29.7.13

A shade garden in Toronto

Why I love Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra "Aureola")


It's been a topsy-turvy kind of summer so far in Toronto. We're experiencing cooler temperatures now, mercifully, after being blasted with humidex readings of over 40 over most of a week. Not very comfortable working conditions!

So when you're able to work in the shade during a heatwave and the scene looks like this below, it's really not too bad.

I first posted about this shade garden in a post titled "Green is a colour too, in dappled shade" and work here once a month. It just gets better and prettier as time moves on.

This client absolutely loves H.m "Aureola" and why not? I'm using it more in my designs and there are more than few cultivars to choose from like "All Gold", "Albostriata", "Nicolas" and "Sunny Delight." 

Criticisms? Mild ones at best:  this grass is slow to form substantial clumps, a little pricey (but then again, didn't you blow a wad of cash buying all those annuals back in May?) and does best in part-sun (gets bleached-out, I find, in full sun) but the form always is a winner. 

Want to soften a hard line of interlocking paving or really make a garden bed curve more curvey? Try massing Hakonechloa.


The site is under some majestic red oaks so the shade is light and dappled. Soil is "clayey" with some amendments over the years.

Hakonechloa macra "Albostriata" on the left, "Aureola" on the right by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Hakonechloa macra "Albostriata" on the left, "Aureola" on the right




Annabelle hydrangea Hakone Japanese Forest Grass in a Toronto shade garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
"Annabelle" smooth hydrangea and Hakone Japanese Forest Grass in a Toronto shade garden.


Hakonechloa macra Aureola Japanese Forest Grass in a Toronto shade garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Hakonechloa macra "Aureola" Japanese Forest Grass flanking a "Paul's Glory" hosta.


Let's go off on a design tangent. When planting, try to think of the primary view the audience (homeowner, visitor, you) is looking from and think of creating layers. The picture below shows such a technique. From the foreground working back, we have the Hakone grass, "Halcyon" hosta, Japanese Painted ferns, Rodgersia with the palmate leaves, to the left a witchhazel, a patch of red daylilies and a lacecap hydrangea in the back.

This view is from the patio table near the fountain.

Not too shabby, I'd say.

Layers of perennials and shrubs in a Toronto shade garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Layers of shade-tolerant perennials and shrubs




25.7.13

Mid-summer Toronto garden cleanup in Riverdale

Greektown, Toronto front garden clean up


This small front garden, located just north of Danforth Ave., receives full sun which the perennials and, unfortunately, the weeds just love. Here are some before and after pictures of the clean up. A 2"-3" layer of mulch was applied after to reduce the amount of weeds re-appearing and lower watering needs.



Toronto Riverdale garden cleanup Paul Jung Gardening Services before
Toronto Greektown garden cleanup before

Toronto Riverdale garden cleanup Paul Jung Gardening Services after
Toronto Greektown garden cleanup after


Toronto Riverdale garden cleanup Paul Jung Gardening Services before
Toronto Greektown front garden cleanup before


Toronto Riverdale garden cleanup Paul Jung Gardening Services after
Toronto Greektown front garden cleanup 


14.7.13

A Toronto garden clean up in the Victoria Village neighbourhood

Victoria Village, Toronto backyard and side yard garden clean up


Here are some before and after pictures of a garden clean up near the Lawrence and Victoria Park Ave. area. The back and side garden areas were infested with creeping bellflower, thistles, quack grass and lawn seedlings.

I dug out all the weeds to re-establish some new areas for new perennials and/or mulch. (I suggested to the client to remove the black plastic edging and trench edge for a cleaner look as well.)


Scarborough Toronto back yard garden clean up before by Paul Jung Gardening Services
Scarborough back yard 
garden clean up before


Scarborough Toronto back yard garden clean up after by Paul Jung Gardening Services
Scarborough back yard 
garden clean up after



Scarborough Toronto back yard garden clean up before by Paul Jung Gardening Services
Scarborough back yard 
garden clean up before


Toronto garden cleanup Paul Jung Gardening Services Coral Cove Crescent after
Scarborough back yard 
garden clean up after


Here's looking down the side of the house. A thick layer of cedar mulch would really reduce the amount of weeding in this unseen and unused area.


Scarborough Toronto side yard garden clean up before by Paul Jung Gardening Services
Scarborough Toronto side yard
garden clean up before 


Scarborough Toronto side yard garden clean up after by Paul Jung Gardening Services
Scarborough Toronto side yard
 garden clean up after


9.7.13

The Naples Botanical Garden: Some Like It Hot!

A Toronto gardener's visit to a Florida botanical garden (in the summer!)



My family and I recently spent a much-deserved week's vacation in Bonita Springs, Florida which is located on the Gulf Coast side of Florida between Fort Myers to the north and Naples to the south. We did the silly touristy things like outlet mall shopping, getting used to larger restaurant portions and collecting shells on the beach. 

(By the way, "Happy Fourth" seems to be the way of wishing someone a Happy Fourth of July around here. Something tells me that if I wished a fellow Canadian a "Happy First" on Canada Day, I'd likely get a blank look.)

Anyway, back to gardening...

Of course, being on vacation, I didn't do any but I managed to find a few hours to visit a near botanical garden in Naples called, well, the Naples Botanical Garden

Here are some pictures on the way from the parking lot and outside the admissions office to give you a taste of things to come:

Naples Botanical Garden entrance walkway by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
What "houseplants" do you recognize?


Naples Botanical Garden front entrance walkway by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
From the parking lot, love this colour combination!



Linda and I got there right at opening time (8 a.m.) because we knew how darn hot and humid the weather would get later. Thunderstorms were also predicted the same day so on this muggy and buggy morning, we started first at the Brazilian Garden which pays tribute to that country's renowned plantsman and landscape architect, Roberto Burle Marx.



Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden Burle Marx Ceramic Mural by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Looking towards the Roberto Burle Marx Plaza. That's a ceramic mural showcased behind the waterfall.
Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden bromeliad bed by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Massing using Neoregelia, Aechmea, Porta and Caladium

Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden closeup bromeliad seeds covered morning dew by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Early morning dew on these seedheads (or flower buds?)
Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden massed bromeliads by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
The magic of massing using what I consider "tropical" plants.

Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden infinity waterfall by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
The infinity pool/waterfall with huge water lily pads.



Nymphae Panama Pacific tropical waterlily Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Detail of  Nymphae "Panama Pacific" tropical  waterlily

Nymphae tropical waterlily Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Another closeup of a tropical waterlily, forgot to note the cultivar but so beautiful!

red button ginger Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
A grouping of Red Button Ginger (Costus woodsonii)


Massed caladiums pineapples Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
More massing of silver-leaved Caladium and pineapple

Pink powder puff bloom Brazilian Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Detail of Pink Powder Puff bloom (Calliandra surinamensis "Pink")


We then ambled over to the Caribbean Garden and took these photos among many others:


Bridal bouquet Plumeria pudica  blooms Caribbean Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Bridal bouquet plumeria (Plumeria pudica)

Caribbean Garden Great Lawn palms Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Reminds me so much of our trip to the Turks and Caicos


Queen's Wreath covered arbour Caribbean Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Stone pillars and wood beams covered by Queen's Wreath (Petrea volubilis)


Onwards to the Asian Garden, with few pesky visitors to disrupt our photo opportunities but many pesky mosquitoes and gnats to torment those who didn't bring bug repellent.

Asian Garden lotus Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Pale cream coloured lotus flowers and seedhead

Balinese Shrine Lea Asian Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Balinese Shrine at the Lea Asian Garden

Asian Garden Thai Riverside Pavillion Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Thai Riverside Pavillion surrounded by lotus

Candi Suka Ruin detail Lea Asian Garden Naples Botanical Garden  garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Statue detail from the Garden's Candi Suka Ruins (well, not from the real ruins)

Candi Suka Ruin Lea Asian Garden Naples Botanical Garden by garden muses-a Toronto gardening blog
Good job replicating  Candi Suka Javanese Ruins


We also visited the four other gardens: the Childrens', Florida  and Water Gardens and "The Preserve." By the two hour mark we were getting hungry and getting bitten and decided to call it a morning. All in all, it was an enjoyable and educational outing for this zone 5 gardener. We saw many plants we consider houseplants and annuals growing very vigorously in situ like cannas, taro, bromeliads, and bananas.

I don't know if many of the plants on exhibit experience any dormancy and/or change the colour of their leaves so, off the top of my head, I guess the plants look the same all year round (?). 

It was a nice, short diversion away from the endless shopping and eating we endured over the week!


By Paul Jung, author of "garden muses: a Toronto gardening blog"
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