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Spring bulbs for small gardens Spring bulbs for small gardens
Spring bulbs for small gardens ofA love affair with everything that blooms There's nothing like a trip to the Netherlands, particularly in springtime, to shake and wake up the Canadian gardener. All that colour and blossom—everywhere! You'd expect to see window boxes brimming with hyacinths, crocuses and daffodils. But you might be surprised by the extent of the Dutch love affair with everything that blooms.As Canadian photographer Anne Gordon discovered, there is something growing in every available pot and plot throughout the land. In the countryside, a house is not a home without a garden, and no small town is without its public garden. In the city, people lucky enough to have gardens take great pride in them; those without make do with pots and window boxes and vases (cut tulips are often sold in bunches of 50). Flowers line the canals, and even houseboat moorings have tiny gardens.Such a passionate pursuit of gardening makes absolute sense in a country where the earth is so precious. The Netherlands is largely man-made, its lands reclaimed from the sea over many centuries. And though it's not large, it is Western Europe's most densely populated country. Happily, the Dutch have the perfect climate in which to work their horticultural magic: moderate and maritime, with mild winters and cool summers. The days are changeable—a Delftware sky can give way to grey drizzle in the blink of an eye (as the Dutch saying goes, If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute). The Canadian gardener—apt, as in all things, to be somewhat reserved—can't help but loosen up after witnessing the delicious delirium of the Dutch.March forwardIf you've got it, flaunt it may well be the motto of the Dutch gardener. Gardens are meant to be shared, and those blessed with houses are apt to favour the front yard over the back for their best efforts. Though Canadians do the opposite, front gardens are coming into their own in this country, especially in big cities—a welcome development. Celebrate spring with tulips; Hamilton garden Contain yourselfThe Dutch excel in the art of container gardening. They fill all manner of pots, planters and window boxes to the brim, and place them in every available window, nook and cranny. We Canucks could be a little more adventurous in both choosing our containers (there are so many possibilities) and in deciding what to put in them.Celebrate springIn a sense, the Dutch are the caretakers of spring; it is to them that we owe the perennial popularity of the tulip, spring's most enduring symbol. First cultivated by the Turks, tulips were introduced to Europeans in the mid-1500s. Citizens of the Netherlands took to them in such a big way that by the 1630s, a craze we now call Tulipmania reached its peak, and bulbs became worth more than their weight in gold. Though countless people were financially ruined by the time the bottom dropped out of the market and prices plummeted in 1637, the Dutch have never lost their love of tulips. They continue to be the world leaders in tulip cultivation, as well as in the cultivation of hyacinths, daffodils, narcissi, crocuses, gladioli and alliums. In fact, the Netherlands supply most of the bulbs planted in Europe and North America. We Canadians tend to be a little stingy with our bulb planting; in fall, think spring and plant more of everything than you think you need. Here's how you can achieve the same effect Make a little lasagnaCarol Cowan, director of the Toronto-based Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Centre (a media-only resource), suggests lasagna planting (a.k.a. layered planting) to make the most of a small space in spring. “This technique literally lets you double or triple your display of spring bulbs by planting them in layers, one bulb on top of the other,” she says. Your planting efforts on a crisp fall afternoon can reward you with a no-fuss flowering garden throughout spring.Here's howAll bulbs should be planted at the proper depth, which is three times their height. Dig a large planting hole deep enough for the largest bulbs, such as daffodils and large alliums; position them, then cover with a thin layer of soil. Next, place medium-sized bulbs, such as hyacinths and tulips, right on top and cover these with more soil. Place smaller bulbs (such as crocuses, grape hyacinths and snowdrops) over the first two layers, fill the rest of the hole with soil, then firm gently and water well. Says Carol: “Don't worry about whether or not one bulb is right on top of the other—they are clever little things, and in spring their stems and flowers will find their way to sunlight, regardless.”- Credit
- Michael Totzke
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Great fall escapes - Eastern Canada Great fall escapes - Eastern Canada
Great fall escapes - Eastern Canada ofSpectacular Eastern Canada garden getaways Here is a guide to the lovely gardens of a small sampling of inns, bed and breakfasts and restaurants that dot this country from coast-to-coast. We hope they'll inspire you to take an afternoon drive in September's mellow light, or arrange for a longer stay. So hit the road, and please let us know of any others in your neck of the woods that should be included on our next list. You can write to us or send an e-mail to mailbox@canadiangardening.com.Inn at Bay Fortune(Souris RR 4 (Hwy. 310), Bay Fortune, PE C0A 2B0; 902/687-3745; www.innatbayfortune.com)Type of establishment: inn, restaurantThe garden: one-acre plot with herbs and fruit and approximately three acres with flowers and vegetables; a re-creation of an early-20th-century-style Bay Fortune circular gardenZone 4Growing conditions: good soil, well-sheltered location, no early frost; close to the seaKey plants: Swiss chard, pea shoots, spinach, arugula, lettuces, pattypan squash, broccoli rabe, lovage; 14 different mints, sage, sweet marjoram, bronze and green fennel, dillGardening secrets: a spring application of locally made fish fertilizer and a fall application of horse manure and compost; seeds are sown every three weeks to keep a fresh and young supply of vegetables and herbs for the kitchenBest time to visit: end of July through SeptemberMarshlands Inn(55 Bridge St., Sackville, NB E4L 3N8; 800/561-1266; www.marshlands.nb.ca)Type of establishment: inn, restaurantThe garden: partially wild rose garden, hanging baskets, herb and vegetable gardens defined by wooden frames with walkways separating plots. A stone path takes you through vine-covered arches bordered by shrubsZone 5bGrowing conditions: heavy clay; open to a marsh with strong winds from the bay. Rear gardens face south and receive full sunKey plants: lupines, lilacs, flowering crabapples, rhododendrons and rhubarb; hanging baskets are filledwith annuals; herb garden has chives, mint, parsley and rosemary; vegetables, such as beans, peas, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, pumpkins, as well as some 2,000 pansies for garnishGardening secrets: almost totally organic; fresh black topsoil and peat moss are applied to beds to lightenthe clayBest time to visit: June through end of September More gardens to visit in Eastern Canada By the Dock of the Bay(28 Haddock Alley, RR 1, Margaretville, NS B0S 1P0; 902/825-3726; www.cottagesnovascotia.com)Type of establishment: beach houses in two locations (Port George and Margaretville)The garden: English-style country gardens, rose garden, and kitchen garden for guests where herbs, edible flowers, organic heirloom vegetables and fruit are grown. Scattered throughout the Port George property are miniature buildings made from architectural salvageZone 6Growing conditions: loamy, granular (sand, pebbles and stones), well-drained soil. Close to the Bay of Fundy; no frost until October or early November; heavy morning dew or fog in summerKey plants: roses, lavender, thyme, red cabbages, violas, gooseberry bush border, grapevine-covered arbour, hollyhocks, poppiesGardening secrets: horse manure, fish emulsion and seaweed. Plants are also sprayed with seaweed extract for nourishment and protection; spring-fed pond provides irrigation. Pests such as potato bugs are ground up in a blender and sprayed onto plants as a deterrentBest time to visit: July to SeptemberBlomidon Inn(195 Main St., Wolfville, NS B4P 1C3; 800/565-2291; www.blomidon.ns.ca)Type of establishment: inn, restaurantThe garden: serpentine rhododendron garden; heath and heather provide late-winter/early-spring colour; underplanted with impatiens for summer and autumn. Small kitchen herb patch, cacti, rose hedge with gazebo, three ponds, ravine, Italian courtyardZone 5bGrowing conditions: heavy clay, deep sand; sun and shadeKey plants: vegetables, such as eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, beans, beets, snow peas, green and yellow zucchini, asparagus; herbs, such as chives, green and purple basil, dill, bay leaves, thyme, sage, summer savory, parsley; fruit, such as melons, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, rhubarb; sunflowers and dahliasGardening secrets: sunlight and water. Vegetable garden was drained and terraced; drip irrigation was installed and topsoil and compost added. Soil pH is checked (Maritime soil pH is just over 5).Best time to visit: May to late October- Credit
- Marni Andrews
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Great Fall Escapes - Western Canada Great Fall Escapes - Western Canada
Great Fall Escapes - Western Canada ofVisit these fantastic gardens on your next trip Here is a guide to the lovely gardens of a small sampling of inns, bed and breakfasts and restaurants that dot this country from coast-to-coast. We hope they'll inspire you to take an afternoon drive in September's mellow light, or arrange for a longer stay. So hit the road, and please let us know of any others in your neck of the woods that should be included on our next list. You can write to us or send an e-mail to mailbox@canadiangardening.com.Hastings House Country Estate(160 Upper Ganges Rd., Salt Spring Island, BC; V8K 2S2; 800/661-9255; http://www.hastingshouse.com/)Type of establishment: inn, restaurantThe garden: organic kitchen gardens, heritage fruit orchardsZone 8bGrowing conditions: warm and dry summers; wet winters, little snow; heavy clay soil and rockKey plants: herbs, edible flowers, mixed greens, daffodils, tulips, forget-me-nots, alliums, mums and kale; some beds edged with clipped boxwood. For lush display, about 80 five-gallon containers of annuals (five successive plantings) are placed in one bedGardening secrets: perennial beds are overplanted by about 30 per cent to suppress weeds. Soil is routinely analyzed in the heavily used kitchen garden. All beds are top-dressed annually with compost or manureBest time to visit: spring, when 4,000 bulbs are in bloom.Rouge Restaurant(1240 8th Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0M7; 403/531-2767; http://www.rougecalgary.com/)Type of establishment: restaurantThe garden: about one acre; four-metre-tall caragana hedge on one side. One-quarter of the land is used for food production; the rest has many flowering plantsZone 3Growing conditions: high-altitude prairie with near-drought conditions most years; late and early frost. Cool nights even in summer; daily temperature difference can be 30°CKey plants: apple, crabapple, pin cherry, conifer, maple, ornamental crabapple trees-some 100 years old-lilac bushes; gooseberries, raspberries and saskatoon berries are also grownGardening secrets: garden has had a century of care and some original plants survive; plants thrive on homemade compost, sunlight and waterBest time to visit: August More Western gardens you can visit Sooke Harbour House(1528 Whiffen Spit Rd., Sooke, BC V0S 1N0; 800/889-9668; http://www.sookeharbourhouse.com/)Type of establishment: hotel, restaurant, spaThe garden: herbs, edible flowers and vegetables are grown for the restaurantZone 8bGrowing conditions: cool, dry summers; wet winters (140 cm of rain per year). Breezy waterfront location with mostly sunny, southeastern exposure; heavy clay soilKey plants: dozens of salad ingredients, including more than 100 culinary herbs and 125 edible flowers, such as salvias, pot marigolds, nasturtiums, pinks, daylilies, roses, violas and tuberous begonias. An area for growing lemons and olives is in the worksGardening secrets: edible plants are grown organically; soil is amended with compost and seaweedBest time to visit: summer is the most colourful, but the garden is enjoyable year-roundThe Ranche Restaurant900–600 6th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0S5; 403/225-3939; http://www.theranche.com/)Type of establishment: restaurantThe garden 2.5 acres with types of native plants and grasses from late 1800s; quiet pathways with pine benches, a period gazebo and historic gas lamppostsZone 3aGrowing conditions: very dry, long, cold winters; short, hot summers; warm chinook winds in winterKey plants: trembling aspen, white spruce, saskatoon and chokecherry bushes, native roses and shrubs, snowberries, junipers, wildflowers, bunch wheat, needle grassGardening secrets: regular irrigation; indigenous plant varieties are grown to discourage feasting by deer, rabbits and gophersBest time to visit: late June through early AugustIl Giardino Restaurant(1382 Hornby St., Vancouver, BC V6Z 1W5; 604/669-2422; http://www.umberto.com/)Type of establishment: restaurantThe garden: walled, Tuscan-style courtyardZone 8Growing conditions: large, enclosed courtyard with planters in full sun, hanging baskets under the roof and small, narrow beds; soil tends to be dryKey plants: ivy covers shady walls, Virginia creeper cloaks sunny walls. In summer, annuals such as begonias, coleus and impatiens are grown in terra-cotta pots, set off by a scattering of Italian statuaryGardening secrets: constant fertilizing for the ivy and diligent maintenance for the restBest time to visit: summer- Credit
- Marni Andrews
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Great fall escapes - Central Canada Great fall escapes - Central Canada
Great fall escapes - Central Canada ofGarden destinations in Central Canada Canadians are a nation of gardeners. This may stem from the fact that our country is cold for so much of the year, so it's not surprising that we need to nurture fertile, blooming places that add joyful, living punctuation to the rhythm of the seasons.This passion extends to the owners of some commercial establishments, too. What follows is a guide to the lovely gardens of a small sampling of inns, bed and breakfasts and restaurants that dot this country from coast-to-coast. We hope they'll inspire you to take an afternoon drive in September's mellow light, or arrange for a longer stay. So hit the road, and please let us know of any others in your neck of the woods that should be included on our next list. You can write to us or send an e-mail to mailbox@canadiangardening.com.Melfort Cottage B&B(155 Douglas Ave., Oakville, ON L6J 3R7; 905/849-9729; www.bbcanada.com/melfortcottage)Type of establishment: B&BThe garden: white-flowering plants on three levels: a formal area, a rock garden with dwarf plants and a lower level with a circular path around a woodland; half a kilometre from Lake OntarioZone: 5Growing conditions: sandy soilKey plants: yews, boxwood, roses, weeping pear, snowdrop and a yellowwood tree (Cladrastis lutea) that screens the garden from neighboursGardening secrets: soil is heavily supplemented with manure, compost and mulchBest time to visit: spring to early summer More places to visit in Ontario and Quebec Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa(RR 33, Cambridge, ON N3H 4R8; 800/268-1898; www.langdonhall.ca)Type of establishment: inn, restaurant, spaThe garden: originally designed by American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed New York's Central Park); perennial and shrub borders redesigned by Leslie Laking, former director of Royal Botanical Gardens; grounds include the Cloister Garden, as well as rock, kitchen and cutting gardensZone: 6bGrowing conditions: dry, sandy soil; very hot, dry summers; situated on a ridge; kitchen garden in full sunKey plants: most vegetables and about 40 herbs are grown for the kitchen; trees (Camperdown elm, maidenhair tree, catalpa) that are original to the house (1898); perennials with prolonged or repeat bloomGardening secrets: homemade compost is piled on the kitchen garden every fall; mulchBest time to visit: spectacular spring bulb display, perennial borders in summer, harvest season for the kitchen gardenRipplecove Inn & Spa(700 Ripplecove Rd., Ayer's Cliff, QC J0B 1C0; 800/668-4296; www.ripplecove.com)Type of establishment: inn, spaThe garden: several gardens with varied plantings in both full sun and shade; taller plants on lee side of stone walls and fences; dozens of flower boxes. Gardens are spectacular contrasted with fall foliageZone: 4Growing conditions: lakeside setting on a 12-acre peninsula protects garden from autumn frost and ensures a growing season until mid-OctoberKey plants: peonies, roses, tulips, daffodils, spring flowers (under trees), hostas, wild cranberries, flag irises, lilacs (late- and early-blooming varieties), clematis, dahlias, lady's mantle, daylilies; shrubs such as Van Houtte spirea, weigela and viburnumGardening secrets: regular weeding, a covering of leaves in fall, no chemical fertilizers. Solid grey clay was dug out to some 1.5 metres deep; topped up with 60 centimetres of horse manure and straw, and one metre of black loam; thin layer of composted duck manure is added every springBest time to visit: spring for bulbs and August to mid-October for fall foliageHummingbird Hill B&B/Spa(254 Edmond Rd., Astorville, ON P0H 1B0; 705/752-4547; www.hummingbirdhill.ca)Type of establishment: B&B, spaThe garden: crushed-stone pathways bordered by hostas lead to the spa, back gardens and pond; vine-covered screened porchZone: 4Growing conditions: hilly, surrounded by trees; southern exposure provides warm spots where red hot poker plants and rhododendrons flourish; sun as well as shade/woodlandKey plants: delphiniums, foxgloves, peonies, oriental and peony poppies, phlox, shasta daisies, artemisias, clematis, day- and oriental lilies, evening primrose, lungwort, herbs, woolly lambs' ears, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflowers, blanket flowers, yellow loosestrife; beds of ornamental grasses and shade plants, such as hostas, ferns and sweet woodruff; herbs, including oregano, tarragon, chives and mintGardening secrets: plenty of organic matter and regular watering; beds are kept weeded and mulched; plants are cut back hard after they finish flowering to promote more bloomBest time to visit: July for delphiniums and foxgloves and August for daylilies- Credit
- Marni Andrews
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Visit Patrick Lima's Tobermory garden Visit Patrick Lima's Tobermory garden
Visit Patrick Lima's Tobermory garden ofGive the country life a try for a few weeks At first glance the site did not appear very promising. Rake and shovel in hand, we had travelled on the bus five hours north from Toronto to investigate a piece of land – a place to garden – that we had heard about from a friend.Hitching, then walking the last few miles in, we turned the final corner to find a flat field hip-high in seedy hay grass, some scrubby chokecherries crusted with black knot and a few leaning fence posts looped with rusty wire. Only a stand of tall lilacs and a grove of half wild apple trees suggested that there had once been a garden here.From a gardener's point of view, it's what lies under the surface that matters. Digging through the tangled thatch of grass roots we came up with handfuls of gritty sod so dry it flowed through our fingers like sand in an hourglass. Not the crumbly chocolate cake loam we were hoping for, but then again it was July of a dry season after all – and better sand than unyielding clay. Besides, didn't our old gardening books say that any soil, whatever its present state, could be brought around to good texture and fertility? The land needed humus, compost, organic matter – and lots of it.Still, as eager as we were for more space in which to garden, we were hesitant about making the move from city to country; the change would be sudden and complete. Heading back on the bus, we happened to sit beside a woman who said just what we needed to hear to tip the balance. "Why not give it a try for a year? You're not burning any bridges. If you don't like country life you can always go back." Good advice, and timely. A few weeks later a relative hauled us back with a few belongings, the most important being a second-hand rototiller. His encouraging last words? "You'll never make it here."That was in 1975 and our gardening experience to date had been tending two city vegetable gardens one season each but this was enough to convince us that we were gardeners at heart. Our original intention was simply to grow a big organic food garden, a source of unsprayed vegetables and fruit that reflected our interest in eating for health. For several years we did grow only edibles, all the while tilling and raking out heaps of wiry twitch grass roots that ran all through the field. As much as we grumbled about this tenacious plant, we came to appreciate that the dense weave of twitch roots had helped to preserve the light ground from wind erosion. Every creature, it seems, has its place and purpose. The principles of organic gardening One of the first principles of organic gardening is: feed the soil, not the plants. Taking that advice to heart, we set about socking the cow manure, compost, rotted leaves, swamp muck and spoiled hay to this sandy ground. Not too much all at once – the aim was to feed the soil, not stuff it so full of organic matter that the soil organisms could not assimilate it all – a kind of earthy indigestion. But every season, spring and fall, generous and consistent applications of organic matter have turned the pale, dry ground visibly darker and loamier, certainly more fertile and moisture retentive. Summer mulches left to rot back into the ground add to its organic stores. Of all the variables in a garden, the soil is the most amenable to change – for better or worse.With space and (eventually) time to spare, we began to explore and discover new horticultural horizons: a few hardy fruit trees were planted; raspberries, currants, gooseberries, asparagus all found a place. Before long we were discovering the pleasures of fresh herbs for seasoning: tarragon for salad dressings and lovage to toss with stir-fried vegetables; savory and homegrown garlic to mince into steamed green beans; handfuls of fresh dill, chives and parsley for coleslaw and potato salad; and basil and lemon thyme in anything. Not to forget fresh green peppermint, lemon balm, sweet cicely and bergamot for the teapot."If you have two coins," says a Chinese proverb, "buy bread with one and daffodils with the other, for bread feeds the body, but daffodils feed the soul." Inevitably our garden path turned flowery. Given the rigors of central Ontario winters – occasional spells of, 20F (-30C) temperatures and a crushing depth of snow – many familiar shrubs and vines either struggle along or fail outright. Even forsythia, so ubiquitous farther south, blooms rather oddly here – yellow only below a distinct horizontal line that marks the winter's snow level. No wonder, then, that we turned for colour and blossoms to herbaceous perennials, hardy bulbs and alpines – plants adapted by nature to live through a full-blown northern winter. Here we found such a wide field of discovery, so much beauty and creative challenge, that we have been cultivating perennials with a passion ever since.Our flower gardens were not planned as a whole from the start. Rather, they evolved gradually along with our interest in perennials and an expanding plant collection. Beds that once grew potatoes or strawberries gave way to peonies, irises and lilies – a reasonable progression since the soil had already benefited from several seasons of digging and delving to clear out perennial weeds and turn in organic fertilizers for the tubers and berries. A curving border dug along the east side of the lilacs provided the garden's only shady comer for primroses, lungworts, dogtooth violets, bloodroots and others. Favourite flowers and herbs for the garden More practical but just as lovely is a hedge of rugosa roses, many of them Canadian bred. The hedge not only buffered the vegetable garden from chilly winds but seemed like such a perfect border backdrop that we were soon setting out stripling Siberian irises, painted daisies, balloon flowers, more lilies and an edging of 40 or more Allwood's pinks broken at intervals by clumps of dwarf catmint. A special treat for sight and smell, the pinks (Dianthus spp.) were all raised from two packets of seed – a real floral bargain – and no two were alike.Pinks thrive in sweet (limed) sandy soil in full sun – and that is just what we have to work with. From the start we resolved to fill the garden with plants suited to our site, soil and climate. For example, summers are often dry here, and we do all of our watering by hand. Ever on the lookout for drought-proof perennials, we give lots of border room to silver-leaved plants and herbs:• Artemisias, especially the elegant 'Lambrook' silver variety of A. absynthium;• Yarrows or Achilleas of all kinds including 'Moonshine' (our favourite) and the new colours of A. millefolium;• Mulleins or Verbascum, seldom seen but striking silver giants (unfortunately biennial) that light up with yellow flowers in summer. We have both a Greek and Turkish mullein, and now a spontaneous cross between the two that we're calling Verbascum 'Larkwhistle';• Wooly lamb's ears (Stachys byzantium), two prominent patches in place for almost a decade at the front of a long border;• Thymes in variety, including fragrant lemon thyme and grey wooly thyme that tumble over warm limestone rocks that edge several beds.For hungrier and thirstier plants - roses, peonies, delphiniums, aconites, clematis, phlox, helenium among them -- we often prepare a special zone of fertility. This entails digging a hole deep and wide, removing subsoil altogether and backfilling with topsoil thoroughly mixed with crumbly old cow manure, peat moss, compost, bone meal and the like. Then, as a neighbour remarked after watching us go to these lengths only to tuck in a skinny slip of a peony root, "It's not your fault if it doesn't grow." But of course things do grow because they can't help growing if we do a little homework, find out what conditions the plants need and then do what we can to make them feel at home in the garden.From the moment the snow curtain is lifted in spring until a fall freeze-up puts an end to the season, the flowerbeds and borders are a constant source of pleasure and interest. The perennials become friends that we welcome back each year, observing and encouraging their growth and changes. From late May until November and beyond, the vegetable garden continues to yield a daily harvest of superb food. What more could we ask for? Willingly we give our energy, care and love to a garden that has become our home; the garden responds in kind with generous gifts of colour, fragrance and natural beauty nourishment for body and soul.- Credit
- Patrick Lima
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Visit Victoria's Hatley park Visit Victoria's Hatley park
Visit Victoria's Hatley park ofEverything a baron could want He was a wealthy coal baron, a former B.C. premier and lieutenant-governor, a larger-than-life character who was known to tell workmen "Money doesn't matter; just build what I want."What James Dunsmuir wanted, and what he got, was Hatley Park-a 260-hectare Edwardian estate about 15 kilometres west of Victoria. When it was finished in 1908, the luxurious, $4-million Scottish castle was considered the finest residence in Canada. But just as much praise was heaped on the grounds, which featured everything a coal baron's family could want: formal and informal gardens, lakes, pastures for livestock, a dairy and a smokehouse, greenhouses supplying fresh vegetables and a glass conservatory overflowing with exotics. In its heyday, 100 men maintained the gardens and grounds, including a crew whose only job was to rake the 10 kilometres of gravel roads.Today, many of those roads have been paved, and the livestock, smokehouse and glass conservatory are gone, but the home and the gardens retain most of their former glory.A visit is like being plunked into the middle of one of the finest English estates-with a Canadian twist. Surrounded on three sides by forest with the ocean in front, Hatley Park boasts six hectares of cultivated gardens and 180 hectares of forest and trails.Credit for maintaining the grounds and castle must go to the Canadian military, which purchased the estate from the family in 1940 and established Royal Roads Military College. When the college closed in 1995, the government stepped in to create Royal Roads University. Not long after, Hatley Park, or Royal Roads as it's often called, was designated a National Historic Site.With only a small sign marking the entrance, it's possible to drive by the stone wall on Sooke Road without realizing the scope of what lies beyond. But more than 50,000 people find their way here every year to see a wide variety of plants, garden styles and many rare heritage trees. The formal Italian garden section Some of those trees are close to the castle, which is approached by way of grand, long steps overlooked by a statue of Neptune, the ocean monarch. The evergreens flanking the staircase are Cedrus deodora, a species of tree originally from the Himalayas and often found in 19th-century gardens. On either side of the steps are pruned black locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia)."Most of the cultivated trees in Canadian gardens are too young to have reached this size," says head gardener David Rutherford, one of five gardeners who maintain the grounds. "And when you wander through the old-growth cedars and firs in the forest, it's awe-inspiring to think they were growing there when Elizabeth I was on the throne."The formal Italian garden is sited below the castle terrace. It contains original urns, stone benches and statues depicting the four seasons, as well as a central pavilion and a vine-covered gazebo. A spectacular 90-year-old Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) partly covers a stone pavilion at the far entrance, a popular spot for wedding photographs. Along with clipped evergreens, there are climbing roses, clematis, phlox, delphiniums, a boxwood hedge and a Mexican flannel bush (Fremontodendron mexi-canum), which produces waxy, yellow, eight-centimetre flowers for six months of the year. "They aren't traditional Italian plants," explains Rutherford, "because that's not what the Dunsmuirs planted here."The view from the Italian garden is stunning: the original croquet lawn, now surrounded by a classic English flower border, is backed by Esquimalt Lagoon, which has been a bird sanctuary since 1920, with open ocean beyond.A short walk past spectacular, large copper beeches (Fagus sylvatica 'Cuprea') and a huge horse chestnut is the almost one-hectare Japanese garden, which was built in several stages by a gardener from Japan. It features many classic Asian elements, including a large pavilion, twisting paths (to discourage evil spirits), several lakes, lanterns, stone groupings and a waterwheel. An island in one of the lakes was designed to resemble a tortoise and is inhabited by crane statues; both tortoises and cranes are symbols of longevity. Year-round Japanese garden section; visitors' notes Like all well-designed Japanese gardens, this one provides year-round interest. In winter, peeling bark from the paperbark maple (Acer griseum) can be seen etched against the sky. Also stunning is the rich, coppery red bark of the birch-bark tree (Prunus serrula) and the green and white stripes of the striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum). In spring, the magnolia trees bloom, and a bank of 'Pink Pearl' rhododendrons erupts into a mass of pinkish white. But no matter the time of year, make sure you see the rare dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), located near the rose garden. This deciduous conifer loses its needles in winter, revealing graceful branches and red bark, and opens with delicate green foliage in spring.Late June is the best time to see the geometric rose garden, which is partly enclosed by stucco walls and contains an original sundial and bench. Many of the almost 200 roses flower then, including Austin English roses, hybrid teas, old-fashioned shrub roses and ramblers. "We have the Dunsmuirs' original rose list, but the only rose that survived is 'American Pillar', a rambler with carmine-pink flowers, gold stamens and a white eye," says Rutherford.At Hatley Park, it's difficult to tell what's man-made and what isn't. A case in point is the English landscape garden in the lower lakes area, in the tradition of "Capability" Brown, an 18th-century English designer. Ornamental trees flourish here, including London plane trees (Platanus x hispanica syn. P. x acerifolia), English oaks (Quercus robur forma fastigiata) and an outstanding katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) from Japan. Enjoying both trees and water is a variety of wildlife: ducks and white swans, blue herons and eagles, mink, otters and, according to some reports, even the resident ghost, which is said to hover over the water periodically, searching for serenity.The forest glen, just east of the castle, is more wild than cultivated. And it's the only area of the garden that fell into decline until it was reclaimed in the 1980s. "We found the rock steps and stone walls and dug it out," remembers Rutherford, "and the only plants left were clumps of bamboo, hellebores and a few rhododendrons."Using the forest as a backdrop, the area around the bridges and waterfalls was originally planted up with rhododendrons, bamboos, primulas and other plants native to Nepal and Northern China. Rutherford and his crew added more rhodos and hellebores, as well as hardy geraniums, bellflowers, cyclamen and blue-eyed Mary (Omphalodes verna). They also introduced several trees, including a maidenhair tree (Gingko biloba) and a Korean fir (Abies koreana).Visitors' notesLocation: Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Rd., Victoria, V9B 5Y2Getting there: a 25-minute drive from downtown Victoria;Victoria Regional Transit System: 250/382-6161; www.bctransit.com/regions/vicHours: open year-round;daylight hours for gardenFee: free entrance to garden, pay parkingGarden tours: self-guidedtours for groups can be bookedCastle tours: dailyFor more information about tours call 250/391-2600,ext. 4456; www.royalroads.caChannels/about rru/campus information.Events: Victoria Flower and Garden Show, July 11, 12 and 13; the grounds are often used by movie production companies and are available for wedding ceremonies, receptions and photography; grounds fairly accessible to wheelchairs.- Credit
- Laura Langston
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Visit Nikka Yuko gardens Visit Nikka Yuko gardens
Visit Nikka Yuko gardens ofThe spirit of a true Japanese garden Imagine a piece of traditional Japan set in the harsh climate of Lethbridge, Alberta, and you'll have a good idea of what this garden is all about. Although there are many Japanese gardens in Canada, few are as pure in style or as meticulously maintained as the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden.Nikka Yuko's authenticity is intimately linked with its history. During the Second World War, hundreds of Japanese-Canadians were forcibly uprooted from their homes in British Columbia and relocated east of the Rockies, many in the Lethbridge area. After the war, some returned to B.C., but most families stayed on. It was these families, and other interested Lethbridge residents, that proposed establishing a traditional meditative Japanese garden as part of Canada's 1967 centennial. Nikka Yuko was designed as a symbol of the friendship between the Japanese and Canadian people: “Ni” stands for the Japanese word for Japan (Nihon), “Ka” for Canada, and Yuko for friendship. As planning for the four-acre garden began, renowned Japanese landscape designer Tadashi Kubo, of the University of Osaka Prefecture, was invited by the city to help with its design. Kubo's first task was to choose the garden's location. He selected Henderson Lake Park, a site of great natural beauty with a view of the lake and without urban visual distractions such as tall buildings.To ensure that Nikka Yuko captured the spirit of a true Japanese garden, structures such as bridges, gates, pagodas and shelters were built in Japan-and later assembled in Canada-by traditional artisans. Kubo's assistant, Masami Sugimoto, also helped oversee the project, handling such details as the selection and location of plantings.Henderson Lake doesn't form part of Nikka Yuko, but there's a large pond that dominates the centre of the garden. The pond contains an island shaped like a turtle; in Japanese culture the turtle represents long life and luck. Attention to detail is so meticulous that even the stones on the pond's small beach were individually selected and arranged by hand. Designed with restraint and simplicity The major problem that Kubo, Sugimoto and the Canadian volunteers faced was finding plants suited to Lethbridge's Zone 3b conditions. Common Japanese garden plants (such as Japanese maple and Japanese black pine) were not hardy enough, so substitutes had to be found. Among the stand-ins chosen are amur maple (Acer tataricum ssp. ginnala), and mugo and Scotch pines; Prairie-hardy crabapples replace the traditional Japanese cherry trees. These substitutes are carefully shaped to resemble their Asian counterparts. The effect is so successful that even gardeners from Japan have been fooled.But don't look for abundants flowers here: their brilliance and stimulation are not considered appropriate in a garden where one is supposed to meditate and contemplate nature. Instead, everything is designed with restraint and simplicity; Nikka Yuko is a place of subtle contrasts in form and foliage colour where trees and shrubs such as white spruce, lilacs, dogwoods, bearberries and junipers dominate.At a pavilion (built from rare Japanese cypress) located at the garden's entrance, visitors can learn more about Nikka Yuko's history and, on Sundays and during special events, attend a traditional tea ceremony (as long as they're prepared to remove their shoes in the Japanese custom). The garden also offers courses on flower arranging, pruning and other Japanese gardening techniques.Beyond the pavilion lies a curving path which leads through an azumaya (meaning “resting place”), a shelter within earshot of a bubbling waterfall. Over another bridge is the Prairie Garden, which provides the best view of Henderson Lake.Visitors are always well received at the Garden. There's a Ceremonial Friendship Bell, which guests are invited to “gong” (its sound can be heard several kilometres away). You may even catch a glimpse of royalty: since Nikka Yuko's official opening in 1967-with Prince and Princess Takamatsu in attendance-members of Japan's royal family have visited occasionally. Sugimoto also visits the site every two years to ensure it remains true to its Japanese heritage.The garden is open from spring through fall. There is a small admission charge and donations are always welcome.Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, Box 751, Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Z6; 403/328-3511.- Credit
- Larry Hodgson
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Winter 2009
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