaf Viburnum)
Viburnum x carlcephalum (Fragrant Viburnum)
Vinca (Periwinkle)
Vitex agnus castus (Chaste Tree)
Vitis vinifera (Grape)
Wisteria sinensis
Yucca elata
Yucca nana
Yucca recurvifolia

2009-07-19T08:44:00.009-04:00

I've just returned from a week at the cottage and I find it amazing how much changes in the garden in a week. When you see it on a daily basis the changes are not as noticable, but after a week it's an entirely different garden.

(Click on pictures for a better look)

The front bed is in full bloom. Although it contains few unusual plants, I still like it.

Clerodendron is getting ready to bloom.

Magnolia Edith Bogue was only planted last summer, but it is producing blooms now. The first time an evergreen Magnolia has flowered for me after it's first winter in the ground.

I'm not sure if that's a flower starting on the Echinocereus, I'll know in a few weeks.

Indigofera has the fine textured foliage of Albizia but in a shrub form. The flowers opened this week while I was at the cottage.

My newest addition to the garden is this incredible orange, Echinacea Tiki Torch.

This is one of may favourite plants because it is so unusual. Ephedera is a prehistoric evergreen.

2009-06-28T12:43:00.008-04:00

Last week I revisited the two gardens I toured earlier. Both David's garden in Beamsville and Eva's garden in Grimsby had more interesting plants to see.

Click on pictures for a better view.

Pterostyrax (Epaulette Tree) is an uncommon but hardy tree in our area.

A large flowered Magnolia in Eva's garden.

The 20 foot tall Magnolia virginiana was covered with sweetly fragrant blossoms.

David's Monkey Puzzle tree is putting on healthy new growth.

I believe this is a Cynara (Cardoon) but not like any I have ever seen.

2009-06-17T19:28:00.005-04:00

It is now the middle of June so I thought it was time for an update as to what survived and what didn't.
First the cactus bed came through without a scratch. I wasn't sure that the ones I left sitting in a pot all winter would make it, but they are growing just fine.

The Fargesia (clumping bamboo) sent up many strong new shoots but they topped out at about six feet this year. Maybe it was the cool weather, but I thought they might grow taller this spring. This clump was planted four years ago (I think) as a two foot tall nursery grown clump.
The Phyllostachys nigra (running bamboo, not pictured) is finally producing some new shoots but it will be a few years before these look like anything.

A few plants did not survive the winter. The Loropetalum did not make it, and the Lagerstroemia (Crape myrtle) also did not survive. The Live Oak is sending out new shoots however. I think this is it's third year. The Albizias (both the green and burgundy leaved forms) are leafing out nicely. And the Fig is also sending up many new shoots. It will have to be moved because it is in the way of the burgundy Albizia.

2009-06-07T20:08:00.007-04:00

Windmill Palm in Grimsby, Ontario?

Greg from Grimsby shared his technique for overwintering a Trachycarpus (Windmill) Palm in his back yard. He used some methods described in the book "Palms Won't Grow Here and Other Myths" by David A. Franco, Timber Press 2003. After applying Bordo (a fungicide) to the crown, the palm is bundled up in late-November or December (depending on the forecast) with mini-lights, (to be used later if temperatures dip below about -8C to -10C) netting and a rose cone around the base. Then poles are inserted far enough away from this bundle to allow for an air gap between it and the next layer which consists of several layers of an in insulating fabric. While it sounds like a great deal of effort, Greg says it takes him about 45 minutes. The payoff is that the new leaves on his Palm are growing about an inch per week.

Fall 2008

Winter 2009

May 2009

June 2009

2009-05-28T17:12:00.011-04:00

I have visited some more local gardens in the last few weeks. First I visited the garden of Eva in Grimsby. I have been working in the retail plant trade for twenty years and I saw things in Evas garden I have never heard of as well as some surprises like a seven feet tall Pieris japonica, and a 20 feet tall Magnolia virginiana (pictured below).
Click on pictures for a better look.

I'm not sure what type of tree this is (below), but the blossoms open yellow and then mature to an orangy-pink color. I think she called it a popcorn tree.

I hope to post some more pictures of this garden later in the season. Closer to home the Magnolia tripetala in my garden bloomed this week. I recall the person who gave it to me saying to plant it at the back of the yard. And now I know why....it stinks. But a large interesting bloom nonetheless.

I was talking to Greg from Grimsby (Ontario, Canada) this week about his Trachycarpus (Windmill Palm) that he has brought through two winters so far. After applying the required fungicidal treatment to prevent crown rot and spear pull, and a spray of wilt-pruf to slow dessication, he wraps it in late fall with several layers of a product called better than burlap. The whole bundle is then wrapped with mini-lights set to turn on when the temperature dips below about -8 C. It sounds like a lot of effort, but the results speak for themselves. It is still only May and Gregs palm has put on three new leaves this year. Greg also has a Needle palm which is slightly hardier but which does not produce the nice trunk like a trachycarpus. The coldest Greg recorded in his garden this winter was -19 C

2009-05-13T15:58:00.006-04:00

It is the middle of May and things are starting to grow. I just finished checking my collection of oddities and found one surprise. The Clerodendron I planted last year is leafing out right to the tips of the branches. I didn't expect it to do that and certainly not this early. I more thought that like the Albezia it would come to life in June. Pictured below is the flower on the Clerodendron last summer.

It looks as though both the green Albizia as well as the summer chocolate Albizia have survived. (Visit the Summer Slide Show in an earlier post for pictures). The Fig is growing new shoots and the little Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) which I thought was dead, is sending up three tiny new shoots. We'll see.

The evergreen cherrylaurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is getting ready to bloom (below) and the bees are getting drunk on the Rhododendron.

The Fargesia robusta is sending up many strong new shoots. This one gets better every year. The tallest new shoots are over three feet already and I expect them to reach about seven feet this spring.

2009-04-25T12:18:00.010-04:00

Agave paryii

I planted my first Agave in the cactus border today. Like the cacti these should take the cold as long as they are in a well-drained spot, where there is little rain or snow accumulation. I know of several other gardeners growing these desert plants in our wet winter and spring climate.

2009-04-22T20:24:00.016-04:00

David's Garden

I met a gardener a few weeks ago who, like myself, is pushing the boundaries of what will grow in Niagara. Today I had the chance to visit his garden. It is located near the shores of Lake Ontario, just north of Beamsville. All pictures taken on April 22.
Click on pictures for a better look.

Calocedrus decurrens (Incense cedar) and Cunninghamia (Chinafir) are just two of the unusual evergreens in the garden.

The evergreen Skimmia is just beginning to flower, while the yellow winter Jasmine is late this year. It usually flowers in March.

A pathway leads down a hill where a Cryptomeria shares space with a clump of bamboo (Phyllostachys). Pink flowering Abeliophyllum is sometimes called white Forsythia.

A fine looking Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle Tree) is nearly six feet tall. The blue Arizona cypress (Cupressus glabra) is another uncommon sight in Niagara gardens.

While the Ackerman Camelias are said to be hardy these beautiful plants spend the coldest months in a minimally heated greenhouse. I visited just in time as the blooms will be finished soon.

2009-04-12T18:20:00.007-04:00

Hardy Cacti

The hardy cacti are starting to plump up after spending a winter looking like shrivelled up prunes. The key to success with the various types of hardy cacti is a very dry location. If the cacti are plump with water going into winter, then a hard frost will cause the water in the plant cells to freeze, and consequently expand and rupture. The strip against the west side of my house has very dry soil and receives little natural moisture or snow accumulation.

Among the cacti that have survived Niagara winters in my garden are various Opuntias, including Opuntia kleiniae (2nd picture) Echinocereus, the ball cactus (3rd picture) and the tall Cylindropuntia imbricata (5th picture)

2009-04-07T10:46:00.004-04:00

Well I thought we had seen the last of winter. But In Canada you never know. The Sabal will not be bothered too much I hope, but the little Violas probably like this about as much as I do.

The Palm Survived The Winter

2009-03-25T18:35:00.007-04:00

I unwrapped the Sabal minor last week. I had wrapped it with landscape fabric and stuffed this with dry leaves for insulation. I didn't want this to become a compost heap so I thought I better unwrap it. A few of the palm leaves that were pressed against the landscape fabric had frosted but the rest look fine. This plant is on the north west side of my house, and because of a neighbours large evergreen it gets maybe 2-3 hours of sun in late afternoon. This will help it avoid sunburn after being wrapped for four months.
Click picture for a better view.

Plants To Buy This Year

2009-03-14T20:47:00.014-04:00

Fortunately for me my work involves finding exciting new plants to entice Ontario gardeners. I, being one of these gardeners, want to bring many of these plants home with me. Of course, for no other reason than to give them an objective trial in our particular climate.

I have selected the following 10 for my personal "want" list from the many new varieties we'll be bringing to our Niagara garden centre this spring. That is, if space and budget permit.

The pictures are courtesy of google (this time).

At first I thought this picture of Laburnocytisus adamii was photoshopped, but it really produces different coloured blooms. It is a hybrid graft between Laburnum and Cytissus that retains characteristics of each. Plant in a sunny location. Hardy to zone 5.

Pterostyrax hispida is known as the epaulette tree because its fragrant white flowers grow in panicles up to 25cm long that resemble epaulettes.

Franklinia is a member of the tea family. It is a bit fussy, requiring well-drained, moist and slightly acidic soil. But it flowers in July and August and has bright red fall foliage. It is hardy to zone 5.

Campylotropsis macrocarpa is a rare shrub from Korea that will grow around 4' tall. It bears unusual flowers from mid to late summer and is hardy to zone5.

Calycanthus Venus is a great new form of spicebush with fragrant white flowers in early summer and sporadically through summer. It grows about 4-5' tall and is hardy in zones 5-8.

Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) is a native fruit tree hardy to zone 5. It bears large edible fruits that have the aroma of banana and pineapple. These are not commercially available because they do not ship well, so the only way you will taste it is to grow them yourself.

Agave parryi is the hardiest member of this desert plant family. It will reportedly winter in zone 6 (possibly 5) as long as the soil is dry. Gardeners I know who have tried it suggest covering with a tarp in winter to keep the moisture out.

I know very little about how Abelias will behave in our climate, but this picture of Abelia Kaleidoscope made me want to find out. These compact bushes feature bright yellow margins in spring, pale yellow in summer and bright reds and oranges in fall. Plus it may be evergreen.

Mahonias are not an uncommon sight in Niagara, but I haven't seen any Mahonia repens here. This is a creeping form that only gets about 10" high. The evergeen foliage is best in a partly shaded location protected from mid-day sun. Zone 5.

If I can only bring one plant home this year it will probably be this one. And while Leucothoe Margie Jenkins may not appear that exciting, I have a thing for broad leaved evergreens. They help make winter look...well, less like winter.

Margie Jenkins has thick dark green foliage, and like many broad leaved evergreens prefers protection from mid-day sun.

February 26 And Still Green

2009-02-26T16:19:00.015-05:00

The snow has been gone for several weeks now and it has been cold. Down to about -12 C. I briefly considered changing the name of this Blog from "Niagara Tropicals" to "Plants I Have Killed". In spite of the cold though, here are a few hardy plants that have retained their green foliage. All pictures taken on February 26.

My favourite little Yucca nana.

Amazingly tough Campanula percifolia. And it has amazing blue flowers in spring and again late summer.

You can't see it on the picture, but some of the flowers on the Erica (heather) are opening.

A cute little Dianthus.

Digitalis Spice Island. This is my favourite Foxglove with cool orangy flowers all summer.

If you look closely you can see the flower buds of the Helleborus peeking out of the soil.

Another evergreen fern. This one is called Autumn fern for its bronzy new foliage in spring.

I suppose everyone has seen a Heuchera by now. Still they have their place in the garden.

The Leucothoe did better this winter then in the past, in spite of the lower than usual temperatures.

Euphorbia is not for everyone as the white milky sap can cause dermatitis. But handled carefully it is a great plant.

And lastly a pot of assorted cacti that made it through as well as top left Yucca elata and right Yucca iforgeta

The mid-winter scratch test.

2009-02-13T13:30:00.007-05:00

So far I have looked mostly at plants that photograph well in winter. But many great summer plants have no winter interest at all, they are just bare sticks at the moment. A little test that I like do do periodically is the scratch test. Make a small scratch in the bark with your thumbnail to see if the underlying tissue is green, indicating that it is alive. I checked all of my new plants this morning and here are the results.

Clerodendrum trichotomum: green right to the top
Albizia: green right to the top
Albizia Summer Chocolate: green almost to the top
Lagerstroemia (I can't recall which one): smaller branches are dead but the larger ones are green underneath.
Quercus virginiana: green nearly to the top
Vitex: green to the top
Loropetalum chinensis: green about 2/3 to the top
Ficus carica: green to the top
Leptodermis oblonga: (this is hardy but I liked it because it flowers all summer) green
Magnolia ashei: green to the top

While the winter is by no means over, this little test reasures gardeners like myself that there is a chance some of their out of zone plants will make it.
I also checked the banana today, it is a variegated Musa that I don't think is hardy. The stems are all mushy but I will be interested to see if new shoots emerge in spring.
The snow is all gone now so I found two more surprises in the garden and got the camera to photograph them.

Epimediums are perfectly hardy, but this is the first year I've had one and I didn't realize what a dependable little evergreen it was. These belong in every garden.

The other little surprise was the original Sabal minor which has now seen four winters in Niagara. I mentioned in an earlier post that it grew a new leaf every year despite my complete neglect. And while it is not a stunning specimen, here it is pictured on February 13 in Canada. Remember that I give it no protection. Imagine what this tough little guy could do if I looked after it.

February 10 Damage Report

2009-02-11T00:34:00.022-05:00

Now that most of the snow has (temporarily) melted away it's possible to see how the plants have fared so far. Most still look ok, some are doing better than I expected and a few others don't look as nice as previous winters. All picture taken on February 10, 2009.

The Aucuba serratifolia (left in picture) and Prunus laurocerasus have no browning at all so far.

Aucuba Gold Dust, which looked dead a few weeks ago has bounced back nicely. This is the first year for this one.

Magnolia D.D. Blanchard looks amazing for the cold we have had. This is the most sheltered of the Magnolias, but still! I spray all the Magnolias with Wilt-Pruf (an anti-dessicant) in the fall before a hard frost.

Magnolia Victoria has seen four winters in the garden and although it has done very well in the past, this year it looks awful. There is a lot of browning and while I'm sure it will live I'm not sure how much foliage it will lose come spring.

Quercus virginiana (Live? Oak) is another broadleaf evergreen that sometimes survives here. It's not looking good but it did the same thing last year and then grew new leaves in spring so maybe.

I am really surprised at the Gardenia Kleims Hardy. I haven't seen it for about a month (buried under snow) and I fully expected it to be dead. And while it isn't a vision of lushness it is green and very much alive. Snow cover is not dependable in Niagara but this winter it's been fairly constant.

The melting snow also revealed some alive parts on the Loropetalum chinensis. I don't hold out much hope for this one, but it might make it.

Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae looks very good for the time of year. They typically brown by mid-winter so I think the constant snow cover helped keep these green as well. Let's see what happens to them now.

I'm not happy with how the Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana) looks. Just a few weeks ago it was green and now it is not looking too thrilled to be suffering through a Niagara winter.

This variegated Liriope, which I had forgotten I planted last fall, seems unfazed by the winter. I'll have to plant more of it.

Fargesia robusta (the clumping bamboo) is shedding a few leaves but that is typical this time of year. I expect it to produce 7-8 foot tall shoots this spring. And it might grow 9-10 foot tall by spring 2010 (I hope).

The Phyllostachys (running bamboo) is about 50% wilt. I fully expect it to live, I just wonder how it will look in May.

Yucca elata is one of four Yuccas in the garden (I'm not sure what some of the other are as they were given to me). All the Yuccas are looking great.

All the cacti are looking fine but the Mazari palm (Nannhorhops ritchiana) is having a bad winter. The Sabal minor (the only plant that is wrapped in my garden and consequently not pictured) looks amazing under a mulch of leaves)

A little pencil Cholla cactus (right in picture) and Ephedera.

Hebe sutherlandii (left in picture) is much browner than two weeks ago. The little Euonymous on the right is doing better.

Garden Slideshow (summer 2008)

2009-02-03T12:32:00.001-05:00

What's Growing So Far

2009-02-01T08:56:00.002-05:00

Plants in my garden can be grouped into six categories:

1) Broad leaved evergreens such as southern Magnolias, Aucuba, some Viburnum species and others.
2) Desert plants inluding various cacti, Yucca and Agave

3) Tropical flowering plants like Canna, Albizia, Gardenia and Clerodendron

4) Bamboo

5) Palms and bananas

6) Tropical looking hardy plants like Hostas (which we are not going to discuss here).

Broad Leaved Evergreens

Click on pictures for a better view.

Evergeen Magnolias are a favourite

in southern states, but amazingly they survive here as well. They stand out in summer with their large glossy foliage, which is retained right through winter. Some varieties may brown somewhat by April but new leaves will follow. I am currently trying three in my garden. They are in order of hardiness: Magnolia grandiflora Edith Bogue, Magnolia g. Victoria and Magnolia g. D.D. Blanchard. The latter is on a sheltered east facing wall and the other two are out in the open. Victoria (top left) has survived four winters, DD Blanchard (bottom left) two and Edith Bogue (bottom right) is experiencing it's first Niagara winter.

Other broadleaved evergreens that are doing well for me are several varieties of Aucuba. I have both the variegated (below top left) and green (below top right) forms, but the variegated forms add a definite tropical touch to the landscape. These are best in a sheltered location protected from winter wind and mid-day sun both of which can burn the foliage. That having been said, the one I have out in the open looked all but dead for the last few weeks with temperatures around -10 C, but today it's 3 C above freezing and the leaves have perked up nicely. The other broad leaved evergreen that is performing very well is the evergreen cherry laurel, Prunus laurocerasus (below bottom left and bottom right, at right in winter). These stand up better to extreme cold than Rhododendrons. Cherry laurels produce masses of fragrant white blooms in spring.

Desert Plants

Most gardeners in southern Ontario are probably familiar with hardy cacti in the form of Opuntia or Prickly Pear. These plants grow wild from Canada down to Patagonia so it's no surprise that they survive Niagara winters. But many lesser known species of cacti will grow here as well. Pencil Cholla Cactus (below, top), Corypantha vivipara (bottom left) and Cylindropuntia imbricata (bottom right) have all wintered several years in my garden. In some texts the hardiness for Cylindropuntia is said to be 5 C above freezing. The one in my garden has survived two Niagara winters, and I have seen others nearby that have grown to five feet tall...In Canada? So don't always believe what you read. Instead, experiment and have fun!

Needless to say, Cacti are desert plants and will not do well in wet soil. Plant these in raised beds of gravely soil or near foundations where the ground is drier. The ones I have tried will hang limp in cold weather, but they have all recovered in summer.

Yuccas are another group of plants not uncommon to our climate, but the one typically seen is Yucca filimentosa which is stemless. Other types of Yucca produce an above ground stem which gives mature specimens the appearance of a palm tree. Some of these will survive our winter as long as they are grown in well-drained soil and protected from rot caused by snow and excessive rain. It is not clear to me how quickly (or slowly) they will produce a trunk. The best bet for our particular climate I am told is Yucca elata as it seems to be slightly more tolerant of wet soils than other types. So far in my garden it is holding up well, although it has no trunk yet. Stay tuned.

Tropical Flowering Plants

There are many types of tropical flowering plants, some of which are hardy in our zone 6 climate, while others need a little protection to come through.

My favourite currently in my garden for its finely textured foliage is Albizia julibrissin also known as Mimosa Tree. I have two in the garden, the straight green form (top) and the much rarer Albizia Summer Chocolate (bottom left). Both produce the silky pink flowers (bottom right) in summer. Albizias are a bit late to leaf out in spring giving them a generally dead appearance in May, but the summer foliage is worth it.

Clerodendrum trichotomum is the only species of this tropical genus to survive in Niagara. There are several growing at the Niagara Parks in Niagara Falls and some winters these behave as die-back shrubs, with new shoots coming from the roots and in milder winters they produce new buds from the old wood. Either way they produce interesting flowers in summer (top) which give way to fruit in fall (bottom). This is the first winter for the one in the garden.

Another flowering plant that is experiencing its first Niagara winter is Gardenia Kleims hardy pictured last summer and below a few weeks ago. So far it's holding up well to the cold under a layer of snow. But winter is not over yet so time will tell.

Bamboo

The name alone tends to frighten some people because bamboo has a reputation for being aggresive. Some types like Phyllostachys are indeed aggresive spreaders, but these can be managed with barriers or by pulling back new shoots in spring. Other types like Fargesia are well behaved clump forming plants. Either way they add a touch of the exotic to the Canadian landscape. Until a few years ago bamboos were difficult to find. But growers are suddenly producing lots of them and these are available at most garden shops. The trouble is they are young plants that will take some years to reach landscape size. If possible try to find field dug specimens that will add to your landscape instantly. A field dug Fargesia in my garden produced enough stems in four years to make four new clumps. I am also trying Fargesia robusta which is supposed to grow up to ten feet here, but it is still a young plant and nowhere near that size. I have noticed however that its foliage (bottom) stands up much better to frost than the other Fargesia.

Hardy Palms and Bananas

Well here's where things get interesting. A banana in Canada, can you imagine. The truth is some types (Musa basjoo, Musa sikkimensis and a few others) do survive here with proper protection and although they are late to grow in spring, they more than make up for this in growth rate, reaching 10 to 15 feet by late summer under ideal conditions. So what do they need? Bananas will grow best here on a south facing wall in rich soil that is kept moist. This helps feed their growth. When winter approaches the tender roots will need protection from frost and this is easily accomplished by piling bags of leaves up around the stems. More on this later.

Palm trees in Niagara? Why not!

A google search of hardy palm trees turns up several names.

Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) is thought to be the hardiest.

Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor) is a shrub palm.

Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) the hardiest of the true trunk forming palms.

Mazari Palm (Nannorrhops rtchiana) is a new arrival from Afghanistan.

I have tried all four of these in the garden and the only one that has survived more than two winters is the Sabal minor. It is now in the garden for four years and every summer it produces new growth. Mind you it's only four inches tall and will probably never be more than this. The fact is a palm tree survived in Niagara with no winter protection. I have since planted a larger Sabal (pictured above) and wrap it up nicely for winter.

The Needle palm survived two winters and I'm convinced it would have been alive still had the rabbit not chewed off the new growth.

The windmill palm lasted well into the first winter, but not beyond that. And the very expensive Mazari palm which is experiencing it's first Niagara winter is all but dead.

Stay tuned for updates.

Two More Months of Winter

2009-01-31T23:39:00.000-05:00

We've had a harder winter than is typical for Niagara. And that brings up the first consideration for trying plants in your garden. Learn what plant hardiness zone you are in. This refers to the average winter minimum temperature you will experience in your region. Zones range from 1 (the Canadian Arctic) to 11 (southern Florida). Most trees, shrubs and perennials are sold with a hardiness rating on the tag. A Euonymous that is hardy to zone 4 for example will live happily in zone 4,5,6 etc. regions, but possibly not in zone 3 where winters are colder. Here in Niagara we are typically a zone 6 region although we can experience warmer zone 7 winters or on rare occasions zone 8 winters. These zones are further broken down into 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b etc., with "a" being colder than "b". A zone 6a experiences average winter minimums of -20 C to -23 C and zone 6b has temperatures down to -17 C to -20 C. So far this year the coldest I've recorded in my garden is -15 C, which would make us a zone 7b.

Once you have memorized what zone you are in, forget about it. Plants don't read books.

Every region and even individual gardens have micro climates where the climate may be one or even two zones milder than the regional average. A sheltered south wall for example is the perfect location for a banana such as the one pictured above which has grown in Niagara for four years with a minimal of winter protection. It is certainly preferable to the typical notion of the Canadian landscape.