Colour and colour combinations are a very personal choice and when clients ask me to do what “I think looks good” because they don’t know, I make sure to get a feel of the colours they like. I look at their interior colour schemes, deep jewel like tones or pale neutrals and carry that out into the garden. Make sure the colours harmonize or alternatively … Continue reading Summer Colour Combos
Happy Canada Day!! http://www.gardengraces.ca Continue reading Canada Day
I keep meaning to write a blog but am lured by the siren song of the garden!! The weather is glorious for the moment, the first roses are opening even before the paeonies! Even in my small suburban garden, nature moves to her own rhythm. A swallowtail butterfly visits my Korean lilac bush every spring. The bumblebees adore my double columbines aptly named Granny’s Bonnets … Continue reading Trapped by the garden
Crazy, crazy weather, global warming and we’re having one of the coldest, wettest Mays in a long time here in southern Ontario with serious flooding in eastern Ontario, Quebec and around Canada. In spite of the cold and rain, the spring blooms march on with the big players blowing their trumpets…tulips and daffodils. Even though I’m Dutch, I’m not a big fan of the large tulips … Continue reading The Big Players
After a very unpleasant hailstorm the other week that prematurely terminated my crocuses and tiny irises, the next round of bulbs and spring flowers have marched in. Another of my favourites are the species tulips. Blooming early and finishing before the trees fully leaf out, they flourish and spread in the spring sunshine and will grow under trees as long as they get the early … Continue reading Spring Marches On
There’s nothing more cheery for me than when the early spring blossoms burst out of the ground and bring cheery colour to a late winter or early spring day. even better when the sun is out! Everyone is familiar with crocuses, the dependable bulbs that come back year after year and feature bright primary colours guaranteed to lift your spirits. There are also lesser known … Continue reading Early Spring Blooms
From tight buds to blossoms in mid February and still blooming at the end of March You can’t beat hazels for an amazing show in late winter and they are as tough as nails. The delicate petals roll up in a cold spell and unfurl when it warms up again and their scent fills the garden on a mild sunny day. Be sure to plant … Continue reading Early Spring
One tree/shrub that should be in every garden is the magnificent magnolia. Ranging in size from compact shrubs like M. stellata to large majestic trees like M. grandiflora, there is a magnolia for every size garden. Magnolias have an ancient lineage. Fossil records show magnolias first came on the scene over 100 million years ago across North America and Europe. Back then there were no bees so it was … Continue reading Magnificent Magnolias
Going through my photos of plants and flowers from Chile, I realized I have way too many for one blog. So here is the first of a couple of blogs on plants from Chile, both native and introduced. With its wonderful Mediterranean climate, Santiago boasts both tender and hardy flowering trees. Outside of Santiago is semi-arid but in the city with water, hardy magnolias rub … Continue reading Trees in Santiago
May you all have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!! Happy gardening, poetry writing and following whatever your heart’s passion may be! http://www.gardengraces.ca Continue reading Merry Christmas
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