Summer Garden

One of the reasons I plant this Eastern Prickly Pear is to enjoy the blooms. They last only one day over the course of a short week. Both last summer and this summer I've missed the display, but people have been sending photos so at least I could enjoy remotely. This year they put on quite the show, starting July 4.

We came back from Yondering to Toronto on July 20, and the first thing I did was tear into the garden to weed and water. Ended up getting stung by some bees when I was removing seed heads from the lambs ears. Ouch! I learned the hard way that our native bees have smooth stingers and can sting again and again. So when I staked the sea holly I wore full body protection (gloves, boots, mosquito netting hat, long sleeves etc.). So many different kinds of  bees, wasps, hornets and flies feeding on one plant. The 'common' European blue butterfly, so called because it's open wings are such a beautiful blue. The Great Golden Digger Wasp looks like a sting could really hurt, but they don't bother humans so much as grasshoppers, which they paralyze to feed their young. 

We were back to Yondering July 31, so I had  ten days in the July garden. Hours spent tending or enjoying the view. 

In other notes:

• I was happy to see the Tulip Tree and Grey Dogwood I'd planted in the ravine were still growing strong. Hopefully the rains continue into August. 
• A wet season brought some mushrooms that seemed to like the shelter of pots. iNaturalist identified as a species of mica cap.
• I'm trying to get the primrose to grow all in a row in front of the bench, so transplanted a few. They didn't seem to like it, hopefully their roots will find their way. Would like to create a space where we can enjoy watching them pop open.
• My brother Dave gave me a watering system that we're trying out in August in the back garden, set to water twice a week. We'll see how it goes. Most of these plants were chosen because they could withstand summer neglect and periods of drought, and it's been a wet summer.  Anyway, an experiment. Meanwhile we still rely on family to drop by and water the planters and the front in dry spells.
  
  
  
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June Splendour

June! My garden seems to offer a new delight every day. I'm happy to stay put in the city and enjoy the show.

First the tree peonies bloom, then in the back garden we have bleeding hearts, beauty bush and Rogersia plumes. 

Tiny fish and water striders in the pond. Iris starts to bloom, clematis opens and the geranium pop. Hostas still untouched by slugs.

The evening primroses open at dusk calling the night moths. I tried planting nicotania seeds this year but no results. Next year I will start indoors and plant near the primrose to create a night garden space. West Coast Seeds has jasmine tobacco that grows 3-5 feet tall. Maybe under the bird feeder? Or a pot behind the irises? An annual in our zone.

The rose is exceptional this year, bursting into flower. Rob cut it back quite vigorously and fertilized... Elizabeth obviously loves the attention. Sage bursting and onion chives perfect to pick. 

Everything so, so green.

Natural Concept Pruning

When Todd Irvine spoke ar our monthly Master Gardener meeting October '26, I wanted to learn more, so I booked him to give me a lesson in my own backyard. 

• Understand how trees and shrubs grow.
• Choose the right tree/shrub for conditions
• Know why you are pruning
• Prune for good structure and health
• Use proper pruning cuts

It helps to have a basic understanding of how trees and shrubs grow. Their trunks pull up nutrients from the soil, and the leaves serve to photosynthesize and provide transpiration. Trees will naturally prune themselves back to where they are shaded, as those areas that don't get sunlight die back. If you prune the branch of too many of its leaves, the branch will not be able to feed itself properly and will die.

When Todd arrived, Rob and I were pulling our ficus onto the deck for its summer vacation, so began the lesson there.

What is it you want to accomplish? Shape it, make it smaller, prune for health? Yes to all of the above. The ficus needed some serious trimming. By examining the new growth we could see this specimen had already grown 4"- 6" since the start of spring. At about 7 years old, it was a bit too mature for pruning that would influence early growth habit; in fact like many ficus sold the trunk had been braided, and we could see how it had fused together. There were lots of inner branches crossing and Todd advised not to get too fussed about it, as a more mature tree, it was a little too late to address its basic structure.

 

Always prune to growing points, or nodes. There are two types of cuts

• Removal (whole branch), smaller branch to bigger
• Reduction (reducing length by nodes), bigger branch to smaller

Start minimally! Once you've cut that branch off, it's not going to grow back. Lots of small cuts are easier for the plant to handle.

Look at the growth increments. Usually the inner branches do not grow as rapidly, they aren't getting as much sun. We certainly saw that on the ficus! So, 'thin' by thoughtful reduction on outer growth vs. removing the inside centre.

Generally you want your pruning to go unnoticed.

There are lots of oversimplified recommendations, such as 'no rubbing branches', or 'no crossing branches' but they don't always apply. 

For example, the 'no topping' rule. Rob and I already ignored that advice on our dwarf white pine, when it was getting too high for the sight line. Now it is a matter of trying to keep some space between the white pine and balsam next to it. Minimal cuts on the balsam did the trick.

I had left my daphne alone until Todd's visit. I thought it was scorched, but on closer inspection, we saw branches had been broken by the weight of winter snow, so removed them. But we left the centre of it alone, hoping it will naturally fill in with new growth over the season. We then crawled underneath the weeping Japanese maple in the front and trimmed out the dead branches underneath. Since parts of the juniper and maple were infringing on the driveway, we removed them.  A branch on the Japanese maple in the back was bending in on itself, it didn't need any cutting as it was young enough to manipulate it to grow free.

Very useful tips. I especially like the advice to avoid over-generalizations. If I followed the 'right' method, I would lose the beautiful seedpods that overwinter on the tree peony - instead I cut them off just as the buds begin to form in spring. The peony doesn't seem to suffer for it! Ditto the hydrangea.

Todd took a moment to show us how to sharpen the blades on our tools by staying flat to the edge. I'll be ordering a sharpening stone and may even treat myself to a pair of #8 Felco Pruners.

Now, after Todd's visit I am less intimidated by the prospect of pruning. It's a real art, one you learn by doing. Now I can practice more confidently.

Peony Power

This year the peonies started poking through buds May 26 and by June 4 the petals were on the ground. I had pulled up a chair to admire them on the Thursday and decided to send out an invite to people to come for a garden pop-up on the Saturday. Several people were able to drop by. 

I greeted them in my fancy garden hat and we toasted to enjoy these fleeting moments of beauty.

 

Come what May

Tulips and daffodils! And Alliums! The bulbs are so pretty putting on their show. However, I think I will leave them to their shouting in the front.

I found the tulips and daffodils in the back stole attention from the bleeding hearts, solomon seal & Jacks.

Mostly, I managed to resist buying a lot of new plants this year, mainly because I actually didn't have any room! But I did pick up a couple, including a red diplodemia that's already attracted at least one hummingbird.