It’s a shame that so many gardeners confuse this annual morning glory with the invasive weed, Convovulus arvensis, because this variety will not take over your garden. Instead, it will produce a lush abundance of big, intensely blue flowers from...
Continue ReadingSimply the best of the many varieties of oregano for cooking. This herb dries well, and retains its strong flavour and aroma if stored correctly. It also flourishes in containers. Zone: Hardy to Zone 5 When I Get My Seedling...
Continue ReadingEasy to grow, versatile in the kitchen, and packed with vitamins and minerals, these plants produce edible leaves and stalks and many can be grown year round. It’s worth getting to know these varieties better! Follow along with this handy how to...
Continue ReadingThis annual is one of the best of all pollinator attractors of all. Bees simply love the ample, long-lasting, purple flowers. It is often called Phacelia, Purple Tansy, Scorpion flower, or heliotrope. It is easy to plant and grow Phacelia seeds....
Continue ReadingThe flavour of parsnips becomes sweeter after frost. They are a very versatile vegetable in the kitchen to fry, roast, steam, mash, or bake. Parsnips take their time becoming large in the garden, but then they can be harvested as...
Continue ReadingCilantro is challenging to grow in some gardens. The big leaves that we see in stores are harvested from tiny plants. The secret is to give cilantro deep soil for the roots, try placing the plant in shade, pick frequently...
Continue ReadingCelery is a refreshing treat from the garden. Children love the stalks with some natural peanut butter. Celery is also great when juiced. Celeriac is a variety of celery that is grown for its root, which can be used in...
Continue ReadingMany people feel that pole beans have a richer bean flavour than bush beans. The effort of trellising them is more than repaid by the ease of picking and their extended, abundant harvest. Pole beans are a good choice for...
Continue ReadingThe English lavender varieties we offer are variants of the species L. angustifolia. Lavandula stoechas is commonly known as Spanish lavender, and L. dentata is often referred to as French lavender. These nationality-based categories are more confusing than helpful. It’s...
Continue ReadingCoreopsis is sometimes listed as Calliopsis or Tickseed. How to Grow Coreopsis: Latin Coreopsis lanceolata Family: Asteraceae Difficulty Easy Season & Zone Exposure: Full sun Zone: 3-10 Timing Start indoors mid-February to late March for transplanting out after last frost...
Continue ReadingAnnual and perennial flowering plants that have striking similarities, but a surprising range of colours and growth habits. It is easy to grow poppies from seeds. You will find they grow and then self-sow with abandon, without becoming weedy. Simply...
Continue ReadingGeneral The genus Physalis includes the edible ground cherry (aka Cape Gooseberry) and tomatillo, but the plant in question here is strictly ornamental. It is grown for its bright orange “Chinese Lantern” seed cases that follow rather inconspicuous flowers in...
Continue ReadingThese cool-season vegetables are incredibly easy to grow and very tasty. The leaves can be used raw in salads, but the whole plant can be steamed or stir-fried. Both types require regular watering and a watchful grower – plant repeated...
Continue ReadingThe thick walls of some pumpkins are wonderful for cooking and store well all winter. Pumpkins for carving are thinner walled so kids can decorate them easily. Follow along with this handy How to Grow Pumpkins from seed Guide and have some Halloween...
Continue ReadingThis close relative of the cabbage was bred over centuries to develop a flattened meristem. Sometimes referred to as German turnips, kohlrabis are very rich in vitamin C, and a great source of potassium. The flavour is like a very...
Continue ReadingRosemary is not quite as simple from seed as many other herbs, but it can be achieved by novice gardeners if they take certain precautions. It is a woody perennial that grows slowly, and won’t be ready for harvesting during...
Continue ReadingDainty Baby’s Breath is actually quite a tough plant. Ordinary soil will do. Be sure it is not too rich, and avoid feeding plants. Cut back after flowering to encourage a second bloom. This species is well suited to xeriscaping. Follow...
Continue ReadingThis feathery annual is also known as Love-in-a-Mist, Fennel flower, Wild fennel, and Devil-in-a-Bush.Nigella performs best in cooler growing areas, in ordinary, well-drained pH neutral soil. Fertilize and deadhead regularly, and water in long dry spells. It is easy to...
Continue ReadingAquilegia is a hardy perennial known as Columbine. Latin Aquilegia vulgaris Family: Ranunculaceae Difficulty Easy Season & Zone Exposure: Partial shade – full sun is tolerated where summers are cool Zone: 3-9 Timing Direct sow in autumn or mid-winter. Seeds...
Continue ReadingThe information here refers to the annual (sometimes biennial) plant that is known as Lunaria annua. It also goes by the common names Honesty, Moonwort, Judas’ Penny, Satin Flower, Money Plant, and Silver Dollars. Latin Lunaria annua Family: Brassicaceae Difficulty Easy Season...
Continue ReadingKnown in antiquity as “catswort.” Bees seem to prefer its flowers over most others, but a common plant pest in gardens, the flea beetle, is deterred by it. The universal appeal of this species to cats is underscored by the...
Continue ReadingAll bush and pole beans are high in starch, protein, dietary fibre, and a host of minerals such as potassium, iron, selenium, and molybdenum. Green beans, whether grown on a bush or a vine, are very high in vitamin C...
Continue ReadingThe Linum species we offer are annual flowering flax. They are beautiful and easy and suitable for large containers. Linum grandiflorum is native to Algeria. Linum usitatissimum is thought to be native to central Asia. Latin Linum sp. Family: Linaceae Difficulty Easy...
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