Lethbridge Home and Garden Show

It's that time of year again! The Lethbridge Home and Garden Show is now in full swing and it has been a busy week! Last weekend, Clayton and his crew began construction of the Earthlings exhibit. Below you can see a few pictures taken during the process. You'll see a photo of Clay and part of the concrete waterfall that he designed and constructed himself. Yup, we have a running waterfall at the exhibit, because we're cool like that. Hahaha! Getting the exhibit built is a lot of work, but we enjoy the experience every year, as it gives us an opportunity to share our ideas with the community.

The next few photos are of the finished product. We are very happy with the end result. Anyone who wants to can stop by and say hi! The show ends on Saturday at 5:00, and runs noon to 9:00pm today and tomorrow.  Check out the Exhibition Park website for more info on the Home and Garden Show. We hope to see you there!

 

Also, as an added plus, you can check out the video on the side bar ----> 

Global News did a special on the HGS, and I was fortunate enough to be interviewed!

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten

Waiting for Spring.....

In the Winter I am always looking forward to spring, but this winter has been a test to my gardening soul. I cannot believe how much snow we have had and that it doesn’t show any sign of letting up.  Oh well… I am hoping the old adage is true “In like a lion out like a lamb”!  In February it helps me to rethink my garden; what I did right, what I did wrong, and what I want to try for fun this year.  I have got some great ideas for my annual planters that I am going to experiment with and I am trying out some new seeds one called...

                                              “Gremlins for the Garden”

It's for the kids because these gourds looked awesome!  I had to order “Orange smoothie pumpkins” again because they truly are the absolute perfect pumpkin.  I am really hoping that spring will be warmer and that my cucumbers will do better than they did last year.  Here’s Hoping!

Happy gardening!

Kirsten

P.S. Here's a picture of some of the planters at my house last year….

The "Lady Bug"

Every fall I get a few calls from concerned clients regarding “a small grey bug with orange spots” on trees, shrubs and around the garden. I then get to tell them that there is no need to worry it is just a Lady Bird Beetle Larvae. A What? Well the bug is commonly called the Lady Bug. Lady Bugs are a beneficial insect in the garden and are predators to many pests. In fact the Lady Bug attacks the frustrating Aphids in our garden. In 2009 there was an unusual amount of aphids in the spring and through the summer and that fall the Lady Bug adults and larvae were larger in numbers. So don’t worry about these little creatures and let them do their amazing work as our garden warriors!

Happy gardening!

Kirsten

Tulips in a Planter

A Fall Project

Have you wondered how other gardeners grow tulips in their planters without freezing over winter? I’ll let you in on a secret..... They don’t leave them in a planter they put them in the ground over winter.

Here is how they do it.

Step #1 fill an icecream pail with 5 quarter sized holes in the bottom 1/2 full with either a potting soil mix or soil from your own garden. Plant your bulbs (hairy side down) into the soil and cover the bulbs up with soil to the top of the pail.

Step #2 - find a sunny side of the house that defrosts earlier in the spring an plant your pail as deep as the pail but exposing the top ring (this helps for finding it in the spring)

Step #3- As soon as the frost is out of the soil pull out the pail and plant the entire pail into the desired planter. At this point you can watch as your tulips awake and flower.

Step #4- When your tulips begin to die down (lose color and wilt ) dig the pail back into its original sunny spot where it can stay until next spring.

These pails can be done any time in the fall until the ground freezes. One year I had some bulbs hanging around that I hadn’t got a chance to get them the ground right way so I planted them the first week in December!

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten

Value of Trees

If a rum runner or coal miner of the late 1800’s saw the incredible cityscape of what is now Lethbridge they would surely be shocked to see how green it is. It is hard to believe that in the beginnings Lethbridge was only vast prairie. Now... What I want you to do is look out your window and notice all the trees. Have you ever considered how they got here? Well, I’ll tell you. Every tree that you see in Lethbridge (other than the native poplars along the river) has been planted, watered and cared for by residents of our lovely city. Incredible isn’t it? In some neighbourhoods we are caretakers of trees that were the first of their kind in our area. Trees that have suffered through more than one hundred years of winter, chinook wind, and drought. In fact we should be thankful to these first settlers for their foresight as these trees have tempered for us the harsh conditions of the prairie seasons. Today areas with a canopy of green are now the location of choice to take a walk, relax, or even enjoy a meal. These areas are also more desirable and more valuable to those who dwell in these locations. Our trees hold valuable historical evidence in their core.

Planting trees along Parkside Drive beside Henderson

Trees weren’t as easy to take care of as they are now with things like plumbing. At the time Dr.Fairfield brought trees from the Oldman river valley and planted them at the experimental farm watering was done by carrying it in a wagon from the Oldman River to the remote area where these trees were planted. (Now known as the Research Center on the East side of the city) Some of these trees are the oldest and largest of their kind in our area. Over the years trees have been planted next to a new business, in the front of a new homes, and to create park spaces like Henderson Lake, the Japanese Gardens, and Nicholas Sheran Park . Incredible care was surely taken to help those young trees get a good start in their long life. We are still stewards over these trees today and can ensure their continued longevity. There are certain things we can do to properly care for our trees so that they will live long and stay strong. Pruning, nutrition, variety, location, are all things to be considered when either caring for existing trees or choosing ones for a new location. Improper care can cause the decline of these giants among us. We are a young city and are only now realizing the value of our trees. Just as they have in the past we too can leave a mark that will last far beyond our journey by planting and caring for the trees around us.

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten