New & Interesting Perennial Varieties Seminar: Sunday May 15th

Interesting & Unique Perennials Seminar: May 15th

Join us Sunday, May 15th for a chat with Danielle Young of Skagit Gardens, an eminent perennial grower from Washington State, as she introduces new, interesting and unique perennial varieties for 2011.

Start Time: 1:00pm - Free Admission, Everone welcome

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Art's Nursery Ltd.

Learn to Plant Hanging Baskets Seminar: May 15, 2011

Learn To Make Your Own Moss Hanging Baskets

Please join us Sunday, May 15th for a Moss Basket Making Seminar.

You'll learn the ins and outs of designing, preparing and planting your very own moss baskets with our talented designer Marge.

Please call 604.882.1201 for more information or to sign up. Please register in advance as space may be limited. A $10 sign-up fee per person applies, but will be credited towards the plants and materials used in your basket.


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Art's Nursery Ltd.

How To Grow Great Tomatoes

Tomato growers unite! Perhaps one of the most popular plants at this time of year is the plain old tomato. No other vegetable/fruit gets the masses excited more than these tasty little gems.
Growing tomatoes is actually quite easy. Just plant and follow these 10 great tips:

• Choose healthy plants suited for your space.  Plant when ground is warm, above 15 degrees Celsius, and with at least 6-8 hours of sun per day is best.
• Use fertile rich soil, mix in compost or consider amending earth with Sea Soil  to improve nutrient value. We sell it by the bag and the tractor scoop.
• Mix an organic well balanced fertilizer into soil, prior to planting.  It is known to increase yield. Bonemeal added when planting, can also reduce the chances of blossom end rot - a common problem where the bottom of the tomatoe goes brown.
• Plant tomatoes deep.  Strip lower leaves and plant the stem up to the uppermost top cluster of leaves.  Tomatoes have the ability to form roots along their stem.  Doing this will create extra roots  to help anchor the plant and provide more opportunity for water and nutrient uptake.
• Water regularly and evenly.  Even moisture will create a healthier plant and tomatoes. This too will help prevent blossom end rot.
• Stake or cage plants early (depending on variety) to avoid damaging roots.  Keeping the tomatoes off the ground helps prevent fruit rot and makes plant more productive.
• When flowers appear, continue to fertilize and consider spraying with blossom set.  Use an organic fertilizer and consider a kelp foliar spray.  It will increase health & prevent disease.
• Pick tomatoes when they are firm, full size, and fully coloured.  If it gets very hot, pick some fruit early (green) and let it ripen off the vine.  Too much sun can cause sun scorch and turn tomatoes soft.
• If in pots, keep tomatoes sheltered from too much rain to avoid blight.  If in the open, pick ripened or nearly ripened fruit prior to heavy rains as these tomatoes are more prone to splitting / cracking.
• Take note of varieties that worked well, and if desired save seed for next year!

Visit Art's Nursery today  for a fantastic selection of contemporary as well as heirloom tomato varieties.

4 Great Groundcover Sedums for Rock Gardens

For many people today, a low maintenance, easy care garden is the next best thing to utopia. In many cases, Sedums are the answer. These succulent, xeriscape plants are easy to plant, require virtually no care and only the occasional watering. They are an excellent choice for rock gardens, garden walls and xeriscape gardens. So, with no further ado, here are four great groundcover sedums:

Sedum dasyphyllum 'Major'
Corsican Stonecrop
A classic evergreen perennial groundcover forms a low carpet of tiny round powdery blue-grey leaves, remaining evergreen in mild regions. clusters of white star flowers appear in early summer. A perfect choice for the rock garden, between stepping stones or in the crevices of dry walls. Best when planted in full sun.
Grows 2-4 inches in height and 8-12 inches in width. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9.

Sedum globosum 'Old Mans Bones'
This classic groundcover has almost round succulent foliage. Clusters of yellow star flowers appear in early summer. A perfect choice for the rock garden, between stepping stones or in the crevices of dry walls. Attracts butterflies. Drought tolerant once established. A herbaceous perennial hardy in USDA zones 3-9. Grows 2-4 inches tall and 8-12 inches wide. Best when grown in full sun, with only occasional watering

Sedum makinoi 'Ogon'
Golden Japanese Stonecrop
A groundcover sedum with brilliant solid golden-yellow foliage flushed with pink. A striking colour accent in rock gardens, rock walls, as a pathway filler or as a groundcover. Needs some protection from the hot afternoon sun. Herbaceous perennial. Grows up to 2 inches tall and 8-12 inches wide. Best when grown in the partial sun. Hardy in USDA zones 7-9

Sedum pachyclados
A clasic groundcover with almost round, succulent powder blue foliage. Clusters of pink flowers appear in early summer. A perfect choice for rock gardens, between stepping stones or in crevices of walls. Attracts butterflies. Drought tolerant once established. Grows 2-4 inches in height and 8-12 inches wide. Best when grown in full sun. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9.

These sedums and many other groundcovers are available at Art's Nursery. Please feel free to visit or give us a call at 604.882.1201 for more information.

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Art's Nursery Ltd.

Special Offer: Hanging Basket Coupon

Treat yourself to a hanging basket or two from Arts Nursery this spring. Redeem the coupon below for a nice discount off any hanging basket worth $25.00 or more. See coupon for details:

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Art's Nursery Ltd.

Product Spotlight: Orgunique Corn Gluten Meal

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Orgunique Corn Gluten Meal

Frustrated with your weeds in your lawn but refuse to use 2,4 D and other herbicides...worried about the kids, pets, local bunnies and birds?

Maintaining a lush green lawn with deep roots to withstand cold winters and hot summers is a challenge. Just applying high numbered, fast release Nitrogen will encourage fast growing grass AND fast growing weeds! For a normal rate of growth for grass and to balance healthy microbial life in the soil, essential for the `good` bugs, and fungi, organic material, etc. the USE of slow release, organic Nitrogen for lawn food is preferred.

Within this option is CORN GLUTEN meal. 9 % slow release Nitrogen plus the added benefit of inhibiting the germination (sprouting) of weed seeds now blowing around your neighbourhood! Corn gluten will not kill established weeds but seeds do not like the presence of corn gluten. Think of it as WEED CONTROL.

Best applied 3 times a year, MARCH, MAY, JUNE or JULY. With a late spring, May is now the ideal time to get it on your lawn. Can also be mixed with mulch or your compost pile.

Compliment with other applications of lawn fertilizer as needed to keep lawn green, and to supply the other 2 major nutrients and minors, Phosphorus, Potassium and Fe.

Corn Gluten Meal and many other Orgunique products are available at Arts Nursery. Visit or call 604.882.1201 for more information.

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Organique Fertilizers

Garden Must Haves May 2011

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Well, the weather thus far has left much to be desired but not to fret there is good weather on the horizon and lots of time to have fun in the garden. I always find new and exciting plants each year to put into production and here are just a few selections that could (should) find their way into your gardens.

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Diane’s Gold’
BUGBANE – An absolute staple for any shade garden, brunnera make a bold statement with their large heart-shaped leaves and sprays of blue spring flowers. An absolute stunner ‘Diane’s Gold’ is an amazing cultivar with golden foliage.

If given enough moisture (very important to avoid damage to the plant) it is even fairly sun tolerant and holds its golden colouring without fading to chartreuse. The typical blue flowers add to its charming appeal. Height: 30cm Spread: 60cm Zone: 4

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Emerald Mist’
An elegant brunnera having large heart-shaped leaves of emerald green with splashes of antique silver and a fine misting of silver over the entire leaf.

Sprays of sapphire blue forget-me-not flowers herald in spring and are wonderful as cut flowers, an excellent choice for a cool shady site or in a shade container. Height: 40cm Spread: 60cm Zone: 4

Brunnera macrophylla ‘King’s Ransom’
A sport of ‘Jack Frost’ this new selection displays a wide gold margin (fading to creamy white in summer) and a light cream frosting over the silvery green leaves.

Sprays of dainty blue forget-me-not flowers in spring add to this selections richness and appeal.

A compact grower ‘King’s Ransom’ makes an excellent container plant on its own or in mixed company and does well as a mounding groundcover when planted en masse. Grow in shade on rich, moist soil. Height: 30cm Spread: 50cm Zone: 4

Centaurea montana 'Black Sprite'
KNAPWEED – Robust perennial with bushy foliage of silvery, grey green. The unique spidery, thistle-like blooms appear in early summer and are a rich, silky burgundy black in colour.

An exotic looking addition for the sunny perennial border it is easy to grow and drought tolerant once established; excellent as a cut flower. Height: 40cm Spread: 60cm Zone: 3




Clematis recta ‘Purpurea Select’
CLEMATIS – A wonderful rambling shrub-type clematis with velvety, deep purple foliage complimented by a profusion of starry white flowers in early Summer.

This low maintenance and easy to grow clematis fits well into a mixed perennial border.

Plants do best and show their best colouring if planted in full sun on well-drained soil. Height: 1m+ Spread: 1m Zone: 3

Erysimum x 'Fragrant Star'
WALLFLOWER – An old-fashioned perennial with a twist, this wallflower has stunning variegated green and yellow foliage on a neat compact evergreen form. Very fragrant bright yellow flowers begin to show in early spring and continue through summer. This shrub-like perennial makes a great addition to any landscape with its year round interest; it also makes a great container plant on a patio or deck where the fragrance of the flowers can be enjoyed, plant in full sun on well-drained soil. Height: 30-40cm Spread: 50-60cm Zone: 7

Geum coccineum ‘Eos’
I love yellow in the garden and this little beauty does not disappoint, named after the Greek goddess of dawn, ‘Eos’ is just stunning with round, pleated leaves of glowing gold.
Bright orange flowers in summer add impact to this carefree and easy to grow perennial. Plants do their best in full sun and may remain evergreen during mild winters.
Height: 15-20cm Spread: 30-40cm Zone: 5




Iberis auricosa ‘Sweetheart’
CANDYTUFT - A pink candytuft! What a wonderful addition to an old garden favorite.

Plants have a neat mounding habit, dark evergreen foliage and are covered with small clusters of fragrant light pink flowers in spring which age to a soft lilac. Ideal as a rockery plant, garden edger or allowed to cascade.

Easy to grow in full sun on well-drained soil, drought tolerant once established. Height: 10-15cm Spread: 30-45cm Zone: 5

Iris x robusta 'Gerald Darby'
IRIS – A beardless iris with who’s early spring growth begins dark purple maturing to green later in the summer. Tall purple-black stems bare dark violet blue flowers in early summer. Wonderful iris for naturalizing along pond or stream edges, also great as a container or border plant and will grow quite well in water. Plants will tolerate full sun to light shade. Height: 60-90cm Spread: 60cm Zone: 4

These and many other great plants are available at Art's Nursery Ltd. Call 604.882.1201 to confirm availability or visit us in person.

Photography courtesy of Jelitto Perennial Seeds, Skagit Gardens & Terra Nova Nurseries

 Lyle Courtice, A.H.

 Lyle is a certified Horticultural Technician (Niagara College), Landscape Designer, Nurseryman and the proprietor of HarkAway Botanicals. He is a guest blogger for Arts Cool Plant Blog and his plants are available from us.

Since 1980 Lyle has worked in both the retail and wholesale sectors of the horticultural trade; he operates his own wholesale nursery, which focuses on an eclectic mix of rare and choice plant material from Asia, Europe and North America.

Lyle has appeared on The Canadian Gardener and is a contributing author to A Grower’s Choice (Raincoast books 2001).  His horticultural expertise makes him sought after as a consultant, lecturer, photographer, instructor and writer.  An industry veteran, Lyle is esteemed within the horticultural community for his passionate and often humorous enthusiasm for plants.

Rhododendron Redux

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I’ll admit it; I was not a great lover of Rhododendrons. I didn’t actually see the point of them, anemic looking leaves, a flashy show of colour and then more anemic looking leaves.

It was not until I was invited in help deadhead and trim perennials in the spectacular garden of two very dear people.

It was late summer and there were no blooms on the very stately layered masses of rhododendrons.

They were lush, healthy and planted where they should be on peaty humic soil, as an under story and layered in amongst one another fringed with native plants, ferns, hosta and numerous other lovelies.

Even then they looked as if they belonged and merged in with the west coast forest landscape, you should see them now!!

The varying textures of the Rhododendron varieties some with huge tropical looking quilted leaves juxtaposed with others with smaller convex leaves and fuzzy undersides.

Fringed with Maidenhair ferns it was a study in texture and subtle shading worthy of an art school. In spite of my stubborn insistence on making proper pruning cuts when deadheading the Astilbe…which would be knocked back in a month with the first hard frost of fall( I was fresh from Horticulture design and maintenance school), they invited me back in the spring.

When I drove down that driveway in spring my breath was taken away by one rhododendron with such a glorious amount of soft pink and white blooms that I don’t believe I recall even seeing the leaves.
As I rounded the corner of the house it looked like Monet had painted a landscape on a marquee sized canvas that gently curved and disappeared off in the distance.

Without sounding hormonal, I did almost cry. I have a soft spot in my heart for Rhododendrons from that day onward…in spite of the fact you can’t eat them. Their display is so earnest and joyful.
I have seen Rhodo’s trapped in lava rock prisons in the dry baking sun still trying to bloom their little hearts out using up their last bit of energy in a blast of colour and light rather than putting the energy into their remaining 3 leaves. They will try their best for you and will reward you for even the smallest bit of effort towards giving them the care they need, which is actually not a lot.

Growing Rhododendrons

Rhododendrons appreciate an acid loamy soil, avoid manures and lime. Peat mulches, pine mulches and composted hemlock/fir mulches work nicely thank you. Even the larger specimens have a very small root mass.
This means that you do not plant them too deeply, in heavy soil.
Do not plant them in lava rock in the baking hot sun…bad karma.

Keep their roots cool and moist but not wet. Now, I’m sure you’ve seen them in less than ideal positions…but you will be amazed at their display they will put forth if located if given ideal conditions.

You can apply rhododendron food early spring before bloom and after bloom depending on the fertilizer used. You can deadhead if you like, without ripping off the new growth. I don’t usually have time and they work just fine.

Companion Planting

Companion planting is surprisingly easy as their roots are not invasive or greedy.
Try to mass different varieties with different colours and bloom times and as important, leaf textures.

Under plant with fine textured plants such as Maidenhair Ferns and Japanese Painted Ferns. Contrast the deep green leaves with underplantings of the blue flowering and silvery leaved Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’, or the delicate arching leaves of the Bleeding Heart…the golden leaved variety would be breathtaking as would Corydalis ‘Blue Panda’.

Hostas work amazingly well massed among the Rhododendrons as do Lilly of the Valley.

The Hardy fuchsia, again the golden leaved variety or variegated varieties would be amazing and I could prattle on and on but I think Rebecca (the Boss) would give me the evil eye.

If you would like to share companion planting ideas you can comment on our blog or even come in to the nursery and visit us. We all have our favorites we can share with you!

My Favourite Rhododendrons:

• Rhododendron ‘Dora Amateis’ – this was the first Rhodo I fell in love with.
• Rhododendron ‘Snow Lady’
• Rhodo impeditum
• Any of the Yakushimanum hybrids – I adore their fuzzy leaf undersides. (ie, Yaku Princess)
• Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Album’
• Rhododendron ‘Fantastica’
• Rhododendron 'Hotei' - an attractive yellow flowered variety
• Rhododendron ‘Holy Moses’…alright, I am a sucker for a good name.
• Rhododendron ‘Nancy Evans’…a study in false advertising. You can look at the buds and then come back later to see the blossoms. I chuckle every time. I once with great delight got a phone call from a great lady, a landscape client with whom I became friends with who chewed me out for planting a red rhodo when she wanted yellow. Wait and see, I told her. She called me back in a week laughing.
• Rhododendron ‘Percy Wiseman’
• Rhododendron 'President Roosevelt'
• Rhododendron campylogynum - cool dwarf
• Rhododendron sinogrande – for those of you with a sheltered site…you have to check out the pictures of this giant!!
• Rhododendron Loderi varieties – these beauties are lightly scented!!

Art's Nursery carries a huge, year round selection of Rhododendrons and many potential companion plants. If you would like more information about Rhododendrons and how they can be used in your garden, please visit or give us a call at 604.882.1201. We'd be happy to help!



This Post Was Written By:

Laurelle Oldford-Down