Category Archives: Garden rejuvenation

Books, Communication, Dreams, Garden Design, Garden rejuvenation, New Gardens, Perennials, Tools, Vegetable Gardening, Websites

Creating a Garden Journal

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by Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

Full confession – I have never kept a garden journal. I have been given one from time to time as a gift, but I’ve never got round to using them.

This winter I’m thinking about finally using one (because my memory isn’t getting any better with age!) and because I’d like to record my gardening experiments in our main perennial beds year over year, as well as my experiences with native plants in my small native plant nursery in Lakefield, Ontario.

Keeping a garden journal is a valuable practice for both novice and experienced gardeners. It helps you document your gardening journey, learn from your experiences, and plan for the future.

So Why Keep a Garden Journal?

To Track Progress – A journal can help document plant growth, flowering times, and harvest yields to see how your garden evolves over time.

Record Weather Conditions – Noting temperature, rainfall, and seasonal changes that affect your plants will help you understand their influence on growth.

For Inspiration – A journal is a great place to document ideas, designs, and observations that inspire your gardening, serving as a creative outlet.

For Improved Planning – Use your past experiences to inform future planting decisions, such as choosing the right plants for specific locations.

Pest and Disease Management – It’s great to keep a record of any pest issues or diseases, along with effective treatments, to reference in the future.

For Budgeting Purposes – Keeping track of expenses related to your gardening supplies and plants allows you to manage your gardening budget effectively.

Some Thoughts on Creating a Garden Journal

I found some great ideas on how to have a successful garden journal.

Choose the Right Format – Decide between a physical notebook, a binder, or a digital platform that suits your preferences. You might want to keep several different journals – one for your vegetable garden, one for seeds etc. It’s up to you.

Include Essential Information – Record planting dates, plant names, care instructions, and observations on growth and health. This allows you to compare information year to year.

Photos – Incorporate photos of your garden at various stages, including bloom times and harvests.

Be Descriptive – Use descriptive language to capture your feelings and thoughts about your garden’s progress and challenges. Think about how your garden makes you feel during different times of the seasons.

Create Seasonal Sections – Consider organizing your journal by seasons or gardening phases (preparation, planting, maintenance, and harvesting) for easier reference.

Set Goals and Then Reflect – Write down your gardening goals for each season and include reflections on what worked well and what didn’t.

Add Design Elements – Include sketches or diagrams of your garden layout. Use colour, stickers, or drawings to make it visually engaging.

Maintain Regular Updates – Set a schedule to update your journal regularly, such as weekly or monthly, to maintain consistency. This is one thing I will have to do in order to successfully use a journal.

Experimentation Section – Dedicate a space to document any new gardening techniques, experiments, or plant varieties you try.

Review and Revise – Regularly review your entries to spot trends and adjust for future growing seasons.

Resources and Inspiration

Toronto & Golden Horseshoe Gardener’s Journal (now Canada Gardener’s Journal)
This journal has been reimagined for gardeners across Canada, providing tools, resources, and tips for successful gardening. Started by Margaret Bennet-Alder to aid Toronto area gardeners, in 2017 she transferred ownership to Helen and Sarah Battersby and now it’s run by Steven Biggs of Food Garden Life. (might make a great Christmas gift?)

Garden Therapy
This site has several articles about the importance of keeping a gardening journal and shares tips.
How to Start Keeping a Garden Journal (and Why You’ll Thank Me)
Keeping a Gardening Journal: Reflecting on Growth and Healing

Lee Valley 10 Year Gardening Journal
A very detailed 10 year perpetual diary, where each diary page is for one day of the year, and each page is divided into 10 sections. There is a diary, a section on gardening techniques, reference material, many charts, and places to record your inventory of perennials, a place to sketch etc.

DIY Garden Journal and Planner
Discusses the importance of a garden journal and provides printable pages and organizing tips. 

Purdue University – County Extension
Consider a garden journal – discusses the benefits of keeping a garden journal and what to include.

Penn State University – County Extension
Offers insights into Keeping a Garden Journal.

The Garden Continuum
Why a Journal is a Gardener’s Best Friend – explains the benefits of and tips for choosing the right format. This last link I found interesting as it explained the benefits of a digital vs hard copy journal.

“A digital journal can offer several advantages. First, it’s easily searchable so you can quickly find information on specific plants, techniques or projects. Second, you can easily add photos and other digital media to your entries, which can help you document your garden’s progress visually. Third, a digital journal can be accessed anywhere and from multiple devices so you can update it from your computer, tablet or phone. 

Writing by hand, however, can be a meditative and reflective experience, and it may help you to connect more deeply with your garden. Additionally, a handwritten journal can serve as a keepsake or heirloom that can be passed down through generations or to the future owners of your home.”

What I learned from my research on starting a garden journal (for this blog) is that you have to think about what YOU want to get out of your journal – inspiration, documentation, templates, a diary…whatever that is. So find a journal (or create your own journal) that meets your needs. If you find a great resource, please share it in the comments!

For now our garden in asleep for the winter, but it doesn’t mean we can’t start our journal and dream of springtime!

Advice, Drought, Garden rejuvenation, Information

Growing Wilderness in the United Kingdom

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By Thom Luloff, Master Gardener in Training

This autumn, I’ve had the incredible experience of doing a teaching exchange at Hartpury University in Gloucestershire, England.  In between teaching, hiking, and bird banding, I was able to cycle over 300 miles of beautiful English country lanes, stopping at castles, nature reserves, and some incredible gardens along the way.

Hidcote Manor

Walking through the gates of Hidcote Manor in the Cotswolds, it is easy to feel as though you’ve stepped into a painting. The clipped hedges, winding paths, and carefully designed garden rooms are alive with the hum of pollinators and the flutter of birds. Down the road at Sudeley Castle, wildflower meadows are stitched into the landscape, part of a growing movement in the UK to “rewild” gardens, restore soils through regenerative farming practices, and build habitats that bring nature (yes, hedgehogs!) back into cultivated spaces.  Interactive songbird huts, topiary animals, and forest school playforts do their best to situate nature at the heart for all ages.

Hidcote Manor

As a Conservation Biologist, this experience has offered very good perspective.  In Britain, every hedge, flower border, and restored meadow is a choice made against the backdrop of land pressure. With centuries of agricultural intensification and urban sprawl, biodiversity has been whittled down and what is left is very small, isolated, and still heavily managed by humans.  The birds that flit in the hedgerows, the butterflies in the long grasses, and the rare orchids tucked into meadow corners are treasures precisely because they are fragile—and rare.

Hidcote Manor

This sense of loss combined with preciousness shapes the way the British approach gardening: nature is folded into design not as ornament but as necessity. Even the grandest estates now showcase pollinator gardens, bird-friendly planting, and soil-friendly techniques that acknowledge the land’s limits.  My teaching partner in the department here summed this up pithily when she said: “We don’t conserve wilderness, we have to grow it alongside our tomatoes.” 

Hidcode Manor

This past summer, much of Britain faced a severe drought. Gardens once lush with green lawns and blooming perennials turned brittle and brown, testing the resilience of even the most historic estates. For visitors, it was a stark reminder that climate change is rewriting the rules of gardening everywhere. Those manicured, clipped expanses of green that once symbolized order and wealth are now increasingly viewed as unsustainable. Pressure is mounting for landowners to let go of the perfect lawn and instead embrace wilder, woodier landscapes that store carbon, provide shade, and create habitat for wildlife. What was once considered unruly is being reimagined as resilience—an acceptance that in the face of climate change, neatness cannot take precedence over nature.

For Canadians, the contrast is striking. Canada is a country of seeming abundance: boreal forests that stretch for thousands of kilometers, wetlands that teem with migratory birds, and prairies that still hold echoes of bison herds. Diversity here can feel endless, and because of that, sometimes it is taken for granted.  

Yet, abundance should not breed complacency. Canada faces its own ecological crises—loss of grasslands, declining pollinator populations, and habitat fragmentation in every province. There is much to learn from Britain’s careful stewardship of what little remains, especially in recognizing that a garden is not just personal space, but part of a shared ecological fabric.

Standing between the flower borders of Hidcote and the meadows of Sudeley, the lesson is clear. British gardens show how intentionality can transform even limited landscapes into havens of biodiversity, while Canadian gardens remind us of the wealth we still have—and the responsibility to protect it. In both places, the garden is more than a private retreat. It is a living classroom, teaching us how to care for what is precious, whether rare or abundant, in a changing world.

Thom Luloff is a Professor of Conservation Biology at Fleming College.

https://sudeleycastle.co.uk/what-to-do/gardens
Drought, Garden rejuvenation, Perennials, Planting, Sedums

An Overlooked Group of Plants

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By Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

Now that the hot, humid days of summer are upon us, it is time to appreciate some of the unsung heroes of the garden such as the low growing sedums (aka stonecrops) and hens and chicks (Sempervivum). 

These are a large and diverse grouping of plants known for their thick, fleshy engorged parts that retain water making them incredibly drought resistant.  They are found on every continent but Antarctica and likely in all of our gardens.  Give them sunshine with good drainage and they will reward you for years to come.

Often, these plants are used as groundcovers playing second fiddle to our larger, showier specimens or artfully placed in rock gardens.  Why not consider bringing them out to centerstage? Their varied texture and colours can create a unique look. The drought resistant nature of the plants is on trend with our warming climate. 

sedum garden

Some years ago, I redid a south facing bed entirely in sedums and hens and chicks. The previous occupants were failing to meet the challenges of the climate. It has proven to be a bit of trial and error with some varieties working well, some being too aggressive necessitating their removal and some succumbing to winter kill.  The bed is still a work in progress.

Initially, I did lose plants to rot as the existing soil was rich and covered with cedar bark mulch.  After amending with a poorer quality of soil scavenged from the shoulder of my road as well as implementing the use of HPB (high performance bedding) as mulch, the plants took off. HPB is a type of washed, crushed, angular limestone chip that does not contain fines or dust, typically around 1/4 inch in size.  It is commonly used as a base material for patios, walkways, and other landscaping projects. It’s known for its excellent drainage properties and makes a lovely stone mulch.  As the plants grew, they expanded happily into the HPB.

rocks

Other applications for these plants include their use in containers.  I am fond of planting up an old boot for placement on the porch stairs.  The succulents do well and take little care.  At the end of the season, plants are tucked back into garden to overwinter.

More recently, specialized companies have been producing “sedum mats” for use on green roofs and on landscape applications.  Sedum mats are a mixture of hardy sedum species grown in 1.5 inch thick soil-less media on a biodegradable coconut fibre base.  These mats are cut and rolled up like sod and are laid out in a similar fashion to provide a continuous green covering.  They can tolerate light foot traffic and are often used in areas where conventional garden beds would prove difficult (rocky areas with little soil depth, accents around hardscaping, boulevards). 

Sedums and sempervivum are the ultimate in low maintenance, drought tolerant plants that are visually striking and unique. There are far too many varieties to list here but some that I have found attractive, hardy and would recommend growing are Sunsparkler Firecracker, Sunsparkler Lime Zinger, Angelina, Dragons Blood, Voodoo and John Creech.  Some nurseries specialize in these species and have a large selection to choose from. No need to worry about planting these in the heat or having to baby them along.  I have some empty spots to fill so I think I will be heading out to my favorite nursery near Bobcaygeon to acquire a few new varieties.

And thanks to Master Gardener MJ Pilgrim for the awesome photo of her hens and chicks in the vintage iron.

Disease, Garden Cleanup, Garden rejuvenation, Planting, Pruning, Shrubs & Trees

November Reflections

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by Lois Scott, Peterborough Master Gardener

Even though we are more than half way through November many gardeners are still finding things to do, enjoy or plan for in the garden.

This fall I planted a number of woody plants including three small trees and 2 shrubs which have required ongoing watering. With new woody plantings it is important to water them well, right up to the time that the ground freezes, paying attention to not drowning them but preventing the roots from drying out.

Tree roots are actively growing in the cool fall weather so they need the moisture. Here’s how to do it right.

As the season advances and the trees are bare it is an excellent time to see if there are any pruning needs. Wood that is diseased, damaged or dead/dying should be pruned sooner rather than later.

According to Lee Reich, author of ‘The Pruning Book’, pruning for structure is best left until late winter after the coldest part of the winter is past. Wounds in wood heal most quickly just as plant growth is getting underway rather than the fall when wounds heal poorly and many fungi are spreading their ‘disease producing spores’.

Of particular note is the caution to not prune any Oak species during the growing season due to Oak Wilt disease. If you do need to prune during the growing season apply wound paint to the cut area.

I am planning for some structural pruning on a Star Magnolia in late winter 2025 and I can now see the tree’s structure to plan for that which is a process I enjoy.

This November I am still enjoying the frost tolerant kale and arugula that were started in grow bags in late summer. They have stopped actively growing with the cold temperatures but are still very edible. At this time of year there is no concern about them bolting (going to seed)!

Walking our neighbourhood has also afforded me the opportunity to see and enjoy what nature and gardens have to offer in November. Oaks still bearing their beautiful fall foliage and my neighbour’s fabulous roses are just a few of the visual treats.

I hope your November garden reflections are enjoyable and satisfying!

Communication, Garden rejuvenation, Native Plants, Natural Fertilizers

Dynamic Accumulators: Useful plants for both lazy and nerdy gardeners

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By Rachel Foebel, Master Gardener in Training

What are dynamic accumulators?

These are plants known to collect large amounts of soil nutrients, usually from deeper in the soil via long tap roots (sometimes fibrous roots as well) and store them within the plant. These plants are used to then release their nutrients to the upper layers of the soil as the above ground parts of the plant break down, either by harvesting, winter, or completion of a life cycle. The most known and used plants tend to be Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) or Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) and sometimes plants from the nettle family such as stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). Additionally, cover crops such as legumes are used widely to serve this same purpose. Dandelions and rhubarb are also known to be dynamic accumulators.

Left: Comfrey picture (caption: Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Right: Comfrey flower (caption: Comfrey flower)

Is there any science to back this up?

While this method of soil improvement has been discussed and used for a while (since the 1980’s), research to prove this concept has only begun to occur very recently.

In 2020, Northeast SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) provided a research grant to Unadilla Community Farm, in coordination with Cornell University, “to help expand our collective understanding of what exactly dynamic accumulators are, how they work, and what are some practical applications for these plants,” (Zarro, 2020). For the purposes of their work, a dynamic accumulator was defined as a plant containing roughly 200% of the set average of any of the 20 beneficial nutrients they had data for (Tyler, 2022). They were able to identify over 340 plant species that qualify based on these terms and created a dynamic accumulator online database.

Here is where you can find this database: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19S3wsjXU6VPzmbklZLVxKt6DCyZIPjCYw6zRrVg7M4Y/edit?pli=1&gid=1519867200#gid=1519867200

Add picture:

A clip of the database to show how it displays its information about each nutrient

And here is where you can find more information on the methods they used to compile the database: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2022/04/new-findings-further-the-study-of-dynamic-accumulators/

The work done since the database was formed has given more insight still. It has been found that these plants cannot perform to the level they are expected on the database unless these nutrients exist somewhere in the soil to begin with. While this seems obvious, it means that you can’t expect these plants to fully restore poor soil on their own. They can only be one part of the plan or be used to maintain soil that already has some nutrients to share.

Are there dynamic accumulators that are native to Ontario?

Yes. Some examples are paw paws, blue cohosh, wild strawberries, self heal. To find more you can cross reference the above-linked dynamic accumulator database with a native plant database like this:

https://networkofnature.org/species/

Or this:

Plant Database

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)), Self heal (Prunella vulgaris))

How do I fit this into my garden practices?

Some of these will arise on their own, like clover, lamb’s quarters, dandelions, etc. If they have not gone to seed, simply pull them like you would any weed and let them decompose on top of your garden soil. Alternatively, you can bring them to your compost bin to release their nutrients there. If they are a desired species, you can plant them right where you need them most. You can plan them into your vegetable crop rotations if they are annuals. The commonly used perennial comfrey re-grows quickly, so the foliage can be removed and used as mulch nearby. Planted under a fruit tree, you can let the process occur on its own each year as the foliage on top dies in winter and feeds the soil that way. This is a common permaculture practice that now finally has some research to back it up!

A permaculture-style vegetable garden

References

Tyler, Ben. (April 3, 2022). New Findings Further the Studies of Dynamic Accumulators. Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2022/04/new-findings-further-the-study-of-dynamic-accumulators/

Zarro, Greta. (July 20, 2020). Breaking Ground with Dynamic Accumulators. Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2020/07/breaking-ground-with-dynamic-accumulators/

Tyler, Ben & Zarro, Greta (Dec 2021). A dynamic accumulator database and field trials for six promising species. Northeast Sustainable Agriculture & Research Education.  https://projects.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/A-dynamic-accumulator-database-and-field-trials-for-six-promising-species.pdf

Some other interesting articles on Dynamic Accumulators:

Kitsteiner, John. (April 15, 2015). The Facts about Dynamic Accumulators. Permaculture Research Institute. https://www.permaculturenews.org/2015/04/10/the-facts-about-dynamic-accumulators/

James, Sean. (2011). Permaculture, the art of edible gardening. Landscape Ontario.com https://landscapeontario.com/permaculture-the-art-of-edible-gardening

Battersby, Sarah (2009). Love Your Dandelions, They’re Dynamic! Toronto Gardens Blog. https://www.torontogardens.com/2009/04/love-your-dandelions-theyre-dynamic.html/

Annuals, Dreams, Garden Design, Garden rejuvenation, New Gardens, Perennials, Research

Gardening in July

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by Cheryl Harrison, Master Gardener

July is the month that I tend to really enjoy the garden….most of the work is done! The planting of seeds, and plants into pots and garden beds, dividing and thinning and garden creating is behind me for now. However, there are still a few garden tasks.

I try to keep up with weeding because weeds can quickly overrun your garden as they begin to set seed. Weeds take nutrients from the soil which your plants need and can smother out young plants. And I am one of those gardeners who enjoys weeding. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I finish weeding a garden bed and when I pull out a weed and get the root….well that is simply thrilling.

Early July is a good time to trim back your annuals in order to encourage bushier growth and to trim off the spent blooms of your perennials to prevent seed production and allow the plant to put its energy into its roots. You may want to start fertilizing your potted plants because any fertilizer that was contained in the potting soil has probably been used up by now. There are lots of choices when it comes to fertilizers so talk to the staff of your favorite local nursery. They will be able to advise you and will likely carry the best products.

July is also the month when that garlic that you planted last fall is ready to harvest. We grow hard neck garlic that a kind neighbor started us on a few years ago. I removed the curled scapes last week and froze them for future use. I will keep an eye on the leaves on the garlic because when a few leaves have started to turn brown then the garlic is ready to harvest.

The rest of your vegetable garden may be starting to produce now as well. We have harvested some tomatoes already which is a bit earlier than usual for us. It is a good idea to check your vegetable garden daily so that you harvest and enjoy the results at their peak and to respond quickly to any issues that may arise.

I evaluate the appearance of my ornamental gardens in July. It is interesting to see if the garden looks the way that I had planned. I do not mean, “is it perfect” but how close is it this year to the feeling that I would like to achieve when someone walks through the gardens for the first time. I look at how the colours and textures work together. I ask myself if there are any bare spots or areas that I will need to renovate soon (eg. crowded and/or overgrown plants).

I am starting to plan my fall and next spring projects now. This year, two smaller gardens were joined and planted with mainly annuals for quick impact. I know that I plan to fill this garden with perennials and native woodland plants. This means keeping this garden in mind when I am shopping at the local nurseries.

Spring, and early summer, gardening can be a very busy time. July is the month to really enjoy your gardens and dream about what you might like to do next!

Advice, Garden rejuvenation, Information, Perennials, Planting

Divide to Multiply

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by Marilyn Homewood, Master Gardener

Despite the lingering snow, the longer days and stronger sun tell us that spring is indeed here! With that we begin to think about all of the chores we wish to accomplish. Division of perennials is a common task. So why do we divide?

Division is a common means of vegetative propagation. It is an easy way to increase the number of plants you have available. Division is also required maintenance for some perennials in order to achieve maximum bloom year after year. Although a fairly simple process, there are a couple of considerations you must make.

Time of Year

Because successful division depends on the growth of new roots, the best times of the year to divide are spring and fall when the soil is warm, water is available and stressors are at a minimum.

Many perennials can also be divided during the summer months but high temperatures mean an increase in water loss. This leads to a stressed plant so extra care must be provided to ensure the plant remain well hydrated. Also, there are some ornamental grasses that only grow new roots in the spring. These plants should not be divided in the fall as they will not grow new roots that can take up water.

Method of Division

This will depend on the type of root and crown system the plant has. No matter the type of plant, keep in mind that each plant division must contain at least one bud or growing point and a few healthy roots. If you are unsure of the what you are dealing with, there is a link to a list from the University of Minnesota at the end of this blog.

Clumpers – These plants often have fibrous root systems sometimes with rhizomes but grow many smaller crowns at the base of the original each having its own root system. This often makes for easy separation with little tissue damage. Examples include ajuga, daylily and hosta.

Runners – These are plants that spread by covering the ground by shallow horizontal stems. They root along their nodes and send up new shoots making them easily dividable by separating the root ball. Examples include bee balm and goldenrod.

Tight, woody crowns – These plants are a little more challenging to divide as the buds are often tightly packed on a hardened crown. For best results the plant must be older when split to ensure that divisions with have growing points. Examples include baptisia and peony.

Thick rhizomes or tubers – Rhizomes are technically stems that grow underground. Divided sections must contain at least one growing eye. Examples in this group would be bearded iris and dahlia. These varieties should only be divided when dormant.

Tap rooted plants –These cannot rarely be divided unless multiple tap roots have developed and are better propagated by using root cuttings. Plants in this group includes oriental poppies.

Basic Steps for Division

  1. Dig out the plant. If not replanting immediately, protect from desiccation. Removing the plant from the ground can destroy tiny root hairs (responsible for water uptake). Protecting the plant means a faster recovery on the division is replanted. I often place the root ball in a plastic bag and place in a shaded area.
  2. Separate your plant into pieces using the most appropriate method. Make sure to take generous divisions of sufficient size to ensure growing points and healthy roots.
  3. Replant, digging hole wide enough. Roots like to grow out and down so give them enough space to spread out. Be sure that the soil has good contact with the root system by firming the soil then water the division in, slowly allowing the soil to further settle against the roots.

Resources

The Science Behind Plant Division

Divide and Conquer: How to Divide and Multiply Perennials

How and When to Divide Perennials

Table for Dividing Perennials

Garden Design, Garden rejuvenation, Perennials, Planting, Travel

Exploring Two Special English Gardens (and the Gardeners behind them)

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by Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

This week I had the pleasure of doing my first in-person presentation in almost three years to the Peterborough Horticultural Society on some very special south England gardens that my husband and I were able to visit in May 2022.

National Garden Scheme

I also talked about the amazing UK National Garden Scheme (NGS), where gardeners open their private gardens on specific days during the year to raise funds for primarily health charities. Since many people had never heard of the NGS, I thought I’d share with a wider audience with my blog for this month.

Screen capture from NGS website

The NGS gives access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, which in turn raise impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake. And it’s not just about seeing beautiful gardens – there is a strong focus on physical and mental health benefits of gardens too. They also support other charities doing amazing work in gardens, and provide health and grant bursaries to help community gardening projects. You can read more here.

How I wish we could start something similar here in Canada (or Ontario, or Peterborough)! Imagine all the good that could happen just from sharing our gardens with people. I’ll have to think more about this.

So we managed to see two very special private gardens (that both open for the NGS as well) and get to meet the gardeners behind the garden, which is always my favourite thing to do when I visit to a garden. I want to understand the inspiration, the goals and objectives, and the plans for the future…because we all know our gardens are ever evolving places.

Waterperry Gardens

Waterperry Gardens (east of Oxford in Oxfordshire) has a long legacy and an amazing history as one of the few horticultural schools for women (from 1943 to 1971) – run by two outstanding women – Beatrix Havergal and her partner Avice Sanders.

Photo courtesy of Waterperry Gardens

It’s an 80 acre estate with 8 acres of formal gardens, and is famous for the herbaceous border. This is what it looked like May 2022 when we visited, and how it looks now (fall 2022, photo courtesy of Head Gardener Pat Havers, who I was lucky enough to meet in person in probably the busiest time of the year!) I love this blog written about her in 2017.

Photo courtesy of Pat Havers
Photo courtesy of Pat Havers (taken by Mark Lord Photography)

You know you’re a hard core gardener when your Mum takes you to work in a wheelbarrow!

Photo courtesy of Pat Havers

Pat grew up in the gardens as her mother worked there, and has been working there herself for the past 20 years -10 years as Head Gardener.

“Living in the village it was every little girl’s dream to have this haven on their doorstep”, says Pat. “I would spend hours running through the beds and asking all the gardeners questions about their work. This soon caught Miss Havergal’s eye and I became the youngest student of hers at just the age of 4. My guess is perhaps she did this to keep me out of trouble.“

Her passion for the gardens were evident in everything she said. I found out about her favourite quiet space (down by the River Thame), and the incredible legacy established by Havergal and Sanders, that continues to this day in terms of courses, plant identification tags, and garden design.

This garden is the Formal Garden/Silent Garden, where people are encouraged to turn off the phones and just enjoy the beautiful knot garden, sculptures, and seasonal changes.

St Timothee Garden

Just a bit further east near Maidenhead in Berkshire is St Timothee, a spectacular 2 acre private country garden planted for year-round interest with a variety of different colour-themed borders, each featuring a wide range of hardy perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses.

The garden artist at work here is Sarah Pajwani, and I love her approach to gardening (similar to my own), and especially her focus on making her gardens appealing all year round, including those winter months. While England obviously doesn’t have the harsh winters we have here, her focus is on maintaining structure and colour in the garden.

photo courtesy of Sarah Pajwani

An overgrown field area when she moved in (2006), Sarah created a design rationale with the help of professional landscapers, but then set about filling her garden with plants of her choice, border by border. She definitely loves her purples and pinks, but also has a few ‘hot’ borders with lovely reds, oranges and yellows.

There are so many lovely aspects to her gardens, including a large pond, wild meadow, potting shed, and formal parterre garden. While we were there in May, her photos of her winter garden are amazing, designed to have year round interest that’s easy to manage.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Pajwani
Photo courtesy of Sarah Pajwani

Sarah’s garden received national recognition in 2021, being recognized by The English Garden magazine as the National Winner for favourite garden. A garden not to be missed if you are in the area!

This excellent garden blog shows the beauty of the St Timothee Garden in wintertime, when it’s one of the first to open for the NGS.

While we did enjoy seeing many of the ‘signature’ ‘must see’ gardens on our English trip – like Sissinghurst, Hidcote, Kiftsgate Court Gardens, and Great Dixter – it was these private gardens – where we had the opportunity to meet the gardeners – that were the highlight of our trip. So if you’re in the UK, be sure to check out the NGS website for what gardens are open while you are there – they have a great interface to help you – either by week or by arrangement.

(Special thanks to the magic of Twitter for connecting me to Ontario gardener Lynette, who connected me to master gardener Nicki in Sussex, who helped me find these very special gardens and gardeners. You will both be on my list of gardens to see next time I’m in your area.)

Bees & Pollinators, Garden Design, Garden rejuvenation, Native Plants, Perennials, Planting, Propagation

The Golden Glow Has Got To Go

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By Emma Murphy, Master Gardener

Last year around this time I wrote a blog about reclaiming a garden bed from the dreaded ditch lily (Hemerocallis fulva), now considered an invasive species by many organizations including Ontario Parks and the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the U. S. National Park Service. If you’ve ever struggled with this plant you know what I mean.

The other plant growing in our large Lakefield garden when we moved in (more than 20 years ago) is what I was told was called an ‘outhouse plant‘. I eventually learned that the Latin name for this plant (also called golden glow or tall coneflower) was Rudbeckia laciniata “Hortensia”.

Rudbeckia laciniata “Hortensia” or Outhouse Plant, circa 2005 in my garden

It’s a cultivar of our native Rudbeckia laciniata, also known as Cut Leaf Coneflower or Green Headed Coneflower, which has a lovely simple daisylike flower (whereas the Hortesia cultivar is a double ‘puffy’ flower).

Our lovely R. laciniata elsewhere in the garden. It will do better (and flop less) if it’s in a garden bed with other tall and native plants.
Native R. laciniata flower to the left and R. Hortensia (double flower) to the right

The outhouse plant was pleasant enough so I let them grow for years in what I call our ‘back 40’, meaning our naturalized garden area at the back of the property, behind the cedar rail fence. Yes they were tall and gangly, and fell over in thunderstorms. Yes they spread, but they gave the prolific Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) and New England Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) a run for their money in August/September. And hey, I had more than enough to deal with in the rest of my more organized garden!

However, as I started to learn more about both native (and invasive) plants over the years I realized that I might have a problem. The outhouse plant isn’t a huge problem per se, as it can be controlled through digging, Chelsea chop etc., but its double shape means that it offers minimal benefit as food for our pollinators. And I wanted plants that not only look beautiful but have an ecological benefit. So I sat in my hammock and pondered.

Sitting in my hammock contemplating the outhouse plant’s fate
(he’s watching on the right)

As a result of winter sowing (first time this past winter – highly recommend!) I have lots of new native plant seedlings, including some of the ones I featured in my May blog – A Few of My Favourite Native Plants – Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum Virginicum), Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), and Green Headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata). I certainly have lots of the native Rudbeckia, as well as Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea), and Purple Giant Hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia).

So the clearing of the outhouse plant began in earnest last week, and by the end of two afternoons I had an area to work with.

The initial chop of material
Then removal of the actual plants and roots

Definitely not light work, but not too difficult either compared to other plants. The area is now clear, and I’ll be putting in Green Headed Coneflower (the native), Boneset, Giant Ironweed, and Purple Giant Hyssop. They can all tolerate a little competition (a good thing for native plants, especially tall ones) and basic soils.

If I have space I might even mix in some shorter plants like native Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) and Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) in at the front as they can tolerate dry conditions. The area is mostly sunny all day. Unfortunately my beloved Cardinal Flower and Turtlehead are too dry for this location.

We’ll see how this experiment works and check back in with you all on another blog. If it works we’ll expand into another area of outhouse plant that I recently cut down, but haven’t removed yet…a work in progress. There are only so many hours in my (still working part time) day. And I still need to get that Canada Ggoldenrod under control…but that’s another story…

The next phase of the project.
Dreams, Garden Design, Garden rejuvenation, Perennials, Planting, Travel

Dreams of Spring Gardens

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By Emma Murphy, Peterborough Master Gardener

It’s really cold out. I mean REALLY cold. -25 degrees Celsius cold. With lots of snow. And wind. And ice. So it’s got me dreaming of springtime and things that are green and not white.

So indulge me while I research and share with you some of my favourite English gardens in southern England that we plan to visit later this spring. Hoping things improve to celebrate my aunt’s 95th birthday and fulfill a long held dream to visit England in late springtime. While I’m planting many more natives in my messy “English-style” garden, I’m still fascinated with the diversity, structure, and composition of more formal English gardens.

Here’s my top 5 ‘not to be missed South England gardens” – there are (of course) more on our list but these are the key ones. Some of these may be familiar to you, and some not…

Hoping that these profiles help ease the January blues. Since I’ve haven’t been there yet these are photos taken by others. If you have been lucky enough to visit these gardens please share your photos in the comments.

1. Great Dixter House and Gardens, Rye, East Sussex

Great Dixter is an historic house, a garden, a centre of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world. Certainly it’s the one garden that has the highest reputation with overseas visitors.

Surprisingly, it’s maintained this reputation for many decades, even through a change of hands. Initially famous through its owner Christopher Lloyd (1921-2006) – who lived in the half-timbered fifteenth-century house all his life – Lloyd (or “Christo” as he was known) was not only a gifted and artistic gardener but a prolific and knowledgeable writer whose articles and books inspired a generation of gardeners.

Today, the gardens are managed by the Great Dixter Charitable Trust and Fergus Garrett, who became head gardener in 1992. I was lucky enough to hear him speak at a Toronto Master Gardeners’ Technical Update a few years ago.

The two gardeners had a creative working relationship, both loving plants and their combinations, and even though Lloyd is gone more than 50,000 visitors a year find Great Dixter as vibrant a garden as ever, and full of things to learn from.

This is an ‘arts and crafts’ style garden, with topiary, a long border, an orchard and a wild flower meadow. The planting is profuse, yet structured, and has featured many bold experiments of form, colour and combination.

On the grounds are three 18th-century oast houses, under a common roof, and a 15th-century barn. Find out more here.

2. Sissinghurst Castle Gardens, Sissinghurst, Kent

Located in beautiful Kent, Sissinghurst Castle Garden was created by poet and writer Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat in 1930 and developed over 30 years with some notable head gardeners.

Designated Grade I on Historic England’s register of historic parks and gardens, it’s among the most famous gardens in England. They transformed a farmstead of “squalor and slovenly disorder” into one of the world’s most influential gardens.

Following her death in 1962, the estate was donated to the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty. It is one of the Trust’s most popular properties, with more than 200,000 visitors each year (and I hope to be one of them!).

There are a number of specialty gardens, including the Rose Garden, the (famous) White Garden, the South Cottage Garden, the Herb Garden, the Nuttery, the Lime Walk (Spring Garden), the Delos Garden (Mediterranean garden), Moat Walk, the Orchard, and the Purple Border. Learn more here.

3. Hidcote Gardens, Hidcot Bartim, Gloucestershire

Hidcote is a world-famous garden located in the north Cotswolds (not far from [the original] Stratford-upon-Avon). Created by the talented horticulturist Major Lawrence Johnston (and inspired by the work of designers Alfred Parsons and Gertrude Jekyll), yew, holly and beech hedges define a series of outdoor garden rooms – the Circle, the Fuchsia garden , the Bathing Pool Garden, the Red Borders and the steps up to the two gazebos. The outbreak of the Great War (1914 – 1918) in which Lawrence fought, suspended progress.

You might recognize the narrow-leaved lavender, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’, and Penstemon ‘Hidcote Pink’, as developed by Johnston. Many of the plants found growing in the garden were collected from Johnston’s many plant-hunting trips to faraway places so it will be the perfect source for gardening inspiration. More history here.

4. Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex

Created in 1885 at the former home of William Robinson, who championed naturalistic planting, the site today is a prestigious hotel, but visitors can still enjoy the gardens which are curated and cared for by Tom Coward (who trained with Fergus Garrett at Great Dixter).

An oasis of calm with over 35 acres of beautiful grounds, Robinson created a landscape that celebrates nature rather than controls it. He also introduced the idea of the modern mixed border and popularized common place items such as secateurs and hose pipes. In many ways Robinson created modern gardening as we know it.

Some of his most influential books include The Wild Garden and The English Flower Garden, which remains the bestselling gardening book ever printed. He also ran several gardening journals such as The Garden and Garden Illustrated.

Robinson made Gravetye “the paradigm in which house, garden, fields, and forest are united in a pastoral work of art as quintessentially English as a painting by Constable,” wrote landscape designer Elizabeth Barlow Rogers. Some ideas on how to create the Gravetye look here.

5. Wisley Gardens, Wisley, Surrey

Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Garden Wisley is operated by the RHS and is a beautiful garden with romantic half-timbered Tudor-style buildings. Unlike many English gardens, the soil is mainly acid sand which is poor in nutrients and fast draining.

There is a canal designed by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, a rock garden, formal and walled gardens by Lanning Roper, a country garden by Penelope Hobhouse and long borders by Piet Oudolf.

Then there are long herbaceous borders, the alpine gardens, the model gardens, soft fruit garden, rose-garden, summer garden, winter garden and woodland garden, a fruit field, glasshouses and an arboretum.

This garden is home to some of the largest plant collections anywhere in the world, with constantly evolving planting schemes to inspire visitors. In June 2021, Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science opened at Wisley so I’m looking forward to exploring this impressive exhibition space and three beautiful new gardens.

Well that’s it for this blog – I hope you feel inspired to explore gardens wherever you live or travel – they are so many incredible gardens here in Canada and the U.S. alone. Even if we can’t travel much at the moment, many gardens have developed virtual visits, presentations, and videos so you can explore that way until we can move more freely. One of my favourites is the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia, which I hope to visit in person in the future. Check it out here.

I leave you with a photo of my messy Lakefield “English garden” from last summer, my hardworking husband and our 2021 new greenhouse and dreams of springtime.