:::This is going to be a waterfall!

In Newfoundland, we are blessed a million times over with rock.  Yes, I said blessed.  This huge piece of bedrock is being used as a waterfall with top and bottom ponds for recirculation.  It's 20° C  here today, just fantastic for October! 

::Layering Bulbs and Spot Composting

So today was taping day for the TV show Living Newfoundland and Labrador.   The shows will air in the coming weeks so hopefully Paul (the camerman and editor) will make us look good. Frankly, I need all the help I can get! 

We demonstrated layering fall bulbs ( yes you can do this ) it's a great idea for small garden beds and an opportunity to have a full season of colour.

Spot composting allows you to decompose your kitchen waste right where you need it..in the garden. Perfect for lazy gardeners!

Pictured below: Gerry, Me, Paul and Sue.

Thanks CBC for the opportunity to work with you and a special thank-you to Ms. Alison Milley for being such a great photographer!

:::Daisy Design on CBC

Yep, we're going to be back again this fall! We'll have some new segments on CBC TV's Living Newfoundland and Labrador.  I'll be taping on Monday, September 29th and should know by then when they will be on the air. Stay tuned!

:::Fall Burn-out:::

I admit it.  My fuel guage is getting low. Our season is so short and demand is high and I'm getting a little tired!  I speak to many people in the industry and this happens this time of year.  I can guarantee you though, we all love our jobs and wouldn't have it any other way! 

Hopefully we can escape hurricane season unscathed and have a productive fall.  Autumn is beautiful in Newfoundland!

Watch your local garden centres for sales begining soon.  Some fall bloomers that work well here are echinacea, rudbeckia, and sedum.

Fun Stuff

I know I harp on scale a lot (it's the one thing that can throw an otherwise flawless project 'off'!) but here is a perfect example of where the size of the home and property allowed for big pieces of limestone tile to form the terrace, just outside the walk-out basement.  I'll take another one in the Spring when the plantings have had a chance to fill in.

Have I mentioned today how much I love my job?!

::Now things are moving!

Looking good huh? We were delayed 4 weeks by a underwater pool light for the deep end. It's unfortunate that it delayed us so long. Hopefully my client's frustrations will go away as they dive in the pool for the first time!

The cabanas will have a pergola between them where lounging and entertaining can take place.  The liner was custom fitted and has been placed but the water is not in it yet.

The next step is landscaping.  That begins tomorrow.  The slope behind the cabanas is a bit of an unknown because there is possibly bedrock close to the house.  We'll know more tomorrow.  The sun is beginning to peek through after 3 days of rain, and I'm looking forward to this project being completed really soon!   

::Wanna be the first landscape project when spring begins? Follow these steps...

Hire a designer in the fall to, at the very least, consult on your property.  One hour of his/her time can help you realize the potential and limitations of your property and design scaled drawings from which a landscape contractor can quote.

The same designer can recommend and facilitate meetings with talented and reputable landscape professionals in your area. Arranging that in the fall and winter of the previous year along with a deposit will get you first off the starting block as soon as the ground thaws!

I know I haven't been writing much lately but that's because I am out and about enjoying every minute of my job.  The pool project is moving forward quite nicely now after a long delay. Electricians, plumbers and Cabana carpenters are giving us their best and my clients and I sure do appreciate it.  Photos in my next post....stay tuned!!

:::Trying to Find a Landscape Professional?::

Well, it may be late in the season but, here is the current list of Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador's Association members:

http://www.landscapenf.org/member_list.php

Hiring a member is (as Martha says) a good thing.

::More than one way to skin a cat!

The truck couldn't fit around the side of the garage so, hey, why not go over the roof?  The pool project continues......

:::The Best of the Net:::

This is a copy of a newsletter from Connon Nurseries in ON.  So full of info I had to pass it on!  Enjoy!

---------

Spring has been a long time coming;tempting us with warm sunny days and then shocking us back into sweaters and jackets! With its prolonged arrival, we can enjoy long lasting blooms from tulips and many other spring bulbs. Lilacs are giving us a show to remember -enjoy Spring’s Tapestry of Colour.

Planting ANNUALS!!! Remember to break-up tight roots, encouraging roots to spread into surrounding soil. Also use a transplant fertilizer, which helps plants to establish quickly, so you can enjoy an abundance of bloom all summer long. WATCH OUT for late frosts!! Cool Spring temperatures are holding on; when weather forecasts lows of 5C(or less) and clear nights, cover your tender annuals to protect from damaging frosts and dreaded cold shock which can stunt growth.

LAWN CARE: Looking for a dark green lawn? Here’s the best kept secret in lawn care that’s never been shared. K-Mag contains MAGNESIUM, which is a major component of chlorophyll – the green colouring in plants. Using any fertilizer spreader, apply K-Mag 0-0-21 now to obtain a richer, green colour in your lawn. Be the envy of the neighborhood.

LILACS enjoy a good pruning! Take time to prune some blossoms and take them indoors. Pruning lilacs while in bloom or immediately after will allow the lilac to set bloom for next year's show! Fertilize lilacs with a high phosphorus (high center number)product mid to late summer to encourage bud development.

PERENNIAL CARE: After the first bloom of many spring flowering perennials, remove the spent blooms and prune back the plant. This results in a stronger, thicker plant, and quite often, you’ll benefit from a repeat bloom! Summer and fall blooming perennials may still be divided in the cool weather. Remember to use a transplant fertilizer, encouraging strong root growth, helping to re-establish newly divided perennials.

Check your EUONYMUS for scale. (Often white and usually present in large quantities; it looks like part of the bark.) The young are now hatching (always when lilacs bloom!) and are very susceptible to an application of Horticultural Oil. Prune out severely affected areas and apply horticultural oil to the rest of the stems, deterring the scale from infecting the whole plant.

::The pool project has begun!::

The plan is to raise the grade so the pool deck is level with existing walkway and terrace on the front of the house (not shown)  Fill was brought in and now some shaping is taking place. Access to bring in the excavator and fill was a challenge but with positive attitudes and open minds we managed quite nicely and we are (so far) saving 3 mature birch trees that will deserve some beautiful uplighting when it's all said and done :-)

:::It's a long weekend: Are you doing some planting? Keep this in mind.

Plant Selection

Proper plant selection for the sites soil conditions, exposure and spacial requirements will reduce future maintenance and problems caused by crowding and obstacles. The International Society of Arboriculture points out that

• large shade trees, i.e. oaks, should be placed about 50 feet (15 m) from each other.
• Medium sized trees, such as red maple, should be spaced about 35 feet (10 m) apart.
• Hawthorns, crabapples, and redbuds would be considered small trees and should be planted about 15 to 20 feet (4-6 m) apart.
• Placing shrubs at a distance of half of their ultimate spread away from the building will allow for adequate growth.

Generally the spread of a tree's crown is equal to that of its height. When planting close to a building, a tree should be placed about half its ultimate height away from a building to allow the crown to develop freely.

::More Show Pics

::Just Sketchin'::

This was the intial sketch of a pool that is to begin installation next week. I'll post pictures of our progress!

::Show Highlights::

Mark had a slide show presentation on an LCD Panel inserted in the 'house' frame as a faux window.  It was pure luck that I got a shot of my logo as it scrolled by.....

I think the water display was my favourite part of the booth but it was hard to choose. It all turned out so beautifully.  Bowering Ponds and Gardens have a very talented crew. No wonder I like working with them!!!

The coolest thing about the house portion was that behind the door we could store a few things and even go back there and have a little lunch!

That's Mark in the black and Scott Layman from Mr. Turf in yellow.  For lawncare, Mr. Turf ROCKS!

I met a lot of fantastic people this weekend and a few old friends. I had a great time.  Denis Flanagan was our Keynote speaker from HGTV and Landscape Ontario. (Note to self: Must get a shot of the seminar area) He is such a talented designer and great person. On Saturday night, we showed him some Newfoundland hospitality on George Street and I'm sure he had a fun time.  Denis was great enough to include me in his keynote and he has an uncanny ability to make me blush :}  I look forward to seeing the crowd from 'up-a-long' really soon!

:::Set up day....We're Ready!:::

Almost 12 hours of setup today for the Landscape and Garden Show.  I'm wiped and I didn't do any of the labour! Thanks to Mark, Charles, Michael and Tim for all their hard work! Make sure you take time to come out to the Glacier this weekend. Drop by our booth and say hi.  We're not hard to find...trust me!

:::Sunny Days and CBC Radio:::

Wow. Is Spring really here?  SHHH. I'm so excited with all this beautiful weather I can no longer hold in my excitement.Shhhh.  If you are supertitious, stop reading.

For the record though, I came out of hibernation approximately 10 days ago full of vim and vigor, only to be smacked in the face with the most brutal cold I have ever experienced!  Why couldn't I get sick whilst in hibernation??? Good weather doesn't last too long in these parts and I must say ( I'm sure my husband would agree) I don't 'do' sickness very well.  I am an impatient patient. Looking at the beautiful weather from the inside was difficult.

Yesterday, in my jammies, I decided to "walk the perimeter" to see if other things were waking up and I am pleased to report there is excitement in my garden. Buds and shoots all over the place!  I resisted pushing back the mulch and other debris however.  Late spring frosts are still happening people!

So, tomorrow aft, I will be on Crosstalk on CBC Radio with Mark Bowering. It's not going to be the regular gardening show, I hope no one will be too disappointed.  Mark and I will be there to answer design and construction questions about your landscape!

In case you missed the show you can hear it here http://www.cbc.ca/radionoonnl/cross_archives/2008_apr_w4.html

::Top 3 Flowering Shrubs::

If you love plants, it is extremely hard to choose just three. So why am I limiting myself? Well, because, there's always next year to choose 3 more!

Forsythia 'Northern Gold'

Weigela 'Wine and Roses'

Purple foliage is very popular these days and why not?  The foliage is quite showy even when not in bloom. Last year I got a second bloom in the fall. I think it likes my compost!  This tree looks great paired with a 'glauca' type evergreen.  I'll get into pairings in future posts.

Hydrangea 'Limelight'

These shrubs are suitable for our climate but you need to consider exposure, soil, and a few other factors. I can help with that!

::Just Thought I would Share::

Steve found a great printing website.  Overnight Prints.

I really like the two-sided printing and rounded edges.  They are coated just like playing cards as well!  The best feature is you design the layout online. The control is completely in your hands.

I used to think that business cards were a thing of the past. But I can't tell you how many times I have been asked for one and there are plenty of everyday opportunities to give them out.  Check out their website here.

:::Living Newfoundland and Labrador

Last fall, we did a few pieces for the lifestyles show Living Newoundland and Labrador.  I just found some pictures of one of the tapings.  Here is a shot of a new tree border and we are discussing basic tree planting. It was a fun experience and I hope to do more!