Prospect Point, Stanley Park in Vancouver.
The Garden Website for April
New Video: How to Divide Dahlias
New Video: How to Plant a Tree
New Video: How to Prune a Grapevine in Winter
Blog: Tomato Seedlings to Plants
Covid-19 - Seeds, Seedlings & Transplants - Sowing Seeds Outdoors - Seedlings to Transplants
Give Them Such a Pinch - Hardening Off - Veggie Gardening - Lawn Care - Lawn Alternatives
Spring Planters - Planting Tips - What to Prune - Cutting Back - Spring Rose Care
Make More Plants - Weeds - Insects in the Garden - Why Use Compost
April Introduction - April Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - April Garden Chores - Plant Police
April Flower Arrangement - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Flowering Quince
New Video: How to Plant a Tree
New Video: How to Prune a Grapevine in Winter
Blog: Tomato Seedlings to Plants
Covid-19 - Seeds, Seedlings & Transplants - Sowing Seeds Outdoors - Seedlings to Transplants
Give Them Such a Pinch - Hardening Off - Veggie Gardening - Lawn Care - Lawn Alternatives
Spring Planters - Planting Tips - What to Prune - Cutting Back - Spring Rose Care
Make More Plants - Weeds - Insects in the Garden - Why Use Compost
April Introduction - April Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - April Garden Chores - Plant Police
April Flower Arrangement - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Flowering Quince
A Japanese skimmia and a pink early flowering tulip.
Please note that any text that is coloured is linked to another page on this website or another.
Some of the pictures are linked to other websites.
Some of the pictures are linked to other websites.
April Intro
Hello everyone.
I hope you are enjoying spending time in your garden, I know I am enjoying mine, although it’s overshadowed by why I am able to do so. Usually I struggle to find the time to toil in the soil, but now the world is on pause. I think we all wished the world should slow down, but hey, a pandemic? That’s just crazy town. And yet, spring carries on as though all is right with the world – and it is - in the natural world, in fact it’s rebounding without us. April blossoms are strutting their stuff for all of us to admire - since we now have the time. Gardening has never been so popular, and with the social and shopping restrictions it's all the more reason to grow some veggies. A sunny windowsill or grow lights, a plant pot, potting soil, seeds or transplants are all you need. The grocery store is a convenient place to pick up a 'living lettuce' in the produce department. It already has roots, all you have to do is plant it. Then there's garlic bulbs, onions, leeks, shallots and potatoes and since most grocery stores sell seeds, supplies, and you're good to go. Happy spring, happy gardening and stay safe. Cheers, Amanda Click on Facebook to go to my facebook page. I'll do my best to add more garden related stuff. 
English bluebells and a Patriot hosta.
Covid-19
I'm trying, I'm trying!
Due to Covid-19, business will resume when we get the all clear. In the meantime, hope the website helps and I'll post on Facebook.
At least we'll all get some much needed gardening done.
And our pets and children will be happy that's everyone's home. Our kitties are thrilled. |
Amanda's Garden Blog
Golden tulips and a Japanese spirea.
Check out my blog and articles on my gardening experiments, trials. tribulations and excursions. Click on the items below to be directed to its page. To subscribe to my blog click here.
Award-winning Tulip 'Ollioules' is astunning Darwin hybrid.
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Bleeding hearts. I hope your heart stays in tact during this difficult time.
April Garden Stars
A white flowered aubretia, Aubretia deltoidea, low spreading evergreen ground cover, sun to part shade, Zones 4 to 9. And Purple Prince tulips.
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Shooting star, Dodecatheon pulchellum, herbacous perennial, up to 12" when in flower, indigenous to Western North America, Zone 4 to 7.
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English wallflower, Erysimum (Cheiranthus) cheiri, biennial, 6" to 2ft, sun to shade, self-seeds. Zones 7 to 9
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'Augustine Hobbie' rhododendron (R. augustinii 'Augustine Hobbie', broadleaf evergreen, 3-6' x 4, Zone 7
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Eddie's White Wonder dogwood, deciduous tree, sun, part shade, 20-30ft x 20ft, Zones 7 to 9.
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Dwarf fothergilla, F. gardenii, deciduous shrub, 1.5' - 3' x 2' - 4', fragrant, sun to part shade, good fall colour. Zones 5 to 8.
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Serviceberry, Amelanchier canadensis, deciduous tree, to 30' x 20', sun to part shade, fall colour. Zones 4 to 8
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Quebec, Greigii tulip, spring bulb, multi-flowered, 3-5 flowers/bulb, 12", naturalizes, sun, Zones 3 to 8.
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Bellis perennis, English daisy, 6" x 8", herbaceous perennial, sun to part shade, naturalizes. Zones 4 to 8.
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Crown imperial, Fritillaria imperialis, spring flowering bulb, 3-4’ x 1-1.5’, fragrant, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 8.
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Wood anemone, Anemone nemorosa, herbaceous perennial, 0.50 to 1.50 ft, part sun to shade, summer dormancy, naturalizes. Zones 5 to 8.
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White Magic grape hyacinth, Muscari White Magic, spring bulb, 6 to 10 inches, sun to part shade, fragrant, naturalizes. Zones 4 to 8.
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Bishop's Hat (Epimedium × versicolor 'Sulphureum') is a good evergreen groundcover for shade.
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Lake Lolog Barberry (Berberis x lologensis), broadleaf evergreen shrub, deer resistant, sun to part shade, edible fruit, 8ft x 8ft. Zones 5 to 9.
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White form of red trillium, Trillium erectum f. albiflorum, herbaceous perennial, 10 - 20 inches, shade to part shade, unpleasand scent, woodlands, poisonous berries and roots, dormant late summer, Zones 4 to 7
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Evergreen clematis, Clematis 'Armandii', evergreen vigorous vine grows to 25 ft, fragrant flowers, sun to part sun. Zones 7 to 9.
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Fringed iris, Iris japonica, rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, grows to 1 ft, part shade. Zones 7 to 9.
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Checkered lily (Fritillaria meleagris), spring bulb, to 1 ft, sun to part shade, deer tolerant, Zones 3 to 8.
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April PLANT COMBO
Sea thrift in the foreground with Crimson Pygmy barberry in the middle with English lavender in the background.
This effective plant combination is courtesy of the City of Delta. It sits on the side of a road where it receives little care and no additional water, to my knowledge. All these plants don't mind the small amount of soil surrounded by a sea of concrete. It's hot, dry and receives full sun, but the plants don't seem to mind. As a rule, municipalities usually select tough, hardy plants that require little care. This combo includes Crimson Pigmy barberry (Berberis thunbergii 'Crimson Pygmy'), sea thrift (Armeria maritima), English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia).
plant police
This grafted ornamental cherry is of two minds.
This pink ornamental cherry tree is confused and needs help. Although the two different coloured flowers look pretty cool, it's not a good thing. It's supposed to be pink, not pink and white. but that what happens when two different trees are grafted together. Oftentimes the hardy most robust rootstock takes over the weaker grafted part (scion). It is common problem with grafted plants including hybrid tea roses, dwarf, tree forms of shrubs (standards), weeping and variegated varieties. Any errant growth that emerges from below the grafted bud union, must be removed asap. As with this example, the branches with the white flowers must be removed from where they emerge - even if it means digging into the soil and cutting them directly from the roots. Pull them off if the are small or cut them off if that's too difficult. Go right to the base of the stem so it won't regrow. If that is not done, the rootstock will take over and instead of a small fancy pink ornamental cherry it will revert back to the wild and larger cherry species.
A fancy purple cultivar of a filbert (Corylus avellana) is in trouble of loosing it's individuality as the original green rootstock tries to overtake its weaker but more colourful graft. Remove the green stems to their base.
Seeds, Seedlings & Transplants
Avoid Planting Outside: Wait until after your frost date: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, squashes, beans, petunias, impatiens, begonias, geraniums (Pelargoniums) and other frost tender plants.
The timing of planting veggies and bedding plants depends on where you live in the world. Planting tender plants such as tomatoes, peppers, impatiens and petunias after the danger of frost has passed. To find out what your last frost date is in your area click on your country: Canada, America, Great Britain and France.
Some plants don't mind cooler temperatures so read plant labels and seed packets.In the temperate south of British Columbia, plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, petunias, begonias and other warm season plants in late April. For the rest of the Canada wait until mid-May. Sowing Seeds Outdoors
Peas don't mind April's cool weather.
It's time to sow broccoli, spinach and other cool season crops in the garden. Check seed packets for other suitable candidates. Water garden beds a day before planting, especially if the soil is dry. Suitable plants to start outside are listed below.
Vegetables: arugula, broad (fava) beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, collards, endive, fennel, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onion sets, pac and bok choi, parsley, parsnips, peas, seed potatoes, radicchio, radishes, scallions, spinach, turnips. Herbs: borage, chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic cloves. Flowers: calendula, cleome, cosmos, foxgloves, marigolds, nasturtiums, poppies, sweet peas, sunflowers. For more information on direct sowing click here. For more on Growing Vegetables click here. 
'April in Paris' sweet pea. Soak seeds for 8 hours before planting.
SEeds to Sow Indoors
Marigolds are quick to grow from seed and do well when started indoors.
Sowing seeds indoors gives them a head start so they are more mature and are able to thwart plant pests such as slugs, cutworms and other seedling predators. It's a little too late to plant petunias, tomatoes and other plants that should have been sown 6 to 8 weeks before planting out. Luckily there are many plants that are quick to grow these include: sunflowers, cucumbers, squash, melons, beans, nasturtiums, sweet peas, calendula, marigolds, lavatera and peas. For more on Sowing Seeds Indoors click here.
Seedlings to Transplants
Re-potting Seedlings: Seeds that were started in February and March should be ready to put into their own individual pots by now. Repot into larger pots, once seedlings develop two to three sets of true leaves. Transplant each one into their own 2 inch pots. Use potting soil, not garden soil. After about 3 to 4 weeks (maybe less, maybe more depending on the plant and the conditions), roots should be well established with adequate leaves and stems to be prepare them for the outside world.
Prepare seedlings: Broccoli, kale, chard, lettuce, peas, cabbage, sweet peas, alyssum, snapdragons and other cool season transplants can be planted in the garden, as long as they have been hardened off (see below) first.
gIVE tHEM sUCH a pINCH!
To make plants compact, to increase flowers and to promote root growth, pinch off their growing tips when plants develop at least four sets of healthy leaves or just before you plant them outside: marigolds, celosia, impatiens, petunias, salvias and other bedding plants (annuals).
Hardening off PlantsPreparing Seedlings & House Plants for Life Outdoors
When your seedlings are ready to plant out, slowly acclimatize them to the outdoors. This process is referred to as Hardening-off.
Hardening-Off: Before planting outside, plants must be acclimatized. This process is referred to as hardening-off. Set plants outside for an hour in a shaded protected spot. Each day thereafter, increase their time outside by an hour or so, their light and wind exposure until they are outside all day and night. Check on them often during this process to make sure they are not suffering and have adequate water. They will let you know they are unhappy.
These baby pac choi plants are ready to plant into the garden now they've been acclimatized.
Veggie Gardening
A cottage garden in England combines flowers and veggies.
A handy map helps plan the garden and is a good reminder for next your so you can rotate your crops more efficiently.
Lawn CareHealthy lawns don't magically grow on their own. They need proper care so they can out-compete weeds, moss and those darn lawn grubs. For a healthier, greener and stronger lawn change the way you take care of the lawn. By the end of the year, you should a vast improvement.
Core aeration removes plugs of soil so air and water can penetrate to grass roots.
Hate your lawn?Lawn Alternatives
Microclover is getting good reviews as a lawn alternative.
You don't have to have a lawn if you don't want to. This is especially true if the conditions are not conducive to happy grass such as wet soil, soil that's too dry, nutrient poor soil, soil that is rock hard (compacted) and a very common problem: too much shade.
There are many plants that love the conditions that hinders grass from growing. There’s no need to rip up the existing lawn, just make the bed on top with the lasagna gardening method. To learn more click here. If you’d rather have an expanse of green you can walk on, how about microclover? This wee version of clover is easier to grow than grass and is much cuter than regular clover. Ground covers are also an acceptable alternative to lawns. There are some for shade, part shade and sun. Click here to learn more about some very handsome lawn alternatives and which ones to stay away from. How about planting a meadow? Meadow gardens are becoming increasingly popular and rightly so. Like the microclover they provide food for pollinating insects and when done well, they look marvelous. Just weave a path by mowing through ornamental grasses, herbaceous perennials and wildflowers. Cottage gardens are another fun and easy alternative. Anything goes really as you combine shrubs, small trees, perennials and food plants: blueberries, strawberries, dwarf fruit trees, grapes, herbs and veggies together. 
A meadow garden replaces a front lawn.
Spring Planters
Sometimes it's the little things that make us smile like this simple arrangement of daffodils, primroses and grape hyacinths.
It doesn't take much to bring sunshine into the garden, or by the front door, which is where this spring planter is located. A combination of daffodils, primroses and grape hyacinths work well together. Planting up a container full of spring flowers is hard to screw up because, hey, they are colourful and ever-so lovely. Things to keep in mind is to keep your colour palette to two or three, use potting soil not garden soil, select plants that like the same conditions and fill the container so it looks full and lush. For more on container growing click here.
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April Garden Chores
My April garden.
Garden Inspections: Things are hopping this month in the garden, so daily walks are warranted. It also gives you an excuse to walk the garden, which is a good thing.
Remove Winter Mulch: Remove leafy mulch that are covering tender plants if you haven't already done so. If you have used foliage from last fall, remove them from the top of plants, but keep them on top of the soil. Foliage is one of the best mulches around, so keep it in situ. Mulches & Mulching: Speaking of mulch now, is the time to protect garden beds from weeds, erosion, temperature extremes and reduce evaporation by laying a 3 inch layer of an organic mulch on top of the soil around plants. For more click here. Spring Bulbs: As the flowers fade, especially on tulips and daffodils, remove spent flowers so they don't set seed, but don't cut off their leaves. Wait for them to turn yellow or dig up the bulbs being careful to keep the plants intact. Plant them in pots with soil then water and place in a bright location. Replant in the garden in fall. Use Your Compost: Now it's time to undo your compost bin or pile so you can place that black gold in garden beds, containers and around plants. Use a colander or remove by hand, anything that has not decomposed and place it in the bottom of the compost bin for further decomposition. April Plantings
Plant asparagus now, but wait three years to harvest - drats. One more year to go for these guys.
Planting Tips
A cloudy day is an ideal day to plant. This lovely setting is at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.
What to Prune
Remove these suckers and the knob from where they emerge so they don't regrow.
Remove any stubs from previously incorrect pruning.
Cutting back
Cut back heather by just after they finish flowering.
Cut back winter heather, once they have finished flowering, as well as lavenders to get them in shape for summer. Don't cut either one back too far; just below the flower spikes. This keeps plants more compact so they don't get so leggy and sparse.
Cut back ornamental grasses to a couple of inches before they start to sport new growth.
Spring Rose Care
This hybrid tea is Over The Moon (apparently). Prune roses when the forsythias bloom.
Once rose canes start to produce leafy buds and forsythias go into bloom it’s rose pruning time. Cut back rose all canes by 1/3rd. Remove all dead, spindly, broken, diseased as well as old unproductive stems. Cut off canes that grow towards the plant’s centre and those that are crossing. Since roses are heavy feeders, place a few inches of compost, SeaSoil, well-rotted manure on top of the soil around the roses bush. For more on pruning Roses click here. Growing roses click here. Rose Insects & Diseases click here. Rose Types click here.
Make More Plants!
Take softwood cutting from your favorite trees and shrubs.
Trees & Shrubs: It's easy to grow plants with cuttings, and its fun too, especially when it works - hurray! This time of year do basal cuttings (from the roots) and softwood cuttings from new growth. To learn more about how to take cuttings click here.
Perennials: divide overcrowded perennials by digging them up. Discard the centre of the plant if it is non-productive. Weeds
Creeping charlie (ground ivy) grows practically anywhere it wants.
Persistence pays off when dealing with horsetails.
Insects in the Garden
This weird looking thing is actually a ladybug! It's their larvae and they eat even more aphids than the adult lady bug.
Leaves with a few holes here and there are no big deal, but something is amiss when a plant is devoured. Weak plants emit a hormone (ethylene) that attracts plant eating bugs. Soap and water works well to kill them on contact, but if conditions persist the insects will come right back, plus bees,other beneficial insects are also killed – tsk, tsk.
If you want the carnage to stop try to figure out why the plant is so unhappy. Incorrect growing conditions and unsuitable maintenance are often overlooked causes. Correct planting is also important. For ball and burlap plants, remove as much burlap as you can without breaking up the root ball. Plants also dislike being planted so high their roots are exposed, or too deeply their crown (where roots and stem meet) is buried. Click here for tips on planting. Soggy soil and summer drought also compromises a plant’s health. Even shade loving plants don’t like deep shade. Lush, tender new growth is very attractive to plant munchers. This is why new spring growth is often under attack, especially by aphids. Avoiding feeding plants nitrogen too early; wait until the new growth becomes mature. To learn more about fertilizers here. Squish aphids and/or hose them off. Use slug bait in slug ‘hotels’ or copper. Click here for more. Click here for ways to create barriers with cloches and other ways to control pests. For more on insects, click here.
Why USe Compost?
Compost keeps plants and soil healthy for bountiful harvests.
The frequent use of synthetic fertilizers injures life within the soil and reduces organic matter. To find out more from researcher Rick Haney click here. Luckily compost does a much better job to feed plants without harming a soils’ ecosystem.
Well-rotted compost contains nitrogen, phosphorous and potash, the main elements for plant growth. It also contains boron, zinc, magnesium, iron and other trace minerals, which are often missing from commercial fertilizers. Compost also improves soil textures, adjusts soil moisture, buffers soil pH, is beneficial to soil microbes and makes food available to plants. It also doesn’t burn plants unless it is not properly decayed. Avoid using smelly or steaming compost. And don’t compost meat, fat, dairy, processed or cooked food. To feed plants, enrich soil, balance nutrients and pH, add a few inches of compost to beds and around plants every spring. To learn more about Fertilizing & Feeding Plants click here. To learn about Organic Options click here. Learn what the numbers mean click here. Mulch. As mulch breaks down, it converts into food for plants. Lay a 3 inch layer of wood chips, fallen leaves and other organic matter. Mulch also protects the soil from the elements, prevents weeds, reduces erosion, insulates soil from temperature extremes and when it decomposes it feeds plants. And keep leaf litter and other organic debris on garden beds as they also breakdown to improve soil nutrition. For more on mulch click here. 
Retrieve finished compost at the bottom of the compost bin and spread it around the garden. Any non-decomposed pieces are returned to the bin.
April Arrangement
This monochromatic floral arrangements includes only three flowers. The centre blossom is a camelia, the surrounding star shaped flowers are azaleas and the pink hanging flower clusters with the green trident foliage are flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum).
Click here for other monthly floral arrangements.
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Plant of the month
Flowering Quince
Chaenomeles sPeciosa
Flowering quince blossoms are fragrant and cupped with many yellow anthers.
The cupped and colourful flowers of Crimson & Gold flowering quince (C. x superba 'Crimson & Gold').
A flowering quince in Queen's Elizabeth Park, Vancouver.
Flowering quince may spread through underground suckers.
Many cultivars are available from pink, orange-red, scarlet and white.
Fragrant blossoms first appear in spring before leaves emerge.
Crimson & Gold flowering quince is a dwarf cultivar.
Woody thorns protect plants from predators and avid pruners.
There are numerous cultivars available, like this pink variety. They are bred for more colours, bigger flowers and lots of them.
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Common Name: Flowering quince
Botanical Name: Chaenomeles speciosa Form: shrubby, dense, twiggy, oval horizontal Family: Rosaceae Genus: Chaenomeles Species: speciosa Plant Type: deciduous shrub Mature Size: 6 to 10 ft tall and wide Growth: moderate Origin: China Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8 Foliage: simple, shiny, dark green, finely-toothed, broad-oval, green leaves to 2” long. Flowers: March, April, fragrant scarlet blooms on fruiting spurs on old wood, 5 round petals to 1.5 wide, white stamens, blossoms before leaves emerge, Fruit: showy, edible, greenish yellow fragrant pomes, edible, ripen in early fall Stems: thorny, with alternate leaves Exposure: sun to part shade, full sun best Soil: soil tolerant, clay, drought tolerant, prefers well-drained soil Uses: shrub border, erosion control, informal barrier hedge, espalier Propagation: layering, softwood cuttings and seeds Pruning: avoid heavy pruning, prune to shape as needed in spring right after flowering Problems: suckers may appear from the roots, remove asap, apple scape, rust, scale, fungal leaf spot, high pH promotes yellow foliage (chlorosis). Comments: Flowering quince (C. speciosa) produce simple but pretty colourful flowers in spring before their 3 inch long foliage emerges. Each cupped-shaped fragrant flower bears many yellow stamens. Their 2 to 5 inch pome fruit is also fragrant and ripens in the fall. Although they are edible, they are best turned into preserves. They are often used as a substitute for the true quince (Cydonia oblonga). Japanese quince, Maule's quince (C. japonica), is smaller than the speciosa, growing 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, with 2 inch long foliage. Flowers are an orange scarlet. Produces 2 inch, hard, yellow apple-shaped fruit, also suitable for jams. Zones 5 to 9 
Plants are twiggy, thorny and are excellent when used as barriers.
Their thorny stems are laden with colourful flowers.
The fruit from flowering quince is fragrant and makes a tasty jam.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
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Container Growing 101Monthly Flower Arrangements
Growing Roses Introduction Mulching & Types Introduction |
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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