The last few days in Ontario Canada we have finally had temperatures above freezing.
I have a pop-up green house on my back patio. It’s used to house potted bulbs, tender container fruit shrubs, and a not so hardy clematis. This week I was finally able to open it up (it had been buried under probably 2ft of snow), and water (add snow) to the pots. Puttering around, checking stems, and breathing fresh air left me renewed. We have been in four months of lockdown. Coupled with frigid temperatures I was going stir crazy at home. Looking after an infant, dog, and handling postpartum during a global pandemic have been challenging. I’m grateful for my green space and the renewed sense of clarity and peace I get being outside in the garden. Although the soil is still frozen where I can’t get my “hands dirty” I’m grateful for the coming spring. Hopefully my tulips will provide a beautiful show. Do you have a space or plant that brings you comfort?
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It’s about minus 20 outside so let’s plant some greens! I’ve been seed starting since mid January. It’s a slow but fulfilling process so when I went to my local dollar store and saw seed packets at 3 for $1.25, I figured why not. I had planted two types of lettuce and some asters under my grow light system. While my asters have been living their best life, the lettuce has struggled. While it is a cool weather crop it is still far too early to transplant seedlings outside or for me to try and harvest anything. So, when I finished a jug of orange juice I figured why not. Let’s see if the cold fairs any better to the warmth and grow lights. I had the seeds anyways and soil so what am I out a packet of seeds for less than 50 cents?
If you want more information there are a lot of great resources on YouTube. Happy gardening! Well, if you’ve been following along on my Instagram @flowercitygardener my string of pearls succulent finally passed on. As valentine’s day is approaching, I decided to treat myself to some cut tulips. Since roses aren’t really my thing. Yet, I also noticed this year that there are a lot of orchids for sale so taking a leap of faith I purchased one. Now, this is not my first rodeo with orchids and sadly the first time didn’t end so well. I am not really sure how to look after them. I’ve tried the ice cube method which led to not enough water, which lead to over watering, which then led to root pruning and eventual demise. This time around I am changing the environment, my last orchid got too much sun leaving the leaves to wither and fall off. I am also going to use warm filtered water as opposed to the ice cubes, I have read many articles that say the cold is not good for the roots. Is it an annual will it re-flower? I’ve seen YouTube videos on how to get an orchid to re-bloom. I am not sure if I am that invested, for now I will just consider it a longer option that a vase of cut tulips.
**Trigger Warning Contains a highly offensive image **
2020 has been a tumultuous year to say the least. One thing that has always brought me solace is the garden. Plants don’t judge, they don’t hate, they only give. What about those who use their platform in the garden world to voice their own political opinions. One Garden writer decided to use their platform to express their right-wing ideals and the Garden community was not having it. I have placed a link to the original article below. Take a read if you’re interested. Leave a comment below. http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=7851847239&blog=3951188&frame_type=none I recently completed “Modern Container Gardening” by Isabelle Palmer. I’m starting a bunch of seeds this year and since I have a small space, I wanted to up my container game. The book is a “how to” create a stylish small space garden anywhere. The book is split into two parts.
Part 1: “The Basics” which covers things such as: useful tools and equipment, gardening terms; and essentials i.e., choosing a plant, sun requirements, and how to read a plant tag. This was the first gardening book that broke this down and it was really appreciated. Part 2: Floral arrangements and DIY projects for at home containers such as: suspended hanging baskets, pantone living colour planters, and ombre herb pots to name a few. The book is an easy read and not too complicated. Pros:
Cons:
Overall, this is a good read and resource for those looking at ideas for container arrangements for a patio, balcony, or small garden space. If you’re thinking of purchasing this book here is a link to a preview: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Modern_Container_Gardening.html?id=AFjSDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false Rating: 3.5/5 Do you have any other books you would like a review on? Let me know. ![]() In the greater Toronto area, we go through numerous bouts of freezing and thawing during the winter season. This year is no different as night temperatures dip and snow melts, we are starting to see the signs of more ground damage from rodents. Mice, squirrels, raccoons and rabbits specifically. My sub-division used to be farm land which was transformed into detached, semi-detached, and row town homes, similar to most of Peel region. Now with most of these pests misplaced it seems they have re-directed their sights on my yard. Last year there was a resurgence of the “victory garden”. At the end of the growing season the standard customs include removing debris, cleaning and washing pots, and disposing of unused soil back into your garden beds. Unfortunately, not everyone follows garden etiquette, leaving the mice to run wild creating maze runs of destroying lawn. Whereas, the squirrels have taken to unearthing garden beds looking for bulbs. What is the remedy? Many YouTube content creators have hailed the Captain Jack brand, unfortunately, if you are in Canada those products are not sold here.I have found good results using the Tom Cat mouse/rat bait (this blog is not sponsored). It is pet and child safe and I can attest that it gets the job done. Regarding squirrels, well I am usually that crazy lady waiving my broom and telling them to “get!”. I have lost many of tree branch in the process. The rabbits well they are a bit trickier. I have come to the agreement that I no longer dead head any of my front yard. In return the rabbit feasts on daisies, cone flowers, sedums, and the infamous spirea; while, I get copious amounts of rabbit poo I have to clean in the spring season. Last year I lost a lilac bush and my wisteria was on the brink of no return. Now those plants are safely rapped in burlap or placed in a cold frame. This winter seems to be another freeze and thaw kind of year, so, let’s hope that when spring emerges the damage is not as severe. Any pests in your garden? What are some products you have had success with? Leave a comment, like, and share! December 2020 the Netflix romantic period television series Bridgerton premiered. It’s been the talk of the town in a time where Netflix and chill has been the ultimate escape. The scandalous story line from none other than Shondaland based on the novels by Julia Quinn. The series has been hailed for its steamy sex scenes, topics of class, status, gender, sexuality. Praised for its blend of contemporary and classical music, racial diversity, and narration by the talented Julie Andrews. While all of these points are valid, I was surprised no one was speaking about the amazing landscaping. The pure botanical eye candy. When the series ended my immediate Google, search was “Where is Bridgerton filmed?” My search took me to the amazing city of Bath and London in the United Kingdom. The exterior scenes are pure gardening eye candy- the rambling walls of wisteria outside of the Bridgerton family home. Lollipop topiaries, pristinely trimmed boxwood hedges, heritage roses, and finely manicured lawns. I don’t know what is the bigger symbol of period wealth, the lavish costumes, and jewels, or the beautiful grounds. Certainly, I would prefer tending to my roses than attending fancy dinner parties; but, that’s just me. Thank goodness we have Lady Whistledown to catch up on evening events and all the scandals. Here’s hoping to a second season with many more beautiful sets. If you are in the United Kingdom and looking to see these properties in real life you can check out this blogpost: https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3116759/netflix-series-bridgerton-all-best-locations-are-open *Photos courtesy of Netflix * Winter always marks the start of the New Year and its resolutions. The same can be said in the gardening world. After 2020 and all its challenges, one thing is constant - the flowers continue to grow. 2021 brings with it new ideas for the garden along with a time of rest and reflection. A lot of content creators have made posts on YouTube in the last few weeks specific to creating garden planning journals, tips for success in 2021, and a handful of seed starting content for new and seasoned gardeners. Winter sowing, seed trays, grow lights, etc.
For myself, Winter is a time of rest, time to take a break from the weeding, watering, and bulb planting it feels like I just recovered from not only three months ago. In gardening I have realized the more you plan for the future, the more it feels the year escapes me. As I ordered my summer bulbs this week, its crazy to me to think that an order coming in April is so far away, but when I look at the germination date for my sugar snap peas, I realize that spring is creeping closer than we think. In Ontario Canada we are in a second state of emergency and lock down from COVID-19. It seems 2021 is starting pretty similar to how 2020 ended. Yet, as I look outside at the freshly melted snow and think of this garden year one thing is certain, mother nature is always ready to bloom, even when the rest of the world shuts down. |
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