Art's Nursery - Cool Plant Blog

My Favourite 5 Medium Sized Conifers

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:32:00 +0000

	Serbian Spruce Picea omorika Picea omorika or Serbian spruce; this stiffly upright form of spruce with it’s proudly upswept branches reminds me of a soldier standing stiffly at attention. Many conifers take up a rather large footprint at the base and often for this reason people either choose the dwarf conifers or find something else to give them some height in the garden. This one gives you substantial height with very little width generally getting 20-25 feet in height and only about 6 feet wide at the bottom. The lovely dark green short needles contrast nicely with the silvery undersides which you see quite nicely with the upturned branches. This conifer can get on quite nicely with good drainage, humic, slightly acidic soil in full sun to partial shade. There is also a very popular blue form called Picea omorika 'Bruns'.
	Weeping Alaskan Cypress Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula' I like this artistic West Coast looking conifer in groupings. We’ll call the form upright drooping. It has pea green branchlets with a slightly silvery blue underside. It holds out its branches in broad swoops while the branchlets dangle down like the tasseled ends of a shawl. - I like this artistic West Coast looking conifer in groupings. We’ll call the form upright drooping. It has pea green branchlets with a slightly silvery blue underside. It holds out its branches in broad swoops while the branchlets dangle down like the tasseled ends of a shawl. Like picea abies it can give you height in a garden without a lot of spread. It can grow to about 20-25 feet with about 8 feet of artistic like spread. This conifer prefers full sun to partial shade in well draining humic and slightly acidic soil. There are also more blue hued versions available.
	Fernspray Gold Hinoki Cypress Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Fernspray Gold' This is a lovely slow growing artistic conifer which grows to about 8feet in height by about 6 feet. It has bright gold outer branches and branch tips while the interior of the plant is a lovely fresh green. Its branches have a lovely fine fernlike texture. This plant prefers a bit of dappled shade in the heat of the afternoon to avoid burning the gold branches. Provide ample moisture in a well drained site with a nice humic, slightly acidic soil and you will have a specimen that will have your plant loving neighbors talking! This plant also makes a lovely bonsai specimen.
	Iseli’s Columnar Blue Spruce Picea pungens Islies Fastigiata I couldn’t go without a blue could I! This variety of true blue spruce has a very slender growth habit. It grows very slowly to about 15-20 feet in height (still not there after 20 years) and about 7 feet wide. A stunning specimen at the back of the border, place this tree where you want to draw the eye. The lovely icy blue colour contrasts so nicely with my dark greens and golds. This tree prefers full sun to get the best blue colour in well drained average slightly acidic soil.
Photo Credit: Monrovia, Horticultural Printers	Silver Whispers Swiss Stone Pine Pinus cembra 'Klein' This compact soft looking mini-Christmas tree shaped conifer is another lovely variety for the smaller garden. It is slow growing to about 12 feet high by about 6 feet wide. The rich green needles in bundles of 5 are striped with white giving the tree an overall silvery green effect. It is very densely branched and full looking. This specimen is best in full sun in well drained average to humic, slightly acidic soil. This little guy is on my must get for my garden list!

These and many other great conifers are always available at Arts Nursery. If you would like more information about which ones are right for you, call 604.882.1201 or come visit and we would be happy to assist!

Kids and Pets Photos With Santa Dec 4th & 11th

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:53:00 +0000

Kids & Pets Photos with Santa

Santa is making a special appearance at Art's Nursery between 1pm and 4pm on December 4th and December 11th for photos with your kids or pets.

As this is a special, last-minute trip, Santa is not bringing the elves or reindeer so you'll have to bring your own camera to get great shots. As Santa is so generous, there is no fee for this special occasion. Hope to see you there!

Sunday December 4th, 1-4 pm
Sunday December 11th, 1-4pm

FREE Event - Please bring your own camera.
Donations accepted for the SPCA or Foodbank

Cool Plant: Wolong Ghost Silver Veined Wintercreeper

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:48:00 +0000

Euonymus fortunei 'Wolong Ghost'
Silver Veined Wintercreeper

Prominent white veins stand out on the narrow, deep green leaves for an unusual appearance on this strong-growing groundcover. Fills in large or small spaces in sunny borders or shady woodland gardens. Evergren. Full to part sun. Grows 8-10 inches in height, 18-24 inches wide. Hardy to zone 5.

This plant and many others are available at Art's Nursery Ltd. Please call 604.882.1201 to confirm availability.

Cool Plant: Morgan Chinese Arborvitae

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:43:00 +0000

Thuja orientalis 'Morgan'
Morgan Chinese Arborvitae

This woody chameleon, native to Australia, is known for its gorgeous changing year-round foliage colour. Its summer lime-green foliage turns deep purple in fall, followed by fantastic rich orange colour during the winter months. A favourite plant among dwarf conifer enthusiasts. Grows 2-4 inches a year to a maximum height of 3ft in 10 years. Needs full sun.

This plant is generally available at Art's Nursery.
Please call 604.882.1201 to confirm availability.

Your Garden in December

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:36:00 +0000

Looks like we’re starting December off rather nicely on the Wet Coast, sunny and cool. After dipping my shopping toes into the danger filled waters of mall Christmas shopping I think I do the rest online, in my pjs and gorilla slippers…while listening to Dave Cooks the Turkey by Stuart McLean. There is not a ton to do in the garden at this time, but a whole lot of daydreaming.
Ok, ok, there are a few things you can still do for those keeners out there.

Here’s the list:

Garden Beds:
You can still plant shrubs and trees so long as the ground is not frozen or mucky and waterlogged. Don’t panic if you haven’t plunked those bulbs in yet, wait until the soil has dried out a bit and then toss them in. Weed if needed, mulch around plants with chopped up leaves or bark mulch (avoid using fruit tree or rose leaves). If you have acid lovers such as blueberries or lingonberries or rhodo’s you can drag fallen pine and fir branches to the garden beds and leave them until the needles fall off and then drag away the branches sans needles.

Plant for Winter Interest
Thisis a great time to look for plants that most spring-only gardeners would miss. The list is actually quite large, for example: camellias, mahonia, hellebores, wintergreen, holly and more

Pots:
Mother Nature has so handily provided many fallen boughs for me to fill my front planters with. Go for a walk and collect some boughs for swags or garlands. We also have some artfully arranged at the store too. Don’t forget to water those plants under cover outside. While not requiring water every day or even once a week, you’ll still need to water say once every two weeks. Feel the top of the soil and make sure it feels moist. When it dries out, add water.

House Plants:
With the cooler weather, most of us have our furnaces on blowing warm and dry air. Keep an eye on your houseplants, misting and providing pebble trays as needed.

Bulbs for Forcing
you can still start paper whites, Hyacinth and Amaryllis now for late winter blooms.

Lawns:
Those past few winter storms should have taken care of most of the rest of the leaves. Make sure to rake or blow large leaves off of the lawn or you’ll be making extra work for yourself next spring with overseeding all those bare patches.

Seeds:
The seed catalogues should be starting to come in around now and you can settle down with a nice peppermint hot chocolate and a pen and put your feet up and start your wish list. Now is a great time to plan for next year and just think… you don’t have to put up with a pesky garden to-do list until 2012!
Cheers,
Laurelle

November 2011 In Your Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 02:53:00 +0000

We get more rain this month than any other, so with that in mind here is the list!

Take your vitamin C and vitamin D.

Wash your hands often.

Get a good amount of sleep – studies have found that lack of sleep not only causes a decrease in cognitive function: In a study of six graders, those who got 1 hour less in sleep scored two grades lower at the cognitive level of a 4th grader (Bronson and Merryman, Nurture Shock); but even more intriguing, negative stimuli are stored in the brain by the amygdala while positive stimuli are taken care of by the hippocampus an area of the brain more profoundly affected by sleep deprivation .

So, now that you are healthy, smart and in possession of all of your fond memories you are ready for the West Coast Winter…and the rest of the list:

	Inspect your containers for cracks and ensure there is adequate drainage…you’ll need it. Bring them up close to the house or under the deck. Wrap all those that need wrapping with underlay, bubble wrap etc. Or insulate with bags of leaves, or bales of hay etc. for the more tender plants. Be on the lookout for fallen evergreen boughs to spruce up your empty pots.
	If you are lucky enough to have red twig dogwood or a contorted filbert now is the moment you’ve been waiting for to decorate your pots!! If you don’t have greens and twigs handy you can come in to visit us, we have bunches. If you don’t have a red twig dogwood or contorted filbert, now is a good time to get one. You can still plant trees and hardy shrubs as long as the ground is not frozen.
	Rake up and bag apple leaves and rose leaves and those leaves that were affected badly by pest and disease. The others you can compost and use as mulch in your garden.
	You can still divide up hardy perennials. Lift and store Dahlia’s, Cannas as well as other non hardy tubers. Make sure to check and turn them often and mist as necessary. Remember Cinnamon is a great fungicide; you can sprinkle your tubers with Cinnamon.
	You can plant your bulbs, garlic too, if you haven’t already and you can find a dry day. Remember it takes approximately 9 months to grow garlic and the fall is the best time to plant it.
Blow out irrigation systems before the hard freezes come. My hubby did the trailer yesterday. Clean and put away your tools. Drain the gas from your mower. I think I’ll take the trampoline down too. Lawn furniture is nicely tucked away.
	Weed if it’s dry. Weeding when the ground is mucky will cause soil compaction. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Don’t be too tidy with your clean up. Beneficial insects and pollinators overwinter in hollow stems and under leaves and branches. Lucky for me.
Don’t forget those pebble trays with water to humidify those house plants. A mister works well too. If you're not sure, come on in and well show you what you need to do.

Take care of yourselves this winter, tuck into a good book and stay warm!

Cheers, Laurelle

My Favourite Conifers - Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:39:00 +0000

I’ll admit it, even though I graft heritage Apple trees and adore herbs and veggies and grasses, conifers are my favorite groups of plants. When all others have gone to sleep for the winter, the conifer stands steadfast and brightens the rainy winter months. Each year I find some new excellent varieties to fall in love with and this year is no different. They are the garden bones, they provide the structure for a good design and given the right spot and conditions they are the tough fullbacks of the garden.
The adage ‘The Right Plant in the Right Place’ is never truer than with conifers.
Conifers need drainage. Putting a conifer into a soggy or heavy clay site is often one of the fastest ways to kill it. Planting it too deeply, another efficient way to get rid of it. If you moosh it in with a lot of other plants…you will get to enjoy its bare branches, as those that aren’t getting enough light and elbow room will lose their needles. They do not require much if any grooming or feeding. Average slightly acidic soil with some evergreen food in early spring is a good idea.
Their needs are not many but are very specific, however if you put a conifer into a lovely well drained spot, plant at the correct height and give it sufficient sun for most (though not all) and elbow room, you will be rewarded with an extraordinary specimen of a plant that draws the eye at any season.
Texture, colour and structure in just about every size are the specialties of this plant, something winter gardens are often sadly lacking.
There are specimens for almost every type of garden from pint sized bonsais, to dwarf rockery style plants, to slender upright conifers for small space gardens, to artistic weepers for a sloped or streamside planting, to impressive sentinels for larger gardens or windbreaks.
Conifers are one of the most multipurpose groups of plants.
It is worth a wintertime wander through the UBC Botanical Gardens or VanDusen Gardens to inspire you.
After observing my garden slowly melt away from the voracious driveway eating perennial zoo to bare earth, twigs and wet leaves, I have a hankering for some form, texture and colour now, what to choose…

Here are my 5 fave dwarf or smaller conifers:

	Dwarf Balsam Fir Abies balsamea ‘Nana’ It is a luscious deep dark green low flat round evergreen with the most amazing electric lime new growth in the spring. This lovely little fir grows to about 3 ½ feet by 3 ½ feet verrrrry slowly. It prefers part sun to dappled shade. The deep dark green contrasts rather nicely with a variegated Hellebore or a golden leaved hosta in the summer.
	Verdon Dwarf Hinoki False Cypress Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Verdoni’ In spite of the huge moniker, this is a lovely variety for the small garden. With fan like sprays of limes, darker greens and golds, this artistically growing Hinoki Falsecypress will brighten up a drab corner of the garden. It is another extremely slow grower with eventual heights from 4-6feet high and a very slender 3’ wide. It prefers sun to part shade and unlike a few Hinokis this gold foliage won’t burn in full sun.
	Dwarf Serbian Spruce Picea omorika ‘Nana’ A shrimpy version of one of my fave conifers for the small garden. It has the stiffly upright branch growth of the original Picea omorika, and the lovely bi coloured effect of green with blue because you get to see the undersides of its needles which are striped. This little guy can take full sun to part shade and slowly grows to about 4-6feet in height and 3-6 f feet in width.
	Silver Show Korean Fir Abies koreana ‘Silver Show’ I love the bi-coloured effect of the rich green topsides of the needles and the silvery undersides. The needles are held upright along the branches so you get to see the silver undersides. It always looks snowy. This is a true collector type, often hard to find but worth the hunt. It is a slow grower to 5 feet tall by 3 feet wide. It prefers full to part sun.
	Carstens Winter Gold Pine Pinus mugo ‘Carstens Winter Gold’ I fell in love with this one on a miserable cold, misty rainy evening. I could see it clear across the courtyard. I had to see what was still looking so cheery buttercup yellow on such an evening. This exceptional plant only grows about 2 inches a year into an eventual 4feet high by 2 feet wide. This little guy prefers full sun for best colour.

These and other gorgeous conifers are usually available at Art's Nursery. Please call 604.882.1201 to confirm availability if you are looking for a specific size or variety. Stay tuned for parts two and three of my favourite conifers series - coming soon!

Art's 6th Annual Christmas Open House & Evening of Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:49:00 +0000

You're invited to Art's 6th Annual Christmas Open House & Evening of Lights, Thursday, Nov 17th, 2011 between 5 and 9pm. This relaxing, low-key event is a great way to kick-start the festive season. See beautiful themed christmas displays, enjoy light snacks and warm beverages, take in the sights and sounds of the season, and of course indulge yourself with thousands of christmas ornaments and unique gifts. We' hope to see you there! Call 604.882.1201 if you have any questions or need more information.

Fall and Winter Planters

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:41:00 +0000

First - Select your container, this will be a fairly personal choice and can reflect your style or compliment you choice of outdoor décor.

Larger is better, always select the largest possible container you can afford both budget and space wise. Make sure the size fits in with the scale of your landscape, a tiny courtyard garden can be easily overwhelmed by a planter that is too large.

Be aware of the material your planter is made of, you want to ensure that it is frost proof; most stone, wood, concrete, plastic and metal planters will be ok but double check with your local retailer and especially when selecting terra cotta and glazed pots, you want to make sure they are designed for outdoor use and will not crack or break apart.

Second – Gather your plant selection, be creative and use plants that complement each other or add contrasting elements for visual interest.

Fall and winter planters should include plants that are hardy and can withstand the winter months without becoming too ratty looking. Avoid using perennials (unless they are evergreen) as they will die down and leave an empty space in your creation. If you wish to use perennial or seasonal plants leave them in their pots so you can easily switch them out without disturbing the rest of the planting.

Put as many plants as you can into your container, this will give it a lush fullness. Try and keep the overall shape pyramidal as this is a pleasing and balanced design, give the planter as much height as you can and layer down from there with various combinations of plants including trailing or cascading plants that can spill over and soften the edges of the planter.

This mini landscape is a living outdoor arrangement that is only limited by your creativity.

Third – Always use a good well-drained soil mix. It should be porous enough to drain well (especially during our wet winter months) yet still be able to retain some moisture so that the plants do not dry out too quickly.

To help keep plants healthy and lush incorporate a good quality slow release fertilizer into the soil mix before planting. Check with your local garden center for available soil mixes and fertilizers.

Fourth – Accessorize, like a floral arrangement you can incorporate some final touches to your container that will add that extra punch. Use seasonal cuts or ornaments, branches and stems with dried seed heads, berries and fruit. These “temporary” additions can be changed out as needed. Finally, including some lighting (LEDs) is a great way of adding life and extending your viewing pleasure into the evenings and through the dark days of winter.

Some Great Container Plants:

Heuchera, Heucherella and Tiarella
Phormium (tender)
Cyclamen (hardy selections)
Dwarf conifers
Carex (evergreen forms)
Euphorbia
Mukdenia (great fall colour, deciduous)
Skimmia
Dwarf Rhododendrons and Azaleas
Beesia
Ophiopogon (Black Mondo Grass)
Bergenia
Ferns (evergreen forms)
Broadleaf evergreens (so many to select from)
Ilex (deciduous forms have attractive berries)
Callicarpa (deciduous, purple berries)
Yucca
Cornus (deciduous, coloured stems)
Gaultheria

These plants and many others are available at Art's Nursery. Please call 604.882.1201 ahead of time to confirm availability if you are looking for a specific item or variety.

Lyle Courtice, A.H.
Lyle is a certified Horticultural Technician (Niagara College), Landscape Designer, Nurseryman and the proprietor of HarkAway Botanicals. He is a guest blogger for Art's Nursery and his plants are available through us.

Since 1980 Lyle has worked in both the retail and wholesale sectors of the horticultural trade; he operates his own wholesale nursery, which focuses on an eclectic mix of rare and choice plant material from Asia, Europe and North America.

Lyle has appeared on The Canadian Gardener and is a contributing author to A Grower’s Choice (Raincoast books 2001). His horticultural expertise makes him sought after as a consultant, lecturer, photographer, instructor and writer. An industry veteran, Lyle is esteemed within the horticultural community for his passionate and often humorous enthusiasm for plants.

6 Beautiful Japanese Maples - Video

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:36:00 +0000

Fantastic Fall Plants - Video

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:06:00 +0000

5 Cool Plants For September 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 05:00:00 +0000

With so many plants available these days, its hard to bring attention to just a few. With that said, we think these are remarkable because their beauty comes not from their flowers, but from other attributes of interest.

	Hosta 'Empress Wu' This is the worlds largest Hosta. It reaches an astounding 4 1/2 feet tall, up to six feet wide with gigantic two-foot leaves. Foliage is deeply veined and of good substance. Blooms appear in early to mid summer, just above the foliage. An outstanding focal point. This plant is best in full to part shade in moist, but well drained soils. We have limited quantities available for Fall 2011, so if you want one of these specimens, call ahead or hurry in!
	Giant Zebra Grass Miscanthus giganteus 'Lottum' This grass features large clumps of downward arching foliage with yellow banding. What make it special is its size. This monster will grow up to 9 feet high and 6 feet wide. It also extremely fast growing - reaching 2 metres in a season! Its an excellent plant for a screen, seasonal hedging or as a feature specimen in large containers. Giant Zebra grass is a warm season grass meaning it performs best in the warmer months, late spring, summer and early fall. Cut it back in early spring to give it a clean appearance. Hardy to zone 4.
	Upright Japanese Plum Yew Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata' There is more to gardens than flowers. This attractive conifer features dark green, shiny, blunt-ended needlelike foliage. It is both heat and shade tolerant and will thrive in areas of morning sun and afternoon shade. It is ideally suited for temperate gardens and is known to its carefree upright growth habit. Fairly slow growing. forms a broad upright shrub up to 10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. Hardy to zone 7.
	Tri-Colour Bud Bloomers Calluna vulgaris These summer flowering heathers are truly a treat for the garden. Three different colour bud bloomer heathers in one pot. (A bud blooming variety has colourful flower buds, but no real flowers to speak of). They bloom prolifically from Late August through the fall, and do best in full sun to part shade. They prefer a moist, but well drained, peaty-acidic soil. For best appearance, trim them to the base of the flower spike after flowering. Grows up to 12 inches high and 1-2 feet wide.
	Chinese Lanterns Physalis alkekengi Ok, we cheated, this very cool plant is renowned for its unique flowers. The Chinese Lantern or Physalis alkekengi features fall blooming brightly orange coloured papery pods that create a festive display on the front steps of patio. A very cool plant for Halloween too! Flowers can be cut and dried and used all through the winter as decorations. Grows 2-3 feet in height and does best in full to part sun. Hardy in zones 2-9.

If any of these interesting plants catch your attention, call or drop by Art's Nursery and we'll be happy to put one or more aside for you. If you have any questions or need help choosing the right plant for your garden, we're always here to help!

New Bulb Planting Website - Dig Drop Done

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 05:24:00 +0000

As Fall is the ideal bulb planting time, why not launch a new bulb related website at the same time.

Dig Drop Done is great resource for all those who love bulbs in their garden.
It features a bulb catalog, planting tips, inspirational photo and video galleries, planting charts and more.

Art's Nursery carries a large selection of both spring and summer blooming bulbs, many of which are available now in Fall. Hurry in for best selection!

The Garden in Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:36:00 +0000

Fall, autumn… the final season before winter sets in once again. It can be rather depressing as the garden is finishing up its summer splendor and plants are returning to the earth to sleep away the winter months. But is it a time to be down or can it be one last kick at the can before the snow flies.

Autumn is a wonderful time with all its blazing glory of colour, many plants put out one last big splash before taking a much needed rest and some plants like Arum even begin their growing cycle now, sprouting from the ground with their tropical-like foliage and holding through the cold wet months adding that much needed foliar element to the winter white.
A host of plants do their flowering at this time of the year and some like Skimmia japonica even produce flower bud clusters reminiscent of tiny red berries that will hold through winter ready to bust open with their wonderfully fragrant flowers at the first sign of spring’s warmth.
Cones come into their own now too showing us another way plants express themselves in interesting and attractive ways. What would those Thanksgiving and Christmas displays be without pine cones.

This is prime time for many plants to produce fruit, such abundant and colourful displays add both a fantastic addition to our fallscapes and offer much needed food for birds and other wildlife, keeping them fed through the lean months.

Autumn is a time when we can reap the bounty of our veggie gardens, pumpkins are ripe for harvest and transformation into pies, potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, squash all fresh, delicious and grown in your own back yard (or pot!) can be enjoyed now. Autumn is a time for celebration, a toast to the great spring and summer that it follows.

Grasses with their seed heads swaying in the breeze gently usher us into winter letting us know it is time for planting our spring flowering bulbs and winter veggies.

Heuchera and its relatives Heucherella and Tiarella, all evergreen perennials, have a wardrobe change before the winter season giving us more intense and vibrant leaf colour and markings.
But least we forget the fall colours that many plants display for our amazement. Even some conifers give us a splash of gold and amber before retiring.

The kings of fall colour are of course the maples with their staggering array of yellows, ambers, orange, red and burgundy they are simply stunning in their glory making the fall season a wonderland of colour.

Interesting Plants With Attractive Fall and Winter Interest

Flowers From Late Summer Into Fall

Buddleia
Calluna
Caryopteris (fragrant)
Cimicifuga (fragrant)
Clethra (fragrant)
Hibiscus
Roscoe
Zingiber

Flowers - Fall to Winter

Hamamelis - Witchhazel
Camellia sasanqua
Daphne x transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance'

Plants With Attractive Fruit

Aronia
Callicarpa
Cotoneaster
Daphne tangutica
Nandina
Panax
Pyracantha
Skimmia
Vaccinium
Viburnum

Conifers With Fall Colour

Larix - Larch
Metasequoia
Pseudolarix
Taxodium

Shrubs with Fall Colour

Acer palmatum
Aronia
Berberis
Clethra
Cornus
Cotinus
Enkianthus
Euonymus
Hydrangea quercifolia
Rhus
Vaccinium
Viburnum

Trees with Attractive Fall Colour

Acer - Maples
Cercidiphyllum - Katsura
Cornus - Dogwood
Fagus - Beech
Ginkgo
Gleditsia
Nyssa
Oxydendron - Sourwood
Pyrus - Flowering Pear
Quercus - Oak

If you would like more information about which of these plants would work well in your garden, please don't hesitate to call 604.882.1201 or visit Art's Nursery in person. We'd be happy to assist in any way possible

Lyle Courtice, A.H.

Lyle is a certified Horticultural Technician (Niagara College), Landscape Designer, Nurseryman and the proprietor of HarkAway Botanicals.

Since 1980 Lyle has worked in both the retail and wholesale sectors of the horticultural trade; he operates his own wholesale nursery, which focuses on an eclectic mix of rare and choice plant material from Asia, Europe and North America.

Lyle has appeared on The Canadian Gardener and is a contributing author to A Grower’s Choice (Raincoast books 2001). His horticultural expertise makes him sought after as a consultant, lecturer, photographer, instructor and writer. An industry veteran, Lyle is esteemed within the horticultural community for his passionate and often humorous enthusiasm for plants.

September 2011 In Your Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 05:56:00 +0000

So far this September is shaping up rather nicely!

Perhaps this is the make-up part of the summer for the less than glorious beginning. At any rate I’ll gratefully take it! September is one of those catch 22 situations. If the weather remains good, the summer baskets and pots continue to thrive and I am reluctant to make them over into fall/winter baskets.

The catch for me is that all of the new and lovely fall and winter plants and bulbs start coming in to the nursery now but by November when the pots on my front steps were looking so bad that my paper lady started leaving the newspaper by the garage doors because she was afraid to walk by the pots of haggard looking annuals and one brave lingonberry which were by then covered with left-over Halloween cobwebs, plastic spiders and one very realistic fake rat.

The new little plants that I quickly stuffed in the pots didn’t have much time to root in before the freeze.
This year its going to be different, I will not scare the paper lady…though I can’t vouch for the dogs. I’ll put the new stuff in BEFORE Halloween…really.

Here’s the list:

Keep watering the pots, make sure they have time to dry out before evening to prevent powdery mildew.
Deadhead fall perennials such as Rudbeckia and Gaillardia. Tidy the flower border, but do allow some stems and fallen leaves to remain as many native bees and other pollinators overwinter in hollow stems and leaves.
Tidy up spent annuals as needed. Allow some to go to seed if you’d like a go at planting from seed next year.
Continue to tidy your roses, clipping and deadheading as needed. You can take cuttings at this time of many shrubs such as roses and hydrangeas.
Check out the new bulb selections and plan to plant them once it cools off and the soil gets a bit of rain. (the best selection of bulbs is available in early September through October!)
Continue to harvest, don’t forget the late blackberry crop…its free! You can also sow leafy greens and some herbs as well for winter and early spring crops. My apple and pear crops are about 3 weeks late this year.
Continue to harvest fall Raspberries and cut any spent canes. You can do the same for many other berries such as thornless Blackberries and Tayberries, removing many of the old canes and encouraging the new. Continue to harvest late Blueberries if you are lucky enough to have some. Elliott is one of the latest producing – going into October if the weather is with you.
Begin to think about bringing in your patio tropicals by the end of the month. Don’t forget a quarrantine area to prevent spread of any insects. I keep them apart from the rest of the house plants for 2-3 weeks and inspect them before bringing them into general population. Still haven’t managed to kill the darn poinsettia for the second summer…though I may have come close this year – but its come back better than ever.
Now is your second window of opportunity to renovate your lawn. You can aerate, topdress and overseed followed by a fall fertilizer if your lawn needs help. You can also add lime to that if your soil is very acidic.
Take stock of your garden beds and make a list of any bare areas while the garden is looking full. Consider filling with some grasses for texture and movement. Middle of next month is your second window of opportunity for planting trees, shrubs and hardy perennials.
Begin to tidy up ponds towards the end of the month. Remove old leaves, spent lillies and spent floating plants if frost melts them.

Don’t forget to sit back, just for even a minute and enjoy the fruits of all your hard work this season (yes Gail and John, that means you too)! September will whip by in no time so enjoy these last few days of official and unofficial summer.

This Post Was Written By:

Laurelle O
Art's Nursery Ltd.

Art's Nursery 10th Annual Fall Garden Event 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 01:53:00 +0000

Please join us Saturday and Sunday, September 24-25 for out 10th Annual Fall Gardening Event. This fun filled weekend is all about gardening, landscaping and the joy of being outside. As always, we have an awesome lineup of guest speakers, how-to's, garden displays, and of course, great instore sales and specials.

Seminar Schedule

	Gardening With Bulbs - 12:00 Noon Van Noort Bulb Company
	Secrets of Bamboo - 1:00pm Learn to grow and care for bamboo in your garden. In this informative seminar, we'll introduce you to bamboo, its growth habits and chat about some of the more popular varieties of bamboo available.
	Fall / Winter Annuals - 2:00pm Proven Winners
	Pruning, Pests, Disease and Plant Care - 3:00pm B.C. Plant HealthCare

Sunday Seminars

	Special Guest: Brian Minter - 12:00 Noon Come join local gardening expert Brian Minter as he whips up fall containers and planters. If you don't know what Brian and Lady Gaga have in common, you'll find out during this fun session.
	Gardening With Grasses - 1:00pm If you like low maintenance, easy care gardens, then growing ornamental grasses is for you. Learn about these great plants from our premiere grass grower Ewan Mckenzie.
	Lawn Care Techniques - 2:00pm Join David Wall from Premiere Pacific Seeds for this fact filled seminar on lawns, lawn care and grass seed. Listen in and you'll probably end up with the nicest looking lawn on the block!
	Pruning, Pests, Disease and Plant Care - 3:00pm Bartlett Tree Experts

Exhibits and Displays
In addition to our great guest speakers, we'll also have instore exhibits and displays including:

•Scotts Canada
•BC Bonsai Society
•Miniature Railway Society
•Gemstone Landscape Supply
•Garden Herb Exhibit
•Heritage Perennials
•Unique Plant Exhibits
•Local Gardening Clubs and More

Where:
All events are located at:
Art's Nursery
8940 192nd Street, Surrey, B.C.
Tel 604.882.1201
Maps and Directions

When:
Saturday & Sunday
September 24-25th, 2011
12:00pm - 4:00pm
Open Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Additional information can be found on our website

Lavender - A Summer Favourite

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:49:00 +0000

There is something a bit magical about Lavender.

It can shout summer even in the dead of winter. Even in the dried crumbly flowers filling a lavender sachet I can smell the faintly warm, dusky aroma of sunshine, flip-flops, sunscreen, and slightly melted orange popsicle.

I have planted it, baked with it, dried it and used it in homemade bath tea-bags and given it in a little clay pot as a gift. I’d have to say, this tidy evergreen shrub from the mint family is pretty amazing little plant.
Lavender essential oils can be used as an antiseptic, mild tranquilizer, antidote to some types of snake venom, anti-nausea and anti-headache medicine and perfume to name a few.

For some folks it is a powerful allergen.

It is not a fussy plant but it does have a few requirements.

Sun for one…and a very well draining soil and good air circulation which you might think rules out much of the Fraser Valley but you’d be wrong…well except for this year maybe.
The web lists Lavender as zone 5-8 hardy. But you can expect to lose a plant or two each year in the lower zones or the wetter areas.

Lavender tends to live about 5-7 years and then starts to fall apart so don’t hesitate to refresh your plants if they start to look like something the cat dragged in.

Do some trimming on the plant once the blooms begin to fade later summer/early fall. You can save the rest of the trimming for spring.

Some of the preferred lavender varieties include:

	Lavender angustifolia 'Munstead' An evergreen, perennial shrub with compact, mounding, aromatic gray foliage and abundant, fragrant, rich lavender spikes in summer. Attracts butterflies. Needs full sun. Slow growing, 12-18 inches in height.
	Lavender angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue' A perennial shrub with gray foliage and abundant, fragrant, deep purple, summer blooming flower spikes. Attracts butterflies. Needs full sun. Grows 2-3 ft in height.
	Lavender stoechas 'Anouk' A dense, mounding lavender with gray-green foliage. Butterfly like flowers appear from late spring through fall. Best in full sun. Grows 1 to 1.5ft in height. Not quite as hardy as the other lavenders.

Arts Nursery carries a large and diverse selection of lavender in a number of sizes. Please call 604.882.1201 to confirm availability.

For something different when making a pitcher of lemonade, add a few springs of lavender.

Lavender Biscotti
¼ lb unsalted butter or marg
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (one at a time)
1 Tbsp vanilla
zest of one lemon
1Tbsp of dried lavender blossoms (optional)
2 cups flour
1Tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Mix the first six ingredients together in a separate bowl. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl then add together with the butter and egg mixture until just combined. Shape into a log approximately ¾ inch deep on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for approximately 30 min or until golden. Let cool for 15 min then cut in to biscotti fingers approximately 1 inch thick. Separate and place on their sides, bake 8 min and then flip and bake for another 8 min.

Don’t double this recipe. For some reason it doesn’t seem to turn out as well when doubled.

Enjoy with a nice cuppa Joe or some Earl Grey tea.
Cheers,
Laurelle

Giant Hogweed Is Dangerous

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 07:15:00 +0000

Giant Hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzium, is a real danger in the Pacific Northwest. Originally from Caucasus region and Central Asia, it was introduced to Britain in the 19th century and has spread to many other countries, including Canada since then. It is considered by many as an invasive plant. It thrives in cool, wet climates, and given this years moist conditions, it has spread quickly.

This plant is phototoxic and causes phytophotodermititis. This translates into severe skin inflammation when skin is exposed to sunlight. It can cause intense burns and blisters that can last for nearly decade and possibly blindness if even a small amount of toxin comes into contact with eyes.

Keep pets, children and adults away from this plant. While the most serious effects are due to contact with the sap, its toxin is so strong that direct contact is not required to cause injury.

How to Identify Giant Hogweed:
This plant has stout, dark reddish purple stems and spotted stems. The leaves are large are deeply cut. Flowers are white and umbrella shaped. The plant can reach monsterous proportions in ideal conditions. (up to 15ft in height).

What to do if you think Giant Hogweed is in your neighborhood?
Call 1-888-WEEDSBC to report a sighting
you can also visit the website of the Invasive Plant Council of B.C.

More Information About Giant Hogweed can be found here:

Gardening In Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:46:00 +0000

Well summer has finally rolled around (no really it has) and we leave the garden to the sprinkler systems and direct our attention toward other more relaxing endeavors.

But can we still plant in summer, create new beds or containers and fill in empty spaces in the garden?
Of course!

Just look around at all the gardeners and landscapers who are busily planting and overhauling containers and gardens right through even the hottest months of summer.

It is traditionally thought that once the May long weekend was over planting time screeched to a halt until fall, not the case at all. This is one of the best times to plant, with the highest available light levels and the summer’s warmth many plants are at their peak in active growth and as long as they are properly watered they will establish themselves very quickly. Containerized plants can be planted pretty much throughout the year (with little or no transplant shock) and planting in summer allows a longer time for the plants to establish themselves before having to face and “tough out” our infamous BC winters.

By this time of year the established areas in your garden have filled out and you can see the bare spots that are in need of that special plant that you have been eyeing. Now is a great time to shop as the garden center is stocked with an excellent selection of lush material much of which is in bloom and with plants that would not have been ready or available in spring.

Summer is a more relaxed time to get out and explore the garden center as many growers (myself included) are constantly producing new crops of plants throughout the year to keep things exciting and fresh, so keep an eye out as there is always something new for the garden and you can selectively shop without the hustle-and-bustle of the “spring rush”.

Here are just a few plants to look for this summer:

	Cistus hybridus ‘Mickie’ ROCKROSE – Wow, what a stunner in the garden with brilliant golden leaves splashed with dark green in the center. Plants are compact and low mounding with large (5cm) clear white flowers in early summer (May-June). A charming evergreen that is deer resistant and tolerant of drought once established, likes full sun and good drainage. Height: 45cm Spread: 60-75cm Zone: 7
	Gaillardia x grandiflora BLANKET FLOWER – Some very tough plants with the ability to tolerate the poorest of soils and blazing sun. The newest introductions have compact habits, vivid colours and bloom through summer, they include: *‘Red Sun’* with hot orange-red flowers tipped in yellow, *‘Sun Devil’* with fluted red petals and vibrant yellow tips or *‘Mesa Yellow’* with abundant flowers of bright yellow with complementary yellow cones.
	Roscoea purpurea ‘Spice Island’ ORCHID GINGER – Found in the Himalayas by famed plantsman *Dan Hinkley* this hardy ginger should be a welcome addition to any shade garden. Absolutely stunning with a tropical appearance; sturdy deep red stems support dark leaves with deep red backs. Flowers appear in late summer and resemble pink orchids with a crepe-ruffle. Likes a cool woodland setting with partial shade and adequate drainage also does great as a container plant. Height: 60cm Spread: 30cm Zone: 6
	Zingiber mioga ‘Moonbeam’ MYOGA GINGER – An exotic, hardy ginger from Japan with leaves that become streaked with green and pale gold to white by summer, pale yellow orchid-like flowers at ground level in late summer and early fall. A vigorous tropical-like plant that does best in partial shade on average well drained soil. Height: 90cm Spread: 1m Zone: 7 (6)
	Zingiber mioga ‘White Arrow’ MYOGA GINGER – An elegant hardy ginger with long dark green leaves edged and streaked with white, makes a great textural plant for the shade garden with a bold tropical appearance. Pale yellow orchid-like flowers at ground level in late summer and early fall. A vigorous grower that does best in partial shade on average well drained soil. Height: 90cm Spread: 1m Zone: 7 (6)

Photographs courtesy of HarkAway Botanicals and Terra Nova Nurseries.
These plants and many others are available at Art's Nursery. As quantities may be limited, please call ahead to confirm availability.

July 2011 Garden To Do List

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 07:01:00 +0000

I’ve just come back from walking the dogs this lovely evening in a tee shirt, shorts and sandals at about 10pm and have to say…it’s wonderful to have summer finally join us. (well maybe I spoke too soon!)

The honeysuckle is in full bloom, my Peony’s are just finishing and I think my beefsteak monster tomato plant has grown about a foot in the last 3 days!!!

I’ve also sampled the first few tayberries and sugar snap peas!
Enjoy!!

Here’s my to-do list for July.

Yes, you can still plant. I’ve found a few spots in my garden that I think I need some texture and interest that I’ll fill with some grasses…they are usually coming into the garden centers at about this time so I’ll have a good selection.
Still keeping an eye out for pests and using the squish and remove method.
You can think about trimming and deadheading if your perennial and shrub border is becoming a bit too full with all the spring rain that was supplied. Cut back Bachelors Buttons to encourage a second flush of flowers.
Staking and tying your heavier flowers is a good idea at this time, like Dahlias, and Glads.
Feed your plants – use a good fertilizer appropriate for your plants that also supplies the micronutrients your plant needs to thrive.
Towards the end of this month you can do a summer prune on your apple trees if necessary. Remember, summer pruning slows down the growth of your tree, while winter pruning invigorates. Remove only smaller branches and far less than the 1/3 we usually remove in the winter.
You can also shape up your vines at this time.
Your veggie garden should be coming along. I will definitely be staking that monster tomato plant I have before it takes over the front steps. The others seem to be behaving themselves.
You should be thinking about harvesting if you have currants, tayberries, goumi berry or goji berry, they’ll be ripening soon. The snap peas are yummy.
Think about Mojito’s on warm nights such at this one. I have a pot of mint by the back door for those occasions that warrant a lovely Mojito or mint iced tea.
Fertilize in your veggie garden as well.
Don’t get discouraged if you have a lot of weeds, especially buttercups. I think I have an almost pure culture of buttercups in my front west section of garden, just keep at them and don’t expect perfection this year.
You can still aerate your lawn and top dress if needed.
Check your municipal website for watering restrictions, your lawns need far less water than you think!! This year, watering probably won't be an issue :)
Mulch garden beds if you haven’t already. I know I sound like a lunatic after all the rain we’ve had, but the mulch will help to keep the moisture in during the hot summer (I’m an optimist).
Excellent time to go through that Honey-do list. Garden projects are much more fun in the sun.
Do take time to smell the flowers and appreciate all of your hard work!

This Post Was Written By:

Laurelle Oldford-Downe

5 Interesting Plants For July 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 18:08:00 +0000

What would gardening be without exciting new plants. Here's a collection of 5 unique and interesting plants to consider adding to your garden for July 2011.

Beesia deltophylla

Beesia
Beesia deltophylla
An excellent evergreen groundcover from the Dan Hinkley Collection. Exceptionally shiny, green to gunmental blue, heart-shaped leaves and pretty star-shaped flowers in mid to late spring. A fuss-free filler for shady understory spaces or a woodland garden. Best in full to partial shade. A slow grower. Maximum 18-24 inches tall and as wide. Hardy in zones 7-9

Justicia brandegeana

Shrimp Plant
Justicia brandegeana
A terrific tropical element to use in pots on patios or planted in entryways to enjoy the pendant terminal spikes of showy, unusual flowers. An evergreen in warm climates, but treat as an annual or as a houseplant in winter here in the pacific northwest. Best in full to part sun. Flowers year round (in warm climates). Will grow 3-4ft tall. Water regularly when top 3 inches of soil is dry. Hardy in USDA zones 9-11

Dianella revoluta 'Baby Bliss'

Baby Bliss Flax Lily
Dianella revoluta 'Baby Bliss'
A compact, extremely versatil and easy-care selection with blue-green foliage and pale violet flowers followed by attractive purple berries. An excellent mass planting or border in front of shrubs. Tolerates most any soil and salt spray. Evergreen. Thrives in either full sun or shade. Forms small clumps 1ft tall and 6 inches wide. Hardy in USDA zones 7-11. Needs only occasional water once established.

Disporum pullum 'Variegata'

Variegated Fairy Bells
Disporum pullum 'Variegata'
A charming groundcover with dark green leaves sreaked with pure white, golden fall colour. Easy to grow and makes a good naturalizer. Spreads to form a loose carpet of arching stems. Large creamy white, bell-shaped flowers in spring. A woodland plant best in cool shady sites. Height 40-50cm. Spread: 60cm. Hardy to zone 5.

Eucalyptus parvula

Small Leaved Gum Tree
Eucalpytus parvula
This mid-sized tree has juvenile leaves that give way to longer-pointed mature foliage which is attractive for cut arrangements at any age. Tolerates poorly drained, infertile soils and drought. Fast growing, with spreading, semi-weeping branches to 30-50ft tall and wide. Hardy in zones 7-11. Evergreen. Best in full sun. Water occasionally as needed.

All of these plants are available at Art's Nursery, but possibly seasonally and in limited quantities. Please give us a call at 604.882.1201 for more information or to have us put one of these specialties aside for you.

Rebecca van Der Zalm - In The Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 06:57:00 +0000

A great article about Rebecca van der Zalm, Manager of Art's Nursery, her dad and founder, Art van der Zalm, and the transition to the next generation of garden centre owners in British Columbia.

Read More at Steve Whysall's Blog:
http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/inthegarden/archive/2011/07/07/rebecca-van-der-zalm.aspx

This Post Was Written By:

Art's Nursery Ltd.

Hydrangeas in your Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 06:15:00 +0000

There is no good reason why you shouldn’t have at least one of these in your garden. Hydrangeas are one of my favorite shrubs and lend themselves nicely to almost any garden theme or style.

For summer colour and interest they are lovely and indeed, there are some with spring, fall and winter colour and interest. They are not particularly fussy. Most preferring a moist, well draining, soil in part to full shade.

If you have purchased pink mop head hydrangeas and want to keep them pink add lime to the soil and a fertilizer higher in phosphorous. If you like the change to blue or purplish blue, our usual acid soil should do the trick as long as there is aluminum available in your soil or you can add aluminum sulphate to the soil which both acidifies the soil and ensures that needed aluminum is present.

Regular pruning is not needed with the exception of thinning or removing old wood or damaged branches to encourage an open habit. Regular trimming back of the branches in winter like the folks down the street with their mophead variety yields them a whopping 2 bloom heads at last count.

Many varieties of mopheads and lacecaps and of course the oak leaved hydrangeas bloom mainly on wood produced the previous summer, thus pruning them vigorously in fall or winter will often transform them from a lovely flowering eye catcher to a tidy green flowerless mound of a shrub.

Now, there are some varieties that can handle vigorous pruning…if you are one of those who feel the need to prune, you should have one of the ‘Endless Summer’ varieties of hydrangeas. If you do have one of the mophead, lacecap or oak leaved hydrangeas and need to shrink it a bit because you’ve got it crammed in to your garden too close to the other plants like mine is, you can do a bit of pruning to decrease size in July.

The panicle type hydrangeas such as the Pee Gee hydrangea are far more forgiving as they bloom on the current seasons wood and can be pruned lightly if needed almost any time, though I’d avoid pruning in the later spring.

Here is a list of my top 7fave hydrangeas for the landscape:

	Hydrangea 'Endless Summer' A very popular mophead hydrangea with blue flowers. One of the first of 'Endless Summer' varieties which bloom on this years growth. (Most hydrangeas bloom on last years wood).
	Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea anomala petiolaris. This climber clings to stone, wood and other surfaces. It has lacy white flowers and looks just as lovely in the winter time when you can see the shredding cinnamon coloured bark.
	Hydrangea 'Lemon Daddy' A new hydrangea variety with golden yellow foliage. A great way to liven up a shady spot in your garden.
	Hydrangea aspera Villosa Which is a larger growing hydrangea with rich dark green, softy leaves (according to my daughter). The huge flowers are a magical purple blue with purple outer florets. It is an absolute marvel and I was sad to say goodbye to it when I moved. I will get another…just as soon as my two legged and four legged family matures a little from the garden wrecking gang they are currently. (not always available)
	Pee Gee Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’. An absolute stunner in full on bloom with those massive white panicles fading to a rose pink and then a copper in the fall along with lovely yellow fall leaves. Another tall selection, this variety can take full sun so long as there is adequate moisture available.
	Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia. This variety is my most favorite in the fall, thought the mix of lace and white florets in the large blossoms are fantastic, the huge oak shaped leaves turn a spectacular scarlet, orange and deep rich burgundy in the fall.
	Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Little Honey’ All the plusses of the oakleaf in a smaller, to-die-for golden leaved plant. A definite must have for a shady spot!! (please call to confirm availability)

Art's Nursery carries a large and diverse selection of hydrangeas and many other deciduous shrubs. Please call to confirm availability or come on by and find that perfect plant for your garden. We look forward to serving you!

Hostas: A Garden Essential

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 06:44:00 +0000

Even after more than 30 years of growing Hosta I am still awed at the versatility of these amazing and adaptable perennials.

No garden is complete nor can do without these essential foliage plants. They are one of the few plants that can adapt, survive and yes thrive in our west coast environment.

Hosta’s add a needed foliar element as either backing for other plants, contrast or interest on their own. As container plants they are indispensible as one can shift and move them around where and as needed.

Hosta’s are very hardy, even in containers and tolerate our wet and highly fluctuating winters with relative ease.

They are not just your grandmother’s shade plants anymore, with the staggering amount of new varieties being offered there is something for everyone from more sun tolerant varieties to those that resist predation by slugs and other leaf-munching pests. Many of the newer Hosta’s have improved colouring that holds through the season and there are even some that have nice fall colouring as well (see picture).

Fragrance is not often something we think about when planting a Hosta but we should as there are a few select forms (see below) that have wonderfully fragrant lily-like blooms. So come out and take a second look at the Hosta, I am sure there is at least one that will find its way into your garden…

More Sun Tolerant	Slug/Pest Resistant	Fragrant
Canadian Shield Dream Queen Guacamole Harkaways Mini Gold June Patriot Stained Glass	Barbara Ann Blue Mouse Ears Captain Kirk Dream Queen Elegans El Nino Fire and Ice Fire Island First Frost Fragrant Bouquet Harkaways Mini Gold June Pauls Glory	Diana Remembered Fragrant Bouquet Guacamole Stained Glass

A Few Of My Favourite Hostas:

Hosta ‘El Nino’
One of my absolute favorite Hosta’s, a sport of ‘Halcyon’ it retains the thick, ribbed chalky blue leaves but with an added pure white margin. This “must have” Hosta is simply stunning and forms an elegant mound with scapes of lavender blue flowers in midsummer, very slug resistant.
Height: 40-50cm Spread: 60cm Zone: 3

Hosta "Fire and Ice"
Striking reverse sport of the ever popular 'Patriot', the leaves of 'Fire and Ice' have a heavy substance and a slight twist, your eyes are drawn to their pure white centers surrounded by a dark green edging. Attractive midsize Hosta that makes a great specimen, tall scapes of lavender flowers in midsummer. Slug resistant. Height: 50cm Spread: 75cm Zone: 3

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’
PLANTAIN LILY – Adorable miniature Hosta with slightly cupped, round blue-green leaves resembling little mouse ears. Lavender flowers in midsummer. Plants have good substance and form perfect, tight little mounds. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ makes an excellent container or rockery specimen. Height: 15-20cm Spread: 30cm Zone: 3
Photo courtesy of Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society

Hosta Canadian Shield

Hosta ‘Canadian Shield’
This medium sized Hosta forms a sturdy mound of thick, waxy, deep green leaves, scapes of pale lavender flowers in August. This selection has good slug resistance and is more sun tolerant.
Height: 40-50cm Spread: 90cm Zone: 3

Hosta Harkaways Mini Gold

Hosta ‘HarkAway’s Mini Gold’
A selection by HarkAway Botanicals this vigorous groundcover Hosta makes a wonderful accent with its narrow leaves of golden yellow and scapes of dainty lavender flowers in early summer; an excellent Hosta for mass planting or in containers; sun tolerant.
Height: 10-15cm Spread: 30cm Zone: 3

Art's Nursery carries an amazing variety of Hostas as well as many other shade loving perennials. Call 604.82.1201 for availability or drop by and browse anytime. We look forward to serving you!

*Photos Courtesy of Harkaway Botanicals

Lyle Courtice, A.H.

Lyle is a certified Horticultural Technician (Niagara College), Landscape Designer, Nurseryman and the proprietor of HarkAway Botanicals. He is a guest blogger for Art's Nursery and his plants are available through us.

Since 1980 Lyle has worked in both the retail and wholesale sectors of the horticultural trade; he operates his own wholesale nursery, which focuses on an eclectic mix of rare and choice plant material from Asia, Europe and North America.

Lyle has appeared on The Canadian Gardener and is a contributing author to A Grower’s Choice (Raincoast books 2001). His horticultural expertise makes him sought after as a consultant, lecturer, photographer, instructor and writer. An industry veteran, Lyle is esteemed within the horticultural community for his passionate and often humorous enthusiasm for plants.

June 2011 In Your Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Arts Nursery) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 06:40:00 +0000

Thus far this spring weather can be compared to game 3,4 and 6 and 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs or an embarrassing noise.
Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen and move on!! Here’s the garden to-do list for June 2011.
Mow! Once the warm weather hits…and it will, raise your mowing height. Your grass will be less stressed, more vigorous and require less repairs come fall.
Gardens – Weed, fertilize, pinch back and trim as needed. With all the rain plants will tend to be leggier and may require support. You may be feeling overwhelmed at this point with weeding. Just keep chugging away a bit each day or so. Things will slow once the heat hits. You can still add to your garden as things have been so delayed, but save the moving of existing perennials and shrubs for fall.
Keep an eagle eye out for pests and disease. Those pesky aphids are here. A sharp stream of water from the hose will do the trick and no, they won’t climb back up. Powdery mildew, oh yeah, if caught soon enough, remove affected leaves and don’t put them in the compost. Black spot, do the same. If you have plants that are consistently affected by pest and disease, its tough love time, there are so many other spectacular pest and disease resistant ones out there that would be great replacements. Don’t expect perfection this year and have patience if your usually trouble free specimens are affected.

Water gardeners with ponds in full sun, stave off an algae bloom by ensuring about 75 percent coverage with lilies and oxygenators such as frog bit, water hyacinth and water lettuce.
Veggie gardens can still be added to. If you have planted sunflowers or corn already, take a peek at a seed or two to make sure they haven’t rotted in the rain and cold. You can still replant. Continue to sow greens at two week interval.
You can do the same with corn, peas, and some carrots and beans so you will have an extended picking rather than one huge glut! Keep hoeing out the weeds. If you’ve lost some to the weather or the slugs, don’t despair, there is a great selection of veggies in the nursery.
Container gardens, water at least once a day.
Check hanging baskets regularly.
If they are allowed to get dry, make sure you bring them down and set them in a shallow tray of water to soak for an hour or so to ensure they will retain moisture with the next watering.
The water will run right through a dry hanging basket without retaining any for the plants!!
Some of your house plants can go out for a summer vacation in a shady place for the first few days and for those that can take sun, gradually acclimatize them.

Fruit trees, if you have a particularly heavy set of apples or pears, remove some of them to keep limbs from breaking or bending. Remove any of the misshapen pink tinged midge affected leaves from apple trees. Watch for and prune out any black knot in plums. Remove blighted leaves from peach trees.
Berries – watch for the different pollinators for raspberries, blueberries and tayberries among others, they are interesting to observe and a good test of the health of your garden.
Remember to stretch during the commercials on game days and to vary your pacing from clockwise to counterclockwise to avoid getting stiff and tired on one side of your body. Go Vancouver Hockey Team Go!!!