Savvy Gardening

How to grow SunPatiens, a hybrid variety of impatiens resistant to downy mildew

For many home gardeners and landscape professionals, common garden impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) used to be a go-to pick at the garden center. They were an easy choice for shade gardens, as the plants filled in nicely over the season. They worked both in colorful borders or as groundcover in large swaths of a garden. That is, until impatiens downy mildew made an appearance, decimated the plant in gardens across North America, and almost eliminated the plant from retail shelves. However there are attractive replacements that will thrive in your garden. We’ve teamed up with SunPatiens, a bloom-filled hybrid impatiens that we feel really fills the void. Not only is it resistant to impatiens downy mildew, it has other great attributes that are likely to appear on a gardener’s checklist.

20+ plant nursery and garden center tips

Written by Tara Nolan

I LOVE this time of year. There are waves of spring flowers blooming, blossoms and leaves appearing on trees (seemingly when you blink), and plant retailers are gearing up for new and seasoned green thumbs to appear with their shopping lists and questions. I enjoy visiting all the local plant sales, garden centers, and plant nurseries in my area. They all offer something different—different varieties, different prices, different ideas, different container combos, different merchandise I didn’t know I needed. Heading out with intentions to fill a blank slate garden, or even a small area of an established one, can be overwhelming. So I thought I’d compile a few plant nursery and garden center tips I’ve gathered over the years that help me when I’m making one of my multiple trips.

Panicle hydrangeas: 3 no-fail choices for reliable blooms

Written by Jessica Walliser

Hydrangea-loving gardeners who live in growing zones where big-leaved hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) frequently fail to bloom are often a frustrated bunch. While the big pink or blue flower clusters of that species of hydrangea are beautiful, the plants are unpredictable bloomers in many regions. Gardeners can go years without seeing a single flower. Sometimes the overwintering buds freeze out, other times improper pruning is the culprit. And sometimes you do everything right, but the plants still fail to bloom. If you love hydrangeas and you want flowers each and every year without fail or fuss, skip the big-leaved hydrangeas and grow panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) instead. These spectacular hydrangeas never disappoint.
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The ultimate list of cottage garden plants

Written by Niki Jabbour

A cottage garden is an informal planting where flowers take centre stage. Imagine masses of hollyhocks, daisies, phlox, catmint, and foxgloves mingling together and spilling out of garden beds. Cottage gardens invite wandering and evoke whimsy. Their designs often include curving pathways, rose-covered arbors, and white picket fences. When planning your informal flower garden, start with a list of cottage garden plants like foxgloves, Shasta daisies, catmint, and hollyhocks. Read on to learn more about creating a beautiful, long-blooming cottage garden.

Container rose gardening made easy

Written by Niki Jabbour

Container rose gardening is a stylish way to brighten up outdoor spaces. Use a potted rose to create a focal point in a garden or add bold color and fragrance to decks, patios, and entranceways. Planting roses in containers also allows you to control the growing conditions of the plant, a big benefit if your garden soil is less-than-ideal.

To show you just how easy it is to grow roses in containers, we’ve teamed up with the good folks at Easy Elegance® Roses. Easy Elegance® Roses are a gardeners dream! Not only do they have beautiful blooms that repeat all summer long, but the compact plants are tough, cold hardy, and disease resistant. No fussing required!

Narrow trees for small gardens and tight spaces

Written by Jessica Walliser

Let’s face it. Most gardeners aren’t working with an endless amount of space. We have small yards and gardens and a limited amount of time to dedicate to taking care of our outdoor spaces. Small-space gardening is a must for many of us in today’s fast-paced, urban world. All too often big trees are planted in small gardens and yards where they quickly outgrow the space and have to be drastically pruned or removed altogether. Today, I’d like to tell you about some absolutely amazing narrow trees for small gardens. These columnar trees are also perfect for tight spaces, such as the area between your home and driveway, along a fence line, or when planted in a row, they’ll even serve as a privacy shield against nearby neighbors.
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