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March 21, 2012
Vol 1, Issue 4
Down The Garden Path
with Joanne Shaw 
Greetings!
Joanne Shaw
Spring is definitely in the air! Record temps have kick started our spring fever!  The garden and lawn will slowly start to wake up in the coming weeks.

If you are looking for inspiration or something spring related to do this month, consider the National Home Show which for the first time also
includes Canada Blooms. Running from March 16- 25th, it should have something for everyone. I am looking forward to attending myself this week.  Watch for pics on my Facebook page!


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I happen to have an extra pair of tickets
for Canada Blooms. Be the first person to
and the pair is yours!  
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If you are looking for inspiration from the comfort of your own home, have you taken a look at Pinterest
I have to admit I am honestly addicted but loving all the great gardening and container ideas... Check it out or better yet follow me on Pinterest here or by clicking the Pinterest image below.

Just a quick note about this newsletter. I realize as we head into garden season that a picture is worth a thousand words and I really want this newsletter medium to be an informative, instructive tool! So I will be trying to add more pictures, both instructional and inspiring to help you with your garden.

Please email me your questions or concerns so that I can make sure I am answering the questions that you are interested in.

Warm regards,

Joanne Shaw
Landscape Designer
Down2Earth Landscape Design



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In This Issue
HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?
FEATURE ARTICLE
A LOOK THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Hopefully you enjoyed the fall and winter stages of your ornamental grass, despite the lack of snow. I usually don't cut mine down until the May long weekend. These great growers need the summer heat to start and then they kick it into high gear and grow pretty quickly in a short time. If you have an established clump of ornamental grass (or other large perennial like hosta) that needs to be divided, the spring while the soil is still soft but not too wet is a great time to do it.

Here's a step by step guide:

Select grass to transplant

Use spade to loosen soil around the entire root ball
Pop entire root ball out and place on level ground surface

4. With a sharp shovel or axe slice down through root ball (one plant can yield several new starts)


5. Dig a hole, cover transplant up to the top of root ball, water and you're done!

Photos courtesy of Old World Garden Farms

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For more gardening tips and informative articles, visit my Newsletter Archives page!

 

Let Spring Begin!
Despite our record warm temperatures it is still a little early to be working in your garden. The spring cleanup can begin once the ground has dried. Keep in mind walking or raking in garden and lawn too early compresses soil and causes the important spring rains to just run off the garden instead of being absorbed by the plants.

When things have dried up a bit go ahead and cut back any parts of perennials that were left up for winter interest, such as flower stalks and seed heads.

Pruning of spring flowering shrubs: Early spring flowering shrubs like Flowering Almond, Lilac, Sand Cherry and Forsythia should be pruned immediately after flowering.  If you prune them before they bloom you will lose the flowering this season and maybe next depending on how hard you pruned.

pruning flowering shrubs
        
If you want to rejuvenate mature spring flowering shrubs, as soon as the last flowers fade, use a pruning saw to cut off one-fourth to one-third of the biggest, oldest stems at ground level. Use pruning shears to shorten all of the stems to two or three feet from the ground. If you wish to greatly limit the shrub's size, you can cut the branches as far back as six inches from the ground. By the end of the growing season, new branches will have formed. These will arch gracefully from the center and will be covered with new flower buds for next year's spring show.
 
pruning shrubs
It is still too early this month to start pruning any of your evergreens. I will discuss more on that topic next month.

If you have any further questions about spring pruning or if you need someone to help with the pruning in your yard please contact me and I will be able to help.

A look through the garden gate...

Spring Planters

This early spring has me thinking about changing up my containers a little early. Here are some ideas for Spring planters... hope they inspire you!

Boxwood and Pansies
Boxwood and Pansies
Pussy Willow Stems
Pussy Willow Stems, Purple Pansies and Irises
 
All White
All White Tulips and Hyacinth
Curly Willow Stems
Curly Willow Stems and Pansies
Green Dogwood
Green Dogwood Stems, Yellow Daffodils and Pansies


Photos courtesy of North Shore Views, Terrassa - Outdoor Living, The Vancouver Sun, Little Leaf Design, Urban Garden
 
Joanne Shaw is the owner and operator of Down2Earth Landscape Design. A graduate of Ryerson University in Landscape Design, Joanne has 15 years experience in designing gardens and a decade in landscape and related business, both for her own clientele and established local nurseries.

Joanne Shaw
Landscape Designer
Down2Earth Landscape Design
[email protected]
www.down2earth.ca
905.839.1597
905.903.2597