I think most of us know that last Sunday was Mother’s Day, but did you also know it was  Clean Up The Sturgeon day?  What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day then to say thanks to Mother Nature by helping clean up some litter, plant some trees, and spend some time with the family? Sure, brunch would have been nice, but how could I say no to a bike ride, BBQ lunch and the chance to make a bit of difference in the city with my kid right beside me?

We decided to start our day at St.Albert Place and  move down the river to tree planting and a BBQ lunch at St. Albert Centre. Of course the fact that we also knew ice cream (courtesy of Dairy Queen) was at St. Albert Place also weighed into our decision of...

Last week in Jim Hole’s newsletter he spoke to the fact that carrots can be planted now so that they pop through the ground as soon as spring arrives; ironically reading this article spurred me onto harvest my crop of carrots. As you know from my previous carrot chronicles, vegetable gardening does not seem to be my thing. I discovered the joy of seed tapes this year, but a combination of late seeding, poor soil and who knows what did not lead to a bumper crop. In fact the picture below illustrates my entire crop. The second picture shows the largest and the smallest of the carrots I harvested…yes indeed world hunger is not going to be solved by my growing efforts.

However, I have plans for 2012…a big bag of compost, some manure and a plant date that does not start with J should get me back in the carrot business! Stay tuned.

 

According to the National Research Council, a green roof (one covered with plants) minimizes heat flow into a building and can reduce the summer energy demands (i.e. air conditioning) by up to 75 percent.

I stole this quote from Jim Holes Gardening newsletter; his newsletter is a constant source of inspiration for me and Jim is responsible for my excitement about “Woolly Pockets.” You would assume this product would probably serve to keep your hands warm…not even close. “Woolly Pockets” allow you to grow vertically…yes indeed; I am talking about green walls. Made out of recycled pop bottles these growing pouches feel like soft felt. They also feature a watering tongue that wicks water down to the roots of your plants, a moisture barrier that prevents leakage, and breathable material that allows excess moisture to evaporate. The units are modular and can be used horizontally or vertically and both inside and outside.

Plant material is up to you; you can plant a woolly pocket full of tropical plants...

During the third weekend in August, the lobby of St. Albert Place is transformed into a botanical paradise. This is when the St. Albert & District Garden Club holds their annual show.

The annual flower and produce show contains many of the same elements as a traditional fall fair. There are categories for flowers, vegetables, photography, preserves, floral design, creating vegetable sculptures, etc. Ribbons and prize money are awarded for first, second, and third place.

This year in celebration of St. Albert’s 150th there was a heritage section. This section showcased vegetables, herbs, flowers, etc. that was available and might have been grown by the Early Settlers in St. Albert at the time it was founded.

This event is nostalgic for me. When I was a child our entire family was involved in our town’s annual fall fair. We entered every category we could, and it was such a thrill to win a ribbon, and of course the $2.00 first prize was also pretty exciting. As we grew older and less excited about this ‘boring’ aspect of the fair, my mother stayed involved in the fair by becoming a judge…us kids only attended the fair because of the midway. However, becoming a parent changes things, and after being gone for several years, we were transferred back to my hometown for a two year period. It was perfect, my children were the right age to bake cookies and create vegetable sculptures. I was once again able to re-live the thrill of winning a ribbon through my children.

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This year I decided I needed to get back to the land, put down roots so to speak, so we built a small raised garden bed. The intent of the garden was to grow a few fresh vegetables, mainly salad greens, onions, carrots, etc. The bed was not finished until the last week of June, so I did get a late start.  When I went seed shopping I discovered a wonderful new product called a seed tape…wow this was easy, lay it down, water, and cover with dirt. The garden was planted in 20 minutes.

I was so pleased with myself; the only difficulty was that I had nothing to mark the rows with…however, I decided no problem; I have six rows…how hard is it to remember six rows? I also looked at this as one of my ‘Still Alice’ tests…if you have not read ‘Still Alice’…you should. It is the story of a woman that is slipping deeper and deeper into Alzheimer’s…seriously, this book will scare the crap out of you…so in response to this book, I give myself ‘Still Alice’ tests on a regular basis. Well this one I failed miserably which...

I fell in love today; one look and I was head over heels…her name is Nelly Moser. She is elegant and graceful, her petals are a delicate purple, complemented with a darker hue and her leaves are a vibrant green. Nelly Moser is Clematis and lives at the Botanic Park.

I am confident that I will love Nelly for years to come. Being a perennial, I’m sure Nelly will return my love, at least for a few months each summer.

My exposure to Clematis and other climbing vines is quite recent…but they wooed me immediately. For years I have driven down St. Albert Trail and saw the greenery draped over the sound barrier but really gave it no thought…until this year. Early in the year the Mayor suggested we should invite the rest of the residents that back onto the sound barrier to grow vines…a letter was sent inviting...

Petunias are beautifying the St. Albert Community Hall grounds