Japanese Barberry: Canadian Grower Industry Declines to Pursue Addition of New Cultivars.

Japanese Barberry: Canadian grower industry declines to pursue addition of new cultivars at this time.

"Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) was once again make aware by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) of the threat posed by a new and virulent strain of wheat rust known as Ug-99 (the name relates to Uganda as the country of origin and first discovered in1999)  Although Ug-99 was previously considered to be a factor in the decision to not pursue the registration of additional barberry cultivars, more recent scientific studies continue to reinforce the threat of Ug-99 to the billion-dollar Canadian wheat industry". (CNLA Newsbrief  January-February 2011)

Complete article at:  CNLA - www.canadanursery.com

Gardening With Color - Book Review

The Lone Pine book 'Gardening with Color' Creative Design Ideas for Canadian Gardens by Rob Sproule should really have a longer title by adding the words 'in Containers' 

This book concentrates on colour in containers.  It uses colourful plants from all over the world and its various climates in new and exciting combinations.  One of my favourites sections is "the untamed Canada".  His use of tropical, subtropical, annual, perennial and water garden marginals add a spice to containers that will thrill most old jaded gardeners.

This book has been added to my library.
--
Bruce

Beginning Gardening For Canada -- Book Review

 

The Lone Pine book 'Beginning Gardening For Canada' by A. H. Jackson is a good book for the beginning gardener, no matter what age the gardener is.  The Beginning Gardener book gives the gardener the basics of soil,sunlight, fertility,and pruning.
  
This book helps with the selection of plant material as well.  Sometimes her choice of plant material avoids the problematic issues with a plant, an examples the use of Barberry (Berberis thumbergii) as a hedge.  As a boy my job was pruning them, a nasty job!  I was not upset when this plant was banned.

The new voluntary cessation of introducing of new varieties by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) because a new virulent strain of wheat rust Ug-99 from Uganda is not addressed and may misguide a new beginner gardener.

Overall a good book for the very novice gardener.
--
Bruce

Nessie Topiary Green Piece Wire Art -- Product Review

Bruce has been coveting 'Nessie' for quite some time.  He finally broke down and bought Nessie for our garden.  It is still in the box at the moment as we all have to agree where Nessie will be placed in the front garden.  Bruce wants to put it in the middle of the front lawn but we will see.  He is also not sure whether he will be getting another hump.  I am not sure what the neighbours will think, but that's ok as guests to our house say, we don't need to know your house number, we just drive down the street and look for the garden!!  Will post pictures when we have decided where to put Nessie.

Mossed Nessie

Update: April 22, 2011
Bruce has ordered another hump for Nessie.  This will make her even longer.  This should be interesting!!  The hump arrived yesterday, April 29, 2011.

Update:  May 21, 2011 
It's official.  Directions to our house.  Just look for the house with a Loch Ness Monster on the front lawn!!
Nessie has officially been set in place in the lawn & anchored.  She is going NOWHERE!!

Nessie was placed on our front lawn & positioned with all family members in attendance.  Once she was anchored there was no changing your mind!  Bruce spray painted around Nessie so we knew exactly where to put her.  The tail & second hump were anchored.

 

Bruce anchoring the tail 

  

Bruce putting the finishing touches on Nessie

Nessie still needing a few finishing touches.  

Decided we didn't like the gills looking like ears so changed those.

Official Pic of Nessie on our front lawn.

Now is the hard part!! What to plant on her & if we are going to leave her in the lawn or make her part of a garden.  Time will tell!!

Canada Blooms May Co-Locate with the National Home Show!

"Canada Blooms is exploring the potential to co-locate next year's Festival at the Direct Energy Centre at the same time that The National Home Show would be held there, but we are not merging.  Canada Blooms will remain an independent not-for-profit Festival dedicated to the celebration of horticulture, landscape, floral design and education.  We believe the possibility of offering visitors Canada's favourite flower and Garden Festival as well as the popular National Home Show at one location is an exciting one, but we will  never compromise on our commitment to showcasing the best horticulture, landscape and floral artistry and knowledge Canada has to offer.  If confirmed by the two organizations, the co-located events would operate for a ten day period with the 2012 event presented from March 16 to 25 and would become one of the largest consumer events in North American with a combined audience of over 25,000 guests attending.  We will contact you with further details once the agreement is confirmed by both parties."  (Gerry Ginsberg, General Manager, Canada Blooms)

What do you think of Canada Blooms co-locating with the National Home Show and operating for a ten day period?

Super Garden Hose -- Product Review

The Perfect Garden Hose has a unique polypropylene double helix construction making it the most flexible, crush-proof and kink-free hose.

It has lightweight characteristics making it 35%-50% lighter than conventional garden hoses.  It also maintains flexibility in extreme temperatures of –20F to +158F

The Super Garden Hose has no memory and straightens itself with no effort and coils easy, taking away the frustration of reeling and unreeling.  It is a ¾” hose with a 5/8” inside diameter and has heavy duty brass threaded sleeve making leaks virtually impossible.

The working pressure of this hose is 100 psi @ 70F and a burst pressure of >300 psi @ 70F

These features make this hose ideal for both residential and industrial users.  It is suited for all purposes from washing the car, the house or garden watering as it is for use on cement trucks, landscaping and horse barns.

It is available at Rittenhouse

The Complete Book of Potatoes: What Every Grower and Gardener Needs to Know -- Book Review

The secondary title of this book says it all. What every grower and gardener needs to know. The Complete Book of Potatoes covers propagation, cultivation, insects, diseases, mutations, harvesting and most importantly storage.

An important chapter in this book is growing potatoes in the organic way. It covers organic disease, insect and weed management.  There is also a chapter on alternative techniques for growing potatoes. This is one of my favourite chapters, as I like to grow my potatoes in containers.

The list of the different potato cultivars is extensive, informative and backed up with colour plates of the varieties. The chapter on insects and diseases is backed up as well with colour plates.

Simply put this book not only being added to my personal library replacing all others.

--

Bruce