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Author: Nancy McDonald, Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton; published with permission. If you are like me and grow lemon verbena, you now have a very large plant. What started as a small seedling in the spring has grown in size, approaching 60 cm (2 feet). So, what to do with this abundance? A Delightful Herb Let…
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…
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…
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…
White Heath Aster is a bushy, compact plant with many branched stems smothered in sprays of small, daisy-like white flowers. These sprays are so densely packed with blooms that the plant turns completely white as a result of the sheer number of flowers. The flowers are usually white, but they can be blue or pink…
Starry False Solomon’s Seal has attractive foilage, flowers, and berries that form a dense groundcover once established. The narrow oval-shaped leaves are about 3-12 cm long (2”-5”) and arranged alternately in 2 rows along the stem. A showy flower with bright white flowers and green, oval-shaped leaves that attract birds. It is paired well with…
Lanceleaf Tickseed is popular and ideal for the garden, outdoor pots and containers. It has bright yellow spring daisy-like blooms that bloom from spring to early summer on thin, upright stalks. This plant grows in grasslands and meadows. It grows quickly and thrives in a sunny, dry setting. Bees, birds and butterflies are drawn to them, all…
Hostas are lush, leafy perennials that generally thrive in shade to part sun. They are sought after for their leaves, and their ability to thrive in shade, although, every year there are new introductions whose flowers are extremely fragrant, adding to the mix. These plants come in tiny form, like Hosta Blue Mouse Ears, or…
Zinnias are beautiful flowers that are great for butterfly gardens. Its blooms can provide an explosion of colour in your landscape. It is easy to grow as an annual. Plant zinnia anywhere you want color, including in containers, patio gardens, recreational areas, walkways, borders and mass plantings. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and…
Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) is an important early source of pollen and nectar for newly emerging bees and other insects. It is an early spring bloomer and its yellow colours can be stunning, especially when grown in clusters; they bloom for about a month. The stalks showcase pointy, toothed leaves that sport a deep green coloration….
This beautiful woodland wildflower has showy, drooping, bell-like flowers that turn from red into yellow. Its lovely floral display, ease of growing, and overall charm make Red Columbine a great plant for the home garden. It is at its peak in spring when its dangling blooms offer ornamental interest and food for ruby-throated hummingbirds. Red…
Bellwort is an excellent early-blooming native shade plant for the woodland garden, shaded border, wildflower garden, or naturalized area. It spreads slowly by rhizomes, so you can achieve a mass planting look under shade trees or along wood margins in a relatively short amount of time. Bellwort is easily grown in average, well-drained soil in…
Lavender is a popular and fragrant plant for both commercial and personal use. It is also one of the simplest plants to cultivate from seed. Growing and caring for Lavandula angustifolia in your yard can provide you with a pleasant fragrance all year. It has a peaceful and tranquil aroma, which provides therapeutic benefits that…
The Spotted Beebalm is an unusual beauty in form and colour, distinguished by its pagoda-like blossoms. It has eye-catching clusters of creamy purple-spotted tubular blooms sitting on pink, lavender, or ivory bracts. Flowering starts in mid-summer and continues into the fall. Spotted Beebalm, a member of the mint family, has a sweet and pleasant scent….
Butterfly Milkweed is valued for its magnificent clusters of bright orange to yellow-orange blooms that bloom all summer. They tend to be a great additon to many gardens. The lush vegetation creates a dark green backdrop that enhances the colourful blooms. This plant is a well-known choice for all sorts of gardens due to its…
The Christmas Fern got its name because it flowers in winter and stays green throughout the holidays. The fronds of this plant are up to 3 feet long and 4 inches wide, and the fronds have dark green leaves. When other plants are dormant, this plant adds color and interest to the garden. Growing Christmas…
Named monkeyflower after the apparent resemblance the blooms have to a monkey’s face, the Square-Stemmed Monkeyflower bears asymmetrical, tubular violet or pink flowers which bloom nearly continuously over a long season from early summer to fall. The flowers contrast nicely with the bright green leaves; both the foliage and the flowers of this plant are…
Marsh marigolds resemble massive buttercups. It is a popular spring plant because of its vivid yellow blooms that bloom in moist soil. Yellow marsh marigold is a mounded perennial native to wet meadows, swamps, marshes, fens, and stream edges in Canada and North America from Newfoundland to Alaska and south to Nebraska, Tennessee, and North…
Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra) is a good choice for cool shade gardens due to its lovely leaves, blooms, and vivid red berries. Find it in nature in the woods and clearings. The stalk of this perennial plant is 30 to 40 cm long (up to about 18 inches). It differs from white baneberry by having…
Jack in the Pulpit has a unique and beautiful tubular green leaf. It is easily grown in fertile, medium to wet soil in part shade to full shade. It needs constantly moist soil rich in organic matter. Caring for Jack in the Pulpit Growing Jack-in-the-pulpit flowers is as simple as caring for them. A wet,…
The Alocasia Polly is a show-stopper with the perfect contrast. It’s native to Southeast Asia and Australia. The distinct and beautiful leaves of the Alocasia Polly make it an instant favorite. However, this beloved is a bit difficult to keep pleased, which is why we’re here to assist! Your Alocasia polly will bloom if the…
Astilbes are the drama queens of the shade garden. You cannot help but admire these ‘no-fuss’ divas for their beauty and grace.
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