Home Again, CBC’s Fresh Air and The All Canadian Rose Show

It wasn?t hard coming home from the Tuscan Tour in spite of the glories of the trip only because the garden is such a delight. If it had been in the middle of winter maybe despair would prevail. But right now the sheer pleasure of looking at my own garden is sublime.

The Viburnum?Summer Snowflake? was blooming outrageously. So webmistress Anna put the picture up there on the top. But you don?t get the real impact of how floriferous this shrub is once it?s mature. You have to see it for real to believe it. It is one of the best shrubs there is and it?s a Canadian (UBC) developed cultivar (cultivated variety).

Then the rains came bashing everything down so that the blooms that normally go on and on for weeks lasted only a few. But some are still bravely hanging in. And though the daily tropical downpour has been a pain in the neck when installing plants, it?s great for new gardens. There is nothing like real rain to make a garden grow.

The other day I was sheltering from a late afternoon downpour at a friend?s place. Soon as it was over the watering system next door came on for exactly 15 minutes. Dumb and dumber. A wee rant here so just skip this para if you can’t stand it: watering systems should not be installed unless they are put on proper timers (one or twice a week of deep deep hours-long watering and only if it doesn?t rain). Why does this escape people? End of rant but no doubt I?ll go on and on about this.

One thing I haven?t noticed this year is Cryptotania japonica. At last I seem to have gotten it under control. It was one of those black plants firmly embraced by gardeners several years ago, until it became apparent it had 100% germination and would seed everywhere.

The Anthriscus ?Raven?s Wing? has been swamped by other plants and I?ve got to let it move to a more salubrious spot which it will do all by itself. Some West coasters find this one way too rampant but it?s well behaved in this garden. If you don?t let it all go to seed it is a little too well behaved I could use some more of it?s deep purple blowziness.

I?ll be on Fresh Air tomorrow morning (CBC all over Ontario) between 8 and 8:30 talking about plants of course and wherever else it leads Karen Gordon and myself. She?s a great dame to talk to even if it?s a little early to be up and running.

This is the weekend of the big All-Canadian Rose show at the Royal Botanical Gardens. If you are anywhere in the neighbourhood, get over there. You won’t be disappointed. It’s about the only time you’ll see nothing but Canadian roses grown and cultivated here in one place. Congratulations to Mark Disero for putting it together.