Marjorie Harris' Blog

plant lists from Fresh Air Sunday

Marjorie — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:38:56 +0000

Fresh Air was fantastic for me. Karen Gorden is terrific. I talked a blue streak. Here are the lists mentioned:

Bulb list

Muscari latifolium blue

Scilla ‘Spring Beauty’ blue

Allium ‘Atropurpureum’ purple

Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ purple-magenta

Hyacinthoides non scripta (English Bluebells

Tulipa tarda white with a yellow interior

Tulipa ‘Spring Green’ white with a green stripe
My current great plants list:

Vernonia lettermanii ‘Iron Maiden’ cultivar of a native astounding.

Sciadopytis verticillata Japanese umbrella pine

Fothergilla ‘Blue Mist’

Chiononanthus virginicus

Itea ‘Little Henry’

Hakonochloa ‘All Gold’

Heuchera ‘Knockout’

I’ll be on Fresh Air with Karen Gordon who is a terrific dame, love her energy and interest. From 8:30 on we’ll be gabbing away about garden problems.

And then I’ll get back to blogging. About finding plants mentioned in the Globe columns: this is a real problem because I can only mention one place, then by the time you get there they’ll be gone. You’ve got to make demands and ask your nursery person to please get them in.

japanese beetles

Marjorie — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:32:42 +0000

What a pile of mail about Japanese beetles. Apparently this was an incredible year for them. here’s a typical letter:

We had a garden planted 2yrs.ago. We have [had] tea roses near in the bed adj. to the house[south facing] Had an infestation of the Japanese beetles-killing all the roses plus leaves etc. Have tried the trap etc. to no avail-finally chopped all the rose bushes down. Still get a few of the on my potted plants. Pls. HELP!! Also, would the featured plant-’Barberry’ work in this area? Really enjoy your column! Thanks, Yasmin

Japanese beetles have had the perfect year: warm winter, long wet spring, hot summer they have been mating like, well like, rabbits. This is a site I recommend you look at for some solutions to this dreadful problem: www.ghorganics.com/JapaneseBeetle.html

Squishing regularly is good; using Neem oil but check out what you can get in your area and read the instructions carefully. Temperature makes a big difference. And you’ve got until mid September to use pheromone traps which carry the scent of a virgin and attract masses of bugs. Try www.biofloris.com which has terrific products.

The newsletter is coming as soon as the wonderful Anna can design is. So if you haven’t signed up please do so and I’ll add you to the list. It’s free.

the garden in july

Marjorie — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:59:50 +0000

The perennials are bursting out all over the garden. This is a garden which depends on foliage for most of its colour so it’s startling to see Phlox ‘David’ shining in the background, the few roses I have being outrageous and all the hydrangeas I was given last year to trial are now coming into delicious pinks, pure whites in amazing variety. This is a sight that absolutely delights: it’s Clematis ‘Betty Corning’ ramping her way through the lilac tree which, out of bloom, is dead boring. This goes on and on for weeks thus the delight. It’s a great way of giving a dullish plant extended interest and the clem certainly likes it. Another one whaps around an Acer palmatum ‘Sangu-Kaku’ which may not be the best thing for it, but I’m enjoying it anyway.

To add to garden enjoyment mark July 14th to go to the Toronto Botanical Gardens to hear Cameron McMaster give a talk. He is a leading expert on geophytes, he’s from South Africa and he regarded as a great speaker. That’s at 7 p.m. July 14th, TBG (go to their web site www.torontobotanicalgarden.com for more information).

I’m coming back to blogging because the worst of the crazy planting season is over. My little crew and I have handled 30 gardens in very short order (or so it feels there are days when falling over seems the only alternative) and we’ve put in some gorgeous gardens. I’ll talk about what I’ve learned from them over the next few weeks. And will get on with a newsletter.

Insecticides

Marjorie — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:15:10 +0000

Jean Cumming wrote me this wonderful e-mail:
What is Paris green? Bordeaux mixture? I presume arsenate of lead is an evil poison that cannot and should not be sold or purchased? I found Canadian gardening textbooks at a garage sale, one really, two editions, 1938 and 1951, by A.B. Cutting (I swear). Such fun. Very rigorous “year round” gardening regimen, including chemicals that I suppose people had kicking about. Puts me in mind of my southern Ont Gothic aunt, an asthmatic who burned and inhaled a saucer-full of herbs when it got bad. A post-modern Toronto friend of mind went to the herbalist on the Danforth with the recipe my then octogenarian uncle remembered by heart. The herbalist was shocked at my friend’s requesr: no, I can’t give you the ingredients for LSD.
I wrote back:
I feel about laughing at this Jean. Great story. I don’t know Paris Green so I looked it up in an old garden book and they have a long entry without actually telling you there’s arsenic in there somewhere. Dear God no wonder all our older relatives had weird things going on in their bodies. “Paris green is not being as widely used for spraying as formerly because of its tendency to burn tender foliage and flowers.”
Wikepedia says: copper(II) acetoarsenite

There is actually someone out there who doesn’t know what the lily beetle is. Lucky person. It’s a bright red beetle which spends all its time making love to other lily beetles or chewing up plants. If I can get a picture I will.

But here a great suggestions from Diane Smith. Everyone else who called or wrote said squishing was the only thing that worked. Well if nothing else this is one to record:

Hi Marjorie – the lily beetle has been in NS for some time now…in desperation I ripped out all my Asiatics years ago. Folks around here have tried everything (including Neem oil) with little or no success. At a gardening lecture I did a month ago a woman shared with me her secret to eradicating the red pest: Windex. Yup – sprays it liberally with no apparent harm to the plant. Maybe it’s the kind with ammonia. I’m not one for chemical warfare but thought I’d share this anyway. Love your blog!

Lily Beetles

Marjorie — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:22:49 +0000

I get back into the garden after non-stop garden installations and what do I find? Lily beetles. I’ve been hearing from so many of you that the infestation has hit all over the country. Well no one is immune it seems.
There’s one way to combat them: squishing. Hands, feet, heavy metal objects anything. But that’s it so far.
A Neen wash in early spring when they are busy humping below the soil is supposed to help but that only a maybe.
If anyone has any thoughts on this subject please please get in touch.
Today I’m on-line with the www.globeandmail.com/lifestyle/gardening/askanexpert if you have any questions.

Cabbagetown Garden Tour

Marjorie — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:29:04 +0000

How do people stand it? Here the Cabbagetown Garden tour people have been slaving for months and it’s raining! I’m hoping this won’t discourage people from going out and seeing these wonderful, secret (in the sense that you’ll never see them any other way) enclaves. I’m going to be at 286 Carlton Street between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. so come on by say hello, ask a question and have some fun.
Bundle up.

The June e-letter about containers is ready. So if you’d like to receive it please let me know. Once again Anna Pemberton has done a superb job of design. That woman is a star.

Marjorie Harris Gardens

Marjorie — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:57:03 +0000

Never ever ever have I know a more rushed, pile or work in the garden than this year. It’s been in other people’s gardens as my design business MARJORIE HARRIS GARDENS is in the process of growing rapidly.
It’s been thrilling but it’s also meant a lot of other things have gone by the board. I seem to be a serial worker. One thing at a time.
My own poor garden is looking a bit shabby but I’ll get to it too.
Today I’ll be doing the Globe on line Q/A thing:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/style/gardening/ask-a-gardening-expert/article1590828/
Call in if you have any questions
The newsletter is FINALLY ready and I’ll be sending it out today if you want to sign up for it.

The garden in mid May

Marjorie — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:20:09 +0000

Here is the garden this May morning. Unbelievable. The blue in the foreground is a Camassia, a wonderful native bulb which only lasts a few days but what glory.
That’s a Syringa velutina in bloom on the left; and Viburnum ‘Summer Snowflake’ in all its glory on the right.
I will be on CBC’s Fresh Air Sat. May 22 between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Please listen.
Working on the container e-letter which will be ready tomorrow in time for shopping this weekend. Be calm.

Marjorie — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:09:24 +0000

I’ll be at the Cabbagetown Festival on June 6th. Here’s the information:

The Cabbagetown Preservation Association presents the 4th annual

Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces Tour

Sunday, June 6, 2010

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Where: Cabbagetown, Parliament Street at Amelia, Winchester, or Gerrard

This self-guided tour takes place in the Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District of downtown Toronto; park your car once and use your ticket as a guide to stroll through this charming neighbourhood. Visit unique urban gardens from the quaint to the quirky. Proud gardeners will be available on site to answer questions about their gardens or their urban critters.

Meet Marjorie Harris, special guest gardener, who will be in a garden with her books and expert advice.

Get your ticket early; this tour sells out. Tickets go on sale April 20th.
Tickets cost $10.00 before the event; $15.00 the day of the event. Most outlets accept cash sales only.

Tickets may be purchased at

Mi Casa, 238 Carlton Street, 416-929-1913

Jay’s Garden Centre, 360 Gerrard Street East, 416-927-9949

Sheridan Nurseries, 2827 Yonge Street, 416-481-6429

Fairway Garden Centre, 520 Parliament Street, 416-921-0624

Cabbagetown BIA, 237 Carlton Street, 416-921-0857 (limited numbers)

Kendall & Co. Studio, 438 Parliament Street, 416.363.9914