Irises changing colour

I live in downtown Toronto (Cabbagetown) and I have many irises in my backyard which gets full sun all day. All of my irises come up purple and yet I only planted white, pink, and black. One year I planted…

Peony disease

There is something wrong with two of my peonies. The leaves are shriveled and curling but there are no visible insects on it. On one of the peonies the edges of the leaves are black. What can I do? They…

Some plants have not come back yet

Hello, My garden is located at north east Scarborough. The soil seems to be compacted clay but I have been amending it with compost and mulch. I am trying to grow a native garden, it’s quite young, only two years…

Veronicastrum dieback

For years we had beautiful veronicastrum (alba) that was a main feature in our garden. In subsequent years the plant would grow vigorously in the spring and early summer and then one by one the leaves would start to wither…

Spring Clean Up

Hello, I trying to grow a native garden and I have a couple of questions on maintenance for spring. What do I do to help them grow in spring? I will be adding a layer of compost to the surface…

Tree peony

Hi, Where can I find Joanna Gilbert tree peony in Toronto? And is it too late to plant tree peony in mid November? Many thanks!…

Bulbs and irrigation conundrum

the companion perennials (planted right next to the bulb) are watered by drip. poor bulbs – they are too . sad … soggy … bulbs…

How to completely remove grass

Hi, I have many perennials in my yard and want to remove grass and weed completely. My understanding is the safest way is to cover the yard with newspaper and mulch for winter time. The question is, do I cover…