Explore the Garden Gallery
Incrediball Hydrangea
The stunning Incrediball Hydrangea is a broadleaf hydrangea and flowers on new wood.
For pruning, you can cut them back anytime between the first hard frost of fall to early spring. Some people will prune right back to the ground because they flower on new wood.
I like to shape mine and keep some of the older wood intact as it grows stronger over time, and helps to support the flower heads which can become quite heavy, especially after a rain. I also prune in the spring to keep the fall and winter interest of the dried flower heads.
It is a breathtaking shrub, which you can grow as a single specimen or plant as a beautiful
Common Yarrow
The Common Yarrow is an easy-care perennial, which bees and other pollinators love to visit.
Growing from a deep bed of lovely feathery leaves, its tall flower stems showcase flat-topped flower heads will grow to 5 inches across and will keep their colour in your garden for weeks.
This is a carefree plant that needs minimal upkeep.
Stake early in the season to prevent the flowers from flopping over, and deadhead regularly to keep the blooms coming. You will also want to divide the plant every 4 to 5 years.
Japanese Larch
The Japanese Larch is a sun-loving deciduous conifer.
One of the things I find enchanting is the softness of the needles which emerge in clusters as a lovely light green in the spring.
They will become a richer blue green through the summer and turn an outstanding yellow before falling from the tree in autumn.
Golden Celebration Rose
Golden Celebration Rose by David Austin.
Its incredible blooms displayed on elegant arching branches are one of the largest blooms found on an English rose.
It has a wonderful fragrance described by David Austin Roses as having a “tea fragrance” that “develops wonderfully combined notes of Sauternes wine and strawberry” so be sure to choose a location where you can enjoy its evolving perfume.
Shasta Daisy
The Shasta Daisy is a perfect, low maintenance perennial and is great for naturalizing to fill out your flower beds with blooms year after year.
They will flower from early to late summer and deadheading the spent flowers will extend their bloom period.
Grow in full sun for the best blooms.
To keep them vigorous, divide them in early spring or late summer every 3 to 4 years. They will also self-seed if you leave some of the spent blooms on the plant at the end of the summer even though the plants that grow from seed may not look like the parent plant.
In the fall, after they have finished blooming, cut back the dead stems to ground level, and cover with a layer of mulch to provide winter protection.
A Bee Friendly Garden
Tips for a bee friendly garden:
Choose native plants, trees, and shrubs rich in pollen and nectar
Provide continuous bloom so you always have plants blooming from spring until fall
Many native bees build nests in soil, so leave some bare patches and limit your use of mulch
Provide fresh water
Make or buy a bee house
Don’t spray pesticides – garden organically
Solomons Seal
Native to North America, Solomons Seal is a beautifully elegant woodland plant with its arching stems and dangling flowers.
Green Bush Cricket
I found this Green Bush Cricket on my Delphiniums and had to get a picture – the colour combination of his green and the blue of the flowers is magnificent. I hope you enjoy the picture as much as I do.
Monarch Butterfly
The Monarch butterfly is one of the most striking and recognizable species of butterfly. It was listed by the Committee for the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada as Endangered in 2016.
Japanese Iris
A breathtaking beauty, with its slender sword-like leaves and elegant blooms the Japanese Iris is a must-have in my garden.
Top Gardening Picks
Hi, I’m Meriel
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This space is for all the foodies out there - all of you who love to browse cookbooks and recipe sites for inspiration, try new foods and learn new things about food and cooking.
And equally, this space is for all the garden lovers – all the folks who love to get their hands dirty in the garden and watch their plants grow and thrive.
Enjoy browsing!
Meriel x
