annuals, perennials, and more!

It’s spring! I know you’ll be ready to hit the garden centres soon.  I thought I would share some info in order to help any beginner gardeners with the trip to the garden centre.

Typically in the garden centre plants will be divided in to three main sections: trees and shrubs, perennials and annuals. There are some variables to this but knowing this will help you navigate the best.

Annuals are plants that won’t over winter here in Lethbridge. Typically you’ll find them in a covered green house sort of space at the garden centre. They may grow all year round in other places of the world but here they just can’t make it.  Annuals are typically grown to add sparkle and continuous color to the landscape. They are used to fill in planting beds or in planter pots.  They are grown for one season then taken out.

Perennials are plants that will come back every year but die down to the top of their roots (crown) over the winter. They are usually planted in the ground but sometimes I use them in pots too :)The leaves from last year typically die and can be removed either spring or late fall as they will never come back. They come up in the spring from the roots and re-grow leaves and flowers each season. Typically they will grow larger from year to year and can be divided into more plants after 3 or 4 years.

 Trees and Shrubs are plants that, not only survive the winter, but they will leaf out from where they grew in years past and continue growing from that spot. Their stems become woody and are cared for by pruning. Trees and shrubs are really the backbone of your landscape. In order to maximize the space and use of your landscape your trees and shrubs need to be carefully planned because they will live the longest and grow the largest.

As a general rule your perennials, trees and shrubs need to be hardy to a zone 3 or lower in order to grow well in Southern Alberta.  Sometimes in sheltered location you can grow zone 4 plants, but if your not sure and don’t want to take any chances, try sticking to the Zone 3 plants.   MAKE SURE to read the labels. Remember: just because they are being sold here does not mean they will grow here!

Happy Gardening!

Kirsten Hironaka

Not only should your landscape be enjoyable ...

…. it’s an INVESTMENT!

There have been many studies that show landscaping can positively impact the price of a single family dwelling.

A Clemson University study found landscaping can result in more than a 100% return on investment. The report concluded that “Homeowners wanting to increase the value of their property will do well to consider the cost-effective, return potential of quality landscaping, and to safeguard their investments by hiring licensed, professional landscape contractors to perform the work.”

 

.

A professional landscape contractor should be educated and certified to help ensure that your landscape becomes a long term investment not a potential liability.  Also, The installation of 10 $100 plants from a local garden centre  selling products suitable to our local  climate will go a lot further than 100 $10 plants from a box store.

` 

Hardscape features such as patios, decks, fences and trees will bring a greater return on investment.  A potential buyer typically looks for landscapes that is an extension of the home, not overly cluttered and looks easy to maintain.

Spring is here! Happy Gardening,

Kirsten

illuminate your landscape

It’s the time of year when our days are short and the nights are long. Why not try landscape lighting to illuminate your home? I have seen a trend to incorporate lighting into the landscape plan because my clients can see the benefits.  Lighting can do many things for your landscape. Although the benefits this time of year are obvious, landscape lighting can be amazing in the summer too!

My top 5 list of lighting benefits:

1. It will give visitors a visible path to your front door and helps with safety during those dark nights and mornings.
2. Extends the hours you will enjoy your landscape
3. Illuminates features in your landscape such as trees, shrubs and structures
4. Creates ambience for your outdoor entertaining
5. Creatively crafted lights can be decorative features in and of themselves

There are many different styles of lights available: up-lights, wall lights, path lights and down-lights, brick lights and even lights that can be submerged in water.

To make things easy low voltage landscape lighting can be installed with a controller that allows you to set the time of day that lights turn off and on.

In recent years LED landscape lighting has been added to the lighting options. This alternative significantly reduces energy consumption without losing the great effects that lighting brings.

Planting for SPRING today!

I finally got down on my knees today and planted my bulbs.

Yes, mother nature provided me with that one last chance to get my bulbs in before winter really sets in.

Have you heard the story of the shoe maker and how he never had time to make his own shoes....

That's how I feel when it comes to gardening at my place sometimes :)

Every year I promise myself that I will find the time to get my spring bulbs planted before it really gets cold outside. BUT...... in the back of my mind, I know that I can plant those bulbs ANYTIME until the ground freezes.

Which means I am usually frantically digging them in right before the axe falls and winter begins.

Now, I cannot see into the future so I'm not saying "this is it!"......... but I have put my bulbs in TODAY!

I have planted alliums, tulips and garlic this year.

I  am  sooooo looking forward to the excitement they will bring next year!

Happy Gardening!  Brrrrrrrrr

Great Landscapes start with a Great Design

a GREAT LANDSCAPE starts with a GREAT DESIGN:

Every year in spring we receive calls into our office from new clients excited to start their landscaping.

We assure these new clients that calling “Earthlings" was the right step in to get their landscape built as we have CERTIFIED horticulturists and designers on staff.

 

At this point we get the ball rolling!

In order to have all the details ironed out we follow a process from first meeting, concept plan, estimate and contract signing. We place just as much importance on these first steps as we do the actual landscape construction.

From experience we know; a landscape that doesn't have a good plan never turns out the way the client wants or needs it to be.

 

Your enthusiasm is an asset! The sooner you start planning your landscape the better. Whether you create your own "Dream Landscape" board on Pinterest, or you create journal with magazine clippings you like, we suggest that you start the planning stage as soon as possible. It helps you avoid making those quick decisions you may regret later. Designing your landscape can be as enjoyable as designing the inside of your house and can become an extension of your home.

 

We believe that having a clear, dimensioned and detailed design is important for both parties. A great design will result in a outdoor living space for you to enjoy many years to come.

If you are thinking of creating a new or renovated landscape make sure you plan with a certified landscape designer ensuring that you have maximized your outdoor potential! 

It's amazing what you can do ...

 

Yes! Even in Southern Alberta!

 

 

Happy Gardening !

"Da Coulees”

 I just had to title this blog “Da Coulees” because of a poem a visiting student from Quebec wrote and recited to us. All I can remember about that poem really is that he kept saying “Da Coulees, Da Coulees” over and over and since then it’s been a running joke in our family!

I love the Coulees. Before I moved to Lethbridge I looked forward to visiting my grandparents who lived on the edge of the coulees; we would explore in them for hours.

Every year the Helen Schuler Nature Centre organizes a coulee clean-up that anyone can participate in.

We love participating in this event with our staff at earthlings.  Judging by the the nature of our work, it's obvious that we enjoy leaving a space looking better than when we arrive. So a coulee-clean up is really just another way we get to do this. Plus, it was so refreshing to walk out into the coulees with out yellow bags in hand to clean- up things.

I think everyone was enjoying it as much as I was! I could tell by the smiles on their faces :)

It was the first sunny day after it had rained so everything seemed so fresh and vibrant, and I couldn’t help but get excited as I saw the many spring flowers coming alive on the walk.
The first plant I saw in bloom was a Prairie Smoke –‘Geum triflorum’













Then I saw some Moss Phlox – ‘Phlox hoodii’ showing off its new spring blossoms.  Moss Phlox is pretty short and grows in small clusters so if your not paying attention you might miss it.








And the delight of the day I saw  some Prairie Crocus –‘Pulsatilla patens ssp.multifida’ blooming along the North facing side of the coulee.

 I think it's pretty obvious that I became a little too caught up in all the plants. It came to a point where people started to tease me, saying that I needed to pull my weight …HaHa.

But then I noticed how beautiful the rose hips from last year were still hanging on the branches and they looked so red and colorful!  I just had to take a picture of this too……

Along our walk (oops… did I say that? I meant, during the 'clean-up'.) I spotted some sort of wood that looked like an animals face. As I walked closer it really was some sort of animal but it blended so well into the surroundings. 

Then It moved! It stood and stared at me waiting to see what I was going to do. That was about as close as I needed to come to that Coyote!










We collected a lot of junk from our clean-up. There were mostly bottles, milk jugs, and the sort collected, which I think is pretty sad, considering the availability of recycling we have around here. Brittany and Carol got the prize for the biggest find (Which they drug up from the bottom of the coulee I might add!)




Here we are with all of our loot. And here is Nathan who we couldn’t find (and almost forgot!) because he was so determined to “get that last little piece of garbage”.

We ended off our cleaning spree with a quick tidy down our road that usually is adorned with random plastic bags and other sorts of stuff.

Today reminded me that it doesn’t take much to care the beautiful place we live. I also want to take a little time out to explore our unique coulees more often.


Happy Gardening!

I just thought I would post this for anyone who might have a chance to pop into the YWCA

May 18

For LUNCH

(12:05-12:50)

It's only $5.00 and proceeds will help benifit the wonderful programs YWCA has to offer.

Come and JOIN US!