Hydrangeas in your Garden

There is no good reason why you shouldn’t have at least one of these in your garden. Hydrangeas are one of my favorite shrubs and lend themselves nicely to almost any garden theme or style.

For summer colour and interest they are lovely and indeed, there are some with spring, fall and winter colour and interest. They are not particularly fussy. Most preferring a moist, well draining, soil in part to full shade.

If you have purchased pink mop head hydrangeas and want to keep them pink add lime to the soil and a fertilizer higher in phosphorous. If you like the change to blue or purplish blue, our usual acid soil should do the trick as long as there is aluminum available in your soil or you can add aluminum sulphate to the soil which both acidifies the soil and ensures that needed aluminum is present.

Regular pruning is not needed with the exception of thinning or removing old wood or damaged branches to encourage an open habit. Regular trimming back of the branches in winter like the folks down the street with their mophead variety yields them a whopping 2 bloom heads at last count.

Many varieties of mopheads and lacecaps and of course the oak leaved hydrangeas bloom mainly on wood produced the previous summer, thus pruning them vigorously in fall or winter will often transform them from a lovely flowering eye catcher to a tidy green flowerless mound of a shrub.

Now, there are some varieties that can handle vigorous pruning…if you are one of those who feel the need to prune, you should have one of the ‘Endless Summer’ varieties of hydrangeas. If you do have one of the mophead, lacecap or oak leaved hydrangeas and need to shrink it a bit because you’ve got it crammed in to your garden too close to the other plants like mine is, you can do a bit of pruning to decrease size in July.

The panicle type hydrangeas such as the Pee Gee hydrangea are far more forgiving as they bloom on the current seasons wood and can be pruned lightly if needed almost any time, though I’d avoid pruning in the later spring.

Here is a list of my top 7fave hydrangeas for the landscape:

	Hydrangea 'Endless Summer' A very popular mophead hydrangea with blue flowers. One of the first of 'Endless Summer' varieties which bloom on this years growth. (Most hydrangeas bloom on last years wood).
	Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea anomala petiolaris. This climber clings to stone, wood and other surfaces. It has lacy white flowers and looks just as lovely in the winter time when you can see the shredding cinnamon coloured bark.
	Hydrangea 'Lemon Daddy' A new hydrangea variety with golden yellow foliage. A great way to liven up a shady spot in your garden.
	Hydrangea aspera Villosa Which is a larger growing hydrangea with rich dark green, softy leaves (according to my daughter). The huge flowers are a magical purple blue with purple outer florets. It is an absolute marvel and I was sad to say goodbye to it when I moved. I will get another…just as soon as my two legged and four legged family matures a little from the garden wrecking gang they are currently. (not always available)
	Pee Gee Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’. An absolute stunner in full on bloom with those massive white panicles fading to a rose pink and then a copper in the fall along with lovely yellow fall leaves. Another tall selection, this variety can take full sun so long as there is adequate moisture available.
	Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia. This variety is my most favorite in the fall, thought the mix of lace and white florets in the large blossoms are fantastic, the huge oak shaped leaves turn a spectacular scarlet, orange and deep rich burgundy in the fall.
	Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Little Honey’ All the plusses of the oakleaf in a smaller, to-die-for golden leaved plant. A definite must have for a shady spot!! (please call to confirm availability)

Art's Nursery carries a large and diverse selection of hydrangeas and many other deciduous shrubs. Please call to confirm availability or come on by and find that perfect plant for your garden. We look forward to serving you!

Hostas: A Garden Essential

Even after more than 30 years of growing Hosta I am still awed at the versatility of these amazing and adaptable perennials. 

No garden is complete nor can do without these essential foliage plants.  They are one of the few plants that can adapt, survive and yes thrive in our west coast environment.

 Hosta’s add a needed foliar element as either backing for other plants, contrast or interest on their own.  As container plants they are indispensible as one can shift and move them around where and as needed. 

Hosta’s are very hardy, even in containers and tolerate our wet and highly fluctuating winters with relative ease.

They are not just your grandmother’s shade plants anymore, with the staggering amount of new varieties being offered there is something for everyone from more sun tolerant varieties to those that resist predation by slugs and other leaf-munching pests.  Many of the newer Hosta’s have improved colouring that holds through the season and there are even some that have nice fall colouring as well (see picture).

Fragrance is not often something we think about when planting a Hosta but we should as there are a few select forms (see below) that have wonderfully fragrant lily-like blooms.  So come out and take a second look at the Hosta, I am sure there is at least one that will find its way into your garden…

More Sun Tolerant	Slug/Pest Resistant	Fragrant
Canadian Shield Dream Queen Guacamole Harkaways Mini Gold June Patriot Stained Glass	Barbara Ann Blue Mouse Ears Captain Kirk Dream Queen Elegans El Nino Fire and Ice Fire Island First Frost Fragrant Bouquet Harkaways Mini Gold June Pauls Glory	Diana Remembered Fragrant Bouquet Guacamole Stained Glass

A Few Of My Favourite Hostas:

Hosta ‘El Nino’
One of my absolute favorite Hosta’s, a sport of ‘Halcyon’ it retains the thick, ribbed chalky blue leaves but with an added pure white margin.  This “must have” Hosta is simply stunning and forms an elegant mound with scapes of lavender blue flowers in midsummer, very slug resistant.
Height:  40-50cm  Spread:  60cm  Zone:  3






Hosta "Fire and Ice"
Striking reverse sport of the ever popular 'Patriot', the leaves of 'Fire and Ice' have a heavy substance and a slight twist, your eyes are drawn to their pure white centers surrounded by a dark green edging.  Attractive midsize Hosta that makes a great specimen, tall scapes of lavender flowers in midsummer.  Slug resistant.   Height:  50cm  Spread:  75cm  Zone:  3







Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’
PLANTAIN LILY – Adorable miniature Hosta with slightly cupped, round blue-green leaves resembling little mouse ears.  Lavender flowers in midsummer.  Plants have good substance and form perfect, tight little mounds.  ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ makes an excellent container or rockery specimen. Height:  15-20cm  Spread:  30cm  Zone:  3
Photo courtesy of Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society



Hosta Canadian Shield




Hosta ‘Canadian Shield’
This medium sized Hosta forms a sturdy mound of thick, waxy, deep green leaves, scapes of pale lavender flowers in August.  This selection has good slug resistance and is more sun tolerant.
Height:  40-50cm  Spread:  90cm  Zone:  3




Hosta Harkaways Mini Gold






Hosta ‘HarkAway’s Mini Gold’
A selection by HarkAway Botanicals this vigorous groundcover Hosta makes a wonderful accent with its narrow leaves of golden yellow and scapes of dainty lavender flowers in early summer; an excellent Hosta for mass planting or in containers; sun tolerant.
Height:  10-15cm  Spread:  30cm  Zone:  3




Art's Nursery carries an amazing variety of Hostas as well as many other shade loving perennials. Call 604.82.1201 for availability or drop by and browse anytime. We look forward to serving you!

*Photos Courtesy of Harkaway Botanicals

 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 Art's Nursery and his plants are available through 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.

June 2011 In Your Garden

Thus far this spring weather can be compared to game 3,4 and 6 and 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs or an embarrassing noise.
Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen and move on!!  Here’s the garden to-do list for June 2011.
Mow!  Once the warm weather hits…and it will, raise your mowing height.  Your grass will be less stressed, more vigorous and require less repairs come fall.
Gardens – Weed, fertilize, pinch back and trim as needed.  With all the rain plants will tend to be leggier and may require support.  You may be feeling overwhelmed at this point with weeding.  Just keep chugging away a bit each day or so.  Things will slow once the heat hits.  You can still add to your garden as things have been so delayed, but save the moving of existing perennials and shrubs for fall.
Keep an eagle eye out for pests and disease.  Those pesky aphids are here.  A sharp stream of water from the hose will do the trick and no, they won’t climb back up.  Powdery mildew, oh yeah, if caught soon enough, remove affected leaves and don’t put them in the compost.  Black spot, do the same.  If you have plants that are consistently affected by pest and disease, its tough love time, there are so many other spectacular pest and  disease resistant ones out there that would be great replacements.  Don’t expect perfection this year and have patience if your usually trouble free specimens are affected.

Water gardeners with ponds in full sun, stave off an algae bloom by ensuring about 75 percent coverage with lilies and oxygenators such as frog bit, water hyacinth and water lettuce.
Veggie gardens can still be added to.  If you have planted sunflowers or corn already, take a peek at a seed or two to make sure they haven’t rotted in the rain and cold.  You can still replant.  Continue to sow greens at two week interval.
You can do the same with corn, peas, and some carrots and beans so you will have an extended picking rather than one huge glut!  Keep hoeing out the weeds.  If you’ve lost some to the weather or the slugs, don’t despair, there is a great selection of veggies in the nursery.
Container gardens, water at least once a day.
Check hanging baskets regularly.
If they are allowed to get dry, make sure you bring them down and set them in a shallow tray of water to soak for an hour or so to ensure they will retain moisture with the next watering.
The water will run right through a dry hanging basket without retaining any for the plants!!
Some of your house plants can go out for a summer vacation in a shady place for the first few days and for those that can take sun, gradually acclimatize them.


Fruit trees, if you have a particularly heavy set of apples or pears, remove some of them to keep limbs from breaking or bending.  Remove any of the misshapen pink tinged midge affected leaves from apple trees.  Watch for and prune out any black knot in plums.  Remove blighted leaves from peach trees.
Berries – watch for the different pollinators for raspberries, blueberries and tayberries among others, they are interesting to observe and a good test of the health of your garden.
Remember to stretch during the commercials on game days and to vary your pacing from clockwise to counterclockwise to avoid getting stiff and tired on one side of your body.  Go Vancouver Hockey Team Go!!!