Most Unusual Landscape Features

Donna was out and about again - on tour as it were. Although the purpose of the meeting was garden writing, Eaglesong, the "director of natural beauty" gave us a tour of the grounds at the Willows Lodge in Woodenville, near Seattle. Eaglesong not only directs beauty, she digs in and composts and prunes and plants. She is part of a very small crew managing this sustainable landscape (for anyone who still thinks sustainable is "natural" or "messy" check out this near perfect landscape.) Willow Lodge is beautiful and in full fall mode right now and staff are planting bulbs and touring garden writers. I was there for the region six Garden Writer's meeting and I am definitely an interloper (region 7 is Canada and the rest of the world so I was slightly out of my range).

Today at Willow Lodge we saw Bill Reid's work (he is a Canadian First Nation's artist) all over the grounds and inside the hotel. Wow - I am proud to be a Canadian. The dead burned out ancient Fir at the entrance and poisonous mushrooms were the most unusual landscape elements I had ever seen. How fabulous is this?

Well - it is a beautiful place - no doubt and they are ready for Halloween too.

When a deadly poisonous mushroom sprouts, Eaglesong points it out rather than removing it.

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Finally Frost- A month late

It's true - the tender annuals have frozen in my yard- finally. I was getting tired of them anyway and wasn't too upset. The amazing thing is I didn't lose it all until Oct 15th- this is an exceptionally long frost free period for Calgary. My book partner Steven Biggs has just loaded all the most current Environment Canada weather data on our Garden Coaches Chat web page (www.gardencoacheschat.com) after my friend Joan and I got the info as a scanned typed sheet from Environment Canada, made corrections and put it into an excel spread sheet. This was no small feat and there is only one problem- the info is 20 years old.

Yes- it's true the most current information provided by Environment Canada to us for thus project on frost periods across Canada was twenty years old. Does this make a difference? Sure- twenty years ago the average frost free period in Calgary was 112 days. Now, according to Calgary meteorologist Steven Rothfells we have on average 115 days without frost. Environment Canada's data says we usually didn't get frost from May 25-Sept 15 so this fall we got a month more than usual in the fall- absolutely amazing.

Is it climate change or just good luck? Well, I am a gardener, not a meteorologist so I can't say for sure. In any case annual flowers

reached a huge size this year with all the extra growing time and that is a good thing. Too bad I didn't get great pictures of all my favorites such as Dorotheanthus bellidiformis 'Mezoo'TM (Mezoo trialing Red) shown here and the golden 4 O'clock with its golden leaves and bright pink flowers. One of the least favorite new plants this year was the new mini double white petunia from Proven selections (Blanket Double White). It seemed like a non-event with its aphid attracting sticky leaves and fairly low ration of blooms to leaves. Just a non-starter.

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In Love With Wales: Reason #6- Hands On Gardeners

Who knew gardener's still wore early 20th century clothing to go about their daily gardening duties? Complete with cap, suit jacket, short pants and boots, this unknown gardener has it all. Apparently it is rare - or at least this is the only period gardener I glimpsed. He was in the beautiful and famous Bodnant Gardens. I did originally take a photo of him from the front but when I pointed out to him his zipper was undone he shuffled off without answer so I took this more demure photo from behind.

Gardener Glyn Smith and jet-lagged Donna Balzer (AKA me) pose in Glyn's incredibly diverse garden - Erdding Hall in Wrexham, Wales. Yes it is early in the morning - or maybe late at night I am not sure but it was day one - the only time I thought to pose for a picture in Wales just to prove I really was there. The bus waited while I ran back to get my purse containing passport & money. Oops! That wasn't the only time I left my purse behind but I did stop blaming it on jet-lag.

Head Gardener, Robert Owen, kept the Bodygallen Hall Gardens in top shape and shared little pieces of wisdom: "Wales is self-sufficient in things like sheep and leeks" and "When boxwood turns orange it needs fertilzer". Owen uses fish, bone and bloodmeal for fertilizer and tells us he used to spray all the time for blights on apples. Since they ran out of time (less staff on this 220 acre spread) they stopped spraying and they noticed they rarely have blight any more. Go figure.

Gwaenynog Hall is maintained by Janie Smith in an attempt to keep the memory of her distant relative Beatrix Potter alive. If you didn't hear the story of Peter rabbit and all his adventures it is time to dig into your child-hood books. These stories were inspired by these gardens.

In love with Wales: Reason #5- Going Back in Time

Recognizing the famous song "Men of Harlech" (Wale's unofficial anthem) struck a chord with some of the garden writer's visiting Wales more than others (sorry I didn't have a clue and didn't recognize it at all). Recognizing a great piece of architecture was easier. I think we all enjoyed the famous and impregnable Harlech Castle from the thirteenth century.

The details of the double walled Harlech castle were amazing!

Amazing Welsh guide Donna Goodman (left) explains the inner workings of the famous Harlech castle to Canadian Gardening Magazine Editor in Chief Erin McLaughlin (right).

On the Isle of Anglesey the famous new Royal Couple (W & K) have their abode. If you want to feel Royal, you can stay at the recently refurbished Plas Cadnant Gardens in their Welsh farm buildings turned into lux rental units. Here the official garden cat inspects the blooms in anticipation of the official public opening in 2012.

Garden writer Donna Dawson (L) tries to photograph fellow writers Veronica Sliva, Dorothy Dobbie and guide Donna Goodman (Left to Right).

How delicious - A garden Bell (also called a Cloche) inside the Historic Erddig Garden and house.

Why Visit Wales: Reason 4- Varied Landscapes

"Wales is such a small country but we have such a variety of landscapes" said our enthusiastic Wales tour guide, Donna Goodman (she was a warden and naturalist in earlier careers). "It's not just the landscape, it's the history and culture I love. If you like history it is around every corner".

Like England 50 year's ago, Wales is rustic and wild compared to other parts of the U.K. We loved the mountains (especially Snowdonia), the language (Celtic), the food (authentic and fresh- especially the mussels at Feather's Royal Inn in Aberaeron), the people and the hospitality.

Donna Dawson of "I Can Garden" website fame takes a photo of the famous Welsh landscape fence- it is made of slate!

Part of the varied scenery: the dramatic Snowdonia mountains.

Aberglasney Gardens shared both old and new features - this one piece of the garden was new, designed by famous U.K. designer Penelope Hobhouse. Head gardener, Joseph Alkin, also showed us 400-500 year old Diamond style cobble paths and the oldest Yew tunnel anywhere (apparently the oldest verified living garden feature in the U.K.)

At the first National Botanical garden to be developed in the new Millennium, The National Botanical Garden of Wales includes the world's largest single spanned greenhouse (shown here).

In Love With Wales: Reason #3 (Bright Colours Inspire)

Yes we've all heard the stories: "Wales is rainy and gloomy". Nothing could be further from the truth. Once we dipped into the Welsh countryside the small group of travel writer's I was with were fascinated with the colourful buildings - especially at the tourist town and garden of Portmeirion. Built to promote his architectural business and to be a self-funded "village", both the town and home garden of Clough Williams-Ellis were showy and colourful.

Not as famous as the blue Tiffany packaging, Portmeirion blue should be! Used throughout both the Plas Brodnaw Gardens and village of Portmeirion, in all the little details including trim, fences and benches.

The seaside holiday village of Portmeirion features a variety of bright colours including the famous blue used again here in the trim.

Stunning white fall blooms (probably Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert') look fab in Portmeirion and in Clough Williams-Ellis' home garden Plas Brondanw.

In Love With Wales: Reason #2 Rock

Driving from England into Wales I was in for a big surprise. While brick is big in England because they have the clay soils for making it, the big thing in Wales is rock, specifically blue slate. What can you do with rock?

A. You can build rock walls such as this one at Bodysgallen Hall.

B. You can plant rock walls with Zauschneria californica (seen at Bodnant Gardens)

C. You can pave , make shingles or plant labels with stone.

D. You can build a barn, home or castle such as this barn from the holiday home of children's author Beatrix Potter at Gwaenynog Hall in Denbigh

E. You can build a famous site such as Stone Henge (After leaving Wales I found out that the famous Welsh rock was transported to Stone Henge in England during prehistoric times)

In Love With Wales: #1

Oh Wales, your rainy reputation preceded you and it just wasn't true. I am just back from a fabulous trip to see you in September (thank-you Visit Wales!) and the first thing I packed to bring with me was a raincoat. Since my return home people keep asking mean things about you: "Was it raining every day?", they inquire.

In fact the small group of elite garden writers invited to visit you, Wales, all came away with a new respect for your tiny footprint in the U.K. Yes it was green but we didn't see much of your widely reported rain. The food was fabulous, the scenery was varied, and the gardens were great. When we departed from the bus we had softly overcast skies, perfect for photography. My husband claims it never rains on the golf course. I claim the same for you Wales.(Photo 1: My little private cottage in Bodysgallen)

Over the next several days I will write about and show the ten things I loved most about you Wales. Today I share the unpublished wonders of the first night's hotel: Bodysgallen Hall & Spa. In a word: WOW. Is it a grand hotel or simply a lush garden? I can't decide.

(Photo 2: The big picture- a view of the hall and garden from the far end of the garden)

(Photo 3- A view of the herb garden)

Yes- it is aster time again

My neighbor complained his whole garden came and went again one weekend in mid-summer while he was away. "It was a real disappointment" he said.

I have decided that in my advanced years (yes I turn 55 later this year) I will no longer put all my eggs in one basket - will no longer plant only annuals or some mid-summer beauty that catches my eye in July. Forget about the traditional spring summer and fall. I decided to really enjoy all the various seasons such as peony season,lily season, helenium season, hydrangea season and now finally - Aster season.

If you happen to stroll by please take a peak at my Professor Kippenburg fall asters .... they are hardy and pretty. They have brilliant purple ray flowers with a yellow eye, and they are a super source of bee food in the waning season of fall blooms. Why not squeeze a few asters into your own garden next spring? They are lovely little shrub-like fine textured plants until the day they bust out and bloom all over.

Spring Bulbs Peaking Through

It's a mystery how plants know it is time to emerge but the first time I saw my Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) emerging in the fall I panicked. I knew this was a spring bulb- a little beauty known for it's blue grape-like clusters of blooms. I had seen it in other gardens and rather than being jealous I decided to jump in with joy.... I planted a couple hundred of them all at once. They are so easy to toss on the soft fall soil and push in about an inch with a quick finger poke.

In a few seasons little guys spread to make clusters and provide a month of pure joy in late May. They are not the earliest source of colour- at least a month after Hepatica or Bloodroot - but they are a pleasant surprise in between the earlies and the mid-June Peonies. So when I see them coming up in fall it reminds me where they are and I don't accidentally plant over them!

Here is a picture of what they will look like in spring beside the bloodroot leaves that emerge after their white blooms finish:

And Speaking of Annuals

Okay - a mother shouldn't play favorites and a gardener shouldn't either. But gardeners are only human and sometimes a plant comes along that surprises and delights you. Just when you were looking for a filler you find a new favorite.

I know gardeners want to know about new flowers in the spring not the fall but this one came from behind the pack - bought at Superstore no less- to surprise me with its vigor. In a summer defined by cold rain in June and July I tucked a few new plants between the other experimentals. Imagine my surprise when a plant I have never used before grew rapidly in shade and sun - dashing past all the presumed better plants to win the race and my heart?

With the crazy long name (Dorotheanthus bellidiformes) this trademarked Mezoo is gonna find a place wherever I need vigorous colour and carefree attitude (which is everywhere) in sun or shade. It barely needs water but if it gets it watch out. I like the thought of it spilling off my balcony next year instead of those wimpy petunias that barely made it past the starting gate and sulked for weeks in damp weather.

Sum-tember

Calgary gardener's are used to a sharp cold snap and then a warm fall. This year we got the warm September without the cold. We had very few warm days in July and August but it looks like summer is finally here in September.

Will this be a problem for plants? Nah- they love this chance to keep blooming and growing new leaves and save up more energy for the big winter ahead. Some plants are triggered to do their winter prep thing by the shortened days and cooler nights. Yes even though it is plus thirty in the day it is still dipping to single digits at night.

This has triggered my Tiger Eyes Sumac (above and at top) to begin changing colour. Most of the other plants are just soaking in the sun, trying to squeeze in another flower. For the record I have clipped off the tomato blooms- it is just too late to even hope for more fruit so I am letting the plants ripen the fruit they have but not letting any more form.

Gardeners wonder if they have to keep watering trees and shrubs in fall and I say yes- don't let plants wilt. If they wilt, they are stressed and then they attract bugs and other problems. Keep up the moisture and don't shut down the irrigation too soon. It is not true that we need to stop watering to harden plants up- that is just Guff. And speaking of Guff- I sold a ton of books at the BBQ on the Bow this weekend. What fun to meet and greet so many CBC listeners! Hello to all!

More Like Martha

I am just home from the Garden Writer's Symposium (GWA) in Indianapolis and I have to say in a word it was great. I went to talks, saw new products, bought books, sold books and marketed my book "No Guff Vegetable Gardening". I gave an excellent talk about self-published books with my partner Steven Biggs and it generated all kinds of ideas and feedback.

GWA was a chance to really find out what others - including the editor of Martha Stewart's magazine- are doing. The takeaway is simple- In my practice as Garden Writer, Speaker and consultant I need to be more like Martha. She reuses every little bit of work in so many ways.

In other words I need to get my book into excerpts, videos, and inboxes of people who are interested in smart funny garden info..... so help me out!

More to follow as I unpack my mind and my suitcase.

Meanwhile here is a picture from the Indianapolis Zoo Botanical Garden- who knew this garden would be the touring highlight of my trip?

Guerrilla Gardens of Silver Springs

What is the biggest Botanical Garden in Calgary? If you thought perhaps the Reader Rock Garden or the Calgary Zoo, think again. Duncan Badger, co-chair of the Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs claims to co-chair the largest volunteer garden in Calgary (15,000 square foot of flower beds on a 20 acre site including the Birthplace Forest- size unverified by this gardener). "We'd like to be better known by gardeners" said Badger, when we met last friday at the garden, a series of long planted flower beds along Crowchild trail's sound attenuation fence.

To find the gardens, managed and maintained by volunteers on Calgary roads and Calgary Parks property, use your google earth map to find the parks headquarters shed. It is at 6555 Silver Springs Crescent NW Calgary. "Admission" is free to this public park gone indie. According to a Parks staff unofficial statement, this is a guerrilla garden, not one officially sanctioned. Working on a right of lease with Roads and Parks, Badger's garden boasts official Donors (for money and materials), 10 volunteers and almost weed free beds. Quite an amazing thing if you compare it to many of the less manicured official parks in the city.

Is it a Botanical Garden? Probably not. If you like a plant you are going to have to guess it's name. There are no official records of or testing and labeling of plants. Is it a fun and great idea? Sure, why not beautify our city one road allowance at a time.

Moss on the lawn- a few cures

A huge success in Qualicum Beach is the way our lawn bounced back from mostly dead to thriving. This followed a few years of neglect while we discussed the “problem” and had an ongoing debate with neighbors about the best way to deal with moss taking over a lawn. In a climate where rain is the daily norm for more than half the year moss is often the majority of the green in the lawn. Our neighbour decided a ferrous sulfate fertilizer might be the best way to “cure” moss on this lawn and I was discussing his large dead patches of lawn where the moss is gone and nothing has replaced it. I top-dressed my lawn with fish compost, alfalfa pellets and a heavy dose of lawn seed. In other words I tried to amend the soil as much as the lawn itself believing every bit of success in gardening is based on soil quality regardless of where you garden or what you grow. Our lawn looks great.

Babies are Born!

It had been almost nine months and with twins expected we thought maybe we'd get an early arrival. The full moon had come and gone and still no babies. All signs were good but still nothing to hold and cuddle. Instead every week we heard utra-sound updates, and telephone updates. We looked often at e-mail. We waited.

Suddenly Keith called out from his office- 'Donna come down right now". I saw him standing at his computer and rushed towards him, toothpaste spilling from my mouth, housecoat half open. "Are the babies here?" I gurgled trying to keep my mouth contents contained.

No- no - but look out the window. Just then two Quail and 13 day old babies rushed past Keith's office and we tracked them into the family room. I rushed to get my camera and caught them scooting through the garden.

Just yesterday we had talked about the lack of Quail and how we had not seen them for a while- quite a while it seemed. Now we had a quick overview of the very large family. Not the babies we expected but cute and oh so tiny. It looked like they were nibbling on seeds and bugs as they made their quick tour of the yard.

Fab Review of Book!

Thanks to Lori-Anne of the pear tree for her fab review. Loved it!
Check out: http://thepeartree.ca/2011/08/summer-reading-for-new-gardeners/comment-page-1/#comment-4760

Beets & Other Bouquet Ideas

How would your friends respond if you dropped off a bouquet of beets to celebrate a new baby? I am sure Debra Prinzing, author of the upcoming book A Fresh Bouquet (http://afreshbouquet.com), would be delighted. Prinzing spoke to a group of garden writers about bouquets of vegetables and fresh regionally grown flowers and there was a collective aha moment among the group.

Chemically doused, artificially coloured, imported flowers suddenly seem old school and scary. There is a reason why florists wear gloves to protect themselves from the chemicals sprayed on imported flowers. The message is simple: seasonal fresh cut farm or back yard flowers are better. Bursting with colour, beets and blooms are in season now. With a little ingenuity fall stems, seedpods and evergreens from your yard or a nearby farm can provide colour well into fall or winter. Prinzing thinks this is the next big thing in local farming. Local farmers agree....

READ MORE IN MY CALGARY HERALD COLUMN AUGUST 5TH OR LISTEN TO CBC RADIO TODAY IN ALBERTA 12:30-1:00 PM.

Better than Water into Wine

Just last week I pulled off the alchemist feat of the year when I turned manure into wine. I had my neighbors laughing and possibly a little jealous, and it only took a few minutes.

But let's back up a bit. Earlier in June I was speaking in Hillcrest, Alberta and just before I arrived to give that talk I noticed a horse had left his calling card on the street during the town's parade. I was jealous, I told the audience. Things like this never happen in my hometown of Calgary. If I need horse manure I have to find a farmer and go get it. It never just falls into my lap that simply.

Back home I found myself quietly weeding in the front yard when a neighbor strolled by and mentioned a problem. He said another newer neighbor had been entertaining and the guests had left a horse trailer on the street overnight. But that's not the worst part, he said. In the morning they had cleaned out the trailer before moving it. "What?" I asked. Where did they clean out this trailer and how long ago was that? Surprised by my response he pointed across the street and I ran to get my bucket and shovel.

I am not sure how I missed this manna from heaven but with the recent rains triggering lush weed growth I had been doing catch up and had little opportunity to check out much beyond my own yard. Free fresh manure for the compost seemed like a miracle. My neighbor saw me scooping poop and called me over to see how much I had "retrieved". While he was checking out my disappointing less than a bucket full - barely enough to make a difference to my compost - two new neighbors joined the fray and quickly spilled the beans.

It was their fault the manure had been dumped, they said. Something about a visiting friend and a bed that needed to be moved. They felt bad that I had cleaned up their mess. They wanted me to have a bottle of wine - BC VQA- no less. No, NO, I insisted. I want this manure. It is no problem. No, they insisted back. We want to give you this wine.

So I strolled home with my two prizes. You just can't invent a story this good I was telling my husband later by phone. He was out of town and had missed the whole event. I had turned manure into perfectly good wine and got a boost for my compost at the same time. Trouble is- I had no one to share it with. Until now.

Mystery Solved

Last week Doug phoned in to CBC radio and told all listeners he was confused by a plant in his yard. He said it looked like an evergreen but with big leaves. I was stumped but wondered allowed if it might be the touch me not... a rather large annual.

Well the photos arrived from Doug and his plant is (drum roll) : Hollyhock. Yes, I mean the common biennial most of our mother's grew in their garden. I don't know where it came from but it sure looks healthy. It is nothing to worry about and easy to pull if you don't like it. Here are Doug's pictures of his mystery plant: