Notebook
Dog-friendly garden plants
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a’s trees. Protect Manitob
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localgardener.net
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spring, when little else is in flower in the garden. There are thousands of varieties to choose from, with white, pink or red flowers. When they are not flowering, their shiny evergreen leaves look great all year round. They aren’t hardy through most of Canada, but you can bring them inside when the weather cools down. Soil conditions are the utmost important factor when planting camellias. They need to grow in acidic soil. Grow them in plant pots even if you can leave them out for the winter. Camellias do best in a partially shaded spot in your garden, sheltered from the wind.
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he folks at tails.com have a reminder for dog owners. When shopping for plants, remember to consider whether the new garden addition will be pet friendly. Some plants contain toxins that can cause several problems for dogs, such as diarrhoea or vomiting. Thankfully there’s still plenty of beautiful greenery to choose from. Here are the most pup-friendly plants. Snapdragons Snapdragons are cheerful annual plants guaranteed to brighten up your garden with their wide range of colours and heights. As old-fashioned cottage garden plants, they are beloved by children and bees. Attractive to wildlife, they have a long flowering period, from June until FOREST IN in Fsnapdragons October. If you have tall O your garden, they can be brought into your home. Simply cut and pop them in a vase with water; they last well over a week in water. Michaelmas daisies There are Michaelmas daisies, also known as asters, to suit every garden: they come in shades of white, blue, purple and pink. They’re Fextremely OREST I F popular with bees and butterflies, too. N O ’T When adding this gorgeous DONaddition to your garden, grow Michaelmas MOVEOD Oin R daisies in moist but well-drained soil FI EW full sun to partial shade and cut back after flowering. Camellias Camellias are a popular evergreen shrub that produces a beautiful display of flowers during late winter and early
Sunflowers Sunflowers are one of the nation's most popular flowers. Did you know, sunflowers also come in rusty red, green and white flowering forms and not just the iconic yellow? Depending on the sunflower, they can take 11 to 18 weeks to flower from seed sowing. So when sowing sunflower seeds, sow some every couple of weeks, which will mean you’ll have a constant supply of cheerful sunflowers throughout summer. Top tip If your pup is known for misbehaving in the garden and digging holes where they shouldn’t be, why not create different routes through the garden. By adding clearly defined routes through the garden, it will keep your four-legged friend away from your lovely new plants. If your pooch thinks they are a professional digger, create a designated digging or play area to keep your dog stimulated. Try adding different textures that can be stimulating underfoot, and plants such as ornamental grasses to dance and sway, providing entertainment. If the plants mentioned above don’t take your fancy, other dog-friendly plants include fuchsias, coral bells, impatiens, cornflowers, nasturtiums and calendulas. There are many more as well. V
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Invasive species threaten Manitoba’s trees. The emerald ash borer and other insects live in firewood. When firewood is moved between locations, so are the insects.
One log can kill a million trees. Learn more at: Manitoba.ca/stopthespread
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Issue 4
2021 • 13
