The Christmas Witch

The Christmas Witch

Be quiet, little Children

        Be still; don’t twitch

For coming your way

        Is the Christmas Witch

A gnarled green creature

        With horns on its head

And eyes that flash

        In festive red

The ugliest hag

        That you ever did see,

But she’s bringing lots of presents

        For you and me

From far up north

        On her Snow Shovel

She visits each mansion

        Each apartment and hovel

Be good now Children

        And don’t let her see you

Or she’ll turn you to stone

        Before you can count two

The presents she brings

        Just serve as bait

Under the tree

        She’ll wait and wait

And Oh! Hear the screams

        On Christmas morn!

Hear them running down stairs

        To their parents’ scorn

Will the witch be there?

        Is it you she has chosen

To grace her garden

        A gnome forever frozen

So be quiet little children

        Be still; don’t twitch

Coming tonight

        Is the Christmas Witch.

Taking Inspiration from an Irish Garden

Gardening and landscaping are approached differently everywhere you go.  I like to seek out new methods of creating a garden, to find inspiration.  This week, I am looking to Ireland, the land of Saints and Scholars (and Guinness).

90% of Canadians live within 160km of the US border

It took me a few visits to Ireland to figure out what was different about the typical gardens there.  Compared to the North American landscapes I am familiar with, which tend to contain a good mix of deciduous, coniferous and herbaceous material (in relatively equal quantities), or even the ubquitous standard of the English perennial border, there was something distinctive. 



Edmonton is roughly the same latitude as Dublin

 For a climate that can sustain a wide variety of shrubs, roses and even palm trees (for all that it is further to the north than most of the population of Canada), Ireland is a country that tends to use mainly evergreens in the landscape. 

Now, according to Residential Landscape Architecture, too many conifers 'create a dark, sombre mood' (p 361).  Irish gardens, however, use different colours and textures to great effect, and there is no darkness in the result.

Here is a particularly well done example.

Different tones of green - from yellow to blue can brighten the evergreens and create interest

Add a few deciduous specimens for colour

Also add in a few herbaceous varieties

As you can see, an evergreen garden can be brght, and even colourful. 

Benefits in Canada

Because many of us experience at least four to five months of winter (aside from British Columbia), installing an evergreen garden is a way to have a bit of colour in an otherwise bleak, white, landscape.  When deciduous trees lose their leaves in September, an evergreen garden will keep their foliage year-round. 

Of course, many of us will not be using our gardens in the winter! A landscape can still offer a pleasing vista from our warm windows, however. 

Evergreen gardens offer an interesting alternative from the standard Canadian landscape, and when done right, won't be any more sombre.  It is worth consideration when deciding how your garden will grow.

Snow in your backyard!

From the hilarious webcomic xkcd.  Well, it is probably more hilarious if you are a physics major, but oh well.  Maybe it has snowed in your garden this weekend.  Keep an eye out for those pesky Higgs Boson tracks.

David Mitchell deals with Climate Change

What do you think about sustainable practices.  Are they fun?  Or are they something we all just have to buckle down with?

Proper Plant Selection

In a world where breeders constantly vie to create new and exciting specimens; where garden centres market the fashionable and forget about the tried and true; where plants are transplanted into new climates that may or may not be appropriate, who will stop the madness?

Yes, it is the adventures of Project Sustainability, and the Fourth Principle of Xeriscaping!

Choose Plants that will Survive the Winter



It is true of garden centres, especially the transient variety that spring up in parking lots of big box stores (and I know from experience), that with each season comes a brilliant new specimen, advertised in magazines and insider's reports as the next big thing.  This may or may not be true; unfortunately, the appropriateness of the plant in a landscape must be determined by time, which the plants are unlikely to have had much of.  Another problem with the box store garden centres in certain locales, is that they get their plant material from a different climate, a more conducive climate for plant growth (more profitable nurseries).  While this is fiscally sound, the plants may not be hardened off to colder zones, or even be suitable for a cooler zone at all. 



For example, a great deal of plant material in Ontario comes from the Niagara region, as it is an ideal microclimate, surrounded on two sides by Lake Ontario and Lake Eire, and by the Niagara Escarpment on the third side.  The majority of the material is headed for Toronto, in any case, as it has the greatest population.  In the five hours it takes to travel from Toronto (5b) to Ottawa (5a), however, you enter a colder zone.  If you cross the river from Ottawa into Gatineau, QC (4b), you drop another zone.  Plants will still show up in garden centre that educated employees will have to steer customers away from.

Native vs. Alien



This versus ...



When choosing plant material, it is important to know your climate and enviroment, and choose plants that are appropriate to both.  Evolution is the process where organisms adapt to conditions dictated by selection pressures: plants have evolved to grow in many different conditions.  You just have to choose the ones that are right for your area.  Such plants that are adapted to your climate should thrive in existing soil, and do quite well on rain alone, minimizing the need for amendments and irrigation.



That



Plant material needn't be native to your area either.  If you are bored with the same-old, investigate what gardiners in similar climates use.  You may be surprised, inspired or both.  However, you may also be surprised that quite a few plants that are common in landscapes are in fact native, just appropriated for artistic purposes.

Planting native material for some represents a return to the wild and natural world; following the Greek representation of Arcadia as opposed to the Roman interpretation.  Of course this is a matter of aesthetics, and personal style.  Whatever your landscape ideal, using sustainable practices, and climate-appropriate plants will help ensure that future generations will have a chance to develop their own fashion.

Top Gear Ground Force part 1 (Or; How Not to Design A Garden)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with these programs, Top Gear is a show by the BBC, that generally focuses on cars.  Ground Force is a gardening program.  This was a charity episode where the presenters of Top Gear tried to do what the presenters of Ground Force do.  With ... interesting results.

The Third Principle of Xeriscaping

Irritation Irrigation

So how can watering your garden, reduce water use in your garden?  Well boys and girls, it is time to learn what the third principle of Xeriscaping is all about!

Today's Post is brought to you by the colour Blue!

The answer is that it is how you water your garden that can reduce the amount that you use.  Overwatering, using water inefficiently and indescriminately are the main problems that can be solved by irrigating wisely.  The goal is to give the plants what they need without wasting water.

The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly on the Plains

Quite Literally

As discussed, the type of soil present greatly affects how quickly the water will be absorbed, and how quickly it will drain away.  Clay soils, where the pores are small, will hold the water longer; however, it takes longer for the water to be absorbed, and if there is a slope present, the water will simply run off.  Sandy soils have a better chance of absorbing the water, but aren't able to hold it for long.  The amount of water that soil will absorb depends on how long the water falls.  A hard and fast summer storm will do little to quench the thirst of your vegetation.  Long and light is the ideal weather.

Be aware of factors such as slope, and local conditions to determine how fast the ground is drying out.  Sun, wind, temperature and local humidity all play a role in how often you need to water.  If you are constructing a garden, use these natural zones to help establish your hydrozoning.  Use or modify the slopes to direct the flow of water into areas that need it, or create terraces to eliminate runoff. 

These practices will maximize the value of every rainfall, reducing the need for additional irrigation.  Catching rain in barrels or containers is also a good practice; this water would likely be lost to the storm sewage system, and eventually the nearest river.  Keeping standing water is a mosquito hazard, unfortunately, so this may not be feasible.

Artificial Water

The best time to water your garden is during the early morning.  This will reduce the volume of water lost to evaporation, as temperature, sun, and air movement are minimal, and humidity is high.  Morning can be a high use time, especially for city neighbourhoods, as the population are getting up for work, and showering.  It is a good idea to know the peak usage times in your area, as well as the capacity of your water supply.  It is possible that the supply is insufficient for both internal and external application, and needs to be staggered.  Using a timer can prevent the need to rise before the sun.

It's hard to see the lake for the trees.

Try to apply water to the soil and not the foliage, as the roots have a better chance of absorbing it there.  Certain plants of the garden can require more water than others, especially when they are young and in the process of establishing themselves.  Trees in the middle of lawns, for example, can experience drought while the grass thrives. 

Irrigation System vs. Hose and Sprinkler

So, is it worth it to install an irrigation system?  These systems are designed to apply optimum amounts of water to specific zones; no more, no less.  They can easily be installed to separate turf and landscape, which have different requirements.  They can even be run on timer programs that can be changed as the season progresses, and the water needs of the plants change.  They take alot of the guesswork away from watering your garden.  Rain gauges exist, that will override the program if there is precipitation.  If it is possible, installing a system is a good idea.  If not, be aware of the different water requirements and zones of your garden, and aim for early morning.