New Year, New Garden!

There is something about the beginning of a new year that re-energizes the gardener in me. I begin to anticipate all the great things that spring will bring and want to jump right in. Even though January has just begun and we still have a good stretch of winter ahead of us, I am already thinking and planning for this next year.

As I begin thinking ahead to spring I like to start with my favourites. These are often my ‘go-to’ plants, but they have earned their spot in my list of favourites for a variety of reasons. Pansies have been a long time favourite and they go into my hanging baskets in early May. These plants can take frosts up to -8 and provide a bright burst of spring colour. They are one of the first plants to bloom and they always signal to me that spring has sprung!

Next on my list are Wave Petunias. These trailing petunias are so versatile; you can plant them in planters or hanging baskets, hang them over low walls, sloped gardens, and even in your garden beds. They are steady bloomers, the purple and pink in particular are both reliable bloomers, as well as steady plants that stand up to summer rains and heat.

Some of my other favourites are carnations, and Solenia Begonias. I really enjoy how Carnations can change the look of a planter: they add an air of daintiness, both with their colour, and foliage. They are also steady bloomers and make great cut flowers. Solenia Begeonias are a cross between a

tuberous and wax begonia and have become a favourite of mine as they can be grown in both sun and shade. They perform well in garden beds as well as hanging baskets and planters and will produce blankets of blooms all summer long.

Winter is a great time to think about your garden, not only just to dream about summer, but because it gives you another perspective, or level, to think about. If you were to take a peek at your garden, or even your yard, right now, what stands out? This is what we like to call winter interest. Many plants, from annuals and perennials, to shrubs and trees provide shape, contrast, and colour, throughout the winter months. Some, like ornamental grasses, stand tall through the heavy snow, and others, such as your evergreen shrubs, give a nice break of colour to a sometimes blindingly white yard.

One of my favourite shrubs for winter interest, as well as for an all around great shrub is the Little Princess Spirea. This compact shrub has beautiful green foliage and is loaded with pink flowers all summer long. The pods from the flowers form snow caps in the winter and are a treat to look at.

The last on my list of favourites is the Weeping Tamarack, or some refer to it as Weeping Larch. This is a great accent plant: it provides great colour, texture, and shape. My eye is always drawn to it when I see it in the landscape and I am always impressed with how much it adds to the garden. It has soft looking, green summer foliage in a cascading form which lends it a graceful shape. Though it resembles an evergreen, the needles on this variety turn a brilliant yellow in the fall and then fall off. A great plant for year round interest!

Though it may seem like spring is still a long ways off, it is never too soon to begin planning. Now is a great time to think about new plants you would like to try, or where to put a new garden bed. Escape winter for a few hours: dive into that new gardening book, do a little online research of what is new for this spring, or stop into the Garden Centre amid the blooms of the tropical houseplants. It is never too early to start planning your spring and summer gardens!