Ants and Peonies
I am usually careful, when giving a bouquet of peonies to a friend or relative, to ensure that the recipients are prepared to kill or transport a few ants that will eventually come crawling off of the blossoms. Sometimes they
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis. Lily of the Valley. If I were planting a brand new garden, one of the first assignments would be to find a stretch of shade to create a home for lily of the valley. Maybe it is because
Honeysuckle Bush in the Wild
Lonicera tatarica. Tartarian Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle family: Caprifoliaceae I recently photographed this pretty honeysuckle shrub growing in Canadian Shield lake country, in the Whiteshell region, close to the water. It was growing at the front of a cottage property, but was
Blue Flag
Iris versicolor. Blue Flag. These stately plants really do look regal, in keeping with the use of the fleur-de-lis (or de-lys) over the centuries to signify French royalty. In Canada, the Blue Flag is the provincial flower of Quebec. The
Growing Chives in Your Garden
There is something hopeful about seeing the bright green stems of the chives withstand the cold spring and occasional relapse into snow covering. It cheers me to watch them gradually grow to their full height and expand their buds into
Wild Red Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis – Wild Red Columbine. Ranunculaceae. Buttercup Family. Spring in my garden is about three weeks behind schedule, and so the flowers of Aquilegia canadensis are coming out a little late. Wild columbine is a delightful and reliable addition
Welcome, Red Robin
Each spring, my neighbour and I lean over our shared fence and discuss the whereabouts of the robins. When my husband and I first bought our home, robins used to nest on a ledge under the covered deck, but they
Three-Flowered Avens
Geum triflorum. Three-Flowered Avens. The understated Three-Flowered Avens is also known on the Canadian prairies and elsewhere in North America as Old Man Whiskers, Prairie Snow, and Purple Avens. I believe there was a rather unique name for this plant
Spring Scilla
Siberian squill – Scilla – brings the first touch of spring to my northern prairie garden. It arrives like a reliable old friend, showing up in late April to offer me a glimpse of the beauty that will soon grace
Primula
The plant you see in the photo is my one and only primula, and it has been reappearing in my Zone 3 garden year after year, not getting bigger, but not diminishing either. It occupies its place like a little
