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…
Lavender, known for its fragrant purple flowers and silvery foliage, is a popular plant for gardens and landscapes. It’s relatively easy to care for and can be used in various applications, from landscaping to essential oil extraction. Here’s how to grow, care for, and propagate lavender: Growing Lavender Choosing the Right Location Sunlight: Lavender thrives…
Lantana plants are low-maintenance and easy to care for with the right materials. Lantanas can grow in any sunny location with well-draining soil. They’re usually planted in the spring once the last frost has passed and the cold has begun to subside. Why grow lantana? Lantana plants are commonly used as an indoor or…
This hardy, ornamental shrub is my plant choice for January as it can be depended upon to deliver vibrant red colour to the winter landscape. At about 5-6’ tall and wide, this particular dogwood (also known as Red-twig) features a number of notable attributes including stunning fall leaf colour, attractive berries for the birds, vibrant…
If you love the effect of an evergreen tree and the brilliant fall color of a deciduous tree, you can have both with a larch tree. Larch (also known as Tamarack) is renowned as Ontario’s only native deciduous conifer! These needled conifers resemble evergreens in spring and summer, but in the fall the needles turn…
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…
Staghorn Sumac puts on a startling display of color in the fall. It is a pleasing sight, especially in the fall, when the leaves turn extremely colourful. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Male and Female Flowers Female flowers produce showy pyramidal fruiting clusters (up to 8″ long), each containing…
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…
The Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa) is Canada’s only native cactus, and is a great conversation piece. The Prickly Pear Cactus is a unique addition to any garden, indoors or out. Plant it in dry, sandy soil and enjoy vibrant yellow flowers. It is also one of the most common cactus genera in the United…
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…
The Saskatoon Berry Bush is a woody, perennial shrub that can yield fruit and adapt to a variety of soil types and climatic conditions. The Saskatoon is a small to medium-sized shrub or tree that is a member of the Rose family. It shares a kinship with the mountain ash, apple, and hawthorn. Saskatoon berry…
Blackberry bush is the plant for you if you are searching for simple fruit to grow in limited space. In many areas, these sweet-tasting blackberries grow untamed in the forests and alongside trails. In the wild, they successfully contend with a range of weeds. They’ll grow easily if you put a few of them in…
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…
The leaves of the Mad-dog Skullcap are serrated and opposing, and the stem is square and often hairless. As a member of the mint family, one would expect it to have medicinal and beneficial properties. From July to September, it blooms with tiny, trumpet-shaped flowers ranging in colour from light blue to lavender or even…
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…
Stiff Goldenrod is a good choice for prairie gardens, cottage gardens and pollinator gardens. It is a resilient, self seeds and you might need to control its growth. Compared to most goldenrods, stiff goldenrod has larger, flatter flower clusters. In the fall, the leaves change to lovely colors of red. Plant Stiff Goldenrod alongside other…
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