Author:

---

The three numbers on fertilizer are the N-P-K ratio, which stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These three nutrients have separate functions and are essential to a plant’s growth and health. Fertilizers can be organic or synthetic, and come in a dry or liquid form.

Feeding your plants is an essential routine to care for them. Plant fertilizers increase a plant’s fertility and encourage growth. Fertlizers are either plant- or animal-based (organic) or man-made chemicals (inorganic), and some are water-soluble while others are dry granular. It can be confusing when it comes to choosing the right fertilizer for different plants. That’s why it is essential to find out what nutrients plants need and in which proportions. 

What Does Each Number Mean? The three numbers on the label indicate the ratio of each nutrient, or N-P-K ratio. The first number is for nitrogen (N), which increases leaf production and makes plants greener. Plants that are almost all leaves need a lot of nitrogen. The second is for phosphorus (P), which promotes root development, fruiting and flowering, and the third is for potassium (K), also known as potash which helps the plant fight off diseases, promotes hardiness and is essential to the metabolic process. Different amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium will impact the growth of a plant in different ways. 

Each number represents the weight percentage of each nutrient in the package; for example, if a plant fertilizer contains a 10-15-10 ratio, this means it has 10 percent nitrogen, 15 percent phosphorus, and 10 percent potassium. The remaining 65 percent is a combination of other micronutrients such as iron, zinc, boron, and copper.

A higher concentration of any of the three nutrients will impact a plant’s development. High amounts of nitrogen will cause greater leafy growth, high phosphorus will cause more fruiting or blooming, and high potassium will cause greater hardiness. Fertilizers with higher ratios are more concentrated than those with lower ratios. High numbers need diluting with more water before applying to plants.

Fertilizer Types – Choosing between wet and dry is more of a preference. Granular fertilizers are mostly used for outdoor plants. They are generally cheaper and have a longer shelf life. For indoor plants or small container plants outside, liquid fertilizers are recommended. Diluted with water, they can get down to where the roots are rapidly.

Organic vs. Inorganic – Organic fertilizers work in a slow and natural way, while synthetic fertilizers work rapidly. Synthetic fertilizers tend to be more concentrated and need to be diluted. Organic fertilizers are made from natural ingredients, are less concentrated and take longer to break down once applied. This helps avoid over-fertilizing and provides steady nutrients over a longer period of time.

For gardens with edible crops, granular or dry fertilizer should be mixed in with the soil before planting in the spring. For gardens with perennial flowers, fertilize before the spring growing season. Over-fertilizing plants is usually worse than choosing the wrong numbers since over-fertilization can cause the plants to burn and leave them weak. If the plant’s requirements are different than what is indicated on the fertilizer numbers, plants will usually show signs.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a early spring blooming Oklahoma native. It’s a multi-trunked shrub or tree with vibrant magenta flowers appearing before heart-shaped leaves. The plant has a graceful, spreading habit, and its horizontally arranged branches form a round canopy.

The bark of the Eastern Redbud sometimes starts with a smooth, grayish colour that turns reddish-brown and develops deep fissures and a scaly texture, as the tree or shrub matures.

A delicate and sweet fragrance throughout spring adds a mild, subtle aroma as pleasant element to the visual beauty.

Eastern Redbud trees are versatile and can thrive with minimal care under normal conditions. They are cold hardy to a temperature of minus 28 degrees Celsius. However, the hot and dry climate of the Okanagan and Shuswap regions are a challenge for Redbud plants to survive. They require sun to part shade exposure and frequent, deep, regular watering and moist, well-drained soil. Claims that Eastern Redbud plants are drought tolerant are incorrect. The climate conditions in Oklahoma where these plants originate are completely different from that of the BC Interior.

Oklahoma has a southern humid belt merging with a colder northern continental one and humid eastern and dry western zones that cut through the state. The result is normally pleasant weather and an average annual temperature of about 16 degrees Celsius, increasing from northwest to southeast. No region is free from wind. As the collision point for warm and cold air masses, with sudden rises and falls in temperature, the state has heavy downpours in summer, thunderstorms, blizzards, and tornadoes. Final thoughts: The Redbud plant requires humidity and lots of moisture to thrive. Rock beds and drip line are not favourable.

.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)
A hard to miss, common sight in our region’s gardens and landscape plantings, the Butterfly Bush with its fragrant conical blooms is fluttering butterflies and buzzing bees. Originally from central China, the Butterfly Bush grows easily in the Okanagan and Shuswap climates.

However eye-catching, hardy, and extremely attractive to butterflies and other pollinators, Butterfly Bush is far from beneficial; in fact it impairs the health of our local ecosystems. Butterfly Bush is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 15 feet high. The opposite-growing leaves, 5-10 inches long, have jagged edges. Butterfly Bush blooms from mid-summer to early fall.

The flowers of the Butterfly Bush form drooping or upright spikes at the end of branches. The wild-origin species is white-flowered with orange or yellow centers. Varieties bred for the garden are typically purple; or they may have pink, blue, magenta, yellow or maroon blooms.

The Butterfly Bush is extremely successful at reproduction as a single flower head can produce over 40,000 seeds giving it a competitive advantage over native flowering shrubs. 

The extremely lightweight, winged seeds travel far distances by way of water or wind and can remain viable for three to five years in soil. Any cut stems can also sprout again. Butterfly Bush benefits pollinators but only at one stage of their life cycle. The problem with the Butterfly Bush is that it doesn’t offer any viable food source for freshly hatched eggs (caterpillars) of the butterfly. The butterfly reproduction cycle ends at this plant as it has been observed that newly hatched caterpillars don’t feed on the leaves and therefore starve. 

In addition, the Butterfly Bush also tends to spread enormously shading out other plants that support the life cycles of butterflies. It establishes in sunny, well-drained sites including fields, roadsides, woods edges, and riverbanks, where native shrubs would have grown. Those vanished native shrubs were also essential food sources for caterpillars. Without caterpillars, there will be no adult butterflies. Without caterpillars, birds will not survive. 

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

Cedar hedges are grown just about anywhere in the world as they feature a number of positive attributes. They are easy to grow, create an almost instant privacy hedge and they are easy to maintain on a drip water system once established. The claim they need a lot of water is a myth. Cedars need just about as much or as little water as many other tall shrub plants intended for hedging.

There are however a number of undesirable negatives attributed to this and other coniferous hedging plants. Most evergreen conifers including deciduous evergreens are laden with oils and resins which make them extremely flammable. With today’s FireSmart practices in mind, coniferous plants in general should all be avoided in gardens and modern landscapes.

The BC FireSmart plant program features a guide about lower risk plants for hedges, privacy and screening that contains a lot of plants for a lot of places. Many suggested plants species are not everywhere available, or they aren’t heat tolerant or cold hardy enough to survive Okanagan winter cold snaps. Following are a few lesser known, tough plants worth considering as alternatives as they are also fire, deer and drought-resistant.

Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) – A super fragrant deciduous ornamental hedging shrub with beautiful white flowers makes for an ideal summer privacy screen in backyards. A upright growth with stiff and woody branches featuring dark-green and oval leaves that can grow from 3 to 12 feet tall and wide, depending on the variety. Mock Orange requires full sun, well drained soil.

Forsythia, (genus Forsythia) – The brilliant yellow blooms early in the spring belong to the Forsythia, a member of the olive family. A cheerful backdrop commonly known for its long branches and an excellent privacy screen or center piece in urban settings. With proper watering, the Forsythia is a fast growing shrub that can reach up to 10 feet in height and width.

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) – Another local native is the Lilac shrub which is extremely easy to care for and can be pruned so that their dense leaves create a hedge with pink, purple, or white fragrant blooms in late spring and early summer. The size of Lilac ranges from 4 to 20 feet in height and width. Grown in full sun, Lilac requires fertile, well drained soil. It is hardy and can grow almost anywhere.

Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) – The Saskatoon is a deciduous native shrub that grows from western Ontario to British Columbia and the Yukon. It can grow up to 30 feet tall, although typically its height ranges at 3 to 18 feet. Before it leaves out in the spring, clusters of small fragrant white flowers emerge which bloom for about a month. Saskatoon berries Edible to both humans and animals, the plant produces small, sweet berries, that ripen in early summer. The twigs and leaves of the Sakatoon if eaten in large quantities by animals such as cattle, goats, and sheep, can be a fatal poison.

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) – An attractive plant, the Ninebark is native to the eastern and central regions of North America. It is an upright arching shrub that grows up to about 10 feet and wide, depending on variety. They are well loved for their showy floral display of small white or pink blooms that appear in the late spring and early summer. Ninebark can grow in a variety of soil conditions and the plant is drought resistant once established.

Red Twigged Dogwood (Cornus servicea) – Red twig dogwoods are deciduous shrubs with variegated leaves in a deep green-gray colour with a white edge, making them especially pleasant on the eye. Their white flowers emerge during the springtime or in early summer, and are followed by equally charming white berries with blue undertones The characteristic red coloured bark makes these shrubs a wonderful focal point in any garden. Sizes vary according to the variety. Dwarf forms can reach just 2 feet tall and wide, while the largest varieties can be up to 15 feet tall and wide.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

Cedar hedges are grown just about anywhere in the world as they feature a number of positive attributes. They are easy to grow, create an almost instant privacy hedge and they are easy to maintain on a drip water system once established. The claim they need a lot of water is a myth. Cedars need just about as much or as little water as many other tall shrub plants intended for hedging.

There are however a number of undesirable negatives attributed to this and other coniferous hedging plants. Most evergreen conifers including deciduous evergreens are laden with oils and resins which make them extremely flammable. With today’s FireSmart practices in mind, coniferous plants in general should all be avoided in gardens and modern landscapes.

---

Cedar Hedge Planting To Become Illegal IN Vernon BC – 1st October 2024 New Bylaw

---

The BC FireSmart plant program features a guide about lower risk plants for hedges, privacy and screening that contains a lot of plants for a lot of places. Many suggested plants species are not everywhere available, or they aren’t heat tolerant or cold hardy enough to survive Okanagan winter cold snaps. Following are a few lesser known, tough plants worth considering as alternatives as they are also fire, deer and drought-resistant.

Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) – A super fragrant deciduous ornamental hedging shrub with beautiful white flowers makes for an ideal summer privacy screen in backyards. A upright growth with stiff and woody branches featuring dark-green and oval leaves that can grow from 3 to 12 feet tall and wide, depending on the variety. Mock Orange requires full sun, well drained soil.

Forsythia, (genus Forsythia) – The brilliant yellow blooms early in the spring belong to the Forsythia, a member of the olive family. A cheerful backdrop commonly known for its long branches and an excellent privacy screen or center piece in urban settings. With proper watering, the Forsythia is a fast growing shrub that can reach up to 10 feet in height and width.

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) – Another local native is the Lilac shrub which is extremely easy to care for and can be pruned so that their dense leaves create a hedge with pink, purple, or white fragrant blooms in late spring and early summer. The size of Lilac ranges from 4 to 20 feet in height and width. Grown in full sun, Lilac requires fertile, well drained soil. It is hardy and can grow almost anywhere.

Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) – The Saskatoon is a deciduous native shrub that grows from western Ontario to British Columbia and the Yukon. It can grow up to 30 feet tall, although typically its height ranges at 3 to 18 feet. Before it leaves out in the spring, clusters of small fragrant white flowers emerge which bloom for about a month. Saskatoon berries Edible to both humans and animals, the plant produces small, sweet berries, that ripen in early summer. The twigs and leaves of the Sakatoon if eaten in large quantities by animals such as cattle, goats, and sheep, can be a fatal poison.

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) – An attractive plant, the Ninebark is native to the eastern and central regions of North America. It is an upright arching shrub that grows up to about 10 feet and wide, depending on variety. They are well loved for their showy floral display of small white or pink blooms that appear in the late spring and early summer. Ninebark can grow in a variety of soil conditions and the plant is drought resistant once established.

Red Twigged Dogwood (Cornus servicea) – Red twig dogwoods are deciduous shrubs with variegated leaves in a deep green-gray colour with a white edge, making them especially pleasant on the eye. Their white flowers emerge during the springtime or in early summer, and are followed by equally charming white berries with blue undertones The characteristic red coloured bark makes these shrubs a wonderful focal point in any garden. Sizes vary according to the variety. Dwarf forms can reach just 2 feet tall and wide, while the largest varieties can be up to 15 feet tall and wide.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

The browning of plant tissues, including leaf margins and tips is a condition known as leaf scorch, a common condition caused by various factors. In hot and arid regions, this is mainly caused by excessive heat during droughts. Other possible causes which also lead to leaf scorch are improper plant care, soil compaction, transplant shock, nutrient deficiency or over-fertilization. Exposure to bacterium carrying insects, herbicides or salt toxicity may also lead to symptoms of leaf scorch. 

Leaf Scorch Caused by Environmental Conditions
Leaf scorch caused by weather conditions can affect almost any plant. High temperatures, dry winds, and low soil moisture are favourable. When water evaporates from leaf surfaces, plant roots are unable to compensate for the transpiration loss. Leaf tissue then dies as a direct result. Young trees that are stressed by insect infestations, diseases, or other factors are more susceptible than those growing vigorously and in good condition.

Japanese maples, Norway and sugar maples, beech, ash, oak, linden, birch, alpine currant, horse chestnut, white pine, rhododendron, viburnum, and flowering dogwood tree and shrub plants are particularly prone to leaf scorch. Understanding and meeting the specific needs of plants and maintaining proper soil conditions, including proper watering practices, are all vital for preventing leaf scorch effectively.

Leaf Scorch Caused by Bacteria
Bacterial leaf scorch is a chronic, eventually fatal disease that has devastated many shade trees in landscapes and street plantings. Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) is a systemic disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which invades the water and nutrient-conducting tissues of trees. 

---

Bacterial Leaf Scorch of Shade Trees

---

Bacterial leaf scorch is most common with pin, red, shingle, bur, and white oaks, but can also affect elm, sycamore, mulberry, sweetgum, sugar maple, and red maple. Tissue-feeding leafhoppers and spittlebugs spread the bacterium from tree to tree. Bacterial leaf scorch can easily be mistaken with symptoms of drought and heat stress and the only way to confirm its presence is through laboratory analysis.

The best time to test for the presence of this disease is in late summer or early fall when the bacteria count is at its highest. Transmission between trees through root grafts has also been reported. 

Infected leafhoppers and spittlebugs feed on the succulent, terminal shoots of susceptible host trees, transmitting the bacteria. Water transporting tissue vessels become clogged with bacteria as they travel within, multiplying and infecting other parts of the tree. There are no viable control options for the insects.

The cold-sensitive bacteria overwinters in protected areas within the tree, and populations begin to climb again as the next growing season progresses. 

Leaf Scorch Management
Maintaining the vigor of plants by keeping susceptible specimen healthy and thriving can help them resist infection and survive longer once they are infected. Branches that have died due to bacterial leaf scorch should be removed. Infected trees in a severe state of decline should also be removed. Disinfect pruning tools with a 10% bleach solution between pruning cuts.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

The browning of plant tissues, including leaf margins and tips is a condition known as leaf scorch, a common condition caused by various factors. In hot and arid regions, this is mainly caused by excessive heat during droughts. Other possible causes which also lead to leaf scorch are improper plant care, soil compaction, transplant shock, nutrient deficiency or over-fertilization. Exposure to bacterium carrying insects, herbicides or salt toxicity may also lead to symptoms of leaf scorch. 

Leaf Scorch Caused by Environmental Conditions
Leaf scorch caused by weather conditions can affect almost any plant. High temperatures, dry winds, and low soil moisture are favourable. When water evaporates from leaf surfaces, plant roots are unable to compensate for the transpiration loss. Leaf tissue then dies as a direct result. Young trees that are stressed by insect infestations, diseases, or other factors are more susceptible than those growing vigorously and in good condition.

Japanese maples, Norway and sugar maples, beech, ash, oak, linden, birch, alpine currant, horse chestnut, white pine, rhododendron, viburnum, and flowering dogwood tree and shrub plants are particularly prone to leaf scorch. Understanding and meeting the specific needs of plants and maintaining proper soil conditions, including proper watering practices, are all vital for preventing leaf scorch effectively.

Leaf Scorch Caused by Bacteria
Bacterial leaf scorch is a chronic, eventually fatal disease that has devastated many shade trees in landscapes and street plantings. Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) is a systemic disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which invades the water and nutrient-conducting tissues of trees. 

---

Bacterial Leaf Scorch of Shade Trees

---

Bacterial leaf scorch is most common with pin, red, shingle, bur, and white oaks, but can also affect elm, sycamore, mulberry, sweetgum, sugar maple, and red maple. Tissue-feeding leafhoppers and spittlebugs spread the bacterium from tree to tree. Bacterial leaf scorch can easily be mistaken with symptoms of drought and heat stress and the only way to confirm its presence is through laboratory analysis.

The best time to test for the presence of this disease is in late summer or early fall when the bacteria count is at its highest. Transmission between trees through root grafts has also been reported. 

Infected leafhoppers and spittlebugs feed on the succulent, terminal shoots of susceptible host trees, transmitting the bacteria. Water transporting tissue vessels become clogged with bacteria as they travel within, multiplying and infecting other parts of the tree. There are no viable control options for the insects.

The cold-sensitive bacteria overwinters in protected areas within the tree, and populations begin to climb again as the next growing season progresses. 

Leaf Scorch Management
Maintaining the vigor of plants by keeping susceptible specimen healthy and thriving can help them resist infection and survive longer once they are infected. Branches that have died due to bacterial leaf scorch should be removed. Infected trees in a severe state of decline should also be removed. Disinfect pruning tools with a 10% bleach solution between pruning cuts.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

 

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

Grown for its fragrance and flowers which attract many pollinating insects, Lavender is a hardy Mediterranean evergreen shrub popular in the arid landscapes of the Okanagan, Shuswap and beyond. Lavender is appreciated anywhere in local xeriscape gardens, cottage gardens and even in formal gardens. It can be planted beneath shrub roses or used as a low-growing lavender hedge or thrive in containers decorating decks and patios. 

Lavender – Why & How to Prune
At the time of its purchase, Lavender looks visually appealing. It is fresh, green and compact. The size and appearance however changes over time as does naturally with all plants, except not all plants turn woody and look scraggily. This is where the need for pruning comes into the picture as it is those fresh and green sprouts that will eventually turn woody if let to grow at will. Unlike with most plants, the green shoots of Lavender grow long and over time become woody from the bottom up.

The trick to keep Lavender looking nice is to keep pruning its soft shoots before they grow too long. If left to grow wild, Lavender may not be recoverable to its original looks and shape despite pruning efforts. Heavy pruning each season slows down the formation of wood and thus prolongs the lifetime of the plant.  

Prune After Bloom 
Depending on the regional cold hardiness zone, Lavender can be pruned in early spring or in fall. Fall pruning must be completed at least 6 weeks before the first frost arrives. To make sure Lavender blooms every season as it should, a best rule of thumb is to “prune after bloom”.  Pruning Lavender is quite simple. All shoots should be cut back by about 1/3 to 1/2 or or 2 to 4 inches up where leafy stems meet the woody base Then the whole plant can be given a mounding shape. 

As a compact plant, Lavender has an excellent heat resistance and loves a full sun exposure. It is cold hardy for zone 5 (minus 28 Celsius) in Canada. Garden centers carry a wide variety of Lavender plants in different sizes and flower colours such as Munstead, Hidcote, and Blue Cushion.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

Grown for its fragrance and flowers which attract many pollinating insects, Lavender is a hardy Mediterranean evergreen shrub popular in the arid landscapes of the Okanagan, Shuswap and beyond. Lavender is appreciated anywhere in local xeriscape gardens, cottage gardens and even in formal gardens. It can be planted beneath shrub roses or used as a low-growing lavender hedge or thrive in containers decorating decks and patios. 

Lavender – Why & How to Prune
At the time of its purchase, Lavender looks visually appealing. It is fresh, green and compact. The size and appearance however changes over time as does naturally with all plants, except not all plants turn woody and look scraggily. This is where the need for pruning comes into the picture as it is those fresh and green sprouts that will eventually turn woody if let to grow at will. Unlike with most plants, the green shoots of Lavender grow long and over time become woody from the bottom up.

The trick to keep Lavender looking nice is to keep pruning its soft shoots before they grow too long. If left to grow wild, Lavender may not be recoverable to its original looks and shape despite pruning efforts. Heavy pruning each season slows down the formation of wood and thus prolongs the lifetime of the plant.  

Prune After Bloom 
Depending on the regional cold hardiness zone, Lavender can be pruned in early spring or in fall. Fall pruning must be completed at least 6 weeks before the first frost arrives. To make sure Lavender blooms every season as it should, a best rule of thumb is to “prune after bloom”.  Pruning Lavender is quite simple. All shoots should be cut back by about 1/3 to 1/2 or or 2 to 4 inches up where leafy stems meet the woody base Then the whole plant can be given a mounding shape. 

As a compact plant, Lavender has an excellent heat resistance and loves a full sun exposure. It is cold hardy for zone 5 (minus 28 Celsius) in Canada. Garden centers carry a wide variety of Lavender plants in different sizes and flower colours such as Munstead, Hidcote, and Blue Cushion.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.

---

Black Lace Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’)
A stunning addition to any landscape addition is the intense purple black lacy foliage of the Black Lace Elderberry. Its finely cut lace leave make it a perfect resemblance to that of Japanese maples. Because of its extreme tolerance and adaptability to dry climates and droughts, it is an ideal alternative to Japanese maple which require afternoon shade in the hot Interior of British Columbia.

Top reasons to grow Black Lace Elderberry are its unique lacy black foliage, pink flowers in early summer and its adaptability to grow in a range of challenging conditions. It needs moderate amounts of water to survive drought conditions. The Black Lace Elderberry requires 6+ hours of full sun to thrive. It grows also well in part shade to full shade for 4 to 6 hours per day. Pruning must be completed after bloom as the new buds develop on old wood.

The average ornamental variety can reach a size of 96×108 inches tall and wide when mature. Its habit is upright with large clusters of pink flower and deep purple to black foliage. The Black lace Elderberry is hardy to zones 5 to 9. It grows best in moist soils but can easily tolerate dry and hot environments. To produce berries, a relative plant such as the Black Beauty, Instant Karma, or Laced Up elderberry is required as pollinator. Note: According to the Humane Society of America, elderberry can be toxic to pets if consumed.

---

Forsythia (Forsythia x)
An early spring bloomer, the bright yellow, cheery blooms of forsythia that appear before the foliage provide a welcome to gardeners anxiously awaiting the start of a new growing season. Commonly available shrub varieties grow between 4 to 7 feet tall and wide. Forsythia is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions and is reliably hardy in most climates.

Forsythia with its dense foliage provides a lush backdrop to other plants when it is finished blooming. The shrub can be used as feature plant by itself or in a mass plantings, as hedge for privacy, in containers and also as woodland border. Even though this plant is drought tolerant, it requires a site with full sun to light shade and well-draining soil. Forsythia is tolerant of different soils, but performs best in rich, well-draining environments. For containers, high-quality potting mix is important.

---

American Filbert Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
An excellent thicket-forming native shrub for woodland gardens or as tall hedging in any landscape. Showy male flowers (catkins) add early spring interest and dark green leaves turn into beautiful colours in the fall.

The nuts mature from September to October, attracting seed-eating birds, such as blue jays and woodpeckers. Hazelnuts are fast growing shrubs that grow 5 to 8 feet tall and wide. They require full sun or 6 hours of direct light daily but can also do well in shady areas. They are cold hardy to minus 28 degrees Celsius / zone 5. Hazelnut plants prefer moist, well-drained to alkaline soils. Good drought tolerance once established.

---

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Lilac is a very popular ornamental, large deciduous shrub or multi-stemmed small tree. It is attractive for its purple to pink sweet-smelling flowers, which appear in early summer just before many other summer flowers come into bloom. Lilac plants grow fast and they can grow 3 to 20 feet in height and width, depending on variety. Secondary shoots from the base or roots can grow up to 8 inches in diameter. Lilac grows well in full sun and is cold hardy zone 4 to 8. It tolerates chalk, loam, clay and sandy soil conditions that are also moist and well-drained.

---

Mock Orange (Philadelphus)
Mock Orange is an elegant, classic flowering shrub. It’s long been been a garden favourite for its pure white blooms, which are deliciously scented and reminiscent of orange blossom. Depending on variety, Mock Orange can grow from 4 to 10 feet high and wide. The shrubs appear in late spring and summer against a smart backdrop of dark green, often arching foliage. Mock Orange grows best in in full sun or light shade and moist but well-drained soil. Blooms on old wood. Prune after flowering.

---

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
Ninebark plants are spring-flowering shrubs common in many landscape settings. A super drought tolerant and cold hardy shrub that features, depending on variety either green or orange to deep burgundy foliage. Spring flowers emerge as light pink and turn white. Ninebark, an American native that grows 3 to 10 feet tall and wide thrives best in full sun and in clay and loamy soil. Its hardiness zone is 3 to 9 in Canada.

---

Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia)
Saskatoon, also known as Serviceberry is an Okanagan native shrub that grows 6 to 12 feet tall and wide. It features green foliage and attractive white, fragrant blossoms in spring. Winter hardiness is exceptional (Zone 3) but frost can damage blooms as late as May. The shrub requires full sun exposure to ripen its purple, edible fruit. 

Indigenous people in Canada have long been eating the sweet, nutty tasting fruits, fresh or dried. Saskatoon berries are well known as an ingredient in pemmican, added as flavour and preservative. They are used in saskatoon berry pie, jam, wines, cider, beers, and sugar-infused berries similar to dried cranberries used for cereals, trail mix, and snack foods. 

Garden centers often carry tree versions of this cultivar that grow about 20 feet tall and wide at maturity. Saskatoons are adaptable to most soil types with exception of poorly drained or heavy clay soils lacking organic matter. Shallow soils should be avoided, especially if the water table is high or erratic.

---

Sumac (Rhus typhina)
Sumac is a dioecious, deciduous shrub or small tree growing up to 16 feet tall and 20 feet wide. It has alternate, pinnately compound leaves, with serrate leaflets. Leaf petioles and stems are densely covered in rust-coloured hairs. The velvety texture and the forking pattern of the branches, reminiscent of antlers, have led to the common name “stag’s horn sumac”.

Small, greenish-white through yellowish flowers occur in dense terminal panicles, and flowers occur from May through July. Fruit ripens from June through September and is eaten by many birds in winter. Fall foliage is brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow.

Staghorn sumac is an ornamental plant which provides interest throughout the year; though its vigorous, suckering habit makes it unsuitable for smaller gardens. It spreads by seeds and rhizomes and is considered invasive by some. It can grow under a wide array of conditions, but is most often found in dry and poor soil on which other plants cannot survive. Staghorn sumac is not closely related to poison sumac.

Links: Google Play Store    Mac App Store

NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation

.