Winter Interest in the Snowy Garden

It's always worthwhile to consider some winter interest in your garden - regardless of where you live. Here in Manitoba, we've got to count on a bunch of snow covering everything, so things with height are important. Evergreens are major, providing more substance than just naked branches. We're fortunate here to be surrounded by well-established spruce and some pines. I've added some dwarf Mugo Pine and upright juniper in the border in front of the house and along the driveway. There's are a few other things providing pleasure now. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Sedum), a joy in sooo many seasons! Red-twigged dogwood (Cornus), looking good against the brick wall around the front patio. The flower heads of coneflower (Echinacea), which little birdies are still visiting for a snack. And some of our favorite winter interest: local wildlife! This visit from a partridge, commonly called Prairie chicken around here, was rare, unexpected and fortunately happened while the camera was handy! They rarely come so close to the house and usually fly away at the least sound or movement.

Mmmmmm! Mockorange!

There is no better place in the whole, wide world right now than the little garden bench on my front patio! It's always a nice place, but right now it is absolutely divine due to the 'Blizzard' mockorange right beside the bench. The shrub is in full bloom, and smells heavenly. It's almost intoxicating sitting on that bench! 'Blizzard' mockorange is a great shrub for Prairie gardeners! It's so tough and reliable, and yet so gorgeous. It's hardy enough to go even farther north: say Flin Flon or even Thompson! Give it room; it wants to be about five to six feet tall and wide and its' natural habit is so nice, you really don't want to get into pruning it to keep it down to a size. It's one of the few shrubs around here that showed no winter damage this year - we love it just for that! Now, if a little hummingbird would come to the feeder while I was sitting on the bench - life would be perfect!

'Blue Moon' Wisteria: The Great Hope

Ahhh, wisteria. This time of year, garden blogs and magazines are featuring pictures of wisteria in all it's glory! And it just doesn't want to grow here - until now! 'Blue Moon' wisteria has been bred and selected to be hardy; depending on which source one reads, hardy enough for Zone 3 or 4. So, of course I had to plant one! If it IS Zone 3 hardy, that would be delightful. My hope is, even if it is Zone 4 hardy, if I can protect the roots, a wisteria is rampant enough to still get to six or eight feet high, even if it gets killed back to the ground. So, I'll add it to the list, along with the barberry, to mulch well in fall, and I'll try to shovel some extra snow onto it as the winter season progresses. Fingers crossed!

Patience is the Key on the Prairies

The Barberry is alive!! Many a Prairie gardener would have pulled this little bush out a month ago. I, however, always give everything the utmost chance. I saw a few buds down at soil level, and I waited, patiently. It's coming fabulously! Granted, it was two feet high last year and it is currently six inches - and that's being generous. But, it survived, it has obviously rooted well and it will be a foot high again in a month or six weeks. It's a 'Rosy Glow' barberry, with burgundy leaves mottled with pink on the new growth. It's adorable, and well worth the wait! This fall I will endeavor to protect it a little better with a good mulch. I know the damage was either done in December, when we were cold without much snow cover, or in March, when we had lost the snow cover, got really warm and then got really cold. There's not much I can do to combat the whims of Mother Nature here on the Prairies, but I'll do what I can. And then wait, patiently......

In All It's Glory...

We blogged here about forcing the stems of early blooming shrubs like double-flowered plum or forsythia. Well, here's the double flowered plum in all its' glory in the garden - just a sight to behold! This is an awesome shrub for Prairie gardeners; hardy, reliable, gorgeous spring bloom and pretty fall colour. Give it the room it needs and please, please, please don't give it little haircuts on its' tips, which ruins its' natural shape. Now, I must admit that the bloom is maybe a week of glory, if it's not windy. But well worth it! For some gorgeous close-ups, visit Prairie Girl Studios - some delightful photographs there! I was waiting rather impatiently for mine - some of the shrubs in protected town gardens started blooming two weeks ago. Well worth the wait, I'd say!