They're here for a good time, not a long time....
My client Dale lives near James Gardens in west-end Toronto. I've profiled/critiqued the use of annuals before in a post titled "Toronto's James Gardens, in Technicolor" and was curious to see what this year's annual beds would be like.
If you like drifts of hot colours, you'd be happy here. I just feel sad that all these annuals will be trashed in a couple of months when frost arrives. (I admit my bias towards perennials and shrubs.)
I do understand that the city has to give visitors and/or taxpayers a reason to visit and value for tax dollars: a big wow factor. And all these beds keep a small army of gardeners employed seasonally with watering, weeding, etc.
What's also noteworthy: I didn't see many pollinators!
Here are some pictures from my very brief visit before seeing Dale:
 |
| James Gardens annuals layers late summer by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
 |
| James Gardens late summer agastache by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
 |
| James Gardens late summer annuals by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
 |
| James Gardens late summer pastels by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
 |
| James Gardens late summer primary colour annuals by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
 |
| James Gardens layers annuals late summer by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
 |
| James Gardens primary colour annuals late summer by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
 |
| James Gardens annuals late summer by garden muses- a Toronto gardening blog |
By Paul Jung, author of "garden muses: a Toronto gardening blog"
The colours are very bright - after looking at my perennial garden at this time of year, I always wish I'd planted more annuals - although very interesting that there weren't a lot of pollinators - not much pollen do you think? Those cleaned up yards look great, just shows how much room they have for more perennials.
ReplyDeleteB.
Hi Barbara,
ReplyDeleteI found it quite strange that amidst all this colour, not a lot of activity (birds/bees/humans!) Having a few natives like ironweed, jewelweed would be a good thing...