Down The Garden Path

April 18, 2012

Vol 1, Issue 5

Down The Garden Path

with Joanne Shaw

Greetings!

Well spring is definitely still in the air! The phone is ringing and designs are underway. Nurseries are stocking up and planting should begin a little ahead of schedule by the end of April/beginning of May.

Your gardens should all be starting to wake up as well. The ground is dry enough for a cleanup now although we should be looking forward to getting some spring showers. It is a good time to aerate and/or fertilize your lawn. Night time temperatures are still too cool for grass seed to germinate but over-seeding once the night time temperature is above 15°is good for the lawn.

Thank you for the feedback I received regarding last months' pruning article. As you know there is a lot to know about pruning so I have decided to add more info in my Feature Article 'Pruning Part 2'. As many of you will be topping up your garden with mulch this spring season, read my tip this month to avoid "mulch volcanos" in your yard.

As the garden season progresses I will be sharing more quick tips and tricks on my Down2Earth Landscape Design Facebook page so feel free to LIKE me on Facebook. Working together we can make your garden as low maintenance as possible!

Warm regards,

Joanne Shaw

Landscape Designer

Down2Earth Landscape Design

joanne@down2earth.ca

In This Issue

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

FEATURE ARTICLE

A LOOK THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE

How Does Your Garden Grow?

CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE

Mulch volcano season begins!

This (pictured above) is how to literally *kill* a tree with kindness. Please don't bury the flare at the base of the trunk in soil or mulch -- it will cause moisture damage to the bark and cambium, eventually harming the thing you're trying to help.

If you're going to mulch, spread it out in a wide saucer (pictured below), thinnest near (but not touching) the trunk.

CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE

(Article courtesy of Toronto Gardens)

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

Pruning - Part 2

Pruning of Summer Flowering Shrubs: Summer flowering shrubs like Spirea, Potentilla, Weigela, Hydrangea and even Roses should be pruned in early spring before growth begins and then again later in season to remove spent flowers and encourage more blooms.

Pruning of Evergreens:

Cedars, Boxwood and Yews, can be lightly pruned in early spring to remove any winter dieback and prune for shape prior to spring growth. Note to trim hedges a little more narrow at the top to let light get to the bottom of the plant, this is a common mistake that leads to the dying off or lack of green on the lower branches of evergreens.

Pine and Spruces can be a little trickier to prune:

If this all appears a little daunting, give me a call and I can arrange to have a trained professional come by to take care of your pruning needs.

Photos courtesy of:
http://natureswayinc.com
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu
http://grovida.com
http://www.brucecompany.com/

A look through the garden gate...

New Plants for 2012

Last week I attended a talk at the Pickering Horticultural Society meeting. Denis Flanagan, from Landscape Ontario was speaking about new plants for 2012. All plants were very successful in the trial gardens that Landscape Ontario runs in partnership with the University of Guelph. Here are a few of my favorites:

Fire and Ice Hydrangea

Shirazz Dwarf Japanese Maple

Amber Jubilee Ninebark

Stainless Steel Heuchera

Read more about them at
http://www.landscapeontario.com/new-plants-2012

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
joanne@down2earth.ca
www.down2earth.ca
905.839.1597
905.903.2597