Spring pruning

This spring has been a challenge for those of us who long to be in the garden.  Spring's arrival has been in fits and starts. It's warm, it's cold, it's wet, etc., etc. 

When the weather is favourable, I get into my garden and tackle my spring pruning - especially the summer- and autumn-flowering shrubs.  Shrubs that flower in spring (such as lilacs) should be pruned after they flower, but summer-blooming spireas, butterfly bushes, Annabelle hydrangeas and viburnums should be pruned in the spring before they leaf out.

Since I have many varieties of spireas in my garden, I tackle them first. I use a pair of grass clippers for this job. By holding them upside down, the clippers are at the perfect angle to snip off last year's finished flower heads. I prefer my shrubs to have a natural shape (as opposed to a manicured form), so I prune lightly and only what is absolutely necessary.

Butterfly bushes and Annabelle hydrangeas are a completely different story. They need a heavy pruning in the spring. Both should be reduced to 8 - 12" from the ground. This means pruning into thick, heavy wood. I find the only tool that does this job properly is a good pair of secateurs.

The other important job that I do faithfully this time of year is inspect my viburnum shrubs. They are prone to an insect that quickly skeletonizes the new foliage. If in the spring, however, you check the twigs for bugs, you can prune them off before they hatch.

Try herbs

Want to make your cooking come alive? Try herbs!

Nothing can compare to your own home-grown herbs, and there is nothing more satisfying than stepping out your back door to snip off a few herbs to add to your favourite dish. There's no waste! You only harvest what you need. Ingredients this fresh really make a difference!

One of my favourite herbs is perennial chives. I know, I know - if you have ever grown chives before, you know how notorious they are for spreading rampantly in the garden. But by removing the seed heads before they mature, you can keep them from spreading.

Every year, I harvest a bunch of the striking, round, purple blooms when they are at their peak and put them into a beautiful bottle filled with vinegar. Then, I set the bottle on the window sill. The blooms infuse the vinegar with the unmistakable chive flavour. After a few weeks, I strain the spent blooms out of the vinegar.

This chive vinegar can be used in any recipe that would be enhanced by the addition of chive flavour. I use it most often in salad dressings and marinades. During the summer growing season, I rarely worry about having green onions in the vegetable crisper because I usually use leaves of my chive plants in any and all recipes that call for green onions. They are totally interchangeable.

Endless possibilities

I found myself daydreaming again today. Don't worry about me, though, it's nothing serious! I am afflicted with this "condition" every Spring. It usually lasts from mid-April until May 24.

While I water the plants in our greenhouse, I daydream about all the combinations and permutations I could create with the new annuals that we are growing. Most urns and patio pots need a little height in the middle. Traditionally, that role has gone to the green-leaved dracaena. This year I see a whole new world of possibilities with the 'Red Star' dracaena and a new Proven Winners ornamental grass called 'King Tut'.

The 'Red Star' dracaena has burgundy-red foliage. When I think about combination plants to create a dramatic effect, I lean towards lime potato vine, yellow-flowered bidens and purple wave petunia. Oh! That combination would be very punchy!

'King Tut' ornamental grass grows to 3 feet tall by the end of the season and has a dense fountain shape. It's flower head reminds me of exploding fireworks. Architecturally, it is amazing! I wouldn't dream of hiding it with tall plants. It would look great paired with the new petunia called 'Pretty Much Picasso."  It is a medium-pink petunia with a surprise - the petals are rimmed with a chartreuse-green band. It is so unique! And it would complement the 'King Tut' grass beautifully.  I would then add a few gold standard hostas. Oh! What a bold, unexpected combination.

Patio pot featuring 'King Tut' ornamental grass

*Image provided by Proven Winners*

Those are some of the new, exciting plants available this season. This time of the year there is lots of watering to do, which means lots of time to daydream and fine-tune my urn creations.

Spring has sprung

Welcome to Reds Garden Centre's first gardening column!!

I'm an outdoors person. I love to be outside puttering in my garden every chance I can get. So now that the snow is gone, I know it won't be long until I can enjoy my garden again.

If you are an avid gardener like I am, you are probably yearning for the arrival of Spring too. I can't wait for the frost to come out of the ground, followed by the flowering bulbs. Ahh! I await the hyacinths the most.

My garden contains more hyacinths than any other Spring bulb. Why? Mostly because of their strong, sweet fragrance, but also because the deer do not favour them. (I have a "herd" go through my yard every night and dine on my delicious garden!) But, also because they are perennial. Every Spring each bulb sends up more blooms. Yes, after about 6 to 8 years the bulbs get crowded and I have to dig them up in Fall and divide them. But this small effort is worth it - to keep the beautiful blooms coming.
Once they finish blooming in the Spring, I simply cut off the flower stalk near the ground and let the leaves to ripen (die off) naturally. The leaves will manufacture and store enough food in the bulb for the next year's big display of flowers.

Most garden plants and flowers offer instant gratification. You plant them and you can instantly see your garden  transform with their foliage and/or flowers. But Spring bulbs must be plants in Autumn and do not appear until the following Spring. But I think the wait is worth it!