Author: Andrea Knight, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton My husband and I have owned our home in Ottawa for over twenty years, giving me lots of time to learn and practice gardening in small spaces. My backyard garden is an L-shaped area around our deck (west facing), and my front garden is a rectangle that I…
Author: Claire McCaughey, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. “We can each make a measurable difference almost immediately by planting a native nearby. As gardeners and so empowered, and the stakes have never been so high.” Bringing Nature Home , Douglas Tallamy By now, having followed the first three parts of our series on…
I love this time of year. Sometimes we get cooler temperatures, and sometimes I can pick up deals on fruits and berries at the roadside stands. Most importantly, my daylilies are blooming! Greetings fellow gardeners, I am in the midst of making lists and preparing what produce is available to me right now. Today I…
I love the different colours and shapes and sizes. My brilliant large yellow daylily looks like it should be dessert, while the peachy frilly daylily is called Rilly Frilly, which is super fun. Greetings fellow gardeners, I am in the midst of making lists and preparing what produce is available to me right now. Today…
To me, borage is an herb that is one of the best plants to grow for pollinators. Bumblebees and butterflies are always enjoying it along with hover flies, beetles and moths. Greetings fellow gardeners, Little bits and pieces of rain have been appearing here and there. My garden could use a good two days of…
Fireweed, a member of the willow plant family, is distinguished by its gorgeous magenta flowers. Its common name comes from its sudden appearance after a wildfire. It may be a colourful addition to sunny, damp areas. It grows fast by rhizomes and requires little upkeep once established. It cannot, however, withstand competition; if other species…
Harebell, Campanula rotundifolia, is delicate, attractive, and graceful. Each plant produces an abundance of purple bell-shaped flowers. Harebell is a tiny wildflower that only reaches a height of about one foot, and it is native to many of the dry grasslands and partially shaded forests of North America. Its bell-shaped, deep bluish-purple flowers bloom from…
White Turtlehead, Chelone glabra, has masses of beautiful white hooded flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to mid-fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. They are attractive in gardens. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It is a good choice for shaded or woodland gardens, rain gardens, bog gardens,…
The Cup Plant, Silphium perfoliatum, is a beautiful plant native to large areas in the central and eastern US and to Ontario and Quebec in Canada. Its large stature, (6 to 9 feet tall) and wide, tapered leaves are further complemented by an abundance of open yellow flowers. The flowers will re-bloom well into the…
Veronicastrum virginicum, also known as Culver’s Root, is a tall, hardy perennial with lovely whorled leaves. In the early and middle summer, the plants are topped with prickly racemes that are densely packed with small tubular white florets. The inflorescences have many branches that resemble a beautiful candelabra. Prairies, damp meadows, and open forests are…
Virginia waterleaf, Hydrophyllum virginianum, is an excellent choice for shady areas and woodland gardens. It can spread quickly from rhizomes and fill open areas, where some gardeners use it as a groundcover. Where to find Virginia Waterleaf Virginia waterleaf is a perennial typically found in low woods, thickets, ravine bottoms, bluff bases, river flood plains…
Foamflower can be a great addition to many gardens. It has an interesting, attractive leaf when not in flower. It also produces masses of lovely, lightly-scented white star-shaped flowers that rise above the foliage. Shell pink flower buds appear from mid-spring to mid-summer. It is most effective for visual effects when planted in groups. Green…
Purple trillium, one of the most popular forest wildflowers, ushers in spring with its lovely, fragrant, maroon-purple blooms. It is one of the most iconic native perennial flowers. It has three leaves, three petals, and three sepals. This beautiful plant looks best when planted in groups or blended with other forest wildflowers and ferns. It…
Canada Milk Vetch is great for attracting hummingbirds, birds, butterflies, and bees. The flowers and seed heads are excellent for bouquets, and the leaves have great texture. This is an excellent plant for heavy clay soils. It is deer repellent and spreads via rhizomatous growth. Good for use in restoration gardens and erosion control. Extreme…
Borage is a tall, attractive plant, often grown in flowerbeds with bright blue star-shaped edible flowers. Also known as “starflower,” the borage herb is a beautiful perennial with blue flowers that self-seed. Its flowers are cucumber-flavored, and all parts of the plant, except the roots, have medicinal or culinary uses. This plant is best grown…
Blue vervain, or American vervain, is a hardy and drought-tolerant plant native to North America. It is a traditionally important plant, widely distributed in almost every state in the USA and a few provinces in Canada. Moist prairies and damp thickets are its main habitats. It is a type of perennial herbaceous plant falling under…
The blue-stemmed goldenrod is sometimes referred to as Wreath Goldenrod. It is a well-behaved woodland species. It forms pretty, loose clumps with arching stems and long, thin leaves. Tiny clusters of bright yellow flowers form in the leaf axils for half the stem’s length. Stem color in mature plants has a dark, bluish tone. The…
Rough-stemmed goldenrod is a herbaceous perennial with rough leaves that can grow up to 2 m (6.6 ft) tall. The majority of its leaves are cauline. Up to 50 stems from a single plant can bear 50–1500 yellow flower heads apiece. It blooms from late summer to early October. It can be distinguished from Solidago…
The White Panicled Aster features daisy-like rays with prominent yellow discs that redden with age and make up clusters of mini-blossoms. Known as Symphyotrichum lanceolatum, it is a flowering plant native to North America in the Asteraceae family. Its common names include asters with panicles, lance-shaped leaves, and white panicles. It is a perennial herbaceous…
Gardenia varieties are striking and fragrant flowering plants in the Rubiaceae, or the coffee madder family. It is a genus native to various regions around the globe, including the tropical and subtropical areas of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Learn more on how to care for gardenia. The plant’s name was assigned in…
Bottle Gentian is, with its dark blue closed flower, among the finest perennials to grace the garden in late summer. Bottle gentian has bottle-like deep blue flowers that never actually open. The blooms are pollinated exclusively by bumblebees, which have the size and strength needed to pry open the flowers and gain entry. Bottle Gentians…
Solidago squarrosa may be the most distinctive species of the goldenrods. As a perennial herb, it can reach a height of 190 cm (6 ft). It has a branching underground caudex. Egg-shaped leaves up to 20 cm (8 inches) long near the plant’s base and shorter further up the stem. A slender, elongated array of…
Early Goldenrod, also known as Solidago juncea, is a herbaceous perennial wildflower of the family Asteraceae. Once started, it requires little maintenance and grows quickly. It thrives on ordinary, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun, and it can withstand poor, dry soils, especially soil with a lot of clay. It is a tolerant…
The hoary vervain, or Verbena stricta, is a type of herbaceous plant falling under the Verbenaceae family. The flowering plant is most commonly found in different states of the United States, namely Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Kansas, among many others. While it is native to most of the states, it has…
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