Happy Poinsettia Day!
By Elizabeth Spence Yes indeed! Since 2002, December 12th has been National Poinsettia Day. In the States, anyway. Has anyone heard of us celebrating this in Canada? Not that we don’t know what a poinsettia is, of course. Almost everyone has had one of these lovely plants for Christmas at one time or another. They […]
Sweet Amaryllis Forever
Photo by George Klass By Elizabeth Spence Funny how things seem to dovetail, isn’t it? A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a song written in 1598 by an English composer, John Wilbye, called “Adieu, Sweet Amaryllis” in which the lovely maiden, Amaryllis, is gently rejecting her lover, and all he can do […]
Magnolias love Beetles! Old Ones!
By Elizabeth Spence Here’s a piece of garden trivia! Did you know that gorgeous magnolias are thought to be 95 million years old? They existed before bees did and they were pollinated by ancient beetles haplessly crawling around. Today, they are recognized as having typical “beetle” flowers – they are bowl-shaped to provide shelter for the beetles, although […]
New Clipping Library in Tatamagouche!
Introducing the Tatamagouche Public Library Houseplant Clipping Library! Jennifer has been heavily involved in creating a new houseplant cutting exchange at the Tatamagouche Library. Bring your clipping(s) in water in a jar, and keep your new clipping fresh in the same jar for the journey home. The idea is to share. Bring one, take one. Ask staff […]
Marriage in the Vegetable Garden
by Jennifer Langille All gardeners have their own vision of what a vegetable garden should be. Some need them to be neat, tidy and always ready for Instagram-worthy photos. For others, it’s about embracing the wild, letting the garden grow unruly and free. So neat and tidy! There are vegetables in there! The purely practical […]
Jennifer’s Vegetable Report: July 2024
By Jennifer Langille Some days in July it was quite a challenge to keep up with garden chores because of the intense heat we had. While the sun baked the earth and the plants were photosynthesizing like mad, the weeds were growing on, the tomatoes needed pruning and supports for tall plants needed to be […]
Jennifer’s Veg Garden Report: June 2024
Thinking About Frost Already The vegetable garden is growing like gangbusters. I am very pleased with how healthy and lush my peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach, onions, garlic, potatoes, beans, kale, squash, tomatoes and cabbage are this year. Potatoes Lettuce Carrots Garlic Scapes Coming On Soon I will be harvesting the early- mid season crops: garlic, peas, […]
Canada Post Issues New Flower Stamps
This is what Canada Post has to say about these new stamps: “Canada Post’s latest stamp issue features two native wildflowers that are important sources of food for a variety of pollinators, including hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. The brilliant blossoms of butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) become heavy with nectar and […]
Royal Canadian Legion – Poppy Lawn Ornament
The Royal Canadian Legion says: “This metal Poppy ornament is a perfect way to express your commitment to the message of Remembrance all year round. It measures at 9” wide and is mounted on a 27” post that can be sunk into the ground. . . . The post also separates into 3 pieces, allowing […]