tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51858377298750611952024-03-19T04:56:44.958-05:00A Student GardenerMaster Gardener learning what I can do to help mitigate the biodiversity crisis.
Turns out its quite a bit. astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.comBlogger375125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-44161696117888707082022-07-13T15:45:00.003-05:002022-07-13T15:45:37.444-05:00Coming to the Manitoba Master Gardener Garden Tour? <p> You may find these maps of my property to be of interest...</p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Overall Site Map</u></b></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaC6oyY5KameRoKscImJ5jZ6Xx_Qh-wOu_ZvEnhvEKIxGH5H5aQ0JLfVGWLnnXTdbMw4rz3NqrICcCKIvU3hw2LoiZRIca_c_AT9c9_KW0kKHsuxVEbYnndJ9PeJxnNa1zAiaP_z1bzuaaxBLsMgo2MarSqDqm6DVDTiwaOFXUmzlQG6nGMtvxPq1/s947/115%20Girton%20Landscape%20Feb%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="947" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaC6oyY5KameRoKscImJ5jZ6Xx_Qh-wOu_ZvEnhvEKIxGH5H5aQ0JLfVGWLnnXTdbMw4rz3NqrICcCKIvU3hw2LoiZRIca_c_AT9c9_KW0kKHsuxVEbYnndJ9PeJxnNa1zAiaP_z1bzuaaxBLsMgo2MarSqDqm6DVDTiwaOFXUmzlQG6nGMtvxPq1/w400-h211/115%20Girton%20Landscape%20Feb%2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>This plan shows the overall property, and the respective amount of native plants per bed. </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Increasing native plants and plants popular with pollinators became much more of a focus for me in 2019 after the UN report on declining biodiversity. </li><li>My goal is to reach 70% native after starting with practically no natives 10 years ago. </li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Fountain Garden</u></b></h3><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkK5DYXldDY88jdzze7FAetzb0_AFBhoDr51SRFdsDbKBb6ZQgTcmVURA1MOnqJfmbNNuQQQSuZdKFUHsoNraWykpISlxqjr4ux4906QF-tPuT8wd5FHNRROHO0WM5aw4SFgvuR5xqrmGtFcLUo16sBv7RJYNxsktrpMF9hDasRTRzXaWY_NNFAGn/s960/Fountain%20Garden%20June%2012%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkK5DYXldDY88jdzze7FAetzb0_AFBhoDr51SRFdsDbKBb6ZQgTcmVURA1MOnqJfmbNNuQQQSuZdKFUHsoNraWykpISlxqjr4ux4906QF-tPuT8wd5FHNRROHO0WM5aw4SFgvuR5xqrmGtFcLUo16sBv7RJYNxsktrpMF9hDasRTRzXaWY_NNFAGn/w400-h300/Fountain%20Garden%20June%2012%202022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>A version of this bed has been in place for a few years but in fall of 2020 I doubled its size and created a plan to incorporate many more natives.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Front Habitat</u></b></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDmcqN-cbtShhQ7GWnCmMOET63CHz7jqxxrXcXO2_0lJzVyg-L_J7-GEBxs8KJAgfDNrD-3N65YNYwa3J1-vn72KS44DOLT6p_CsSFYK8Y4yk9bmHVnmEr-RMrLarU0XEEbbpwMxD7o6HT4AvxBTvJ0zVmzOrtorJSZQAf3DKIGwBQhfFb8BS8RnO/s960/Front%20Habitat%20March%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDmcqN-cbtShhQ7GWnCmMOET63CHz7jqxxrXcXO2_0lJzVyg-L_J7-GEBxs8KJAgfDNrD-3N65YNYwa3J1-vn72KS44DOLT6p_CsSFYK8Y4yk9bmHVnmEr-RMrLarU0XEEbbpwMxD7o6HT4AvxBTvJ0zVmzOrtorJSZQAf3DKIGwBQhfFb8BS8RnO/w400-h300/Front%20Habitat%20March%202022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">In the fall of 2020 I acted on an urge I'd for a while. Minimizing my lawn and expanding my gardens to help restore biodiversity to my local neighbourhood. Living close to a large park and a river meant I have a particularly good opportunity to attract wildlife from the surrounding area.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Moon Garden</u></b></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6FABzZlnKqavdz295USWpJQLxJkgAWCpSkDLopIrO_znfESXbZwPodjH7Akja1TaG9y2ha5q0X0W2j_qpr2t2fdJpQCkJ3TS-X1EIAe_5outW97s8ahl7ZcE_qn5iXYHHOoRJbEFtFHQoKmzO80dILEp6MepYYlIjUQFSBllg8deJnmGsN7M4q1c/s960/Moon%20Garden%20Summer%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6FABzZlnKqavdz295USWpJQLxJkgAWCpSkDLopIrO_znfESXbZwPodjH7Akja1TaG9y2ha5q0X0W2j_qpr2t2fdJpQCkJ3TS-X1EIAe_5outW97s8ahl7ZcE_qn5iXYHHOoRJbEFtFHQoKmzO80dILEp6MepYYlIjUQFSBllg8deJnmGsN7M4q1c/w400-h300/Moon%20Garden%20Summer%202022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>For many years this front garden was only planted with white flowers. But when I decided to prioritize plants for ecological reasons the colour mandate fell apart. You can still see a prevalence of white but it is no longer a criteria. </p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><u>Monet Garden</u></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZQtEzT9a7hyCwlGB83jVZdFB1J9KSvK2t-UX-pWqHoUThvrBx_jbfEbbN6sktlMuI9o8UiFR3gR1KBIvO2pE69FSsDi_WN-QVj0g1QOyVPYyblcZezeK_rs7dKfuMq97ZXoemSxbl-MHYxOYwK3FpzHEv9zEMUy4w6agALj8HQyyYIXEDxmjQuip/s960/Monet%20Garden%20Summer2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZQtEzT9a7hyCwlGB83jVZdFB1J9KSvK2t-UX-pWqHoUThvrBx_jbfEbbN6sktlMuI9o8UiFR3gR1KBIvO2pE69FSsDi_WN-QVj0g1QOyVPYyblcZezeK_rs7dKfuMq97ZXoemSxbl-MHYxOYwK3FpzHEv9zEMUy4w6agALj8HQyyYIXEDxmjQuip/w400-h300/Monet%20Garden%20Summer2022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So called because of its focus on blues, purples, mauves, whites and lack of bright yellows, reds and oranges which were originally reserved for the "Sun Garden).</p><p><br /></p><p>There is more to see, though these are all the beds I have maps for. Not included:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sun Garden beside the driveway on the way to the back yard</li><li>Entertaining area: We turn our driveway into a patio for summer dining.</li><li>Back pool area.</li><li>Back laneway: to prevent invasives from taking over I have planted the back lane (and my neighbour's)</li></ul><div><b>Planters</b>: look closely and you'll see that planters other than those at the front door are a combination of veggies and ornamentals. </div><div><br /></div><div>I look forward to seeing you Saturday.</div><div><br />Derek</div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-57094588319499395592021-08-04T18:56:00.003-05:002021-08-04T19:06:09.496-05:00Front Habitat Map - updated<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQt9bjoPKYNkXLiJmwKuO4cTwvqf0tfZNj5um9Tdlt-bRfzqsISu4bp8XQWrP2_Rha56GbY3_G8Lj5B2ofqsfdJW0aVED4cS5E5n5yEH6afJ63-OkEpri3Jg9mZVM653_akJrMn3qPSA/s960/Front+Habitat+Aug+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQt9bjoPKYNkXLiJmwKuO4cTwvqf0tfZNj5um9Tdlt-bRfzqsISu4bp8XQWrP2_Rha56GbY3_G8Lj5B2ofqsfdJW0aVED4cS5E5n5yEH6afJ63-OkEpri3Jg9mZVM653_akJrMn3qPSA/w400-h300/Front+Habitat+Aug+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p></p><p>Coming to the Prairie Naturals Group perpetual garden tour this coming Saturday?</p><p>Here is a map of what has been added to the new front habitat (not to scale, not even close!). </p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-54454741788302056862021-06-23T10:01:00.000-05:002021-06-23T10:01:00.656-05:00Helping to save the trees<p>Every little action we take to be more sustainable matters. That's why when I received my fall plant catalogue from Botanus today I reached out and asked to be removed from their mailing list. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmj8Cryp6yCKZtUuXzOMsVfbNo1R2xYwRt5uU6hwsMAy1IABB0IfHhqQ2X9AwRL3QOe5JuwF5GFT8_7iSw_t2K6n5zZUpLxs7eA4as77WvrKNZz97pnYYcztS3MdJpF_3CrSJAyX0p0I/s1280/Botanus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1052" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmj8Cryp6yCKZtUuXzOMsVfbNo1R2xYwRt5uU6hwsMAy1IABB0IfHhqQ2X9AwRL3QOe5JuwF5GFT8_7iSw_t2K6n5zZUpLxs7eA4as77WvrKNZz97pnYYcztS3MdJpF_3CrSJAyX0p0I/s320/Botanus.jpg" /></a></div><p>I'll still buy spring-flowering bulbs from somewhere this fall by shopping online, but I don't need to be mailed catalogues.</p><p>I'm glad to see Botanus uses FSC responsibly-sourced paper, nonetheless the most responsible thing I feel I can do is not receive their glossy 60--page catalogue at all.</p><p><br />Do you enjoy getting your seed and bulb catalogues each year? Could you survive with online shopping alone? Let me know what you think.</p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-34081670609144820832021-04-06T15:44:00.004-05:002021-04-06T15:44:58.713-05:00Kiss the Ground<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> If you have not seen this film, I highly recommend you make it a top priority. </span></b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4XicNjYMq4zL1xsHhGPdtuOb-Nmxk4qH7p-r5A6iBtGkBEMoDgw5ojIRgvFUA_6ZQY6-O7d7jC_oVzLpZRS4G9kqK87pzag7sUU-9w2V4UhnD-gIQlCnP8Q5nIoNW6QJzCy6uHYKz1A/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="713" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4XicNjYMq4zL1xsHhGPdtuOb-Nmxk4qH7p-r5A6iBtGkBEMoDgw5ojIRgvFUA_6ZQY6-O7d7jC_oVzLpZRS4G9kqK87pzag7sUU-9w2V4UhnD-gIQlCnP8Q5nIoNW6QJzCy6uHYKz1A/w400-h330/image.png" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><br /><p></p><p>Every person on this planet should be aware how serious our predicament is - that we only have <b>only 60 years of topsoil left</b> unless we change our farming practices.</p><p>The good news? We know what to do, we just have to do it.</p><p>Regenerative agriculture is fascinating and will undoubtedly influence gardening practices. In fact, I have signed on to the waitlist for a class from the film's producers on bringing regenerative practices to the home garden. Should be interesting when it is available.</p><p>My local Master Gardener chapter is going to show the film to our members and host a discussion afterwards. If you are interested in doing something similar, <a href="https://kisstheground.com/" target="_blank">check out the film's website</a> for more information. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-91132593696712159052021-03-22T14:33:00.005-05:002021-03-22T14:34:47.874-05:00The Living Landscape - a book review<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7)" face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">The Living Landscape</span></b></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;">Designing for beauty & biodiversity in the home garden.</h2><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">Authors: Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy<br />Publisher: Timber Press, 2014</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JHKoJR0TBWq8nKmvAQjTM99hgomSiEQmPiBjyiNt18cMKAMycC7Nq5JJn4xZ1HUN3zXxPlvuNzrxrUUdoPmZHU6uC32oa5T7HJ9x74jMdXvxN_SlHQ0ddWO_WwPcc4qUMTv_PIMVZCY/" style="font-size: 17.6px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="256" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JHKoJR0TBWq8nKmvAQjTM99hgomSiEQmPiBjyiNt18cMKAMycC7Nq5JJn4xZ1HUN3zXxPlvuNzrxrUUdoPmZHU6uC32oa5T7HJ9x74jMdXvxN_SlHQ0ddWO_WwPcc4qUMTv_PIMVZCY/w342-h400/image.png" width="342" /></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><br /><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">In my humble opinion Douglas Tallamy is a bona-fide rock star of the gardening world. And, this amazing fellow is not even a horticulturalist by trade!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">In 2007 Tallamy published “Bringing Nature Home” his seminal work on gardening with nature in mind that, according to the National Wildlife Federation, “…changed the conversation about gardening in (North) America.” Tallamy awakened readers to the connection between their personal plant choices and massive declines in North American wildlife populations. Rather than dish out blame, Tallamy presents his readers with an opportunity and a solution: plant more native plants.<br /><span id="more-7367"></span><br />In 2020 he published the accessible and powerful New York Times bestseller “Nature’s Best Hope”. In this compelling follow up he expands his thinking beyond the individual garden bed. Tallamy invites readers to become a part of a networked community and a movement to save the world.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">As highly as I recommend both of these books (but if you have to choose one, choose his most recent: “Nature’s Best Hope”), there is a level of detail missing for avid gardeners. In 2014’s The Living Landscape Tallamy teams up with accomplished landscape designer and photographer Ricke Darke for a detailed exploration of how to successfully implement a gardening strategy respectful and supportive of nature, while maintaining a functional and beautiful landscape.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">I applaud their practical approach.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">While some advocates for rewilding our urban environments like the UK’s Mary Reynolds call for <a href="https://wearetheark.org/" style="color: #05ad9c; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">handing the land back over to nature</a>, Darke & Tallamy provide a much more workable solution: space that accommodates both humans and nature. This is an approach to saving the world embraced by the <a href="https://wwf.ca/stories/restoring-nature-one-garden-at-a-time/" style="color: #05ad9c; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">World Wildlife Fund</a>, the <a href="https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/conservation-101/native-gardening-101.html" style="color: #05ad9c; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Nature Conservancy Canada</a> and the <a href="https://cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/gardening-for-wildlife/" style="color: #05ad9c; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Canadian Wildlife Federation</a>. These organizations and many more recognize that you and I are a ‘part of’ and not ‘apart from’ nature. They know a personal connection can be the spark igniting a lifelong passion for protecting nature and how one’s own yard can contain nature enough to provide that spark.<br />Luckily for all of us, the feedback loop for gardeners is fast; there is still a chance for millions of North Americans to personally reconnect with nature at home. Incorporate the thinking outlined by Tallamy & Darke and nature will respond. And quickly.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">Tallamy & Darke use the framework of layers, going beyond the physical layers Master Gardeners will be familiar with (canopy, understory, etc.) to include ‘temporal’ layers which ensure people’s needs are accounted for as well.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">The first third of the book focuses on gardening-ecology. The pair then shifts gears to provide practical examples from Darke’s time spent designing Living Landscapes. With ample photos they show us examples from Longwood Gardens (near Philadelphia) where Darke worked for nearly 20 years and from his own personal gardens. Practising what they preach, the pair uses their framework of layers to explore what Darke has been able to achieve in creating functional, beautiful landscapes that celebrate and nurture wildlife.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">The final section of the book takes a deep dive into plants for the “mid-Atlantic” region. While some plants can also be found in our ecozone, there are better resources to delve into if you are interested in the<a href="https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/assets/generalFiles/LakeManitoba.2017.pdf" style="color: #05ad9c; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;"> ecological role of plants native to our ecoregion.</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">I have read this book twice (the second time skipping past the deep dive into Mid-Atlantic plants), and “two-thumbs up” recommend it for anyone looking to help heal the world through their gardening. You have more power to help than you may know!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">Unlike Tallamy’s other books this is a bona-fide coffee table book, but unlike many coffee table books, this one is not only beautiful, it will also make you smarter.</p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-89902511032635864652021-03-06T14:26:00.006-06:002021-03-06T14:26:49.632-06:00Updated Front Habitat Map - feedback welcome<p> <br /></p><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The latest iteration; there have been many since I last posted.... </h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ultimately I have removed everything full sun and will reconsider for phase 2. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And whereas initially I was very much interested in trying many new plants, I am not okay including plants I already have in my yard, know will work and will create repetition, tying different parts of the property together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For example, I doubled down on Culver's Root, which I love and which was listed as threatened in 2001 under Manitoba's Endangered Species Act. I also added our native Bee Balm which will look smashing beside the purple cultivars of Culver's Root I have selected and be an absolute smorgasbord together for pollinators.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please don't hesitate to provide feedback, I enjoy hearing from the gardening community.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_EOYsBrWbtByQJi5jPx5H79yu3_SYKTZt7yoovEwOwd1kLYOLSAsE0SMTJu6LpMryl2mit52OvI8Xb2vu-_NXeAck2sfON7Ewz5N1-skgpFx6DGdr3opueKZal0ZeX3VanaZGrEjGkk/s951/Front+Habitat+March+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="951" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_EOYsBrWbtByQJi5jPx5H79yu3_SYKTZt7yoovEwOwd1kLYOLSAsE0SMTJu6LpMryl2mit52OvI8Xb2vu-_NXeAck2sfON7Ewz5N1-skgpFx6DGdr3opueKZal0ZeX3VanaZGrEjGkk/w400-h225/Front+Habitat+March+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is a key of the plants I have planned. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Culver's Root, Creeping Dogwood & Joe Pye have been ordered.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll need to order others soon to ensure I am not left empty handed!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaTHmht1rTCn6njX3JesQTeSeYbYb-BZvfFemnJyotdJTXj1IGHB6gL3rfe-6WTat-UmwkR3_g5-TNsINEppQxpRJznwSkd5m_84F2ddh0zlKi_-gqOsOslBxmLwoDjWoHuV6ZyWXHlo/s960/Front+Habitat+March+5+plant+key.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaTHmht1rTCn6njX3JesQTeSeYbYb-BZvfFemnJyotdJTXj1IGHB6gL3rfe-6WTat-UmwkR3_g5-TNsINEppQxpRJznwSkd5m_84F2ddh0zlKi_-gqOsOslBxmLwoDjWoHuV6ZyWXHlo/w400-h300/Front+Habitat+March+5+plant+key.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-87190625804989582182021-02-22T17:52:00.001-06:002021-02-22T17:52:33.151-06:00North American Native Plant Society<h2 style="text-align: center;"> Today I joined the North American Native Plant Society. </h2><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">In my search to find like-minded people out to save the planet, and to learn more about native plant gardening, I have joined with a 5 year membership. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I am very much aligned with their mission:</p><p style="text-align: center;">"<i>Our key purpose is to provide information and inspire an appreciation of native plants with an aim to restoring healthy ecosystems across the continent. It is our belief that nature belongs in urban, suburban, and rural areas as much as in remote areas."</i></p><p style="text-align: center;">I look forward to continued learning along with my new friends from across North America. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkd1FeptTZsLNvslu0ZK3pAJwVV-gSFyFg6eyMPo7z6U6jWyuv6S6tMfbXxHTjqkNOcTZtKt3SE1lqPp6Tg3EAr2IKzfFqfYb9SMrurzh1Y5OzNwr67OLAm2-WDewxnLGtj2m4KOho6T0/s467/nanps-logo-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="82" data-original-width="467" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkd1FeptTZsLNvslu0ZK3pAJwVV-gSFyFg6eyMPo7z6U6jWyuv6S6tMfbXxHTjqkNOcTZtKt3SE1lqPp6Tg3EAr2IKzfFqfYb9SMrurzh1Y5OzNwr67OLAm2-WDewxnLGtj2m4KOho6T0/w400-h70/nanps-logo-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-6833616848074268992021-02-10T19:37:00.000-06:002021-02-10T19:37:05.240-06:00My native vs non-native ratios per garden<p>I have gone ahead and added ratios to each garden bed on my property. Rather than review each list of plant materials exhaustively which seemed a momentous task, I gave myself 5 minutes to come up with my gut perception of each bed.</p><p>So these ratios will change not only as I update my beds but they may also change as I make the time to review their make up more closely. </p><p>Nonetheless it feels great being one step closer to having my starting point defined on this journey to sustainable gardening.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8ZmsAocrjT7gpIeBSN734xEDVmOUswIksEnefwJVx-I9rUYorkczAKFMtoQVpiZ7c0e-azsxjSF-0IQzjnwjGHr4SPT1OxxeQcRo6qIY1lNqOOWU_I_ElDoWzyVd7Smm-1b75UZLlUA/s953/115+Girton+Landscape+Feb+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="953" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8ZmsAocrjT7gpIeBSN734xEDVmOUswIksEnefwJVx-I9rUYorkczAKFMtoQVpiZ7c0e-azsxjSF-0IQzjnwjGHr4SPT1OxxeQcRo6qIY1lNqOOWU_I_ElDoWzyVd7Smm-1b75UZLlUA/w400-h215/115+Girton+Landscape+Feb+10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Click to enlarge</div><br /><p></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-91177368943825158962021-02-02T10:21:00.005-06:002021-02-02T10:22:07.468-06:00Defining My Starting Point<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7OIEqzZ3ly5UALSH1u43qqUM0330xRFGYA4n_awzK91gwTk-PJqRd2cCgSN6ZPPQojjLS024UdZtHk7dDw4msaS9Nz_8hiZ9uR776PNVS3kuWKM39Vcq5THrhl7H14AkXHxvOl56BSc/s947/115+Girton+Landscape+Jan+17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="947" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7OIEqzZ3ly5UALSH1u43qqUM0330xRFGYA4n_awzK91gwTk-PJqRd2cCgSN6ZPPQojjLS024UdZtHk7dDw4msaS9Nz_8hiZ9uR776PNVS3kuWKM39Vcq5THrhl7H14AkXHxvOl56BSc/w400-h213/115+Girton+Landscape+Jan+17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><u style="background-color: #04ff00;">I have a goal of 70% productive plants in my yard. </u></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">To have the impact I'd like this to have, <u>my definition of 'plants' needs to include my non-native lawn</u>. </p><p>On the advice of ecology's rock star Doug Tallamy, I am focusing my energy on reducing my lawn above all else. Only after I establish the new beds in my front yard will I return my attention to the rest of my gardens and begin 'weeding out' the non-native plants and replacing them with natives*.</p><p>To understand where I am starting from, and how far I have to go, I am taking some simple steps many gardeners might enjoy, some of which I've been meaning to do for years.</p><p><u>Step 1</u>: <b>Complete</b>: map all of my gardens. Thanks Google Street View.</p><p><u>Step 2</u>: assign square footage to each bed - this one I've been avoiding even though I am quite curious. It's not like I dislike math, but this task has lingered... and lingered.</p><p><u>Step 3</u>: put a percentage against the amount of native plants in each bed. </p><p><u>Step 4</u>: calculate the total square footage and %-per-bed to get an overall % for my property.</p><p>Steps 3 & 4 I will repeat on an annual basis, giving myself a 'report card' of sorts on progress towards my goal. </p><p>To help measure the success of my plans I will also continue using iNaturalist to document the fauna in my yard since ultimately my goal is about defending biodiversity. I've already seen an increase in life as I have moved towards natives and want to have concrete documentation to back up my anecdotal experience.</p><p style="text-align: center;">****************************************</p><p>*I sometimes use "productive" and sometimes "native". What gives? While I will generally look to use native plants, if there is documented proof a plant can play an ecological role in my garden, such as Globe Thistle which is beloved by pollinators, I am open to including it.</p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-23917735537576018542021-01-21T22:21:00.008-06:002021-02-02T09:40:41.391-06:00Here's to continuous education! I've Registered for Ryerson's Landscape Design Certificate Program<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am taking this program for a few reasons:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the most obvious? I am crazy about gardening </li><li>I love to certify; it's in my nature to set and achieve goals and programs like this give me direction</li><li>in my overall effort to think about how we as a society will successfully shift our traditional approach to urban/suburban landscaping, it is vital for me to truly understand what is being taught to today's landscape professionals</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am particularly interested in these elective options:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Ecology and Sustainable Landscapes</li><li style="text-align: left;">Landscape Restoration</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsde4XlsZ26LlIGRXQN9APpfTexeHkrov2K_arD0Y_DekBYCnJakaRKtzISKt7hWdKjs5COEbIHJQH9jXlblWLRWRaTPwqC55H4ap2rR8ynXwHdG0cq63L3pHK32LhTmAF3xXeGHC60Og/s758/Landscape+Design+Program.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="758" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsde4XlsZ26LlIGRXQN9APpfTexeHkrov2K_arD0Y_DekBYCnJakaRKtzISKt7hWdKjs5COEbIHJQH9jXlblWLRWRaTPwqC55H4ap2rR8ynXwHdG0cq63L3pHK32LhTmAF3xXeGHC60Og/w400-h380/Landscape+Design+Program.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-63499534575572666002021-01-17T18:35:00.007-06:002021-01-17T19:27:18.426-06:00Front Habitat Draft 2 - thanks for the community feedback<p>With lots of feedback from an engaged Facebook group on native Manitoba plants I have made some revisions to my garden map. Before I share the updated version though I'd like to share this overview of my front yard. </p><p>It conveys more information about how the light falls and which views might be important, such as out our front windows and for guests arriving up the driveway and sidewalk. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nuF-IJOvHlEBqTXXyIiaKNvc7FEyP_BYbfr5RB5kijDPr9UeDIuWQJQwqVhp6HQWXXUlmtLcurQenwD71wC-KfZ9EyV4x7-uRKZtiCgv61eUCpvynk1Kdf5Sos9qLYqSj96R2R_863Q/s720/Front+habitat+phase+1+highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nuF-IJOvHlEBqTXXyIiaKNvc7FEyP_BYbfr5RB5kijDPr9UeDIuWQJQwqVhp6HQWXXUlmtLcurQenwD71wC-KfZ9EyV4x7-uRKZtiCgv61eUCpvynk1Kdf5Sos9qLYqSj96R2R_863Q/w383-h400/Front+habitat+phase+1+highlight.jpg" width="383" /></a></div><br /><p>Feedback from gardeners with experience with these native plants has led me to reconsider 3 areas so far: my grass choices, the degree to which I can support plants needing moist conditions and to not forget to check. Every. Single. Plant. for how deer and rabbit feel about it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHntaHvtWLJendTGm_3mnOGmr0ymhzFysdZLwZw3HIBSBNOykgoLv2iZ81_RDt_rjUprICl9l2BsLYnwx1y1QSgV1P3jHzfrKdwr9iwHCZVxhoT-b0qMMGCk5E75rOJCETbd35oLEpgg/s1280/Slide1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHntaHvtWLJendTGm_3mnOGmr0ymhzFysdZLwZw3HIBSBNOykgoLv2iZ81_RDt_rjUprICl9l2BsLYnwx1y1QSgV1P3jHzfrKdwr9iwHCZVxhoT-b0qMMGCk5E75rOJCETbd35oLEpgg/w400-h225/Slide1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYPI2ZfWN9PC-IpvD025lPFw1t_m1NpE0u7TLuA4Q-U8lr4oQ6T8d0B3trcPk48NMS5loQUbVR9CC5ia3nvKjMDcieNnbpgLGMBuzR2dS1_WvXTH_t6EHSmOqnjXwp1LznnUY7at_fxE/s1280/Slide2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYPI2ZfWN9PC-IpvD025lPFw1t_m1NpE0u7TLuA4Q-U8lr4oQ6T8d0B3trcPk48NMS5loQUbVR9CC5ia3nvKjMDcieNnbpgLGMBuzR2dS1_WvXTH_t6EHSmOqnjXwp1LznnUY7at_fxE/w400-h225/Slide2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><u>Water</u></p><p>In 'phase 2' I may create the physical environment for plants needing wet conditions, for now though Ridell's Goldenrod has been replaced by Showy and Stiff Goldenrod and Turtlehead's departure will allow me to expand my patch of Culver's Root. </p><p></p><div><u>Grasses</u></div><div>Canada Wild Rye has been replaced by Big Bluestem and Panic Grass. Big Bluestem being better behaved in the garden and Panic Grass not needing as much light as I'd previously thought.</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Critters</u></div><div>Try as I might to vet all my plants for rabbit and deer preference, sometimes my enthusiasm gets the better of me and I simply forget to check. While I may still add a few violets, I will not use them as a ground cover en masse and will need to find a replacement. Sweet Scented Bedstraw is a consideration, but even though it is listed as deer resistant I don't believe it is rabbit resistant.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you have any recommendations on ground covers native to Manitoba or any other thoughts, please don't hold back. </div><p></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-61778650975217539282021-01-12T23:49:00.007-06:002021-01-17T16:57:03.887-06:00Feedback Welcome - draft habitat revealed!<p>Ta da!</p><p>I have a draft of what my new 550 sq ft front habitat garden bed will look like. </p><p>While the shape is settled, consider it effectively a blank slate. I encourage you to share your own thoughts about the design with me in the comments. </p><p><b>Primary goals?</b></p><p>Save the planet. Do my part to combat our biodiversity crisis.</p><p>Increase the amount of habitat on my property using native plants.</p><p>Reducing the least productive and least sustainable portion of my greenspace, the lawn.</p><p><b>Secondary goal?</b></p><p>Maintain the look of a curated perennial garden. </p><p>To broadly shift consumer behaviour it will become increasingly important for people to be inspired by beautiful home gardens with primarily native plants. To that end:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I've already arranged for my home to be on a garden tour this year, so gardeners can imagine making similar changes to increase biodiversity in their own yards. Yes, even with a newly planted bed.</li><li>I will be doing a presentation for the Prairie Naturals Gardening Group in April on integrating native plants into your home garden.</li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-4gy_s8ZYyQny7F8Do8HsxCy7K0y1nG8eOVIyfC4g2D90vUS_JG4y8q0o3VWIKYr_5xkMqZdhz-LmAtclC0potG03DdBLyqD5K5KKX72c-TSx6q8KLpjYzujUgg6NH7xhq5zIiX89Sg/s2016/front+habitat+b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-4gy_s8ZYyQny7F8Do8HsxCy7K0y1nG8eOVIyfC4g2D90vUS_JG4y8q0o3VWIKYr_5xkMqZdhz-LmAtclC0potG03DdBLyqD5K5KKX72c-TSx6q8KLpjYzujUgg6NH7xhq5zIiX89Sg/w640-h480/front+habitat+b.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="text-align: center;">In October I took the first big step by putting in the new (lasagna) garden bed. Racing against the changing seasons, I finished just as the snow fell. There is no better incentive to plan a garden than to have the empty bed prepped and ready for next season.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>This is where you come in. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you have experience working with native plants from Manitoba, or thoughts on overall design, feel free top speak up. I value feedback from the broader gardening community. Now is the time to make changes to the design - before I start buying any plants!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRBBqzFPeUzOLEnHwVwoOgr4zCyPnLAlcBhem2JUDEI-DqpHjJV_R-d4YXqh5rwZ6GGRo_FiGHV25qANYeRljoam2_1uw8lbUezAo0_2Xt3talLvbmvwkGe8Uc94T8yjNTPTPpApsVa4/s1280/Front+Habitat+Dec+27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRBBqzFPeUzOLEnHwVwoOgr4zCyPnLAlcBhem2JUDEI-DqpHjJV_R-d4YXqh5rwZ6GGRo_FiGHV25qANYeRljoam2_1uw8lbUezAo0_2Xt3talLvbmvwkGe8Uc94T8yjNTPTPpApsVa4/w640-h360/Front+Habitat+Dec+27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't worry about the number of plants this design is not to scale...yet.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcmYpxIhIfEQthfZPcadpgkpC5YpinO8FUqcaxLWeUahMHm7wS9XNhguMuroblTpixYNI21ZBbxe1NxNecXlXU36jJhtg4zS5fPJFKp3xiMVMb0ztESUhcce3ZV1Uvgb6pv4XI7tpADg/s1280/Front+Habitat+Plant+Key.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcmYpxIhIfEQthfZPcadpgkpC5YpinO8FUqcaxLWeUahMHm7wS9XNhguMuroblTpixYNI21ZBbxe1NxNecXlXU36jJhtg4zS5fPJFKp3xiMVMb0ztESUhcce3ZV1Uvgb6pv4XI7tpADg/w640-h360/Front+Habitat+Plant+Key.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><u>All feedback is welcomed, in particular:</u></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Which plants can easily and effectively begin with direct sowing this spring?</li><ul><li>Violets? Bloodroot?</li></ul><li>Will the Turtlehead be moist enough?</li><li>Will the Obedient plant get enough sun?</li><li>Where can I buy local native orchids?</li><li>Are there endangered plants and animals I can create specific habitat for?</li></ul><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><i>Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.</i></h4><div><br /></div><div>Derek</div><p></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com2Winnipeg, MB, Canada49.895136 -97.13837439999998921.584902163821155 -132.29462439999998 78.205369836178846 -61.982124399999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-19984729269659695122020-12-05T14:21:00.002-06:002020-12-05T14:21:30.877-06:00What's Gardener To Do?<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This article I wrote for my local Master Gardener Association's newsletter received enough feedback I know I am not alone in my awakening to the importance of native plants and the vital role gardeners can play in getting nature back on track.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">***************************</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">This past winter as <a href="https://www.un.org/en/un75/climate-crisis-race-we-can-win" target="_blank">the climate crisis</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120010357.htm#:~:text=%22The%20biodiversity%20crisis%20%2D%2D%20i.e.,future%20of%20humankind%20on%20Earth" target="_blank">scale of the biodiversity crisis</a> became more apparent to me, I had an epiphany regarding <a href="https://cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/gardening-for-wildlife/plants/native-plants.html" target="_blank">the importance of gardening with native plants</a>. It’s no exaggeration to now say I see the gardening world with new eyes. My evaluation of a garden is no longer just about its beauty; I now also evaluate it based on how interconnected it is with its surrounding environment. And I’ve realized just how under-represented native plants (and the ecosystems they support) are in our gardens. Including my own.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEit5KPbITQhdk0yuXWIIGW8Qisq05GGfg4qsj-PSeV_ovMQQnkvwSSJJft3MT2GaViQ_CZZdbmdWDOVpXbzF0E3T21pFTBJyWxmRcGgAXfxLHOtTopRxcRMRuwKx2Lctdkja4tDU4YBk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEit5KPbITQhdk0yuXWIIGW8Qisq05GGfg4qsj-PSeV_ovMQQnkvwSSJJft3MT2GaViQ_CZZdbmdWDOVpXbzF0E3T21pFTBJyWxmRcGgAXfxLHOtTopRxcRMRuwKx2Lctdkja4tDU4YBk/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div><br />The world’s top scientists have asked all of us to reexamine our lives and make changes to reduce our overall carbon footprints. As a passionate gardener, my gardening practices are one of the most important areas of my life to examine: how am I investing my rather significant effort, my time, my money, my energy? What kind of impact is it having on the world? The answer for me, and for many gardeners, is we can do better. Much better.<p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">Ever since I had my yard certified as a ‘Naturescape’ by Fort Whyte Alive and registered as a Monarch Waystation over 5 years ago , I think of my yard as habitat as much as pretty gardens. Thanks to the influence of the other Master Gardeners in the River Heights study group and the passionate gardeners in the Prairie Naturals Gardening Group I understand much better how my current gardens do not provide nearly as much habitat as I once thought. With vast swaths of lily-of-the-valley, bishop’s goutweed and daylilies, I don’t have the volume of native plants to support the ecosystem I thought I was supporting.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;"><b>It was a struggle to admit it.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">I even went through a number of the stages of grief as I came to terms with this recognition.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">• Denial – I already have a certified wildlife garden, surely it must be good enough?<br />• Anger – why do so many retailers seduce me with the beauty of non-natives while making it so difficult to purchase native plants?<br />• Bargaining – what per cent of my gardens need to shift? Which non-native plants can I keep?<br />• Depression – I am going to need to undo much of the work of the last few years; how am I going to explain to others, including my husband, our wasted energy and money?<br />• Acceptance – I am already seeing the evidence – more butterflies and other pollinators – as a result of a recent increase in native plants in my gardens; I can hardly wait to see what more will join me as I provide a space for it.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;"><strong>Not all non-natives are equal.</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">According to Doug Tallamy, researcher and author of the seminal book on creating habitat in our urban spaces “Bringing Nature Home”, there is room for both native and non-native plants: “It’s not as simple as plant natives and save the world. I’d use some non-natives, so long as they’re not invasive…the goal I’d focus on more than anything in home gardens is reducing the lawn.”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">And so this is the path I will take. I will continue to prioritize my long-term strategy of annually reducing the size of my lawn, primarily replacing it with native plants. At the same time, I am now paying attention to the non-natives already in my yard in a way I did not prior to this year, by trying to determine which are being used by local fauna and which simply do not appear to be giving enough back.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">Daylilies (originally from Asia), German Iris, Chinese Astilbe & Jacob’s Ladder (originally from Europe) all appear relatively bereft of pollinators and have been added to my list of likely candidates for removal. Blessedly on the other hand my beloved Stachys Hummelo and Echinops, while non-natives, are absolute bee magnets and will not only remain but be given more room to support their pollinators.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-6875" height="853" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" src="https://www.mgmanitoba.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Echinops-768x1024.jpg" srcset="https://www.mgmanitoba.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Echinops-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://www.mgmanitoba.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Echinops-225x300.jpg 225w, https://www.mgmanitoba.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Echinops.jpg 837w" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 6px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="640" /><br />From now on I will no longer move these plants from my garden to a friend’s, or pack them up for sale at a charitable fundraising plant sale. That would only be shifting the problem. Instead, I will take the dramatic step of having a farewell toast and then composting these past garden treasures.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">I am aiming to have 75% native species, a number put forth by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service and as good as any goal I could find. It will take me time to get there and I look forward to learning more along the way. There are so many people and organizations so much further ahead than me – what a great opportunity to focus my learning!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">If you are also interested in learning more about striking the right balance between crucial native plants and the potential of beloved pollinator-friendly non-natives, here are some suggestions based on my early research:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">• Canadian Wildlife Federation <a href="https://cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/gardening-for-wildlife/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Gardening for Wildlife</a><br />• Doug Tallamy <a href="https://homegrownnationalpark.com/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">BringingNatureHome.net</a><br />• Info on the <a href="https://www.ecobeneficial.com/pvg/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Pollinator Victory Garden</a><br />• Mary Reynolds <a href="https://wearetheark.org/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">WeAreTheArk.org</a><br />• RHS<a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=970" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;"> Native and non-native plants for pollinators</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">If you are ready to take some action, here are some ideas on how you can join in and help ensure we are supporting biodiversity in our gardens.<br />• Engage in a citizen science project:<br />o <a href="https://www.bumblebeewatch.org/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Bumble Bee Watch</a><br />o <a href="https://residents.gov.mb.ca/apps/go_wild.html" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Go Wild Manitoba</a><br />o<a href="https://www.hobbyfarms.com/bees-native-pollinators-citizen-science-projects/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;"> Nativars Research Project</a><br />o <a href="https://www.greatsunflower.org/habitat%20challenge" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">The Great Sunflower Project</a><br />o Government of Canada’s <a href="https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/063.nsf/eng/h_97169.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;" target="_blank">Citizen Science Portal</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">• Certify your yard<br />o Canadian Wildlife Federation “<a href="https://cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/gardening-for-wildlife/action/get-certified/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Wildlife-friendly Habitat</a>”<br />o David Suzuki Foundation <a href="https://davidsuzuki.org/take-action/act-locally/butterflyway/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Butterflyway Project</a><br />o Fort Whyte Alive “Naturescape”<br />o Monarch Watch <a href="https://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/certify.html" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Waystation Program</a><br />o The North America Butterfly Association <a href="https://nababutterfly.com/butterfly-garden-certification-program/" style="color: #0fad9a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: background 0.25s ease 0s, color 0.25s ease 0s;">Butterfly Garden and Habitat Program</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 18px 0px;">If you have resource recommendations for me, or stories of how you are changing your own gardening habits to play a bigger role in our planet’s recovery, I’d love to hear from you.</p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-42885447164409235842020-10-11T21:17:00.006-05:002020-10-12T12:00:33.729-05:00Still Learning After All These Years<p>Much has changed since I last regularly blogged in 2015. While I converted about 500 sq ft of lawn into garden and added a swimming pool, in the grand scheme of things, my gardens have not changed much. So what has?</p><p><b>My own awareness has changed.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccLfSrTevUxwg4rVjjXj_-7e4QKwH94AoDOXe5eVennbKEB8cs_u8bmPVbDqTv1vjbHEbEc-rKl97A3jCFQJAz0_zRikxt1Ub6iy96IhiXDTh1wrQHrExHQQs0Tov6PgyeQx2tk793sc/s1023/4570412801_7980977dae_b.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1023" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccLfSrTevUxwg4rVjjXj_-7e4QKwH94AoDOXe5eVennbKEB8cs_u8bmPVbDqTv1vjbHEbEc-rKl97A3jCFQJAz0_zRikxt1Ub6iy96IhiXDTh1wrQHrExHQQs0Tov6PgyeQx2tk793sc/w400-h268/4570412801_7980977dae_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Awareness of the twin crises of biodiversity and climate, though to speak of them separately doesn't do justice to the interconnectedness of these existential risks to life-as-we-know-it. <p></p><p>In May of 2019 the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) declared <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/" target="_blank">the world's biodiversity crisis was unprecedented in human history with around 1 million animal and plant species threatened with extinction</a>. Many within decades, not some distant future.<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></p><p>Then in November of 2019 over 11,000 scientists from around the planet <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/70/1/8/5610806" target="_blank">unequivocally stated the world was in a global climate emergency</a>. Further, they made it crystal clear <i>we must change how we live if we are to secure a sustainable future</i>.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPy0WX5aMTWLorPIvQu2axZG562-PBfBUKPp7aMJDVPiYpO7F1Du1zcNDoCKWrzccEUMNLwoVd0QrFSFryinq5Sx1DMxC9kmyna2s6PyyVR2h11RI5Bxdjd36oA1zDVtev-pcXJIinAE/s2048/Invest_in_our_childrens_future%252C_leave_coal_in_the_past_-_Climate_crisis_rally_Melbourne_-_IMG_7672_%252849569082897%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPy0WX5aMTWLorPIvQu2axZG562-PBfBUKPp7aMJDVPiYpO7F1Du1zcNDoCKWrzccEUMNLwoVd0QrFSFryinq5Sx1DMxC9kmyna2s6PyyVR2h11RI5Bxdjd36oA1zDVtev-pcXJIinAE/w400-h266/Invest_in_our_childrens_future%252C_leave_coal_in_the_past_-_Climate_crisis_rally_Melbourne_-_IMG_7672_%252849569082897%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Luckily for our planet I am not alone. Though scientists have been <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120010357.htm#:~:text=%22The%20biodiversity%20crisis%20%2D%2D%20i.e.,future%20of%20humankind%20on%20Earth.">warning about declining biodiversity for years</a>, the message had not caught on with the public. People adapt to gradual change and we literally didn't see what we were losing. </p><p>With increasing climate disasters around the world, people are more open now to understanding the whole picture, including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/cif-green/2010/may/21/why-care-about-biodiversity" target="_blank">the impact of species loss and declining biodiversity</a>. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>What have I done with this new knowledge?</b></p><p>I increased my donations to environmental organizations, changed how my family eats and shops, I regularly sign petitions and write government - and I began to think critically about the impact my favourite hobby is having on our planet. Despite already having a <a href="https://cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/gardening-for-wildlife/action/get-certified/" target="_blank">certified 'wildlife-friendly' yard</a>, I have begun to change how I garden. </p><p>Here is some of what I have learned so far:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/adding-biodiversity-to-your-garden.aspx" target="_blank">there is a lot gardeners can - and should - be doing</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/04/18/1480986/0/en/Gardening-Reaches-an-All-Time-High.html" target="_blank">the scale and scope of gardening in North America</a> is such that gardeners' behaviours make a tangible difference in the balance of our ecosystems</li><li>in a world where everyday grocery shopping can be a frustrating exercise in sustainability I find it empowering to have found something so vital I can do so much about, <a href="https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/make-a-difference/9212.html" target="_blank">with my own two hands</a></li><li>Though I received my <a href="https://www.mgmanitoba.com/" target="_blank">Master Gardner</a> certification in April of 2019, I've recognize how much I still have to learn</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>I look forward to sharing with you what I lean as I strive to turn my property into a space that supports even more biodiversity.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Are you changing too?</b></div><div>I've love to hear in the comments about how you're changing your own gardening practices to help the planet. </div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><u style="color: #333333; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image credits:</span></u></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">"biodiversity jenga" </span><span data-v-3d26efba="" face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333;">by Kalense Kid </span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">is licensed with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">"Invest in our childrens future, leave coal in the past - Climate crisis rally Melbourne - IMG 7672 (49569082897).jpg" </span><span data-v-3d26efba="" face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333;">by John Englart from Fawkner, Australia </span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0</span></span></p>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0Winnipeg, MB, Canada49.895136 -97.13837439999998921.584902163821155 -132.29462439999998 78.205369836178846 -61.982124399999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-89518485476090750422020-10-10T10:27:00.018-05:002021-03-22T14:30:51.074-05:00Before & After<h1 style="text-align: center;"><br /></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;">Posts after this date reflect my thinking as a gardener with a mission to save the planet.</h1><div><br /></div><div><h1 style="text-align: center;"> (Posts before this date reflect my thinking as a gardener.)</h1></div>astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-66936277803580731012018-07-06T20:12:00.001-05:002018-07-07T08:48:54.322-05:00Nature Manitoba Garden Tour 2018<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Thank you for supporting Nature Manitoba. </h2>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">I hope you enjoy my gardens at 115 Girton and the whole tour. </span></h2>
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The most frequent questions I get from garden visitors are: </div>
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<li>"<i>How long have you been here?</i>" </li>
<li>"<i>What was it like when you arrived?</i>"</li>
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To that end I have posted posting <b>photos of the gardens when we arrived in the fall of 2012</b>. </div>
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In case you are curious about any of the plants I am also posting <b>maps of some garden beds.</b></div>
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<b>From front to back</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1Oluq3BJgfJPCG-Pa2FMuK94N5uV47BtINeNfPGfSnLOybT4lph1ymGLd69Y5G7T7PItnecNGskweFspxeJf2vMnBy4uixMRUhA92LMOMMAVrH3aYy4fkUmZIhsZIYXU1MYcaI1e4jA/s1600/WP_000184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1Oluq3BJgfJPCG-Pa2FMuK94N5uV47BtINeNfPGfSnLOybT4lph1ymGLd69Y5G7T7PItnecNGskweFspxeJf2vMnBy4uixMRUhA92LMOMMAVrH3aYy4fkUmZIhsZIYXU1MYcaI1e4jA/s320/WP_000184.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>MAPS</u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8udKtSiAzrgipIRHNZelLn9o3rAJhT3AC1q1RbUVYFcB-33DZGPrXaIb4WL1AmSCZ6t5CqLS_MMrJhTglu8Nv9GPyWgihZ5rPxp9mmPeixufMA-3hlAQlcqwFKkWo_DtDU_FntLKFbvk/s1600/Monet+Garden+Spring+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8udKtSiAzrgipIRHNZelLn9o3rAJhT3AC1q1RbUVYFcB-33DZGPrXaIb4WL1AmSCZ6t5CqLS_MMrJhTglu8Nv9GPyWgihZ5rPxp9mmPeixufMA-3hlAQlcqwFKkWo_DtDU_FntLKFbvk/s640/Monet+Garden+Spring+2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOcCeWJBaZUq4p6CHy6RaoNeBLr62aGk1D3Ggaax-AGSZcNh5ubrbQfDCfL-A9K2AMWTARwWQv8b9jhKCPI3_We-5c11yA05P2vl_bCyHS54fv8g79pfXCPH0GYtn7GP-De3Klk9BCQ8/s1600/Moon+Garden+Spring+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="960" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOcCeWJBaZUq4p6CHy6RaoNeBLr62aGk1D3Ggaax-AGSZcNh5ubrbQfDCfL-A9K2AMWTARwWQv8b9jhKCPI3_We-5c11yA05P2vl_bCyHS54fv8g79pfXCPH0GYtn7GP-De3Klk9BCQ8/s640/Moon+Garden+Spring+2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1lq5K137jspRCqF_X7p-NEL5eI1lHmVqRf4x-iYSrLPfu7gk_ABRbSng2r3mQwpSH9N4j3F-xPGmNbkKZPoZdD_M-AjKEI07ySSIfsC8iZoMtukQGOzIGAZ7XNRPFIS5tGP6dr-5EGU/s1600/Back+Yard+April+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1lq5K137jspRCqF_X7p-NEL5eI1lHmVqRf4x-iYSrLPfu7gk_ABRbSng2r3mQwpSH9N4j3F-xPGmNbkKZPoZdD_M-AjKEI07ySSIfsC8iZoMtukQGOzIGAZ7XNRPFIS5tGP6dr-5EGU/s640/Back+Yard+April+2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Fountain Garden show the PLANNED map, needs to be updated with actual plants.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOw73oPEDihaZb4lWONUKpnibB5iUqiWBtK0ZMc0cdqLso8JH3Gs_c84Yf5xzyKQuusUUGNtARyfWTMf3bYDSUErD53I8lQ16ZDsuq1Kn89tEeQhmpUf3nPAK8l-uTJLxhyphenhyphena8_3WAbvw/s1600/Fountain+Garden+April+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOw73oPEDihaZb4lWONUKpnibB5iUqiWBtK0ZMc0cdqLso8JH3Gs_c84Yf5xzyKQuusUUGNtARyfWTMf3bYDSUErD53I8lQ16ZDsuq1Kn89tEeQhmpUf3nPAK8l-uTJLxhyphenhyphena8_3WAbvw/s640/Fountain+Garden+April+13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather";">Nature Manitoba's Mission</span></h3>
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<div class="block-content content" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Noto Sans"; font-size: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Nature Manitoba is people sharing a passion for nature. Our goal is to provide opportunities to connect with nature, promote an appreciation and understanding of nature, and to enjoy it in a non-intrusive and nondestructive manner. We promote ecological integrity as the basis for stewardship of our parks and natural areas.</div>
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astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-63889121103154601012016-07-19T09:34:00.001-05:002016-07-25T08:48:26.617-05:00GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY - july<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u><b>A walk through the Sun Garden, past the Rock Garden and out to the Monet Garden</b></u></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5AwvRNl_27BI_ourpsBnfe5fa5UGU5MCRv25_lwHlukRo-61w8s0bi25zW1eDAGf_dVkbhi4glpCGYVwQP32VKamalv1P-RpW-3rJdpTe3WYT3z5HKUfZnw4riLeSW6Rdnbu3wKnrhY/s1600/13669104_979022432210320_2176672910723876667_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5AwvRNl_27BI_ourpsBnfe5fa5UGU5MCRv25_lwHlukRo-61w8s0bi25zW1eDAGf_dVkbhi4glpCGYVwQP32VKamalv1P-RpW-3rJdpTe3WYT3z5HKUfZnw4riLeSW6Rdnbu3wKnrhY/s400/13669104_979022432210320_2176672910723876667_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the driveway of the Sun Garden</td></tr>
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<img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2DuRQlznWW_gCc11MeQWk54lGILxA2JuOXrZQfIVlcelhzuNQV00ENvHu-TZeaUGbeMvC40w7tqUIufaBgJq4LlruZZM9dQ_tYknxTEBjUU_eM-oM7CNNxO7lBwL80ANAdFB3HchPIc/s320/13615471_979022435543653_3006028920977564936_n.jpg" width="320" /> </div>
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4 years ago there was no garden on the left-hand side, nor any cherry tree.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJ3p1B0ISvLSEX4pdwgsfrCC9nMrxpMABJs2rIUdtYTVTIKe-yzU0vNNt4OfySNDqhjxGmBPKD50Oe6qjpgMM8RDJlTItzJBuTT4BH_G74PnXCvKAuBvTeykgN_7VPWQC9Jc5YF7uzZs/s400/13691123_979022488876981_8841797784845446762_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Heliopsis form a border around the whole are, not just this garden.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlKTRvk9-xPxhlsHhVIEkC8hkKQpn78EdxT_x9jnkpCP9SWmw-qnsie4Oa75HAegseLJhhyzto-z7cgzBOyZLNsbdjZy0AHV9V_2pC134ookLL4scxYEA8xNRm7htxiAHUfmVY5qdMF4/s1600/13653449_979022505543646_670902473450558615_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlKTRvk9-xPxhlsHhVIEkC8hkKQpn78EdxT_x9jnkpCP9SWmw-qnsie4Oa75HAegseLJhhyzto-z7cgzBOyZLNsbdjZy0AHV9V_2pC134ookLL4scxYEA8xNRm7htxiAHUfmVY5qdMF4/s640/13653449_979022505543646_670902473450558615_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blanket Flower, Poppy, Heliopsis, Sea Holly, Iris, Crocosmia, Liatris</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvH_d1Q_i-4YqkKZI6aY5RHyn4FMEbGbysCGj9K5RJFXDYpSODi0Fe6CJDnxaJER9zQaOUCh26zm7NUdSTveosrKb_H7h-ZrZcVp9ZMcjrovcmdMnKHxLts27diyp7U-AdmEmYgaz5do/s1600/13659108_979022522210311_6818801776567316029_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvH_d1Q_i-4YqkKZI6aY5RHyn4FMEbGbysCGj9K5RJFXDYpSODi0Fe6CJDnxaJER9zQaOUCh26zm7NUdSTveosrKb_H7h-ZrZcVp9ZMcjrovcmdMnKHxLts27diyp7U-AdmEmYgaz5do/s320/13659108_979022522210311_6818801776567316029_n.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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Soon purple Liatris will join the blooms to make the colour combo complete. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeYqpDd1lnUYAYNJR58k6jBXkqCBNUmmIpfUPnNeEpOFLm29RZ2x65dNqUfy96NZ8G093upMu1JtGcbI-XJPa7uqM-FkIqXwy6A9BrzQVD0pr89T2wf5YGlfD7JbdLYvtcveWAo4FYoo/s320/13653077_979022605543636_1942778815898882529_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left, back to the driveway</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsOfdzGAm3Yy6wboSlJWuzuEIDlG_rikkdbWl1aErlH9CKmizuBEj0hlRH2rXUSjsnHEZEyihCN-Uuv2xaTBJSlkQqzCPPxP-wjpbAZxNUNy8ayhyphenhyphengvsvo8xcaQJzE14_iYBGdujriRs/s1600/13668984_979022782210285_9127593101732858444_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsOfdzGAm3Yy6wboSlJWuzuEIDlG_rikkdbWl1aErlH9CKmizuBEj0hlRH2rXUSjsnHEZEyihCN-Uuv2xaTBJSlkQqzCPPxP-wjpbAZxNUNy8ayhyphenhyphengvsvo8xcaQJzE14_iYBGdujriRs/s320/13668984_979022782210285_9127593101732858444_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right, into the rock garden</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeyaRrcMhgVXukU5BroK8BzwVzHqJy-p43BPZciQQIgTZVUIeyzRsT-BUmbh76ZuKLvwWQ0jz_uEwNj8Fsu267kSWYPA4c0ODU975Rry9OWgzM5JwDlQjADn72SyesurCRh43bZ7rV10/s1600/13680642_979022822210281_7024750124276173687_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeyaRrcMhgVXukU5BroK8BzwVzHqJy-p43BPZciQQIgTZVUIeyzRsT-BUmbh76ZuKLvwWQ0jz_uEwNj8Fsu267kSWYPA4c0ODU975Rry9OWgzM5JwDlQjADn72SyesurCRh43bZ7rV10/s640/13680642_979022822210281_7024750124276173687_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ostrich Plume Astilbe, year 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP286HR_1og2g5buwshSdChCXU-axLkLp4VlXMNdJEBfT69PFULwmNmt3vlLzdFSljRwjeITCqIQyPHg1TEiVEvlI8AkztV70XBiR2CWiPiQHYSwOnfWcvd_MBMdgErXODFam0rCWPstU/s1600/13662016_979022945543602_7627481279519146451_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP286HR_1og2g5buwshSdChCXU-axLkLp4VlXMNdJEBfT69PFULwmNmt3vlLzdFSljRwjeITCqIQyPHg1TEiVEvlI8AkztV70XBiR2CWiPiQHYSwOnfWcvd_MBMdgErXODFam0rCWPstU/s400/13662016_979022945543602_7627481279519146451_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irish moss, year 1 and doing well between paving stones</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRUal7XsMmGgCNVnBoJhbHkuFHvsmhTzk3H2kVW0tMghn83P1_aY7Pp0wm7OyjjeffCbOf7dlMuXAI7x4fafC0JwAt5SU8ygs9ujXyEcJw3vGVM-bBL0kIRUF5hFQiWxfE65H27zsZnA/s1600/13681080_979220592190504_567669950597647319_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRUal7XsMmGgCNVnBoJhbHkuFHvsmhTzk3H2kVW0tMghn83P1_aY7Pp0wm7OyjjeffCbOf7dlMuXAI7x4fafC0JwAt5SU8ygs9ujXyEcJw3vGVM-bBL0kIRUF5hFQiWxfE65H27zsZnA/s400/13681080_979220592190504_567669950597647319_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stonecrop ground cover (bottom right) all native, simply grouped together for effect</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SbYO1B_v73Gp7ahvISOAozyFk8yNMRVpUtg-kqEcCk-Mkub0tSU1EOzRut_kEu6FDNqibLCcZYcAwzKMvacoA-TfLslGq1vLE70JlF7ZF-DKJBg-ngQT9kdxwQeDMErwdYb2dutYJYM/s1600/13686754_979022952210268_7719295722054399393_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SbYO1B_v73Gp7ahvISOAozyFk8yNMRVpUtg-kqEcCk-Mkub0tSU1EOzRut_kEu6FDNqibLCcZYcAwzKMvacoA-TfLslGq1vLE70JlF7ZF-DKJBg-ngQT9kdxwQeDMErwdYb2dutYJYM/s400/13686754_979022952210268_7719295722054399393_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Rock Garden from the Monet Garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvA4qQYxEAunQNJ9zVBX1EhWwCV13lRNmBkIyvnPR5jyCzEPRSGFJTXnj66_nHhtqzd7EWbWwKFO6gj9q4gKV09NtozqoItNinGhyU14yyieHFZa9rvRDpdBT0spVpPFVu6O1oPak5xLg/s640/13692979_979220542190509_8338775426423508180_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The curved back border reflects where this garden was lawn 4 years ago.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1j3eWcWWBXqU-5cvIreThBWphyphenhyphenKLfsfDe8-V6DipO4suHSoW2CLsKO5lBWeg6ROXRYiQaVu1grXKPZ1zGdfouAdsQ3814lXjBQ87CFG6SdpVLjpQLDLS1kvM7BvwnMuQSmWNAPQOgR2Y/s1600/13662186_979220588857171_6894034088894161645_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1j3eWcWWBXqU-5cvIreThBWphyphenhyphenKLfsfDe8-V6DipO4suHSoW2CLsKO5lBWeg6ROXRYiQaVu1grXKPZ1zGdfouAdsQ3814lXjBQ87CFG6SdpVLjpQLDLS1kvM7BvwnMuQSmWNAPQOgR2Y/s400/13662186_979220588857171_6894034088894161645_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hot mess with Forget-me-nots taking over.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumlvhT4VT22Xf8BGnBNdh_JXf9wncFhXz-HA2mSj2Ox9kiBO4bc59g-fQRQzkj0Lrv_g_J1nmyo_QdbpR3uqNOZQq8-NE34pEiQDVPCnKWA8WqOmSlWSERULq1beqXjAt6rtSSOgw-Qk/s1600/13686700_979220522190511_844136218051802003_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumlvhT4VT22Xf8BGnBNdh_JXf9wncFhXz-HA2mSj2Ox9kiBO4bc59g-fQRQzkj0Lrv_g_J1nmyo_QdbpR3uqNOZQq8-NE34pEiQDVPCnKWA8WqOmSlWSERULq1beqXjAt6rtSSOgw-Qk/s640/13686700_979220522190511_844136218051802003_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An endless supply of daylilies means they are always used in my planters.</td></tr>
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Sharing with <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2016/07/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-july-2016.html" target="_blank">Garden Blogger's Bloom Day</a>, <a href="https://ramblingwoods.com/2016/07/25/nature-notes-372when-you-put-your-hand-in-a-flowing-stream-you-touch-the-last-that-has-gone-before-and-the-first-of-what-is-still-to-come-leonardo-da-vinci/" target="_blank">Nature Tuesday</a></div>
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astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-55535339114207860182016-07-06T07:47:00.001-05:002016-07-25T08:49:03.964-05:00END OF THE MONTH VIEW - june cottage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sharing with <a href="https://patientgardener.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/end-of-month-view-june-2016-hughs-border/#comment-29739" target="_blank">End of the Month View</a> & <a href="http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.ca/2016/07/fff242-bacopa-scopia.html" target="_blank">Floral Friday Fotos</a>, <a href="https://ramblingwoods.com/2016/07/25/nature-notes-372when-you-put-your-hand-in-a-flowing-stream-you-touch-the-last-that-has-gone-before-and-the-first-of-what-is-still-to-come-leonardo-da-vinci/" target="_blank">Nature Tuesday</a></div>
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astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-36918894544363730422016-04-19T14:24:00.001-05:002016-04-20T16:54:26.005-05:00MOON GARDEN UPDATE - spring 2016<div style="text-align: center;">
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Above is the most up to date map of my Moon Garden, where 99% of the plants are white with the exception of the orange daylilies and the purple hardy geranium, making the bench a great place to sit and take in the garden in the evening.<br />
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Since <a href="http://astudentgardener.blogspot.ca/2014/01/anatomy-of-moon-garden-overview-map.html">the last update</a> there have been a number of changes. No longer will you find Allium, Daffodils, Foxglove, Candytuft, Iris or Hyacinths. Instead you will find more of what was working well, such as Bleeding Heart, Astilbe, Daisy and Goat's Beard.<br />
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To reduce the overall number of plants and focus in on those that work well in a garden's specific conditions is a natural process and far from missing the plants that did not thrive in this space (whether due to soil, light or moisture conditions), I am pleased to have found those plants that are thriving and to build on what I have learned about the space.<br />
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You will also find a couple of non-white plants! I had extra Hardy Geranium and <a href="http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/forget-me-nots/growing-forget-me-nots.htm" target="_blank">Forget-me-nots</a> and did not think that their purples and blues would stand out too much. We shall hopefully see this spring/summer.<br />
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Below are some photos of the garden from last year to give you an idea of what I am expecting.<br />
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Each year fewer Impatiens will be required to fill in between Astilbe, Hosta and Bleeding Heart. </div>
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Liatris may not be getting quite enough sun and <a href="http://gardening.about.com/od/plantprofile1/p/Obedient_Plant.htm" target="_blank">Obedient Plant</a> in the foreground was a new edition last year so we shall see what year 2 brings for them all...</div>
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Peonies, Bleeding Heart, <a href="http://www.finegardening.com/white-coneflower-echinacea-purpurea-white-swan" target="_blank">Coneflower</a> and <a href="http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/shasta-daisy/planting-shasta-daisies.htm" target="_blank">Shasta Daisy</a> are all doing well, whereas white Nasturtium turned out to be more pastel-like and is not welcome back. Impatiens fill in as needed.</div>
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Goat's Beard and <a href="http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/lambs-ear/lambs-ear-plant.htm" target="_blank">Lamb's Ear</a> take over at this end of the garden where foliage rather than blooms rule.<br />
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Sharing with <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2016/04/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-april-2016.html" target="_blank">Garden Blogger's Bloom Day</a>, <a href="http://mymaplehillfarm.blogspot.ca/2016/04/the-maple-hill-hop-129.html" target="_blank">Maple Hill Hop</a>, <a href="http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.ca/2016/04/420-outdoor-wednesday-380.html" target="_blank">Outdoor Wednesday</a></div>
astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-38654823133548098362016-03-30T16:26:00.002-05:002016-03-30T16:26:37.905-05:00TRAVELLING GNOME - and our first ever contest winners<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieb6srIrWdCAuKSyvb6YCRMv_5EHvHmAQPIl2POr4zzZgeOaF1Qqfez5Uws5ASXb3QE1lOouLPYAhvWlANkrFhEPILKPi8wdmtgkkVShMUphyoobAYZAUoLXPDzCOBR9RpaZ6TmhWc-KU/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieb6srIrWdCAuKSyvb6YCRMv_5EHvHmAQPIl2POr4zzZgeOaF1Qqfez5Uws5ASXb3QE1lOouLPYAhvWlANkrFhEPILKPi8wdmtgkkVShMUphyoobAYZAUoLXPDzCOBR9RpaZ6TmhWc-KU/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="152" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF0ddZjyBlGEVfBKR26tolm566CUzPRSDxnPKqQF_2146qGa9nKUlzXV6SM8d2YvFKpBWaF31eBEcqvdu07X0Pt2DTZYOuk7UcNrBmusBHHS7iM0VRKGrWsqFAgEsvdBMbxTruDhtXh4/s1600/IMG_5254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 19.32px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF0ddZjyBlGEVfBKR26tolm566CUzPRSDxnPKqQF_2146qGa9nKUlzXV6SM8d2YvFKpBWaF31eBEcqvdu07X0Pt2DTZYOuk7UcNrBmusBHHS7iM0VRKGrWsqFAgEsvdBMbxTruDhtXh4/s320/IMG_5254.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">I painted this cute little garden gnome as a fundraiser for the upcoming <a href="http://winnipeghomeandgardenshow.com/show-features/stage-schedules" target="_blank">Winnipeg Home & Garden Show</a>, where it will be auctioned off along with 9 others to raise money for the very worthwhile </span><a href="http://winnipegharvest.org/about-us/" style="line-height: 19.32px;" target="_blank">Winnipeg Harvest</a><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"> food bank.</span></div>
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Given how much we all <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelling_gnome_prank" target="_blank">know gnomes like to travel</a> I thought I'd better show mine around town while we still had some time together but before I set him in his butterfly field.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zimcpcIqEmEI6I9BwsicTa-5oOqm6V_EmYzaqcN0QaUVMXCpKLHvaUkK52v4EGtIxpMy-CHzBRDm-qja6tcctqJcdR1NtFa_ZjlwqbnNMcDLXveXFfCzv8j_ev51kqfnClcbck1NueE/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zimcpcIqEmEI6I9BwsicTa-5oOqm6V_EmYzaqcN0QaUVMXCpKLHvaUkK52v4EGtIxpMy-CHzBRDm-qja6tcctqJcdR1NtFa_ZjlwqbnNMcDLXveXFfCzv8j_ev51kqfnClcbck1NueE/s320/FullSizeRender+%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here he is buying tickets to the <a href="https://wso.ca/" target="_blank">Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLgqPJtFP4b0oW0up71eeiM_WJYrssHDRJSpaO_n61q7RSIGpDgiy1WVevYRZmPsb8U0BKQfB9La0nywnvEOcHlunIIFc8gvZ7ZkNlMpNruxg6SkU7ZgPKI1bdEdqO71D69uV8gR_iAE/s1600/FullSizeRender%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLgqPJtFP4b0oW0up71eeiM_WJYrssHDRJSpaO_n61q7RSIGpDgiy1WVevYRZmPsb8U0BKQfB9La0nywnvEOcHlunIIFc8gvZ7ZkNlMpNruxg6SkU7ZgPKI1bdEdqO71D69uV8gR_iAE/s400/FullSizeRender%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then off to the <a href="https://manitobamuseum.ca/main/" target="_blank">Manitoba Museum</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m5sWNiqegD907Sp_nDQndD-3wC1lt92pDP6IXH67CX0lpfRn9MhwZhxhlyrt4cyblAe4NNNM4PEkz0QRycJNOoHRG9d8UvfGjkXZBwbe0mnwswQvWS7EIe-zsWmSqj6Vut5EnMdXrDg/s1600/FullSizeRender%255B2%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m5sWNiqegD907Sp_nDQndD-3wC1lt92pDP6IXH67CX0lpfRn9MhwZhxhlyrt4cyblAe4NNNM4PEkz0QRycJNOoHRG9d8UvfGjkXZBwbe0mnwswQvWS7EIe-zsWmSqj6Vut5EnMdXrDg/s400/FullSizeRender%255B2%255D+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Followed by a stop at the <a href="http://www.royalmtc.ca/" target="_blank">Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre</a></div>
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Getting his caffeine buzz on at <a href="http://parlourcoffee.ca/" target="_blank">Parlour Coffee</a></div>
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Checking out the <a href="http://art-space.ca/" target="_blank">Artspace</a> building to wrap up his cultural whirlwind tour of Winnipeg.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"> A well deserved rest with his pal Suzie</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">I also asked readers of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aStudentGardener/" target="_blank">my Facebook page</a> to share what they loved about spring, and I got some really great answers that I want to share with you below <i><b>to get you excited</b></i> (as if you are not already!) about the change of season:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;"> It's a fresh start....</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">...a time to learn and change last season's trials.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">...feeling that sense of community again...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">...the smell of rain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">Spring is a blank canvas and a full pallet of colors just waiting to create a new "one of a kind" work of art.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">I love to watch all the beautiful flowers wrenching their way out of the ground, grasping towards the warm sun.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">Such promise for the season ahead in the spring.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">I love the way colour creeps back into the landscape - from the first soft green blades of grass to the hint of green in trees as leaves begin to unfurl and then a symphony of all kinds of shades of pinks as shrubs and trees blossom punctuated with the bright cheery splashes of reds and yellows from tulips and daffodils...ah, spring is fresh colour!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">I look forward to the wonders of spring.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">I can't wait to get in the garden, with soil under my nails and the sun beating down on me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">...seeds starting to sprout...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;">I love opening all of the windows in my house while I'm spring cleaning!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;"> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; text-align: start;"><span class="UFICommentBody">I love the thought of renewal, and a new beginning.</span></span></div>
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Everything!</span><div class="UFITranslatedText" style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 222, 227); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-left: 8px;">
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">Thanks to everyone who entered, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your eloquent and inspiring responses. Congratulations</span><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"> to Heather Lewis Neill & Janice E Cournoyer, who have each won a pair of tickets to the </span><a href="http://winnipeghomeandgardenshow.com/?gclid=CMi2gK-d6csCFQsPaQodN7AHxw" style="line-height: 19.32px;" target="_blank">Home & Garden show in Winnipeg</a><span style="line-height: 19.32px;">.</span></div>
astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-34609291571621176652016-03-28T19:00:00.000-05:002016-03-30T15:07:15.385-05:00'NATURESCAPING' - good for the environment, good for me<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.fortwhyte.org/" target="_blank">Fort Whyte Alive</a> is an extraordinary space in Winnipeg; originally quarry and clay mine for the Canada Cement Company, the land has been reclaimed and since the 1950s and in the 80s</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">the Fort Whyte Foundation with a focus on environmental education was established. There are wetlands, forest and grassland with a network of trails and programming and I was fortunate enough to be the summer camp director in 1995.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Now I am proud to have be a part of their innovative "</span></span><a href="https://www.fortwhyte.org/learn/naturescape/" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;" target="_blank">Naturescape</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">" program. To grossly paraphrase </span></span><a href="https://www.fortwhyte.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/NS-HowToIntro-tk108.pdf" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;" target="_blank">their brochure</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">, the program encourages people to increase biodiversity in their own backyard. </span></span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">They actually pay me to do it, </i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">by giving me a $20 coupon for their gift shop, as well as discounts from major garden shops across the city. Below are <a href="http://link%20to%20the%20checklist./" target="_blank">the conditions I had to meet</a>, which I hope makes it clear that the program is </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">fairly</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> accessible with a little planning.</span></span></div>
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<b style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><u>Section 1: Clean Water, at least 2 sources</u></b></h3>
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(<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Birdbath</span>; backyard pond; <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">drippers, spitters, or decorative pots and barrel
containing water</span>; damp spot for butterflies)</div>
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Small recirculating water feature on cantina wall</div>
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Decorative fountain</div>
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Bird bath</div>
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<b><u>Section 2: Food For All Seasons, at least 5</u></b></h3>
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<u>Spring/Summer</u> </div>
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(<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Nectar feeder</span>; <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">3 types of nectar plants</span>; <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Flowering trees, shrubs or perennials </span>; Rotting fruit feeder for birds or butterflies; <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Organic garden, a food source for your family!</span>)</div>
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Nectar feeder</div>
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3 types of nectar plants (Rudbeckia, Coneflower, Milkweed)</div>
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Perennials for pollinators (Blanket Flower & Helenium)</div>
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Organic garden (I prefer perennial fruits over vegetables)</div>
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<u>Fall/Winter</u></div>
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<u>(</u><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Birdfeeder; Nut or suet feeder; Seed or nut bearing trees and shrubs; Seed bearing perennials left through the winter; Tree, shrub or vine that retains its fruit/berries
into the winter months;</span> Vines such as Virginia creeper and riverbank grape)</div>
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Birdfeeder</div>
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Suet feeder</div>
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Birdfeeder</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3MbZJGgc-7kXcbxkGlpyf2g1f_9Xzh6phfaqnyhlHnALyDXBUxnTENCViAN50OREhlbp8qn9dXhJArNbSPxHSadKMI98GZS7CpjHZZd0w28yXFqcr9QsgMoSMKwhYOTkpx2Xj1f4TTM/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3MbZJGgc-7kXcbxkGlpyf2g1f_9Xzh6phfaqnyhlHnALyDXBUxnTENCViAN50OREhlbp8qn9dXhJArNbSPxHSadKMI98GZS7CpjHZZd0w28yXFqcr9QsgMoSMKwhYOTkpx2Xj1f4TTM/s320/022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Seed bearing Japanese Lilac tree</div>
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Seed bearing perennial left through the winter</div>
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<img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROLOWYrRCdq6pc2DiU0_5lbyaNix4aQxA5_B_eLKN8JkneN3fDMaLUCrVxzm3no3CVF56PWvdsmY3qIk2RjiCuFoqekPi8ivByFIXlGUZ3b1GYFdvH4g7Nv7dm-eg-lINgjNtYWhTyNo/s200/IMG_1214.JPG" width="150" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVNiM8FPA_lhSBWKaXpZXBdvmsMO4pot0VhmF3JIhwvR5ittf9yjz9_FoFSKLAuI_lQTaS87ba8NTXMw0V1b5PcBoUCXwbOTkxsortynL958rz0615Z7reo0Nbkkm-dVmVStX_aIxGFE/s1600/IMG_2579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVNiM8FPA_lhSBWKaXpZXBdvmsMO4pot0VhmF3JIhwvR5ittf9yjz9_FoFSKLAuI_lQTaS87ba8NTXMw0V1b5PcBoUCXwbOTkxsortynL958rz0615Z7reo0Nbkkm-dVmVStX_aIxGFE/s200/IMG_2579.JPG" width="163" /></a></div>
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Grape vine that retains fruit through winter</div>
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<u>Year-round </u></div>
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(Compost bin [food source for decomposers]; An area of undisturbed leaf litter under trees or shrubs)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6m6fUVivsRfe9aKlm_jhGys4wmEdWQd1xegwtl3tJVejlhOSFexj_AEMcQN4MebbclYGVOfIejmeBbiXMt3vQMtLS7bz7x-mZGvxj2n9WgbAcX5-Yy3x2KGszpFxpEB6uSaaAfLFTWjs/s1600/IMG_3234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6m6fUVivsRfe9aKlm_jhGys4wmEdWQd1xegwtl3tJVejlhOSFexj_AEMcQN4MebbclYGVOfIejmeBbiXMt3vQMtLS7bz7x-mZGvxj2n9WgbAcX5-Yy3x2KGszpFxpEB6uSaaAfLFTWjs/s320/IMG_3234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;">Compost bins </span></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></h3>
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<b><u>3: Shelter</u></b></h3>
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<b>1 of</b>: Plant a native tree or two; <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Layered planting (Tree layer, shrub layer, ground layer)</span>; Thicket (tangled cluster of tall and medium
height shrubs)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RSOoTGFq0jpwIis4ledO95Rd4q_Gg2ls8kbY3vWX7d8fTbilOurHFi0E_z5Ucaa8ihilg23Zm66V7eDyz6BQ9KrIMauVi1cpvvBarlk-satFWYxz_9MHPqAfCBi0cwWoyFCzjQ3pCYo/s1600/IMG_4558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RSOoTGFq0jpwIis4ledO95Rd4q_Gg2ls8kbY3vWX7d8fTbilOurHFi0E_z5Ucaa8ihilg23Zm66V7eDyz6BQ9KrIMauVi1cpvvBarlk-satFWYxz_9MHPqAfCBi0cwWoyFCzjQ3pCYo/s640/IMG_4558.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Layered planting</div>
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<b>+ 2 of</b>: <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Evergreen tree; Hedge; Nesting cavity in a tree</span>; Wood or brush pile; Rock pile or open stone wall; <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Nest box or nesting platform; Old log or snag (standing dead tree);</span> Winter roosting box for birds; Bat roosting box</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsyG2wbOwkRb4S3stvgIzNbpqcgCzf1-ZskmXMmZx9jqiCbti599ZJhPgD8cXvy0Kw3qMPFPAESkPDJUsMYUxP-G5yyF90VYvOpjBjtbiknwYu9LGo10Qm0flOY8yQIi8TUMp39Ho7N4/s1600/12705455_887832724662625_1137650271115391992_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsyG2wbOwkRb4S3stvgIzNbpqcgCzf1-ZskmXMmZx9jqiCbti599ZJhPgD8cXvy0Kw3qMPFPAESkPDJUsMYUxP-G5yyF90VYvOpjBjtbiknwYu9LGo10Qm0flOY8yQIi8TUMp39Ho7N4/s320/12705455_887832724662625_1137650271115391992_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Nest box<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaxBsAXFTjISWtqe3kUecrDPTCOib7bgvFTK7rUbvyzWBEQHz5XuE3bk-VwPg_NiRvPbm1lHkK4fEXpXWmK_n-gk99SCasCLrrV4IAcaYYzoICbghu3bysR1njPYRuua9wXFZD76LfOk/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaxBsAXFTjISWtqe3kUecrDPTCOib7bgvFTK7rUbvyzWBEQHz5XuE3bk-VwPg_NiRvPbm1lHkK4fEXpXWmK_n-gk99SCasCLrrV4IAcaYYzoICbghu3bysR1njPYRuua9wXFZD76LfOk/s320/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
Snag (standing dead tree)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8STLSnyam2yi_vnNBV1_zArOiJ_qs3CbtuiQBzk-U8sLG_Y_UEsiA3Y0K8__T1FFH6PCIiOSO1-2EXPaxQF-oAyY_7rRZmGvkDYHJuEsJvM3UFUaQAxHbfVBf7rICGwOLXfqnrt-gIVU/s1600/115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8STLSnyam2yi_vnNBV1_zArOiJ_qs3CbtuiQBzk-U8sLG_Y_UEsiA3Y0K8__T1FFH6PCIiOSO1-2EXPaxQF-oAyY_7rRZmGvkDYHJuEsJvM3UFUaQAxHbfVBf7rICGwOLXfqnrt-gIVU/s320/115.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7fu916sBfzqW6xyw33iUFf4TCpetajVf4oYXgxwkhU1lq6l9ZJ0ZwrY1GrH916FLspyfBD23jALSLAN3kKV9FRs28MAIDaNNz3mEEqjksJ2_BJZAT8U_pG7wsFLKSwm6QUm_qXw3TCU/s1600/212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7fu916sBfzqW6xyw33iUFf4TCpetajVf4oYXgxwkhU1lq6l9ZJ0ZwrY1GrH916FLspyfBD23jALSLAN3kKV9FRs28MAIDaNNz3mEEqjksJ2_BJZAT8U_pG7wsFLKSwm6QUm_qXw3TCU/s640/212.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fbfaf8; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;">When my all-weather placard arrives I will proudly place it in front of my home for curious passerby, in order to help promote this worthwhile program.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fbfaf8; color: #333333; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;">Sharing with <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2016/03/28/nature-notes-355e-o-wilson-i-suggest-that-humans-set-aside-roughly-50-percent-of-the-planet-as-a-sort-of-permanent-preserve-undisturbed-by-man/" target="_blank">Nature Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.ca/2016/03/our-world-easter-edition-2016.html" target="_blank">Our Word Tuesday</a>, <a href="http://mymaplehillfarm.blogspot.ca/2016/03/the-maple-hill-hop-126.html" target="_blank">Maple Hill Hop</a>, <a href="http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.ca/2016/03/330-outdoor-wednesday-377.html" target="_blank">Outdoor Wednesday</a>, <a href="http://urbannaturale.com/its-party-time-at-healthy-happy-green-and-natural-party-blog-hop-104/" target="_blank">Green & Natural Party</a>, <a href="http://essentialhomestead.com/homestead-blog-hop/" target="_blank">Homestead Blog Hop</a></span></div>
astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-45604287442691985762016-03-15T12:31:00.000-05:002016-03-24T13:30:00.754-05:00MEXICAN VACATION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Each year I am surprised by how green some plants are when they are uncovered by the retreating snow. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKXZE6dBE81yLZQDCccsiBxEpWM7xnY4FSbXIqMIx32hiBh4vcn2U-uc5RuitQdPy_fDX_RJ5td3ys1Mufovp0-dHj2ea1GrzcUuduf-ZHlFrXupxpfjQOj5Y_zUCc2yuOYcLnOvF_gE/s1600/IMG_5174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKXZE6dBE81yLZQDCccsiBxEpWM7xnY4FSbXIqMIx32hiBh4vcn2U-uc5RuitQdPy_fDX_RJ5td3ys1Mufovp0-dHj2ea1GrzcUuduf-ZHlFrXupxpfjQOj5Y_zUCc2yuOYcLnOvF_gE/s320/IMG_5174.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I expect them to have withered away and disappeared altogether, but here they are, Campanula and Forget-Me-Nots aplenty, looking somewhat bedraggled but ready to rock and roll if the warm weather were to continue.</div>
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Instead of more shots of soggy half-buried gardens I will share some photos of a garden from the hotel I recently stayed at in Mexico. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcSBlaTr28r07HU6AoyXEywddNBjYOVck7Tz68FbNBKOm7M2Ohji9M0CTfXWw4c6eg1BBnt3JbKgOyRYFFDsDToEqSKgjDVKHd3F-To07bGIy21j9pm6GmGuz0JBvpi6c2FvrSIkqT4Y/s1600/IMG_5163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcSBlaTr28r07HU6AoyXEywddNBjYOVck7Tz68FbNBKOm7M2Ohji9M0CTfXWw4c6eg1BBnt3JbKgOyRYFFDsDToEqSKgjDVKHd3F-To07bGIy21j9pm6GmGuz0JBvpi6c2FvrSIkqT4Y/s640/IMG_5163.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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While the plants between the bungalows were lush with bright bird-of-paradise blooms, the garden was more arid than tropical and I felt like I could have been in Arizona with all the cacti.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbNoxAeCoArK403TxFVGWLbsGMVqHF5NzzPIBMKGRKGFjGlrTgm2SrOG7EaR4BuJsUBF6c04B7EwgGzO976wMNqGNepFQCQww9MSWWmqgOllcaxOd9nrR3nr4eNxhUgQLZVEXYDq25lU/s1600/IMG_5164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbNoxAeCoArK403TxFVGWLbsGMVqHF5NzzPIBMKGRKGFjGlrTgm2SrOG7EaR4BuJsUBF6c04B7EwgGzO976wMNqGNepFQCQww9MSWWmqgOllcaxOd9nrR3nr4eNxhUgQLZVEXYDq25lU/s400/IMG_5164.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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To me it looks almost like a museum and I expect to see cards indicating the type of plant and a bit about the history of the area.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxh0iCRK_3-il5xqX1lpBdB8kFJBgU8Wr2O42J2kOlu7aHsoZmgzwq3mjntZxl2OPySnc5IqoVDHho4Iqf5uQWodvPrErmvSdinwt7UwFLX0ToxPxf2lmxVE7QI_aDsBo0pLx18YOiBY/s1600/IMG_5165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxh0iCRK_3-il5xqX1lpBdB8kFJBgU8Wr2O42J2kOlu7aHsoZmgzwq3mjntZxl2OPySnc5IqoVDHho4Iqf5uQWodvPrErmvSdinwt7UwFLX0ToxPxf2lmxVE7QI_aDsBo0pLx18YOiBY/s640/IMG_5165.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The restaurant under the eaves was well positioned to take advantage of the garden and courtyard.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohUyhdWKj27orSU27Av61OKR021HItNAv8NStnOeipBt0_E5AauDfHAWo0E1Y55I-pqlr6WwcU_Pv0K3l_5nXpqqeW_JiNLLkEcaIT8cPaNgZ6NqCuJLP43sbzxISOJI0npp8eq8kazs/s1600/IMG_5166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohUyhdWKj27orSU27Av61OKR021HItNAv8NStnOeipBt0_E5AauDfHAWo0E1Y55I-pqlr6WwcU_Pv0K3l_5nXpqqeW_JiNLLkEcaIT8cPaNgZ6NqCuJLP43sbzxISOJI0npp8eq8kazs/s320/IMG_5166.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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With no change in the seasons as we know it in zone 3, there is always something blooming in this tropical paradise.</div>
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Sharing with <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2016/03/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-march-2016.html" target="_blank">Garden Bloggers Bloom Day</a>, <a href="http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.ca/2016/03/fff226-hibiscus-tropicana.html" target="_blank">Floral Friday Fotos</a> & <a href="http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.ca/2016/03/316-outdoor-wednesday-375.html" target="_blank">Outdoor Wednesday</a></div>
astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-80836933079800523742016-02-28T18:06:00.002-06:002016-03-15T10:15:32.982-05:00MONET GARDEN UPDATE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the main reasons I started blogging was to keep records of my numerous gardens and their myriad plants, still, time can be elusive and here I find myself 2 years since <a href="http://astudentgardener.blogspot.ca/2013/12/anatomy-of-monet-garden-3-of-3.html" target="_blank">my last updated map of the west-facing 'Monet Garden'</a> in the front yard of our zone 3 home. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBb0q1cu0zG5Fjuvk-QyzkzBvBCLKGzPOElE76Ah1GhGbkq2cbFNxXBW9DqplGSft10y7ETnRJYo4hgZkNLapH12NAQcPus8VHXrXh72EGB5IOTlcZhyphenhyphenl0Z3ya444xFY6Ad-u5dPm1Wk/s1600/Monet+Garden+Feb+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBb0q1cu0zG5Fjuvk-QyzkzBvBCLKGzPOElE76Ah1GhGbkq2cbFNxXBW9DqplGSft10y7ETnRJYo4hgZkNLapH12NAQcPus8VHXrXh72EGB5IOTlcZhyphenhyphenl0Z3ya444xFY6Ad-u5dPm1Wk/s1600/Monet+Garden+Feb+2016.jpg" /></a><br />
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While the general colour-theme endures much has changed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplLw7MD2sgyl1QcKMADuB_nMPI-qA0OMpSAQixWNlRWucuw-GVO1xHvPqucPUb-qvFTux8JyVGAXWK4crHMJOM0KVV7bkbO3KfJ5rz9AiiPVZLGXxtiyKjsWXTfGL0ljB_J3z6fo6ypk/s1600/IMG_3874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplLw7MD2sgyl1QcKMADuB_nMPI-qA0OMpSAQixWNlRWucuw-GVO1xHvPqucPUb-qvFTux8JyVGAXWK4crHMJOM0KVV7bkbO3KfJ5rz9AiiPVZLGXxtiyKjsWXTfGL0ljB_J3z6fo6ypk/s320/IMG_3874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The entire front bed was <a href="http://astudentgardener.blogspot.ca/2014/10/under-construction-digging-up-monet.html">dug up in the fall of 2014</a> and removed for foundation work. </div>
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I raised the portion between house and path by 8 inches while adding tall Ostrich Ferns and Tree lilies since there is no shortage of tall plants in the front of this garden. The Ostrich Ferns are a final acceptance of how shady this space is,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSg9pIM_yex8T8JNTEd2klzG47drq_oNOzGAI27vICRXiqfMpPxUipJtdgD_tEksK5HN9o1qGQm8BKjEEc9juqqW6RypucNfBqaGhUrlqvXas-7cBp3lIusxe8crgajUQqvx3CVE3HEuA/s1600/IMG_3466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSg9pIM_yex8T8JNTEd2klzG47drq_oNOzGAI27vICRXiqfMpPxUipJtdgD_tEksK5HN9o1qGQm8BKjEEc9juqqW6RypucNfBqaGhUrlqvXas-7cBp3lIusxe8crgajUQqvx3CVE3HEuA/s320/IMG_3466.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
In fact I would have thought it too shady here for gorgeous, enormous tree lilies if there had not been some living here before I arrived on the scene (back left).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TBciu4kr2Zt8vV-4bldNs24Cnr-wrPu-GWdNloVnK97uOoOsuotAF5bDBh_OiHLW2Suuoi0Qf0ZRQbVNZ45RUCBdLcl6pzaZvyUw1PehsO2lv5f8XST3Ma99F0C2CXdMKUji00zIoiM/s1600/IMG_4496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TBciu4kr2Zt8vV-4bldNs24Cnr-wrPu-GWdNloVnK97uOoOsuotAF5bDBh_OiHLW2Suuoi0Qf0ZRQbVNZ45RUCBdLcl6pzaZvyUw1PehsO2lv5f8XST3Ma99F0C2CXdMKUji00zIoiM/s400/IMG_4496.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was not kidding about taller plants in the front of the garden! Next year the Echinops will also be tall on the left of the path (mixed with the Herons) and the gap in the bottom right of this photo will be filled by Echinops, Monkshood, or both. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ9jVcOriA6cvjwKzoWVjVlVBNnmqgxIx3iLQ4EM0BhBMqjF1YFciAPL7oG72aRIa_3ozOoqq9vPZDfI-SNHbj04iyX_u2HwNcFMLvt3g8ahaCmz4guL6DyfDAWuNRnIZJSnwaFVLMdE/s1600/Monet+Garden+Feb+2016+ferns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ9jVcOriA6cvjwKzoWVjVlVBNnmqgxIx3iLQ4EM0BhBMqjF1YFciAPL7oG72aRIa_3ozOoqq9vPZDfI-SNHbj04iyX_u2HwNcFMLvt3g8ahaCmz4guL6DyfDAWuNRnIZJSnwaFVLMdE/s640/Monet+Garden+Feb+2016+ferns.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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One way to attract people into the gardens is to almost hide some plants behind others, rewarding the explorers. I pruned back this path last fall in the hopes it will invite more foot traffic. </div>
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You begin to see above how smashing it will look in two more years with the taller lilies sprouting up from amongst the tall <a href="http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/most-unique-perennial-your-flower-bed" target="_blank">Ostrich ferns</a>, creating a dense canopy reinforcing the height of the raised bed to the left of the path. I also lined the path with transplanted <a href="http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/growingflowers/flowersandseasons/forget-me-not" target="_blank">Forget-me-nots</a>, which incredibly bloomed not just in spring, but all summer long. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhTqiZZHsW9A2F2xRZBYP2O_SkjUOv6bmUubU2BBtrfgQo0yInKJ-ZPNjNjd7tJ7x5Ppvs-Ud9_ceio4uI0yeiPJ8pMWh4SoW5lE_OcvBrq1NA0KMz5y28oiXb6itYDGe6fLszj_WFjU/s1600/IMG_4499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhTqiZZHsW9A2F2xRZBYP2O_SkjUOv6bmUubU2BBtrfgQo0yInKJ-ZPNjNjd7tJ7x5Ppvs-Ud9_ceio4uI0yeiPJ8pMWh4SoW5lE_OcvBrq1NA0KMz5y28oiXb6itYDGe6fLszj_WFjU/s640/IMG_4499.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Forget-me-nots now rule where once Lamium formed the densest of mats. <br />
Columbine have been moved out - they are pretty when viewed close up but were totally lost in this hot mess.<br />
White Pulmonaria (though thriving here) were moved to the more appropriately coloured 'Moon Garden'.<br />
A dozen <a href="http://www.perennials.com/plants/digitalis-grandiflora-carillon.html" target="_blank">dwarf yellow Foxglove</a> will add discrete contrast to the dominant blues and purples.<br />
Calla Lilies will not be back as I focus on (native) perennials to build habitat as much as a beautiful garden.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMP1vAVjDQgEB0QGDEL7H_z0BxkOK_z2bPyw1q9_1HPjV8nPNCJUiSwaMB9C2qPtAtqfTnacpR8JV-adv8DZEe75DzmzsHYrUbAAQN1s4w4z1H20lyku8GL31SLB3YSC9uEF7LJAZmGEg/s1600/IMG_4659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMP1vAVjDQgEB0QGDEL7H_z0BxkOK_z2bPyw1q9_1HPjV8nPNCJUiSwaMB9C2qPtAtqfTnacpR8JV-adv8DZEe75DzmzsHYrUbAAQN1s4w4z1H20lyku8GL31SLB3YSC9uEF7LJAZmGEg/s640/IMG_4659.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
Every year I am able to whittle down the variety of plants further in this part-shade bed, capitalizing on its specific conditions such as its rich, moist soil and pockets of sunshine. There are still 18 different plants on the map but the longer I am here the smaller that number will get: the Pasque Flower and Siberian Iris are still in their testing phase and the Dumstick Allium are not so gradually on their way out.<br />
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The Lamium and Daylilies are perfect: low maintenance, aggressive, but boxed in and easy to control.</div>
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Sharing with <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2016/03/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-march-2016.html" target="_blank">Garden Bloggers Bloom Day</a></div>
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astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-80999059673236478802016-01-10T11:25:00.002-06:002016-01-19T19:32:21.200-06:002 YEAR MOVE - rose of sharon<div style="text-align: center;">
Some landscaping requires longer term planning, in this particular case a two year move but three or more years before the desired look could be achieved. <br />
Good thing perennial gardeners have patience.<br />
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Both a blue and pink Rose of Sharon graced our back yard in Toronto, and while they looked lovely apart, when the Dogwood in the back left corner passed, I bet that they would look even lovelier if I could get their pastel blooms mingling together.</div>
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That fall I started a sort of <a href="http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/rejuvenation-pruning-tips.htm" target="_blank">rejuvenation pruning</a> and cut back the Rose of Sharon by one third, I let it grow in the same place for one year before cutting it back again by one third the following fall, then finally transplanting it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcEmvUWqb_fCiD2Ri-8hPtRslQhxIrdPlkpx1J0AXgAakki8Me_5wK_xa-pPyvChJW46iHmQ63L3kpRjlrs0eikxa6kj4q20KO-HfDbblA6sjvMkkf2bXmlL1F9ACl_WyxPX4OdnpYPvf/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcEmvUWqb_fCiD2Ri-8hPtRslQhxIrdPlkpx1J0AXgAakki8Me_5wK_xa-pPyvChJW46iHmQ63L3kpRjlrs0eikxa6kj4q20KO-HfDbblA6sjvMkkf2bXmlL1F9ACl_WyxPX4OdnpYPvf/s400/IMG_0171.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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The space left by the Rose of Sharon seen above was quickly filled in by transplanting some of the yellow Rudbeckias closer to the fence. I also pruned back the lower limbs of the Japanese Maple, letting more light to the understory.<br />
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They say that shrubs are the skeletons of the garden and if so, apparently I like mine 'bear bones'. To me it felt a bit cramped before, even though I like a full garden.</div>
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The Blue Rose of Sharon looked comfortable in its new home, however I moved away and will never be able to know for certain if it got enough light and intertwined with its pink sister. </div>
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Hopefully I did enough to help it along:</div>
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- I pruned back branches above it (from our neighbour's tree) quite extensively to give it more light, </div>
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- I pruned it substantially to lessen the overall foliage the roots would need to support post-transplant</div>
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- I used a root-stimulating fertilizer post-transplant and kept it well watered</div>
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Perhaps I will just have a peak over the fence next time I am visiting Toronto in the summer...</div>
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Sharing with <a href="http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.ca/2016/01/120-outdoor-wednesday-367.html" target="_blank">Outdoor Wednesday</a></div>
astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185837729875061195.post-32794548355278761212015-11-28T11:34:00.001-06:002015-11-28T11:40:47.387-06:00NEEDLE MULCH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCp3Zt-Zm98wo8_y-t_EdEyZ1ijVxJtYMDCMGmQOKaCrB6AIpUw7xzN2IBJ3O37oa_Uo9SSGvjczLA9L9MeCuuYgMzOBKZq-VFGb-coecnYfB8V6bh5ue4saiBrqu44Li0fdfJHS5khg/s1600/IMG_4251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCp3Zt-Zm98wo8_y-t_EdEyZ1ijVxJtYMDCMGmQOKaCrB6AIpUw7xzN2IBJ3O37oa_Uo9SSGvjczLA9L9MeCuuYgMzOBKZq-VFGb-coecnYfB8V6bh5ue4saiBrqu44Li0fdfJHS5khg/s1600/IMG_4251.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last summer I began to use the needles from our large Spruce trees as mulch. </div>
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Aesthetically I like the natural look (once the plants fill out one cannot see the the garden floor in any case) and functionally <a href="http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2702/#b" target="_blank">this reliable source says not to worry about acidity levels</a>. So I don't. <br />
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There is something rewarding about making use of the bounty from my yard, even the parts that others may think of as waste. Why pay with my taxes to have this taken away only to go out and buy a different type of mulch?<br />
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For the same reason I compost yard waste and burn the wood I prune in our outdoor chimney. It just makes sense.<br />
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Are there any other 'urban homesteaders' out there?</div>
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Sharing with <a href="http://theruraleconomist.blogspot.ca/2015/11/front-porch-friday-9.html" target="_blank">Front Porch Friday</a>, <a href="http://pistachioproject.com/" target="_blank">Simply Natural Saturday</a>, <a href="http://www.oakhillhomestead.com/2015/11/our-simple-homestead-blog-hop-27.html" target="_blank">Our Simple Homestead</a></div>
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astudentgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17897771369368350331noreply@blogger.com2