Angie's Garden 2020
Bachelor button or cornflower
Full sun
Spreads/ self-seeding - deadhead to curb spreading
Drought resistant
Can grow in rocky, poor to somewhat fertile soil
2-3 feet tall
The name cornflower comes from the fact that it often grew in the corn fields in Europe.
Bachelor button has edible flowers that make an attractive addition to salads. It is often used in tea blends including one of my favourites, Lady Grey. The flowers were also used as a dye for pastries and water color paints.
The iconic white Corning Ware with a blue flower is a blue cornflower.
Bearded Iris
The name iris comes from the Greek goddess of the as irises come in nearly every color!
There are many subcategories of bearded Iris based mainly on height. It varies from 12-40” tall and spreads 1-2’ wide.
Full sun
Spring bloom
Do not like mulch
Good drainage, they like sandy or gravelly soil.
Dividing periodically is a must to increase yield and maintain healthy irises.
Toxic to cats and dogs
Iris borer is a common pest. To rid, cut back leaves in fall and cut away infected portions of rhizomes, if any. Do not add cut bits to compost
The name iris comes from the Greek goddess of the as irises come in nearly every color!
There are many subcategories of bearded Iris based mainly on height. It varies from 12-40” tall and spreads 1-2’ wide.
Full sun
Spring bloom
Do not like mulch
Good drainage, they like sandy or gravelly soil.
Dividing periodically is a must to increase yield and maintain healthy irises.
Toxic to cats and dogs
Iris borer is a common pest. To rid, cut back leaves in fall and cut away infected portions of rhizomes, if any. Do not add cut bits to compost
Bearded Iris |
Tulip |
Columbine
Perennial that grows easily in sun to partial shade. It is self seeding, dead heading may be necessary to curb growth and will also promote flowering. (Seed-grown plants will not flower the first year.) Native to Europe.
Attracts bees, hummingbirds, and moths.
A. canadensis is a red species native to eastern North America. It is toxic to humans and horses! Native Americans used to put the crushed seeds in the palm of the hand as a love charm.
Perennial that grows easily in sun to partial shade. It is self seeding, dead heading may be necessary to curb growth and will also promote flowering. (Seed-grown plants will not flower the first year.) Native to Europe.
Attracts bees, hummingbirds, and moths.
A. canadensis is a red species native to eastern North America. It is toxic to humans and horses! Native Americans used to put the crushed seeds in the palm of the hand as a love charm.
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Arisaema triphyllum
Jack (the spadix) preaches from inside the pulpit or the spathe, a hooded, cup-like structure. Jack contains the flowers, but it’s the brown-purple striped pulpit that gets noticed.
“Jack” is one of my all-time favorite native flowers and is a must-have in my gardens.
1-3’ feet tall
Flowers in spring
Perrenial woodland flower native to Eastern North America.
Likes moist soil and shade, think forest floor, but is quite tolerant to a variety of conditions and is easy to care for.
Birds and mammals eat the red berries.
The root can be eaten, but do some research before trying because the raw plant can cause blisters!
Jack (the spadix) preaches from inside the pulpit or the spathe, a hooded, cup-like structure. Jack contains the flowers, but it’s the brown-purple striped pulpit that gets noticed.
“Jack” is one of my all-time favorite native flowers and is a must-have in my gardens.
1-3’ feet tall
Flowers in spring
Perrenial woodland flower native to Eastern North America.
Likes moist soil and shade, think forest floor, but is quite tolerant to a variety of conditions and is easy to care for.
Birds and mammals eat the red berries.
The root can be eaten, but do some research before trying because the raw plant can cause blisters!
Jack-in-the-pulpit (I LOVE THIS WOODLAND PLANT!!) |
Lily of the Valley |
Vegetable garden all planted. |
White and Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea “powpow white” & Echinacea purpurea
Did you know that Echinacea is derived from the Latin name for hedgehog, echinus, referring to the often prickly lower stem of the plant?
Their name comes from the cone shaped center containing the seeds.
Perennial, self seeds.
Attracts pollinators and birds. (Leave seed heads for them).
Long lasting flowers from mid-summer to frost. Dead head for continuous blooms, but start leaving seeds come fall for the birds.
Easy to care for, does well in poor, well drained soil and full sun.
White coneflower
|
Hydrangea (at the lake) |
Astilbe - there are ~25 species!
I just learned that it is also known as False Goat’s Beard or False Spirea.
Shade loving, but the flowers like 1-2 hours of morning or dappled sun.
Low maintenance
Few diseases or pests
Divide every 4 years, in spring
Not invasive
Many colors, heights and flowering times depending on the species
Attractive foliage
Astilbe means “without brightness” in Greek. It is thought to refer to the dull leaves of some species or the tiny, thus inconspicuous, individual flowers that make up a plume.
I just learned that it is also known as False Goat’s Beard or False Spirea.
Shade loving, but the flowers like 1-2 hours of morning or dappled sun.
Low maintenance
Few diseases or pests
Divide every 4 years, in spring
Not invasive
Many colors, heights and flowering times depending on the species
Attractive foliage
Astilbe means “without brightness” in Greek. It is thought to refer to the dull leaves of some species or the tiny, thus inconspicuous, individual flowers that make up a plume.
Sunflower |
Verbena (some in different places) |
Dahlia |
Love my black petunias! |
Asian lillies |
Tiger Lillies |
Sweet William |
Yellow Loosestrife (at the lake) |
Foxglove
Legend has it that fairies play within the flowers and the spots mark where a fairy has touched it. There is also a story that foxes used the flowers to keep dew off their paws, hence the name. The origins of the name are probably much less fantastic though. There is an old Anglo-Saxon word “foxes-glew” that meant fox music and it is thought it was named that because of the bell shape of the flowers.
The latin name Digitalis translates to “a finger’s breadth” which makes sense, as the flowers fit quite nestly over one’s finger or digit.
Foxgloves are toxic, but also a source of heart medication!
Biennial
Full sun to partial shade
July bloom
Pink, white, yellow, purple, red
Deer resistant
Attracts hummingbirds
Can grow ~5 feet tall! I have to stake my tallest ones.
The latin name Digitalis translates to “a finger’s breadth” which makes sense, as the flowers fit quite nestly over one’s finger or digit.
Foxgloves are toxic, but also a source of heart medication!
Biennial
Full sun to partial shade
July bloom
Pink, white, yellow, purple, red
Deer resistant
Attracts hummingbirds
Can grow ~5 feet tall! I have to stake my tallest ones.
Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua)
White turtle head is native to Quebec, is taller, fragrant and prefers moist soil and partial shade.
https://m.espacepourlavie.ca/.../biodome.../white-turtlehead
Pink turtlehead is more bushy and can tolerate sun, although it also requires moist soil.
Perennial
Spreads sowly
Late bloomer, no need to dead head
A monarch on thistle |
Sunflowers
New garden I made with maple logs left after it fell. |
Hosta |
Aaaatchooo... no Sneezeweed will not actually make you sneeze. It flowers at the same time as ragweed and that WILL make allergy sufferers sneeze. It got its name from once being used to make snuff.
Attracts pollinators
Perennial
Native to Quebec
Tall
Deer resistant
Full sun
Attracts pollinators
Perennial
Native to Quebec
Tall
Deer resistant
Full sun
Common Evening Primrose
Why evening? This wildflower opens its flowers late in the day and they stay open until the next day, much to the delight of many moths.
I allow it to remain in many spots in my garden, such as under this tree.
Native to Quebec.
Biennial.
Hardy
Reseeds itself.
Beneficial to pollinators.
Why evening? This wildflower opens its flowers late in the day and they stay open until the next day, much to the delight of many moths.
I allow it to remain in many spots in my garden, such as under this tree.
Native to Quebec.
Biennial.
Hardy
Reseeds itself.
Beneficial to pollinators.
Ornamental Onion, Allium, is one of my favourite spring flowers. Such impressive spherical blooms and yet low maintenance.
They prefer sun, but will grow in shade (mine do). Drought tolerant and spread easily without being invasive. They deter pests like deer and rabbits, but attract bees!
Plant bulbs in the spring. Enjoy.
Most underrated plant: big root geranium!
I LOVE this plant. I use it as a border, well, everywhere. It is one of the first plants to wake up each spring, so do not cut it back in the fall. (“Semi-evergreen”) It flowers little pink flowers in ~June and then has lovely folliage right through fall. It is great at keeping weeds at bay and has a pungent smell that repels mosquitoes.
Perennial
Deer and rabbit resistant
Low maintenance - like, water it and leave it alone!
Sun or shade
Groundcover
Easy to grow
Pest/disease free
Attracts butterflies
This blogger feels like I do about this plant:
I LOVE this plant. I use it as a border, well, everywhere. It is one of the first plants to wake up each spring, so do not cut it back in the fall. (“Semi-evergreen”) It flowers little pink flowers in ~June and then has lovely folliage right through fall. It is great at keeping weeds at bay and has a pungent smell that repels mosquitoes.
Perennial
Deer and rabbit resistant
Low maintenance - like, water it and leave it alone!
Sun or shade
Groundcover
Easy to grow
Pest/disease free
Attracts butterflies
This blogger feels like I do about this plant:
November 5!!!