Gardening for birds is another way to build biodiversity in garden spaces. Like pollinators and other insects, wild birds are under pressure due to habitat loss, pollution, and ever expanding human settlement. By including certain plants and building certain habitats, gardeners can ease this pressure, and even benefit from the presence of some bird species.
Continue ReadingOne day this past summer several of us got together to photograph some of the flowers and produce from the trial fields in a more studio setting. Jill, who normally works in customer service, has some professional experience as a...
Continue ReadingWhere bees are scant, or in settings like balconies that cannot accommodate flowers to attract bees, hand pollination is another option. The principle is fairly straight forward: Pollen is transferred from the open male flower to the stigma of the open female flower. At this point, the male flower can even be removed and dissected, as it is not going to be feeding any bees or serving the plant.
Continue ReadingWith pollinator conservation in mind it’s a good idea to plant flower seeds for bees. But which are the best pollinator plants? Which bee flowers are the easiest to sow and grow? What flowers can be grown in containers or...
Continue ReadingPurple Tansy is the common name for one of the garden’s supreme workhorses, Phacelia tanacetifolia. Gardeners who have had trouble with fruit setting on squash, melons, or cucumbers need to learn how to improve pollination with Phacelia. Phacelia is a...
Continue ReadingWe’re going to tell you all about sunflowers so you can be a sunflower expert. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) It is thought that sunflowers may have been domesticated before corn, as early as 3000 BC in the area that is now...
Continue ReadingThe ingredients in our Beetle Bank Blend Wildflowers combine to attract beneficial insects and provide them with habitat in which to shelter and reproduce. This forms a natural environment that can be planted around or within agricultural fields to form a natural pest control system.
Continue ReadingAll butterflies (including moths), as well as a wide range of bees, flies, beetles, and even hummingbirds, will feed on the nectar-heavy flowers of all milkweed varieties. The Monarch, however, seeks milkweed out on which to lay her eggs. Monarch caterpillars require milkweed to feed on prior to pupating, and they tend not to thrive when presented with alternative food sources. Planting milkweed is thought to be the number one step North American gardeners can do to help the endangered Monarch.
Continue ReadingThe wildflower seeds in our Knee High Meadow Blend produce a waist-high field of brilliantly coloured flowers that bloom over a very long period from spring to fall. This blend is best for areas that will be protected from foot...
Continue ReadingThis blend of annual and perennial wildflowers is selected to attract and feed a wide array of bumble bees. The Bumble Bee Blend Wildflowers are hardy to Zone 4, and are best grown in full sun. Different components of the...
Continue ReadingThe Biodiversity Blend provides the widest, most diverse combination of flower types in any of our wildflower blends. There are flowers to tempt every sort of pollinator, but particularly butterflies, wild bees, and hummingbirds. Several species are included that produce...
Continue ReadingSpring is the time for planting wildflower seeds. These little seeds can be direct sown from late March to early May. If you’re aiming for an annual flower garden, planting early will give you a head start on flowering. Choose...
Continue ReadingHere is a blend of flowers native to eastern North America that are adapted to survive the sometimes shifting weather of the Maritimes, New England, and the St. Lawrence coast. This mix of fourteen showy plants is primarily composed of...
Continue ReadingThis blend of North American native wildflower species was selected for areas with cold winters and hot summers. The ideal region straddles the Rocky Mountains and foothills, from BC’s central interior to Calgary, and from Jasper National Park down to...
Continue ReadingThis is a list of the twenty-one component species of our Great Lakes Wildflower Blend, and it includes annuals, biennials, and perennials. While this blend will grow in nearly any garden, its components are all selected natives to the Great...
Continue ReadingPlease review the list below for the seeds that are included in our Southern Prairies wildflower blend. These flowers will thrive in most garden settings, but they have been selected due to their performance in the North American Plains. By...
Continue ReadingOur Butterfly Blend wildflower ingredients include the following species. These were chosen specifically for their nectar rich flowers to which butterflies are drawn. The type of butterfly attracted to your flower patch will depend on where you live, but this...
Continue ReadingThe wildflower seeds in our Xeriscape blend are intended for planting in any area where drought is likely during summer. Xeriscaping is landscaping with water conservation in mind, so once they are established, these plants will not require regular watering...
Continue ReadingThe wildflower seeds in the Hummingbird Blend are selected for the abundant nectar their mature flowers produce. These lure native and migratory hummingbirds to the garden to fuel up naturally. Grow them en masse or in a long strip down...
Continue ReadingNot so much an official trial, as an effort to grow out each of our sweet peas for comparative study. We grew out fifteen varieties among the other flowers and vegetables at our Kirkland House demonstration garden here in Ladner...
Continue ReadingThe Perennial Wildflower Seeds ingredients are listed below. This is the right blend to establish where flowers are needed to come back year after year. Perennial flowers are often drought resistant and very winter hardy, so they can be relied...
Continue ReadingBelow is a list of the ingredients in our Beneficial Insect wildflower seeds. This blend was designed to include the maximum number of flowers known to attract pollinators and predatory insects that feed on pest species. For instance, dill is...
Continue ReadingPlease review the list below for the seeds that are included in our Pacific Northwest wildflower seeds blend. These flowers will thrive in most garden settings, but they have been selected due to their performance in the Pacific Northwest. By that...
Continue ReadingThe wildflower seeds in our Short Meadow Blend will produce a gorgeous carpet of diverse flowers that only grow to about 60cm (24″) tall. This blend of wildflower seeds looks fabulous planted over large areas, but will work just as...
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