Little by little, as fall takes hold in the yard, I trim away the browning foliage. I savour the few flowers and the greenery that linger. I like to have everything cleaned up; the furniture, lights and ornaments put away before the snow falls. It does seem like I just put them out, though.
I shopped at one greenhouse in 2020, which was a change for me. Usually, I hit every one I can find and some more than once. This year I did control myself considering the restrictions.
The Dracaena spikes in the photos are starting to look like palm trees; they are about three years old. To keep them over the winter, I store them in the basement.
Perennials are the main focus of my flower beds. For the most part, they are relatively self-sufficient. They take less watering than annuals, and you do not have the expense of repurchasing them each year. Although some perennials are quite tender, most can live for many years, so they are worth the investment. Most years, I go on a plant shopping trip at the end of the season when perennials are on sale. I purchase replacement plants or new varieties to try. I decided to forgo that expedition this year.
My grandmother’s lilac bush that’s been here for over 40 years wasn’t blooming much anymore, so we decided to cut it right down to about three feet off the ground. It does have some new growth, so hopefully, next year, it will make a full comeback. It has faithfully bloomed for our anniversary in June. I’ll be sad if it doesn’t make it. The miniature lilac bush was pretty, although it only blooms for a short time.
I replaced some old shrubs last year, and most of the new ones thrived. A couple shrubs like my Little Angel Ninebark, which I planted in a shady, dry spot, did not. What do you plant in a spot like that?
My yellow and red roses and, of course, Old Rose, bloomed like crazy. Old Rose is a bit of a diva and she has appeared in two of my stories, Old Rose | Every Garden is Full of Stories and The Rescue of Old Rose. The red rose is a small bush only about three feet by three feet at most, but it had about a hundred blooms on it. They were so heavy the poor little shrub could barely hold up all those blooms on its thin branches.
The lilies put on a beautiful show; these innocent and beautiful flowers never disappoint. They multiply, so the display gets bigger and better each year. Different varieties bloom at various times throughout the summer providing continuous splashes of colour.
The Dracaena spikes in the photos are starting to look like palm trees; they are about three years old. To keep them over the winter, I store them in the basement.
Annual plants that did well in containers include; (top left/across)
- Zion Purple Sun Osteospermum & Yellow Sanvitalia
- Pink Geranium
- Purple Aster, Dracaena Spike, Black Velvet & Burgundy Charme Verbena
- Painted Tongue
- Nonstop Yellow Begonias, Dracaena Spike, Pansies & Baby’s Breath
- Petunias - Supertunias Silverberry & Raspberry Rush
- Lemonade Osteospermum & Lemon Star Thunbergia Vine
- Blue Pansies
- Lemon Slice Calibrachoa Superbells
- Citronella Geranium
- Dracaena Spike & Double Pink Calibrachoa
- Good Night Kiss Calibrachoa
- Nasturtiums
Perennials are the main focus of my flower beds. For the most part, they are relatively self-sufficient. They take less watering than annuals, and you do not have the expense of repurchasing them each year. Although some perennials are quite tender, most can live for many years, so they are worth the investment. Most years, I go on a plant shopping trip at the end of the season when perennials are on sale. I purchase replacement plants or new varieties to try. I decided to forgo that expedition this year.
Visit my post, Perennial Gardening on the Prairies, for some helpful tips on growing perennials. I have included photos from my gardens of some of my favourites.
- Lady’s Mantle
- Hostas
- Daisies
- Pasque Flowers
- Purple Bell Flower
- Amethyst
- Yellow Tulips & Lily of the Valley
We planted pepper and tomato plants in large tubs. Our crop was small and nothing to brag about, but we used what we did get. An herb pot is one of my favourite things. Something is satisfying about fresh herbs. This year sweet basil, golden oregano, curled parsley and English thyme graced the herb pot.
The strawberry pots that I mentioned trying in my post, 8 Container Gardening Tips, turned out well. The Hubs would disagree, though. He said that whenever he checked, there were no berries. I got there first; you snooze, you lose. Even our two-year-old granddaughter knew that it was crucial to get to the strawberry patch before anyone else. They sure tasted good. I planted two varieties, Hot Pink Berri Basket and Pink Everbearing Berri Basket. The hot pinks had fewer seeds, nicer skin, pretty pink flowers and the best flavour.
I’m worried that my strawberry plants won’t survive the winter in the tubs. I’m going to cover them with mulch and put another tub on top and hope for the best. The few dollars I spent on these plants was well worth it. Watching them bloom and grow and harvesting them a few berries at a time amused me all summer. I love planting things I get joy out of even if they don’t produce much.
Last year we cut down our big clematis vine because we built a new fence. It did grow back a bit, but not enough to bloom. This year it grew four feet and produced a few lovely purple flowers. I am hoping that next year it will be back to its former splendour.
My grandmother’s lilac bush that’s been here for over 40 years wasn’t blooming much anymore, so we decided to cut it right down to about three feet off the ground. It does have some new growth, so hopefully, next year, it will make a full comeback. It has faithfully bloomed for our anniversary in June. I’ll be sad if it doesn’t make it. The miniature lilac bush was pretty, although it only blooms for a short time.
I replaced some old shrubs last year, and most of the new ones thrived. A couple shrubs like my Little Angel Ninebark, which I planted in a shady, dry spot, did not. What do you plant in a spot like that?
Left/Across - purchased 2019
- Potentilla
- Astilbe
- Amber Ninebark
- Birchleaf Spirea
- Limelight Potentilla
My yellow and red roses and, of course, Old Rose, bloomed like crazy. Old Rose is a bit of a diva and she has appeared in two of my stories, Old Rose | Every Garden is Full of Stories and The Rescue of Old Rose. The red rose is a small bush only about three feet by three feet at most, but it had about a hundred blooms on it. They were so heavy the poor little shrub could barely hold up all those blooms on its thin branches.
The lilies put on a beautiful show; these innocent and beautiful flowers never disappoint. They multiply, so the display gets bigger and better each year. Different varieties bloom at various times throughout the summer providing continuous splashes of colour.
Unfortunately, last year I lost my white bleeding heart to winter kill, and this year my pink one was nowhere to be found. My daughter-in-law took pity on me and bought me another one. I planted the new one in a better area of the yard. Hopefully, in this sunnier location, it will grow for years to come.
The Hot Lips Salvia plant that I mentioned in my perennial post had a bit of a rough go. It got stomped on by an unknown assailant and is still recovering from some serious injuries.
Containers of flowers are a lot of work to water, but they add so much beauty to the yard and deck that I can’t imagine not having them.
If mother nature puts a thick protective blanket of snow on my perennials, that is a good thing. Hopefully, that will help them live to make an appearance next spring.
Some plants withstood the early September frost while others collapsed with the first chilly night. It is dry and I try to water everything well before freeze up to help the plants prepare for winter. Flowering trees, shrubs and perennials also tend to be more vibrant in spring if they are well watered before winter.
The sun is now on a different schedule. It sleeps in longer and goes to bed earlier.
Feel free to visit my 2019 Garden Page to view more photos of our yard.
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