It’s Still Just Dirt – January 2016, The Tillsonburg News
by Penny Esseltine

The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society is gearing up for the 2016 year with plans for great speakers and excursions and other entertaining events throughout the year. And amidst all of the planning and organizing by executive members for the year ahead we’re going to talk about New Year’s Resolutions for the Garden.

I know, I know, your garden is buried under snow but you’ll be surprised to hear about some of the plans that gardeners have so early in the year.

For example … Joan Massicotte tells us that at her condo apartment she has only a small patio. “I have found through trial and error that I just don’t have room for large planters,” Joan says. So she is on the lookout for information about, and items to incorporate into the two fairy gardens that she is planning for her patio in 2016.

Christine Nagy knows just what she will be looking for for her garden this spring. “I spotted a unique hosta in a recent gardening magazine and fell in love with it immediately,” Christine says. “The difference with this hosta is that it has a colour that you won’t find in any other hosta. It has red petioles (the stalk of the leaf), red flower stems, a red blush in spring that lasts four to six weeks and a thin red edge to the leaves all season long.” Christine isn’t sharing the name or the source of this hosta because she says there are limited numbers available and she can’t wait to get one.

Juanita and Richard DeRoo are looking for two things this year, a dwarf cherry tree to add bloom and some height to their small garden as well as a lovely Godaishu peony in light yellow or orange for both colour and diversity. “We will remove an otherwise hum-drum peony to make way for the new,” they say, “and add a bit of a tongue to one bed to accommodate the new cherry tree, a sort of Japanese makeover for 2016.”

“My New Year’s resolution for 2016 is not to buy another plant until I’m sure I’ve decided where it is to be planted,” says Jean Mann. Jean says she needs to make sure she has just the right spot with the right amount of sunlight or shade for each plant she decides to bring home. Although her intentions are good, Jeans says she’s concerned about being able to stick to this resolution. “When I attend the first gardening show of 2016 and suddenly see all those beautiful plants just waiting for a good home, the temptation may be too hard to resist. Odds are if you check around my yard in the spring you’ll see a potted plant or two still waiting for me to find the perfect spot.”

Jan Torrell says instead of putting more perennial plants in the ground she’ll be looking to add annuals for show. “We are considering a move so I will want to dig out all the perennials and take them with me,” Jan says. That could be a lot of work.

Catherine Burke has plans to transform one of her front gardens where a woody honeysuckle is crowding out the hydrangea tree. “With the removal of the honeysuckle bush, I will need to fill the gap,” Catherine says. She plans to consult a local nursery for suggestions about what will best fill the space.

“My New Year’s resolution is to make my garden more manageable this year to make it easier on my back,” says Marian Smith. Marian says this will mean planting more native species that can look after themselves and using more mulch to prevent weeds.

Benoit Janssens has a New Year’s gardening resolution that he’d like to share with all gardeners. “If every one of us planted one native plant (a perennial, a grass, a tree or a shrub) we could collectively increase the chances that a bee, or butterfly, or worm, or bug, or even a bird would find this little island of sustainability during the growing season.” Ben encourages us to plant with nature in mind and give our local ecosystems a boost. “Grow a beautiful garden for yourself and for all of our local creatures too,” he says.

Thanks to my fellow Horticultural Society members who shared their New Year’s resolutions for the garden. As for me, my resolution remains the same as in years past. It’s more gardens, less grass. I’d much prefer to grow gardening spaces and add beautiful new plants than to nurture grass. Some would say my lawn speaks to that? Regardless, as with many things, anticipation is half the fun so it’s a New Year and we can all look ahead to new experiences in the garden in 2016. Enjoy!

This will be my last It’s Still Just Dirt column for the Horticultural Society and I’d like to express my thanks to the Tillsonburg News for helping us to promote gardening in the community through the column. I’m pleased to report that Angela Lassam will take on the It’s Still Just Dirt column starting in February.

As always, for information about the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society visit tillsonburghorticultural.ca. on line.