May 2006

Volume 17, Issue 2

Dear Fellow Gardeners Inside this issue:

Create a Butterfly 2 Garden

Did You Know … 2

Give Your Yard Curb 3 Appeal

Chocolates for the Garden 3

Exciting Changes at 4 Parkland

Upcoming Events 4

It’s that time of year we eagerly awaited all winter. The days are getting longer, the snow has melted, and our gardens cry out for attention.

We have spent the winter at trade shows across the U.S. and Canada, seeking out the newest and most unique plants, home decor and gift items for your home and gardens.

One of the new lines we have introduced to Parkland is canvas backed artwork.

These stunning pieces of art will add beauty to your home, giving it that finishing look!

Not to forget the garden! We have introduced new wrought iron gated arbors, and tree surround benches which are sure to delight. Walk through the gated arbor into a garden just bursting with color and dotted with garden art.

Then relax on the bench in the sun dappled shade of your favorite tree and enjoy the labors of your efforts.

The hottest trend in water gardening is the ‘Pondless® Waterfall

If you have always wanted a pond but are either limited in space or have safety concerns due to young children or pets, this is your trump card!

This virtually maintenance free waterfall is perfect for the front yard and fits into small spaces where a pond might be crowded.

Our garden shop staff will be happy to give you more details and help you with all your gardening needs.

Gardening in the Frost Gardening in May

frequently means dodging those frosty nights. This is especially true when we want to get an early start with frost tender plants such as tomatos or dahlias.

There are many ways to avoid frost damage; including planting your sensitive plants near heat absorbing rock walls or on hillsides where cold night air slides downhill. If you don’t mind the extra work, you can plant those tender plants in large patio pots so they can be moved

inside overnight.

Covering your plants will also help them survive. Plants love a warm blanket! Your old blankets and sheets will keep several degrees of frost at bay; however, they can be heavy and damaging to new tender plants.

Remay, available in our garden shop, is much lighter and even two layers can be applied without damaging the plants.

The most effective frost protector is the kozy-cote. It employs double-walled

plastic filled with water that can keep 6-8o of frost at bay.

Kozy-cotes can be left on during the day to act as mini-greenhouses to encourage daytime growth.

Parkland Garden Club Newsletter

Keep the Night Frost

at Bay!

Kozy-cotes employ double-walled

plastic filled with water that can

keep 6-8 o of frost

a bay.

Create a Butterfly Garden

When creating a Butterfly Garden, you have to look at the different plants with fragrant flowers as well as flowers that will create a platform of sorts for the insect to land on.

The result of this kind of planting naturally evolves into a relaxing place that you will want to spend time in. Why not add a bench or garden chair to relax in and enjoy the different colors of butterflies attracted to the many beautiful flowers blooming from spring through fall.

CODE QTY PLANT NAME

1 1 Golden Eclipse Lilac 2 3 Mops Mugo Pine 3 3 Compact American Cranberry 4 1 Diablo Ninebark 5 3 Goldflame Spirea 6 3 Siberian Coral Dogwood P1 10 Astilbe ‘Purple Lance’ P2 5 Bravado Cone Flower P3 10 Dwarf Phone Aster P4 1 False Sunflower ‘Summer Sun’ P5 5 Hosta ‘June’ P6 1 Joe Pye Weed P7 3 Karl Forester Feather Reed Grass P8 1 Liatris P9 3 Little Rainbow Daylily P10 4 Rockcress

P11 1 Snakeroot

Plant a Legacy Tree Legacy Trees are slow growing trees that are very long lived. Take an afternoon off and plant a memory with your children … or better yet, with your grandchildren.

Autumn Purple Ash ~ Green Ash ~ Elm Bur Oak ~ Autumn Blaze Maple

European Mountain Ash ~ Pin Oak Mayday ~ Hawthorn

Did You Know . . . …that the groundwater in

Red Deer contains a high concentration of lime that leaches into the soil and over time can weaken or kill perennials and shrubs that require acidic or neutral soils.

A rain barrel can solve this problem, save your treasured plants, and reduce your water bill. Rainwater is oxygenated, unchlorinated (chlorine is bad for soil bacteria), and warmer than tap water, qualities that actually make it a better

source for plants and safer for the environment.

Parkland Garden Centre has a large selection of rain barrels suiting any budget. Our expert staff can assist you in selecting the best rain barrel for your needs.

Page 2 Parkland Garden Club Newsletter Volume 17, Issue 2

What was old is now new

~ but improved

Give Your Yard Curb Appeal

What impression does your yard make? Take a walk out to the road in front of your house and look at it objectively. Is the lawn unkempt? Are there flower beds, trees or shrubs to catch the eye? Does the pathway to your front door welcome company?

There are a number of ways to remedy lack of curb appeal. Start by picking up children’s toys, junk or clutter from the yard. Rake up leaves, pine needles and other debris. Mowing and edging along the drive and walkways gives the yard a

well-manicured look.

Create some flower beds and fill them with flowers. A few carefully selected and well placed shrubs will greatly increase the appeal and value of your home.

To make heads turn how about a rose arbor framing the entrance to the walk or a climbing vine encircling a lamp standard or mailbox. Rocks, groundcovers and garden art positioned amidst plants will create additional interest.

If space allows, a waterless pond with waterfall will

provide a beautiful, safe focal point.

For a welcoming entrance use pots, urns and planters filled with colourful flowers and place along the pathway and front door. By using a variety of plants with different heights and bloom times, you can have continuous interest through the changing seasons.

Whether you have a small or large budget, our landscape designer can help you transform a ho-hum yard to one with “wow” appeal.

Chocolates for the Garden

Use rich brown foliage to inject plants with the drama of the new black – Chocolates! It goes with everything! Parkland Garden Centre carries several varieties including:

• Heuchera ~ ‘Chocolate Ruffles’ (perennial)

• Rudbeckia hirta ~ ‘Autumn Colors’ and ‘Cordoba’ (annual)

• Berberis thunbergii ~ ‘Royal Burgandy’ (shrub)

• Hibiscus acetosella ~ ‘Red Shield’ (annual)

• Eupatorium rugosum ~ ‘Chocolate’ (perennial)

• Ajuga replans ~ ‘Chocolate Chip’ (perennial)

• Hemerocallis x ~ ‘Sweet Hot Chocolate’ (perennial)

• Heuchera x brizoides ~ ‘Black Beauty’ (perennial)

• Cimicifuga simplex ~ ‘Brunette’ (perennial)

Smell the chocolate scent of Chocolate cosmos! Absolutely mouth watering!

New Introductions With Summer Sizzle Put some sizzle in your sunny garden with the introduction of three new varieties of Monarda from Morden, Manitoba.

Coral Reef ~ A tall-stemmed plant (30-36”)(75-90 cm) with a deep pink flower.

Grand Marshall ~ A mid-sized plant (18-24”)(45-60 cm) with a rich fuchsia purple flower.

Grand Parade ~ A compact plant (15-18”)(38-45 cm) with a softer lavender purple flower.

All of these varieties offer outstanding flowers and excellent resistance to mildew.

Parkland Garden Centre is pleased to be the first to offer these exciting new monarda to Alberta gardeners.

Page 3Parkland Garden Club Newsletter Volume 17, Issue 2

Transform a ho-hum yard to

one with “wow” appeal

Bring in this coupon for

10% off Your purchase of regular priced

Perennials, Annuals, Trees and Shrubs Any Tuesday in June 2006

Limited one coupon per person

A weed is a plant that is not only

in the wrong place,

but intends to stay.

- Sara Stein

GARDEN CLUB CARD

Exciting Changes at Parkland We at Parkland Garden Centre are always striving to improve and provide our customers with the best possible service. In keeping with our desire to be environmentally responsible, as well as to reduce mailing and printing costs,

we have implemented an electronic mail format of our

newsletter.

For your convenience, the newsletter will now be available on our website www.parklandgarden.ca or sent to you automatically via email. Simply go to our website, click on the subscribe button and fill in your e-mail address and areas of interest. What could be easier!

For our valued customers who do not have access to a computer, we will continue to have a limited number of newsletters available for you to pick up at the Garden Centre. Newsletters will be available in February, May, August and October.

Upcoming Events

Pancake Breakfast & Country Drive Saturday, July 15, 2006 Pancakes served from 8:00 am until 11:00 am

Private Garden Tours Thursday, August 10, 2006

5:45 pm until 9:00 pm

Craft and Market Sales Sat. & Sun. November 11th & 12th

From 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm Saturdays November 18th, 25th, December 9th & 16th

10:00 am until 4:00 pm

Business After Hours Tuesday, November 28th, 2006

From 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm

SPCA Pet Pictures with Santa Sundays, November 19th and 26th 10:00 am until 4:00 pm

Be sure to check our website for more events and details!

Sign up to receive your newsletter electronically and your name will be entered into a monthly

draw for a chance to win a $50.00 gift certificate

In addition, one lucky person will win a

$300 gift certificate! Draw to be held in November 2006

Central Alberta’s Best Kept Secret!

Open Year Round

RR #2, LCD1, Red Deer, AB T4N 5E2

On Highway 11 only 3 minutes east of 30 Avenue

Phone: 403-346-5613

Fax: 403-346-4443

E-mail: info@parklandgc.ca

We’re on the Web!

www.parklandgarden.ca

Parkland Garden Centre publishes the

Garden Club Newsletter.

Articles are written and edited by the specialists

of Parkland Garden Centre. Subscription is free.

Should you have any questions or would like to see an article

on a specific subject, please feel free to contact us.

Parkland

Garden Centre

Parkland Garden Centre has Central Alberta’s largest selection of

Perennials, Annuals, Trees and Shrubs!