About Marjorie

I live in Toronto with my husband Jack Batten in the same house we bought in 1967 and where our four kids (2 of his 2 of mine) grew up. We are now 13 (three grandchildren) when we all get together. Out of that mob, there are no passionate gardeners.

I have worked this same plot since then, but I really turned into an obsessive gardener in the 1980s and started to make my living as a full time garden writer in 1989.  A bit arrogant when I look back on it, but I’ve never let that stand in the way of a good plant that must be talked about.

My Favourite Plants

Perennials:

• Athyrium frizellaea, fern and A. ‘Ghost’
• Uvularia grandflora * Merrybells
• Tulipa tarda, species tulip
• Hosta ‘June’* H. ‘Sun Power’
• Euphorbia: spp: any euphorbia is great.
• Heuchera ‘Obsidian’
• Hakonochloa macra ‘Aureola’* and a new one called ‘All Gold’ both forms of Japanese hedge grass are, to my mind, essential plants.
• Podophyllum ‘Kaleidoscope’ Asian mayapple; and of course the native mayapple, P. peltatum, is a must-have plant.
• Tradescantia ‘Sweet Kate’
• Pulmonaria ‘Excalibur’, lungwort
• Gillenia trifoliata*, Bowman’s Root
• Cimicifuga ‘James Compton’* Snakeroot
• Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’*, purple Joe-Pye weed

Trees Shrubs and 2 great vines:

• Clematis ‘Betty Corning’ and C. terniflora (Sweet Autumn Clematis)
• Cornus ‘Golden Shadows’ and C. ‘Samaritan’, variegated dogwoods Fothergilla gardenii
• Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’ this form of sumach is not >supposed to spread and has a golden leaf
• Disanthus cercidipholius
• Hydrangea quercifolia oakleaf hydrangea
• Berberis thunbergii ‘Gold Edge’ and B. t. ‘Sunsation’, Barberry
• Amelanchier canadensis (actually all species of amelanchier are great)*
• Serviceberry
• Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’, purple ninebark
• Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum Atropurpureum’ * and A. p.
• shirasawanum ?Aureum?; ?Viridis?, ?Villa Taranto? and ?Red Pygmy? are all gorgeous Japanese maples
• Viburnum plicatum ‘Summer Snowflake’ *
• Sambucus ‘Black Lace’*, black leaf elder

Annuals:

• Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’
• Ipomea batatas ‘Blackie’, black potato vine
• Phormium or Cordyline species both make great pointy statements.
• Acalypha or Copperleaf
• Calocasia ‘Black Magic’ Black Taro
• Canna ‘Intrigue’
• Alternanthera ‘Purple Knight’