Cold + Bold Canada^™ - Sharon Murphy

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Four Perennials that Provide the Best Winter Garden Views

After repatriating to Canada from the tropical island of St. Thomas, USVI, it took a few winters to recognize winter as its own glorious gardening season. 

Okay, I lied. It took at least 10 or 15 to really appreciate this.

Even though we can't see it, there's plenty going on below the soil when we think the garden is fast asleep. Microbes stay busy even on the coldest days, tucked under mulch and an insulating blanket of snow that keeps the soil temperatures a little warmer.

Above the soil, our gardens can still offer gorgeous winter views with beautiful perennial foliage and dried flowers.

Not only do these perennials provide striking winter interest, but they also provide essential habitat for pollinators during the coldest time of the year.

Here are four of my favourite winter garden perennials:

Four Colourful Fall Flowering Perennials to Add Zest to Your Autumn Landscape

Fall blooming perennials are one of my cherished joys because they prolong the delight of gardening well into autumn, even as annuals begin to fade and the crunch of dried leaves fills the air beneath our feet. 

Not only are fall bloomers beautiful, but these perennials play an important role in the ecosystem for bees and other pollinators as they prepare for winter by providing necessary resources. 

Typically, perennial flowers that bloom in the fall are resilient to frost and remain vibrant until their blooms have completely faded or until the onset of a snowy winter.

Here are some of my favourites:

1. Chrysanthemum (Fall Mums) 

• I call Fall Mums the 'Autumn Superstars'. These flowers are famous for their fall show of brilliant colours and rich textures, making them perfect for accenting perennial borders.
• Chrysanthemums grow best in full to part sun locations in well-draining soil.
• Chrysanthemums are winter hardy at zone 5 and above, so pick varieties carefully for your individual growing zone.
• For gardeners in cooler growing zones like me, I enjoy fall Chrysanthemums as seasonal potted plants.
• Proven Winners has a huge selection of Chrysanthemums to peruse.  The Cosmic series like 'Galaxy Purple', 'Solar Yellow', 'Fireball Red', and more are rated for zone 6, and the Garden Mum series, which includes 'Gigi Gold', 'Key Lime', 'Flamingo Pineapple Pink', and others, are zone 7 perennials.

2. Tall Fall Blooming Sedums (Stonecrop) 

• Generally reaching heights of 16-24 inches (40-60 cm), Fall Blooming Sedums thrive in full sun and bloom in late summer, showcasing colours from yellow to deep reddish-pink with stunning foliage colours.
• Bees love Sedums, and they are an important part of bee growth as they prepare for winter.
• Explore these Proven Winner Varieties and more: 'Autumn Delight', 'Autumn Fire', Rock 'N Grow series 'Tiramisu', 'Back in Black', 'CoralJade', and 'LemonJade'.

3. Solidago  (Golden Rod)

• Solidago sports feathery golden-yellow late summer plumes that brighten autumn landscapes.
• Solidago thrives in both full sun and part-sun locations, becoming drought-tolerant dry once established.
• Varieties range in height from 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) and bees are definitely fans of these flowers.
• Proven Winner Variety, 'Little Lemon', is an easy to grow plant that works well as a border, landscape, or mass planting feature.

4. Heliopsis (False Sunflower) 

• While not specifically a Fall bloomer, Heliopsis shows off bright golden-yellow, semi-double, 7-9 cm (3-3.5") flowers well into autumn once it starts blooming during the summer months.
• Heliopsis is a zone 4 perennial, although it will grow in many zone 3 locations, and it flourishes in full to part-sun locations with evenly moist soil.
• Heliopsis benefits from deadheading, but it will continue to bloom without being deadheaded.
• There are currently 3, soon to be 4, Proven Winner varieties available in varying heights:  'Tuscan Sun', 'Tuscan Gold' with darker green leaves, 'Bit of Honey' boasting variegated foliage, and 'Touch of Blush' to be released in Spring 2025.

Hydrangeas for the Canadian Garden 

Hydrangeas were brought from the Far East and northern parts of South America by the explorers, and their popularity in Canadian gardens continues to surge because of their ease of care and the hues they add to a fall garden that is beginning to wind down. 

The hallmark feature of Hydrangeas is their long-lasting flowers, which morph in colour from their initial display as they age. Many hydrangeas begin to flower in mid-summer and last into the fall. Others bloom in early spring, and some even rebloom. 

Initially a shade-loving plant that appreciated cool, darker spaces, some varieties now grow in sunnier garden spaces that offer protection from the intense midday and afternoon sun, particularly in drier climates. 

Types of Hydrangeas for Canada 

Two categories of Hydrangeas that are readily available and work well in colder regions of Canada are Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) and Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens). 

Panicle hydrangeas - Hydrangea paniculata 

Panicle hydrangeas are the most forgiving of northern climates, and some varieties are sun-tolerant. The paniculate features cone-shaped flowers that blossom on new wood and can be pruned in the fall after flowering or in early spring as they emerge from dormancy. Proven Winners has a fantastic collection of Paniculate Hydrangeas.

Smooth hydrangeas - Hydrangea arborescens

These Hydrangeas have smooth leaves, hence their nickname. They tolerate more than 6 hours of sunshine, preferably early morning or evening, with some afternoon shade. They boast dome-shaped flowers that grow from new wood. They typically start white and stay white or change to pink. Smooth hydrangeas should be pruned in the fall or early spring. Great Proven Winners variety options include Incrediball^®, Incrediball Blush^®, and the Invincibelle^® Series.  

Bigleaf hydrangea - Hydrangea Macrophylla

Bigleaf hydrangeas have the broadest array of colours that often start as white or green and change to shades of blue, purple, pink, and rose.  Flower colours can be manipulated by soil pH. Acidic soils produce blue tones and alkaline soils pinks. Flowers appear in late spring and early summer from buds formed the previous year on old growth, so trim these back by the beginning of August after they have flowered—newer varieties flower from old and new wood and some rebloom. 

Be sure to check out varieties offered by Proven Winners, like the Cityline^® Series, the Let's Dance^® Series, and the Wee Bit^® Series. 

Hydrangea Care 

Hydrangeas thrive in fertile, moist, well-draining soil. Mulch helps to keep the soil moist and cool. 

Fertilize annually after they have emerged in early spring, and winter protects in cold growing zones. 

Stay patient with Hydrangeas; they are often the last to wake from winter dormancy. 

Six Keys to Garden Health in the HEAT

Let's talk about 6 keys to do to keep your garden healthy when it's sweltering.

ONE - Water Regularly

Hydration is golden to managing healthy gardening spaces in scorching temperatures. Adequately hydrated plants can maintain their turgor and fluids to support their metabolic processes. The goal is to keep soil evenly moist, and here is how:

• Check for Hydration Levels Daily  
  
  
• Water Thoroughly
  • For planters or containers measuring 14" across, water until you see it drip out of the bottom of the pot
  • For larger containers, water generously, but it may be too much water for the plants if it drips out of the bottom.
  • For flowerbeds, raised beds, and in ground plantings - create a well in the soil around the base of the plants and fill that well completely.
  • Drip irrigation is an efficient and conservative method of watering.
    
    
• Water in the Morning
  • Watering while it is still cool allows plants to have a good water supply all day, while watering at night can create a persistent cool, wet, dark environment that can increase the potential of developing plant diseases.
    
    

TWO - Fertilize Regularly

In hot, dry weather, fertilizing can be a little tricky, but maintain a good fertilizing schedule as you would normally, but don't give any extra fertilizer because plant structures can easily burn under water stress.

THREE - Mulch Your Garden

In hot, dry weather, mulch is a garden's best friend. It reduces water evaporation, conserves soil moisture, and insulates the soil from sweltering summer temperatures and cools it down.

FOUR - Deadhead Regularly

It’s a good idea to take off spent flowers during hot weather because it reduces metabolic demand.

FIVE - Pinch Back Old Leaves

By removing old, tired, and dead leaves, you let the most productive leaves do the work of photosynthesis.

SIX - Provide Some Shade

When plants are struggling under the heat consider moving hanging baskets and planters to a location that gives them a break from the sun, and for in-ground plantings, provide a shade cover like lattice to block out some of the sun's rays.

How I Came to Love the Beauty and Ease of Supertunias 

• From a beauty perspective, Supertunia flowers can be small or large, they are bold and bright, and the colour selection is impressive.
• From a design perspective, Supertunias are versatile. There are varieties for every garden application.
• From a care perspective, there are no Petunias that equal them. Supertunias are profuse bloomers that can take the summer heat.

Spring Garden Cleanup Methods That Protect Pollinators

Pollinators, those tiny creatures that unintentionally move pollen around, play a critical role in the maintaining biodiversity of our world.

The winter garden serves as a shelter for hibernating pollinators as they seek refuge in secluded spots like withered plant stems, mulch, aged wood, and the upper layers of soil and mulch.

 Insects exhibit incredible abilities, like the capability of remaining dormant in various developmental stages be it as adults, larvae, pupa, and eggs throughout the winter.

As gardeners, our awareness of the essential role we play in the natural ecosystem has heightened, driving us to seek methods to preserve beneficial insect populations such as native bees and ladybugs. 

Recent studies have unveiled innovative approaches to safeguard these vital creatures.

Here are three ways we can support pollinators in early spring:

1. Delay Spring Cleanup a Little

• Rather than hastily tidying up the garden by cutting and raking as early as possible, consider holding off any gardening activity until the temperature reaches 10°C (50°F) or higher for at least seven consecutive days.
• Sustained warm weather offers insects the opportunity to emerge from hibernation and relocate before the garden undergoes any disturbances.
• Resisting this urge can be challenging, especially in regions with fluctuating spring temperatures.
• If you simply cannot hold off entering the garden, pile old flower stems in a designated area to permit insects to come out safely. 
• These stems can be composted or removed by mid-June.

2. Mulch a Bit Later

• Numerous insects, such as ladybugs, find refuge in decomposing leaf matter and mulch during the winter months.
• By keeping the current mulch intact and undisturbed; and by delaying the addition of more mulch until mid-June or later, you provide these insects with ample time to awaken and move on without disrupting their existing habitat as they adjust to the warming temperatures.

3. Trim Perennials Higher in Autumn

• This final approach is a strategy for fall garden maintenance and winter preparations, but it is something to keep in mind as the growing season winds down.
• Since some insects overwinter inside hollow perennial stems, leaving more stem length provides a more secure space for hibernation.
• Instead of cutting perennials back to 7 cm (3"), consider leaving longer stalks measuring 15-20 cm (6"-8") to offer pollinators more choice and protection during winter.

In conclusion, it's fascinating how simple adjustments to our gardening routines can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable environment. 

By supporting pollinators, we indirectly benefit ourselves, and embracing these practices allows us to advance a healthier and greener world for generations to come.