Archive for the ‘Design’ Category
SOME PLANTS THAT SHINE IN THE WINTER
Posted by in Design, Plant Choices, WinterBy Patty Latin Name Common Name Plant Type Attractive Features Peak Conditions Berries and Seedheads Aronia melonocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’ deciduous shrub fall colour, shiny black berries Oct-Jan sun/p.shade Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ “Beauty Berry” deciduous shrub unique colour of purple berries Oct-Dec sun/p.shade Cornus mas “Cornelian Cherry” deciduous shrub red berries in fall, spidery yellow flowers
Posted in Design, Plant Choices, Winter
Consider A Pine
Posted by in Conifers, Designby Wendy Here at Russell Nursery we are often asked for plant ideas for challenging situations. A common request is for a plant that looks great year-round, is low maintenance, and tolerates full sun, drought and deer. Sound like the perfect plant for you? Our advice – consider a pine. Pines are evergreen conifers that
A Gallery of Alliums for Every Garden
Posted by in Beneficials, Design, Flowers, Plant ChoicesBy Faye Onions are alliums, chives are alliums and leeks are alliums. Alliums are among the oldest cultivated plants in the world, adding much to nearly every global cuisine. Ornamental alliums however, are relatively new to the landscape, being developed in Holland around the middle of the 19th century. Many new varieties have been introduced
Tags: bulbs, flowers
Posted in Beneficials, Design, Flowers, Plant Choices
A Fresh Approach To Planting Bulbs
Posted by in Design, FlowersWhen I first saw photos of Dutch garden designer Jacqueline van der Kloet bulb gardens, I was struck not only by how beautiful they were, but also by how well they would work in our relaxed West Coast gardens. She leans towards soft colours punctuated with splashes of bright ones and plants in a loose
A Fondness for Ferns
Posted by in Design, PerennialsBy Laurie Ferns are emotive plants that can conjure up visions of other places and times. Ferns give a garden a sense of permanence, timelessness, of always having been there; which is no wonder, as they have been around for over 300 million years! Ferns don’t seduce us with flowers, but instead offer exquisite fiddleheads
Posted in Design, Perennials
Add A Touch Of Japan To Your Garden
Posted by in DesignBy Faye I’m sitting in the Narita airport, having spent some time here in Tokyo visiting my son and his family. Before me sits my traditional parting meal at the airport: Onigiri, which are delicious balls of rice with assorted fillings, wrapped in Nori (seaweed). Beverage of choice is Asahi beer, just the thing to
Posted in Design
Seasonal Stars in the Garden
Posted by in Design, Grasses, Shrubs, TreesDo you find that there are times of year when your garden fades, when there is nothing stellar to notice and you have to say to guests “wait until fall (spring, winter or summer); my garden really looks good THEN!” The secret to having a year-round beautiful landscape lies in planning ahead, cultivating plants which will
Turf the Turf
Posted by in Design, Lawns, Maintenanceby Faye The great Canadian lawn. Is it an oasis upon which to rest and rejuvenate your spirit, or is it a monstrous thirsty fraud? The pros and cons of keeping or killing turfgrass have become hot button issues for gardeners of all shades of green. Historically, the lawn signified the emergence of the middle
Posted in Design, Lawns, Maintenance
Plant a Hedge Row, Not a Hedge
Posted by in Design, Hedges, Plant Choices(Plant lists at bottom of page) Hedges, in one form or another, have existed since our ancestors gave up their foraging life style and settled down in permanent residences. Over the centuries loosely piled brush, stacked rocks, iron railings and rows of shrubs have been used to keep livestock safe and to clearly mark the
Posted in Design, Hedges, Plant Choices
Trees Are The Lungs Of The Earth
Posted by in Design, Plant Choices, Trees
National Tree Day was September 25, and it seems fitting to acknowledge this by paying tribute to the elders of our plant world, the lofty and noble tree. We as a species simply could not exist on Earth without trees. Most people know that trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. But it’s way more
Posted in Design, Plant Choices, Trees
Japan Through The Eyes Of A Canadian Gardener
Posted by in Design, General, Grasses, Plant ChoicesAutumn in Japan may not have the caché of a springtime visit in cherry blossom time, but to a gardener it evokes every bit as much awe and delight. And we have our own cherry blossom time right here in Victoria, don’t we? Visiting family in Tokyo, I’ve had the pleasure of living the Japanese
Tags: bamboo, grasses
Posted in Design, General, Grasses, Plant Choices
The Turf Is Turfed!
Posted by in Design, Lawnsby Faye Last fall I wrote an article, Turf The Turf, about getting rid of lawns, and have been pondering this possibility ever since. My front lawn wasn’t huge, nor was it golf course perfect. It was passable, and along with the quack grass-infested beds that surrounded it, it was a source of stress in my otherwise