The Magic of Peonies
The Magic of Peonies by Rob Sproule “A rose is a rose, but a peony is a friend forever.” – Anonymous Loving the spotlight, peonies’ broad blooms announce themselves in our yards every June
Growing 101
The Magic of Peonies by Rob Sproule “A rose is a rose, but a peony is a friend forever.” – Anonymous Loving the spotlight, peonies’ broad blooms announce themselves in our yards every June
Mosquito Repelling Plants by Rob Sproule Our late night summer sun is one of the sweetest things about living Alberta. Sitting on a warm 9pm patio and letting the day drain away like cold beer
Stink Bugs by Rob Sproule An alarming pest is popping up across Canada in increasingly greater numbers. Stink bugs are easy to spot and cluster quickly into frightening large numbers. The good news is that,
Blueberries 101 by Rob Sproule With it’s recent rockstar, superfood status, it’s easy to see why so many people are asking about how to grow blueberries. When asked, I’m used to getting a double-take when
Scarlet Lily Beetle By Rob Sproule Whether it’s their ease of growth or stunning flowers or just that we’re surprised that such a gorgeous plant can survive here, lilies are many Canadians’ favourite flower. They
Perennial Blooming Calendar by Rob Sproule Every perennial has its season, and whether it be an iris, rose or mum, the goal of planning a bed or border is to make sure something is always
Not All Bees are Scary by Rob Sproule I’m writing this article because it drives me crazy when people ask me how to kill the bees in their yard, assuming that all bees, wasps and
Trends in Container Gardening by Rob Sproule Container gardening isn’t a trend, it’s a deep shift in how we garden. For decades, we’ve been shifting more of our flowering annuals out of the flower-bed
Seed Bombs by Rob Sproule Seed bombs, also called Green Grenades, are pretty much the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. They’re the artillery of guerrilla gardening, projectiles that throw seedy shrapnel across vacant lots and
The “Fixers” Plants that Fertilize Themselves by Rob Sproule As much as I love science, sometimes the definitions leave me scratching my head. The majority of people tune out at terms like “nitrogen-fixation”, assuming
Top 3 Gardening Trends 2015 by Rob Sproule Few things are more fundamental to the human experience than putting a seed in the earth and nurturing it to maturity. While the essentials of gardening
The Toddlers’ Garden by Rob Sproule I’ve always been interested in getting kids into gardening. Watching how my toddler, Aidan, gleefully engages with whatever bit of nature he can grab with his little hands,
Early Spring Lawn Care by Rob Sproule Lawns make up the majority of most of our yards. Even though more people are replacing lawns with perennials beds and edible gardens, turf care is still
Seeding for Dummies by Rob Sproule My business-owner friends like to say “win-win” when they know something is going to work so well that it’s a “no-brainer”. Planting seeds is a win-win. It
Hydrangeas 101 by Rob Sproule Adored in gardens for their immense, vibrant flowers, hydrangea are one of Canada’s favourite shrubs. The world’s most “googled” plant, they are as mysterious as they are adored, with
Thorny Business: The Cactus by Rob Sproule Masters of Evolution Cactus as Houseplants To Water or Not to Water I have a confession to make. Plant geek though I am, the cactus world baffles me.
Houseplants for Dummies by Rob Sproule Spider Plant Mass Cane Orchids Houseplants are as gorgeous as they are intimidating. They clean the air, lower blood pressure, and often terrify us that we’re going to kill
Beacon of Spring: Primula by Rob Sproule Let me be blunt. Our winters are dark, cold, and downright grim. Once the Christmas lights are turned off it can seem like a long way till
Fighting Depression with Plants by Rob Sproule The Winter Blues Plants and Mood Indoor Lighting We’ve so surrounded and saturated ourselves with technology that it’s a humbling reminder how much our moods depend on a
Health Benefits of Gardening by Rob Sproule A New Year’s Resolution Health Benefits We Can Measure Health Benefits We Can’t Measure How We Spend Our Time A New Year’s Resolution The dawning of a new
The Rags to Riches Story of the Poinsettia By Rob Sproule If you’ve ever been lucky enough to see a poinsettia growing wild in it’s native range from central Mexico to northern South America, you
History of Holiday Greens by Rob Sproule If there is any truth in the expression “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” it may help to explain the intensity of the love affair that we Albertans
Mountain Ash in Alberta by Rob Sproule One of most common trees around Edmonton, the mountain ash is also one of the easiest to grow and one of the few hardy trees that are beautiful
Fruit Flies by Rob Sproule We’ve all been there. You’re enjoying a ripe bunch of bananas and fresh summer peaches one day and they’re buzzing with little flies the next. Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are
Read through our Growing Guides for tips to enrich your garden!