Cold + Bold Canada^™ - Sharon Murphy

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6 Elements of a Vibrant Pollinator Garden

The survival and diversity of plant species rely heavily on pollinators.

At its core, pollination is the process of transferring pollen.

And what exactly are pollinators? Pollinators are, in essence, agents that move pollen around within and between plants.

Pollination is performed by a wide range of creatures, including mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, and  humans.

Moreover, wind and rain also act as a natural pollinators.

In recent years, some species, such as bees, have faced significant challenges, and by designing a pollinator-friendly garden, we can contribute to a healthier environment. 

To craft a pollinator-friendly garden, incorporate these 6 elements:

1. Provide a Full Season of Flowers 
   
   Pollinators depend on a food supply from spring through fall, so incorporate a combination of annuals and perennials to provide flowers and pollen through the entire growing season.
   
   Most perennials have a specific season of bloom, so plan your garden with a smattering of spring, summer, fall, and continuously blooming perennials.
   
   With constantly flowering annuals in the mix (remember to deadhead), you provide a non-stop cycle of flowers while one type of perennial is dying back and another is ramping up.

2. Provide Flowers with Vibrant Hues
   
   When choosing flowers for a pollinator garden, bright is best.
   
   Both bees and butterflies prefer bright colours like yellow, orange, purple, and red.
   
   Butterflies like bright colours because they are myopic, or short-sighted.

3. Provide Easily Accessible Flowers
   
   Pollinators prefer uncomplicated flowers.
   
   Simple flower shapes, like open-faced daisies or trumpet-shaped blossoms, like Petunias, are easy for pollinators to land on comfortably and easily.

4. Provide a Variety of Fragrances
   
   Flowers produce perfumes for the expressed purpose of attracting pollinators, and different scents attract different pollinators.
   
   Sweet scents attract bees, butterflies, and flies.
   
   Fruity, spicy, and musty scents attract beetles.
   
   Nighttime fragrances draw in nocturnal insects, like moths.

5. Provide a Water Source
   
   All pollinators appreciate a well-deserved drink of water supplied by bird baths, water fountains, or open rain barrels.
   
   Water sources also create a restful, calm, garden space.

6. Provide a Pesticide Free Landscape
   
   Maintaining a pesticide free gardening space to attract pollinators is obvious to all gardeners but not everyone knows that products labelled 'organic', 'safe', 'bee and butterfly-friendly' may not be safe for all stages of pollinator growth and often affect the young developing insects.

Showcase Nature's Beauty Indoors with Winter Greens

Fresh winter greens are one of my holiday decorating staples because they're so versatile. No matter what is done with them, they look homey, festive, and fancy.

Evergreen boughs and branches can be fashioned into wreaths and garlands and simply popped into a window box or a planter at an entryway.

Here are Some Tips on Choosing Healthy, Fresh Greens and How to Keep Them Looking Fabulous:

1. Practically speaking, the fresher the greenery, the longer it will last.
   
   
2. If you can harvest your own greens, cut them as close to the date you need them.
   
   
3. If you buy them ahead of time, keep them outdoors where they stay cool or frozen - yes, in my backyard, they stay frozen - and then thaw them slowly indoors overnight before rehydrating and designing with them.
   
   
4. Whether clipping your own or purchasing evergreen foliage, look for Fir, Cedar, and Pine because they hold their needles well.

What to Look for When Purchasing Evergreen Branches:

Buying greens from a local grower is always a bonus because the foliage will spend less time in transport and should be significantly fresher.

4 Indicators of Fresh, Well-Hydrated Branches:

1. A vibrant, bright green colour indicates freshness and hydration. Avoid pale, greyish greens unless that is their natural colour.Brown tips are a sign of older branches beginning to dehydrate or can indicate a disease.

2. Fresh winter greenery is fragrant.
   
   
3. Hydrated branches will be sturdy and flexible. Dehydrated branches lose their flexibility and break easily.
   
   
4. individual evergreen needles should be firm and pliable and stay on the branch as you run your hand down it. Dehydrated needles will snap and fall off the branch with any pressure.

Conditioning Fresh Winter Greens Before Using Them for a Project

It's beneficial to condition or rehydrate winter greens before you use them.

There are a couple of different ways to condition thawed greens before working with them:

1. Give the stem ends a fresh cut at a 45-degree angle and let them absorb the water for 24 hours.
   
   
2. Soak the greenery in a tub of room-temperature water for up to 24 hours.

Winter Greenery Maintenance Tips

Outdoor Greenery:

• Outdoor wreaths, garlands, and planters kept in below-freezing weather will last for months. It's not uncommon to have wreaths last until March!

Indoor Greenery:

• Greenery can last 2-3 weeks indoors; the cooler it is kept, the longer it will last.
• Homes are warm and dry, so the goal is to keep the greenery hydrated.
• Keep winter foliage away from heat sources like forced air furnace vents and fireplaces and out of direct sunlight.
• Try to mist the cut ends and greens every couple of days.
• If you can, move the greenery to a cool place when it is not being featured.
• Use LED lights as they don't heat up and will not contribute to drying the greens.

Why Fall is the Perfect Time to Plant Ornamental Grasses!

September winds down the active gardening season; while this happens, take time to evaluate how things grew.

If you feel you need to make some changes or add new plants to your garden, there is no need to wait until spring. Fall presents a golden opportunity for planting perennials, trees, and shrubs.

Here are a few reasons why this is a great season to keep your hands in the soil:

• Cooler Temperatures: The cooler weather reduces metabolic plant demands and is less stressful for newly planted perennials, allowing them to establish strong roots without battling the heat of summer.
  
  
• Soil Moisture:  The cooler temperatures reduce soil water loss through evaporation and root absorption, allowing newly planted perennials a better chance of thriving.
  
  
• Less Competition:  With summer annuals and garden pests winding down, there's less competition for nutrients and space in your garden, so your fall plantings will have the upper hand as they settle in. 

• Favourable Root Development:  Fall's milder weather encourages root development before winter settles in.

Looking for fall planting ideas? Let me share two types of perennial grasses for northern gardens: 

Proven Selections Feather Reed (Calamagrostis) Grasses:

Feather Reed Grasses are clumping, non-invasive grasses developing flower plumes above their foliage in mid-summer.

Once established, they are heat and drought tolerant and provide fabulous winter interest and protection for pollinators through the cold months. 

1. 'Karl Foerster' Feather Reed Grass - this stately grass stands 1.2-1.8m (48-72") tall like a sentinel as it shows off its red-bronze flower spikes in midsummer above solid green, erect leaves.  Karl Foerster is mysteriously rated as a Zone 5 perennial, but it grows with ease in Zone 4 and even Zone 3 gardens.
   
   
2. 'Hello Spring!' Feather Reed Grass - is a shorter version (91cm-1.2m / 36-48") featuring cream-coloured seed heads above arching variegated leaves with a cream center and green edges.

Proven Winner Switch (Panicum) Grasses:

Switch Grasses are tall, upright, clumping, columnar, ornamental grasses that sport their mid-late summer flower plumes above the foliage.

They grow best in full sun locations, are drought tolerant once established, and stand sturdy through the winter to provide great winter views and habitat for pollinators.

1. Prairie Winds® 'Niagara Falls'  Displays of cream seed heads above bluey-coloured foliage. Stands 1.2m / 48" tall.

2. Prairie Winds® 'Apache Rose' Sports rose-coloured flower plumes above erect, densely clumped foliage Reaching 1.2m / 48" in height.

3. Prairie Winds® 'Totem Pole' A taller version of Switch Grass. It stands tall and erect, showing off golden-coloured seed heads in the fall. Reaching 1.8m / 72".

4. Prairie Winds® 'Cheyenne Sky' A shorter one of the bunch.  This grass lights up in the fall as its reddish flower plumes top its blue-green leaves, which turn red in late summer.   Reaching 91cm / 36" tall.

So, grab your gardening tools and take advantage of this opportune planting season!

Four Perennials that Provide the Best Winter Garden Views

After repatriating to Canada from the tropical island of St. Thomas, USVI, it took a few winters to recognize winter as its own glorious gardening season. 

Okay, I lied. It took at least 10 or 15 to really appreciate this.

Even though we can't see it, there's plenty going on below the soil when we think the garden is fast asleep. Microbes stay busy even on the coldest days, tucked under mulch and an insulating blanket of snow that keeps the soil temperatures a little warmer.

Above the soil, our gardens can still offer gorgeous winter views with beautiful perennial foliage and dried flowers.

Not only do these perennials provide striking winter interest, but they also provide essential habitat for pollinators during the coldest time of the year.

Here are four of my favourite winter garden perennials:

Four Colourful Fall Flowering Perennials to Add Zest to Your Autumn Landscape

Fall blooming perennials are one of my cherished joys because they prolong the delight of gardening well into autumn, even as annuals begin to fade and the crunch of dried leaves fills the air beneath our feet. 

Not only are fall bloomers beautiful, but these perennials play an important role in the ecosystem for bees and other pollinators as they prepare for winter by providing necessary resources. 

Typically, perennial flowers that bloom in the fall are resilient to frost and remain vibrant until their blooms have completely faded or until the onset of a snowy winter.

Here are some of my favourites:

1. Chrysanthemum (Fall Mums) 

• I call Fall Mums the 'Autumn Superstars'. These flowers are famous for their fall show of brilliant colours and rich textures, making them perfect for accenting perennial borders.
• Chrysanthemums grow best in full to part sun locations in well-draining soil.
• Chrysanthemums are winter hardy at zone 5 and above, so pick varieties carefully for your individual growing zone.
• For gardeners in cooler growing zones like me, I enjoy fall Chrysanthemums as seasonal potted plants.
• Proven Winners has a huge selection of Chrysanthemums to peruse.  The Cosmic series like 'Galaxy Purple', 'Solar Yellow', 'Fireball Red', and more are rated for zone 6, and the Garden Mum series, which includes 'Gigi Gold', 'Key Lime', 'Flamingo Pineapple Pink', and others, are zone 7 perennials.

2. Tall Fall Blooming Sedums (Stonecrop) 

• Generally reaching heights of 16-24 inches (40-60 cm), Fall Blooming Sedums thrive in full sun and bloom in late summer, showcasing colours from yellow to deep reddish-pink with stunning foliage colours.
• Bees love Sedums, and they are an important part of bee growth as they prepare for winter.
• Explore these Proven Winner Varieties and more: 'Autumn Delight', 'Autumn Fire', Rock 'N Grow series 'Tiramisu', 'Back in Black', 'CoralJade', and 'LemonJade'.

3. Solidago  (Golden Rod)

• Solidago sports feathery golden-yellow late summer plumes that brighten autumn landscapes.
• Solidago thrives in both full sun and part-sun locations, becoming drought-tolerant dry once established.
• Varieties range in height from 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) and bees are definitely fans of these flowers.
• Proven Winner Variety, 'Little Lemon', is an easy to grow plant that works well as a border, landscape, or mass planting feature.

4. Heliopsis (False Sunflower) 

• While not specifically a Fall bloomer, Heliopsis shows off bright golden-yellow, semi-double, 7-9 cm (3-3.5") flowers well into autumn once it starts blooming during the summer months.
• Heliopsis is a zone 4 perennial, although it will grow in many zone 3 locations, and it flourishes in full to part-sun locations with evenly moist soil.
• Heliopsis benefits from deadheading, but it will continue to bloom without being deadheaded.
• There are currently 3, soon to be 4, Proven Winner varieties available in varying heights:  'Tuscan Sun', 'Tuscan Gold' with darker green leaves, 'Bit of Honey' boasting variegated foliage, and 'Touch of Blush' to be released in Spring 2025.

Hydrangeas for the Canadian Garden 

Hydrangeas were brought from the Far East and northern parts of South America by the explorers, and their popularity in Canadian gardens continues to surge because of their ease of care and the hues they add to a fall garden that is beginning to wind down. 

The hallmark feature of Hydrangeas is their long-lasting flowers, which morph in colour from their initial display as they age. Many hydrangeas begin to flower in mid-summer and last into the fall. Others bloom in early spring, and some even rebloom. 

Initially a shade-loving plant that appreciated cool, darker spaces, some varieties now grow in sunnier garden spaces that offer protection from the intense midday and afternoon sun, particularly in drier climates. 

Types of Hydrangeas for Canada 

Two categories of Hydrangeas that are readily available and work well in colder regions of Canada are Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) and Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens). 

Panicle hydrangeas - Hydrangea paniculata 

Panicle hydrangeas are the most forgiving of northern climates, and some varieties are sun-tolerant. The paniculate features cone-shaped flowers that blossom on new wood and can be pruned in the fall after flowering or in early spring as they emerge from dormancy. Proven Winners has a fantastic collection of Paniculate Hydrangeas.

Smooth hydrangeas - Hydrangea arborescens

These Hydrangeas have smooth leaves, hence their nickname. They tolerate more than 6 hours of sunshine, preferably early morning or evening, with some afternoon shade. They boast dome-shaped flowers that grow from new wood. They typically start white and stay white or change to pink. Smooth hydrangeas should be pruned in the fall or early spring. Great Proven Winners variety options include Incrediball^®, Incrediball Blush^®, and the Invincibelle^® Series.  

Bigleaf hydrangea - Hydrangea Macrophylla

Bigleaf hydrangeas have the broadest array of colours that often start as white or green and change to shades of blue, purple, pink, and rose.  Flower colours can be manipulated by soil pH. Acidic soils produce blue tones and alkaline soils pinks. Flowers appear in late spring and early summer from buds formed the previous year on old growth, so trim these back by the beginning of August after they have flowered—newer varieties flower from old and new wood and some rebloom. 

Be sure to check out varieties offered by Proven Winners, like the Cityline^® Series, the Let's Dance^® Series, and the Wee Bit^® Series. 

Hydrangea Care 

Hydrangeas thrive in fertile, moist, well-draining soil. Mulch helps to keep the soil moist and cool. 

Fertilize annually after they have emerged in early spring, and winter protects in cold growing zones. 

Stay patient with Hydrangeas; they are often the last to wake from winter dormancy. 

Six Keys to Garden Health in the HEAT

Let's talk about 6 keys to do to keep your garden healthy when it's sweltering.

ONE - Water Regularly

Hydration is golden to managing healthy gardening spaces in scorching temperatures. Adequately hydrated plants can maintain their turgor and fluids to support their metabolic processes. The goal is to keep soil evenly moist, and here is how:

• Check for Hydration Levels Daily  
  
  
• Water Thoroughly
  • For planters or containers measuring 14" across, water until you see it drip out of the bottom of the pot
  • For larger containers, water generously, but it may be too much water for the plants if it drips out of the bottom.
  • For flowerbeds, raised beds, and in ground plantings - create a well in the soil around the base of the plants and fill that well completely.
  • Drip irrigation is an efficient and conservative method of watering.
    
    
• Water in the Morning
  • Watering while it is still cool allows plants to have a good water supply all day, while watering at night can create a persistent cool, wet, dark environment that can increase the potential of developing plant diseases.
    
    

TWO - Fertilize Regularly

In hot, dry weather, fertilizing can be a little tricky, but maintain a good fertilizing schedule as you would normally, but don't give any extra fertilizer because plant structures can easily burn under water stress.

THREE - Mulch Your Garden

In hot, dry weather, mulch is a garden's best friend. It reduces water evaporation, conserves soil moisture, and insulates the soil from sweltering summer temperatures and cools it down.

FOUR - Deadhead Regularly

It’s a good idea to take off spent flowers during hot weather because it reduces metabolic demand.

FIVE - Pinch Back Old Leaves

By removing old, tired, and dead leaves, you let the most productive leaves do the work of photosynthesis.

SIX - Provide Some Shade

When plants are struggling under the heat consider moving hanging baskets and planters to a location that gives them a break from the sun, and for in-ground plantings, provide a shade cover like lattice to block out some of the sun's rays.

How I Came to Love the Beauty and Ease of Supertunias 

• From a beauty perspective, Supertunia flowers can be small or large, they are bold and bright, and the colour selection is impressive.
• From a design perspective, Supertunias are versatile. There are varieties for every garden application.
• From a care perspective, there are no Petunias that equal them. Supertunias are profuse bloomers that can take the summer heat.

Spring Garden Cleanup Methods That Protect Pollinators

Pollinators, those tiny creatures that unintentionally move pollen around, play a critical role in the maintaining biodiversity of our world.

The winter garden serves as a shelter for hibernating pollinators as they seek refuge in secluded spots like withered plant stems, mulch, aged wood, and the upper layers of soil and mulch.

 Insects exhibit incredible abilities, like the capability of remaining dormant in various developmental stages be it as adults, larvae, pupa, and eggs throughout the winter.

As gardeners, our awareness of the essential role we play in the natural ecosystem has heightened, driving us to seek methods to preserve beneficial insect populations such as native bees and ladybugs. 

Recent studies have unveiled innovative approaches to safeguard these vital creatures.

Here are three ways we can support pollinators in early spring:

1. Delay Spring Cleanup a Little

• Rather than hastily tidying up the garden by cutting and raking as early as possible, consider holding off any gardening activity until the temperature reaches 10°C (50°F) or higher for at least seven consecutive days.
• Sustained warm weather offers insects the opportunity to emerge from hibernation and relocate before the garden undergoes any disturbances.
• Resisting this urge can be challenging, especially in regions with fluctuating spring temperatures.
• If you simply cannot hold off entering the garden, pile old flower stems in a designated area to permit insects to come out safely. 
• These stems can be composted or removed by mid-June.

2. Mulch a Bit Later

• Numerous insects, such as ladybugs, find refuge in decomposing leaf matter and mulch during the winter months.
• By keeping the current mulch intact and undisturbed; and by delaying the addition of more mulch until mid-June or later, you provide these insects with ample time to awaken and move on without disrupting their existing habitat as they adjust to the warming temperatures.

3. Trim Perennials Higher in Autumn

• This final approach is a strategy for fall garden maintenance and winter preparations, but it is something to keep in mind as the growing season winds down.
• Since some insects overwinter inside hollow perennial stems, leaving more stem length provides a more secure space for hibernation.
• Instead of cutting perennials back to 7 cm (3"), consider leaving longer stalks measuring 15-20 cm (6"-8") to offer pollinators more choice and protection during winter.

In conclusion, it's fascinating how simple adjustments to our gardening routines can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable environment. 

By supporting pollinators, we indirectly benefit ourselves, and embracing these practices allows us to advance a healthier and greener world for generations to come.