Artizan Horticulture

2012-01-31T22:20:00.000-08:00

Rest assured, spring is on the way. While there hasn't been much for winter in Kamloops, I'm sure you will delight at the sight of the first crocus as much as I will. Perhaps some of you have already have your seeds ordered, started or ready to go.
In the meantime, I'd like to recommend some reading that is sure to keep your garden spirit lifted through February.

Des Kennedy just might be the funniest garden writer around. Whether you are new to gardening, or a well seasoned green-thumb, you are sure to whip through this book.

Des gets down and dirty about everything from soil to snobbery. He laughs at his own quirks, triumphs and learning lessons and illustrates the varied eccentric characters in the horticultural world. I challenge you to read the entire book without laughing out loud at least once.

Christmas Trees

2011-12-17T14:25:00.000-08:00

Several years ago our family spent Christmas at a cabin. It was a beautiful, snow filled, natural holiday. This was the first and only time we harvested our tree from the woods. I harbor no guilt regarding this particular tree. We found it in a small stand close to the road. It was a small tree growing much to close to two crowed larger trees. It was slightly Charlie Brown, but perfect for us.

Being a bit of a bleeding heart and a plant lover, I just can't bring myself to buy a conventional christmas tree from a box store, and a fake tree doesn't do it for me, not to mention we simply don't have the space for a temporary christmas tree. Last year we decorated our Norfolk Pine and various larger house plants and will likely continue this tradition.

Here are some other alternatives to the traditional christmas tree.

Here's wishing a safe and Happy Holidays to all of you!

Remembrance Day Poppy

2011-11-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

This is a day to remember. To sit in silence and give thanks to those who risked everything so that we may continue on.

The devastation of war is not limited to the humans. Most forms of life were destroyed on the battlefields. Streams, forests and fields were bashed, mashed and churned into an inhospitable wasteland.

Papaver Rhoeas

Papaver rhoeas, also known as Flanders Poppy, Field Poppy and Corn Poppy, is the symbolic flower of Remembrance Day. The poppy has been associated with death and renewal for as long as the human memory. It is a tough and hardy plant able to grow in unsavory environments, providing food, fuel, medicine and beauty. It's seeds can lay dormant in the soil for over 80 years.

In the spring of 1915, the WWI battlefields in Belgium, France and Turkey transformed into fields of poppies. The disturbance of the soil awaked the delicate flower, nourished by the blood of the fallen. This inspired John McCrae to compose the iconic memorial poem, 'In Flanders Fields'.

Last year, what is believed to be the last remaining poppy from WWI was discovered in the attic of the granddaughter of soldier, Percy Hands.

Pressed Poppy from WWI

The poppy was pressed and stitched to a postcard sent to his wife in 1917.

Sli

Kamloops Spiders, Creepy Crawlers and Garden Gouls

2011-10-27T21:42:00.000-07:00

I've had a few strange roommates over the years. Some of them were down right scary.

This time of year many creepy crawlers try escape the cold and make their way into the warmth of our homes. Earlier in the month I seemed to run into one of these

Wolf Spider

everytime I turned around. I felt like I was in the beginning scenes of some Hollywood B movie, and it never ends well for the first person to come upon a phenomenon.

Last year we were featured in ATTACK of the BLACK WIDOW.

Black Widow

We came upon 14 inside our house in 3 days and counted 7 on one wall at the same time. I have never seen more than one widow in the same place ever.

While I would have liked to watch the inevitable battle ensue, my nerves took over and Hoover saved the day. Thankfully, we've had only one this year.

This lovely lass was discovered amongst some leaf litter last year. As she was out side and doing a good job, I let her be, put on some gloves and moved to another garden.

Black Widow

Of course, some of you are scrambling to get an Irrigation Specialist to blow out your sprinklers. While the risk is low this time of year, an irrigation box is a favorite haunt for the Black Widow. In fact, it's probably one of the dangerous aspects of their job. Luckily, Black Widows are generally mellow and prefer to avoid a conflict. Not much is faster than a Black Widow in flight.

While were are on the topic, I have found a ton of misinformation regarding the Black Widow on the internet. While they don't all look the same, this is the typical, tell tale sign of a Widow. Note the hourglass shape on the underside of the abdomen.

Black Widow

Black Widows often hang belly up and generally have a messy web in an out of the way location with a lower net where she will store her wrapped prey for later. Think of Frodo and Shelob from Lord of the Rings.

Black Widow

Are you feeling scared yet? Is your skin crawling like mine is writing this? Don't be too worried. Black Widows, like Witches and Voodoo practitioners have been hyped up over the years. While they should be treated with proper respect, she is not going to chase your or hunt you in your sleep and death is extremely rare. Would you like to know more? Click HERE

This guy is a personal favorite of mine. This is the Snakefly. They aren't very big, or menacing, but they are strange looking. This poor dear won the Ugliest Bug contest in 2009. You don't have to worry about this one in your garden. Snakeflies are allies in the garden, feeding on pests like springtails, mites and aphids.

They are harmless to humans, and that tail that looks suspiciously like a stinger, is actually and ovipositor, with which females lay their eggs in bark crevices or other hidden areas.

Snakefly

I haven't got a clue what this moth is but it sure is beautiful. If anyone can ID this one, I'd love to know.

Interesting Moth

This is a crane fly. Common; yes, but strange looking non-the-less. They are not gigantic mosquitos and will not suck your blood whilst you lay sleeping.

Cranefly

Orb Spider

This is some kind of an Araneus, or Orb spider. They are horrific looking, but docile. We let this one hang around during Halloween last year, as she stayed in one area and made an attractive tidy web.

Orb Spider

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Pumpkin Spider

Kamloops Landscapers

2011-09-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

Kamloops Landscape Designer

2011-09-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

Now is the perfect time to plan out next years garden.
Landscape contractors book up quick in the spring. It's common for popular companies to be booked up until the end of the season when it seems the season has just begun.

Winter is the time for us to take a deep breath and plan for the upcoming year.
If you have a larger project in mind, or you're unsure of what you want for a smaller project, a garden design can be a valuable part of the process.

Seeing your plan on paper can help you visualize the end results before you tear up you yard. Perhaps a weeping willow is a bit too big for your small yard. Maybe you can make that pond a bit larger. Do you have room for a vegetable garden, an orchard, a show garden and a swimming pool?

Having a design can also help you budget for larger projects. You can estimate your costs in sections and prioritize what you will install first, and complete the other phases as time and money allow.

When you book a design with Aritzan in the fall, we can create a design for you over the winter. Then you can beat the rush and we can begin your installation as soon as the weather allows.

So, call us today at 250-572-GROW (4769) and we can dream up your future garden together.

September 17th Declared Kamloops Tomato Day

2011-09-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mayor Milobar and City Council for declaring September 17th Kamloops Official Tomato Day.

Why not celebrate by joining me at Kamloops 1st Annual Tomato Festival?

Events include:

Tomato tasting-over 60 varieties
Blue Ribbon Contest
Ask a Master Gardener
Learn about canning, preserving, and seed saving
Taste some fabulous dishes from some great restaraunts

For more information click HERE

Kamloops Tomato Festival Blue Ribbon Contest

2011-09-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

Do you have a big beautiful tomato growing in your garden?

How about bizzar?

The Kamloops Tomato Festival is one week away. If you would like to include your special tomato into the Blue Ribbon Contest you can fill out the ENTRY FORM HERE.

The deadline is 10:00 am the day of the festival.
Categories include:

Biggest Tomato (by Weight)
Most Colourful Tomato
Most Bizzare
Most fruit per stem
Most perfect shape

$25 to the TRU plant sale will go to the winner of each category.

Kamloops Heritage Tomatoes - Black Krim

2011-08-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

What do you imagine when you think of the Tomato? Something round, red and juicy? Something like this?

How about something like this?

Black Krim Tomato

I had my first taste of the Black Krim tomato this year. At first glance you might be tempted to toss this rotten looking thing straight in to the incinerator, but this is an excellent, sweet, tangy tomato.
This dark red to blotchy dark-brownish-purple fruit originated in Isle of Krim off the Crimean Peninsula (if you believe what you Google). It's easy to grow and produces large beefsteak-like tomatoes. I'm sure it is great stewed, canned or in salsas, but mine have been gobbled up fresh as quickly as they are picked. The flesh is nice and firm and easily sliced for salads and sandwiches.

If you would like to learn more about the Black Krim or other tomatoes, join TRU Friends of The Garden at the 1st annual Kamloops Tomato Festival, September 17th at the Saturday Farmers Market.

The Weed Garden

2011-07-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

How is this for low maintenance gardening? Absolutely no weeding required.

This container is completely voluntary. I first noticed the violets early in the season. I decided to let them go and transplant them later. Then the Chickweed arrived. "Well, I'll pull it out next time I make a salad." Then I saw a couple of Poppy seedlings. "I might as well let them flower at this point."

Next thing I knew, I had a full container of lovely weeds, complete with feature, filler and trailing plants.

Be Still My Bleeding Heart

2011-06-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

It may feel like fall, but I've still got spring fever, and nothing is making my heart thump quite like the Bleeding Heart. Every year, something new grabs my attention like never before.

Last year I had a love affair with roses, adding 10 more to my collection. It is a passionate and often thorny relationship, full with physical and verbal abuse. I would never accept this behavior from a man, but always find myself forgiving a rose, simply because of it's temporary good looks.

Two years ago I noticed the understated appeal of the violet. Often scoffed at as a weed, abused, walked on and even poisoned, the violet is a much more supportive companion. Nourishing (edible and delectable and high in vitamins A and C), healing (used in the past as a laxative and cooling plasters), handsome and strong and very fertile.

This year, it is the Bleeding Heart. The Bleeding Heart has been a part of my family's gardens for generations. My mother has one in Ontario. My Grandmother in New Brunswick has many, which she inherited from my great grandmother. I have always admired them, but took them for granted. Now I have continued with tradition and have a Bleeding Heart flowering in my garden as I write this.

The only problem is, I only have one. There is also a lovely white Bleeding Heart and fern leafed varieties. This affair is just beginning.

If you are wondering what my husband thinks about all this, he's had a few affairs of his own. Silver Mound Artimesia, Dalphiniums, Sedums, Lambs Ears.......his list goes on for 20 years.

TRU Living Wall

2011-05-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

Trevor from Artizan Horticulture

We are happy to announce that Kamloops has it's first full scale Living Wall. TRU has done some great things in the 5 years I've lived here, but this (in my very biased opinion) is the most impressive.

This living wall was installed by Nedlaw Living Walls from Ontario. Not only is this 4 stories of living art, but it is purifying the air throughout the building. You can feel the difference when you walk by.

We are excited to be maintaining this beauty. I'm sure this will inspire many more in the future.

Check this out Kamloops plant lovers: Michael Pollan's 'The Botany of Desire'

2011-05-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

I had meant to do a book review of The Botany of Desire at some point.

My husband borrowed the book years ago and loved it. I only got through 2/3 of the book before it had to be returned and have had it on my 'books to re-read' list ever since. Last night I cheated and made it to the end via this documentary version of the book. There are extra bits in the movie and of course, more visuals, but there are also tidbits you will only find in the book, like his experience growing a genetically modified potato at home.

Enjoy this film and consider donating to your local PBS.

Watch the full episode. See more Botany of Desire.

Get out and Vote Kamloops!

2011-05-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Today is voting day in Canada. I have always believed that voting is more than a right or a privilege, but a responsibility.

What does this have to do with gardening? Everything. Governments regulate what plants can come into this country. They regulate pesticides, pollution, agriculture, food health, herbs for medicine, taxes on plants and materials. Government affects almost everything in our life, so get involved and get out and vote!

Kamloops Plant Sale @ TRU

2011-04-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

Sempervivm

Thompson Rivers University Friends of the Garden are pleased to host their annual plant sale Saturday, April 30th. You'll find some of the best deals on plants around. I have volunteered for the past two years and always have a blast. It's a crazy plant shopping frenzy but well organized and every one is in great spirits. You'll find a vast selection of perennials, grasses and annuals and sometimes shrubs and trees. Every year I swear I have enough plants in my yard and won't buy a single thing, but the quality is so great and there is always something new that, "I just have to have". There is plenty of knowledgeable staff on hand to answer any of your questions or help you with your load. The event is held in the green houses by House 10 at Thompson Rivers University. Doors open at 9:00 AM. The sale is always a popular event, so come early and get ready to power shop, meet new and old friends and have a great time. See you there!

Echinacea

Miscanthus Flowers

Saponaria

Welcome to Spring Kamloops.........?

2011-03-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

It was such a beautiful weekend. Tulips are popping up all over my yard.

The robins are back

Then this happened.

Thankfully it melted away a few hours later. I love winter, but enough is enough.

TO SPRING by William Blake

O thou with dewy locks, who lookest down
Thro' the clear windows of the morning, turn
Thine angel eyes upon our western isle,
Which in full choir hails thy approach, O Spring!

The hills tell each other, and the listening
Valleys hear; all our longing eyes are turned
Up to thy bright pavilions: issue forth,
And let thy holy feet visit our clime.

Come o'er the eastern hills, and let our winds
Kiss thy perfumed garments; let us taste
Thy morn and evening breath; scatter thy pearls
Upon our love-sick land that mourns for thee.

O deck her forth with thy fair fingers; pour
Thy soft kisses on her bosom; and put
Thy golden crown upon her languished head,
Whose modest tresses were bound up for thee.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Kamloops!

2011-03-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Bring on the Green!

Faith, Love, Hope, Luck

White Clover: Trifolium repens

Clover is a nitrogen fixing plant, so tolerating a little bit in your garden is beneficial to your soil.
Common animal fodder
Clover flower is a great source of nectar for bees
56 is the record for most clover leaves, discovered by Shigeo Obara of Hanamaki City, Iwate, Japan, May 6, 2009-Now that's lucky!

Japan Earthquake

2011-03-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

Our hearts go out to the people of Japan.

For links to donate click HERE.

Via concierge.com

Via hatleygardens.com

Via planetware.com

Via lvye88.com

Via gardenvisit.com

Via goweego.com

Via japzen.wordpress.com

Global Food Crisis, Kamloops Farmers Market, Back Yard Gardens

2011-03-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

Yellow Potatoes

Gas prices skyrocketed recently, and now news outlets say food costs are to follow. Last year Russia placed a ban on the export of wheat because of poor yields due to drought and fires. Canadian wheat farms also suffered poor yields due to an unusually wet season. This rise in prices leads to increased costs for beef, potatoes and other grains.

It has even been suggested that Russia's wheat ban is a factor in the revolutions happening in the Arab world. Egypt is the worlds top importer of wheat, with 50% being imported. It's amazing how one commodity can have such a large impact on the world.

Some of us won't be bothered by increased prices. Others, simply inconvenienced. But there is opportunity in this 'crisis'. First, this means higher prices for the farmers far and near who bring us our bounty. This is also a reminder of how dependent we are on imported goods. Food security is regularly discussed in media and government officials. The 100 mile diet (made famous in the book, The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating, by Alisa Smith and former Kamloops resident, James MacKinnon) is a dedicated approach to eating local and sustainability.

Pea Flower

Now, I've not committed to this diet, but I am a conscious shopper, and seek out local and organic first. I don't have a large yard, but it is big enough for a decent vegetable garden. Come summer my fruits and vegetables come from my own garden or our wonderful farmers market. I have to say, this is the best farmers market I've ever visited. I can find a wide variety of fresh and high quality produce including beef, chicken, fish, lamb, buffalo, wild mushrooms, dried beans, herbs, honey, bread, and more, not to mention the many craft venders. Throw in the live music, freshly made bannock, friendly faces and hopefully sunshine and you have a perfect saturday outing.

As much as I enjoy our farmers market, there is nothing so sweet as the fruit of my own labour. My mint is more fragrant, my potatoes don't require butter, and my apricots are the most juicy. A tomato is never better than when picked fresh from the vine. If you plant some basil beside a cherry tomato, they will never make it to the kitchen table, but you will have a delectable gardening treat.

Enough Coriander to last 3 years

Every year I realize one more item I will likely never have to purchase as long as I'm in this home. Coriander, which is the seeds of cilantro, self seeds like a weed. We harvest cilantro while it's fresh and young, then allow enough to seed to meet our needs, then pull the rest. Cilantro is an annual, and not that difficult to manage if you collect the seeds before they fall. I keep mint in containers and burry them in the garden to over winter. All members of the mint family, such as oregano and lemon balm, have a tendency to take off, so consider how much you will use (and what your neighbors will tolerate) before planting in the ground. Green onions and chives have only been planted once and return each year, kale and chard seed well as does dill and parsley. A single apple and 2 apricot trees produce more than we need, even in poor years.

Onion Flowers

You don't need an acreage to enjoy home grown produce. Many culinary herbs perform well in containers around a sunny deck, balcony or windowsill. They look lovely and smell heavenly. lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries and kale are other popular container produce. If you are lucky enough to have a plantable patch of ground, onions, chard, kale, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, herbs, beans and peas are good producers that take up little space.

Dill Seed

If you desire an ornamental look to your property, there are may attractive edible plants that can be incorporated into your landscape such as:

Current shrubs
Roses (for hips or petals)
Blueberries
Herbs such as rosemary, sage, chives and thyme
Scarlet runner beans
Beebalm
Saskatoon berry
Kiwi vine
Green onion
Grape vines
Fruit trees
Elderberry
Nasturtiums

So let's make the most of this 'crisis' this year. Spend a little more time in the garden, enjoy the sunshine, go for a stroll, visit our market and say hello and THANK YOU to our local farmers.

Kamloops Bumble Bees, Honey Bees, Busy Bees and a Seminar

2011-03-03T14:32:00.000-08:00

“The pedigree of honey Does not concern the bee; A clover, any time, to him Is aristocracy.”

Emily Dickinson

Bumblebee

No sound conjures thoughts of summer quite like the buzzing of a little bee. Without the bee, gods would have no nectar, your loved ones could not be as sweet or cute and poor little Pooh would starve.

The bee (genus Apis) is beloved in all societies. Prized for her honey, admired for her work ethic, honored for pollinating our crops and flowers and feared for her painful, and sometimes lethal sting.

The oldest bee specimen was discovered in a mine in the Hukawng Valley of Northern Myanmar, trapped in a chunk of amber and is estimated to be over 100 million years old. That's almost 15 times older than humans. Now there is concern about the future of bees, especially the honey bee due to Colony Collapse Disorder. The exact reason for this disorder is unclear, but theories include, excessive use of cellular phones, excessive pesticide use, a new parasite or pathogen, poor nutrition and stress due to improper apiary conditions and practices and contamination. The truth is likely a combination of factors.

Bees are a major pollinator, which is essential for many plants to reproduce and produce fruit. It's been suggested that humans would only survive 4 years without the bee. There are other insect and bird pollinators, but they are not enough. In Southern Sichuan China, bees were wiped out due to over use of pesticides in the 80's. Now pear crops are pollinated by hand, a slow, laborious, semi-effective process.

But enough doom and gloom. All is not lost, and you and I can help. First and foremost, we can plant an array of flowers in our yards. The bumblebee (in the top picture) was photographed in my garden. We have several onions that reappear every year and the bees love them as much as I do.

Honey Bee

This honey bee was photographed on our willow shrub early in the season. This shrub was covered with dozens of bees. Other favorites are:

Dandelion (if you can tolerate a few)
Clover
Echinacea
Black-eyed-Susan's
Columbines
Bee Balm
Globe Thistle
Fox Glove
Centurea
Coreopsis
Sunflower
Aster
Veronica
Yarrow

If you would like to take things a little further and start your own bee colony, there is a Beekeepers Seminar this weekend, March 6th at the Coast Canadian Inn. You will have to opportunity to hear 5 speakers including, Ian Farber of the Kamloops District Beekeepers, association president Stan Reist and provincial apiculturist Paul van Westendorp. More details can be found under Upcoming Events on the side bar.

To register or for more information contact:

Ian Farber

Phone: 250.579.8518

E-mail ian_farber@telus.net

Vanishing Bee Overview

Wade Davis to speak at TRU

2011-02-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

One more thing I can scratch off my bucket list. Ethnobotanist, writer, photographer and filmmaker, Wade Davis, will be guest speaker for Thompson Rivers University President's Lecture Series.
If you don't know Wade, you may be familiar with one of his works which inspired Wes Craven's 80's horror flick, Serpent and the Rainbow. The book, a true story, is completely engaging, and one of my favorites.

I have read several of his other works and been wowed by his inspiring photographs, insights and adventures into the world of plants and people. Wade makes the science and politics to an accessible, while still challenging you to occasionally reach for the dictionary (or google) to clarify a word.
As the western world becomes increasingly detached from the natural world, Wade reminds us of the intricate connection and complete dependency humans have to plants through his adventures, observations and illustrations of indigenous cultures from around the world.

If you can't make the event, you can watch one of his lectures on TED TALKS

I hope to see you there. Save me a seat!

Day: Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Cost: Free
Venue: TRU - CAC Grand Hall

For more information you can visit the TRU Newsroom HERE

Kamloops Landscape and Design: Book Review: Front Yard Gardens

2011-02-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

Is this AMAZING weather this week putting a little spring in your step? I'm certainly feeling excited. I've been sifting through garden magazines and books dreaming up ideas and making impossibly long lists of plants that I simply don't have room for. Oh well, looks like I'll have to remove another strip of lawn.

This year, I think I will remove the last pathetic strip left in my front yard. To be honest, it really serves no other purpose than an occasional parking space and a napping spot for our neighbor's lovely old dog, but she has plenty of other spots.

I say, it's high time to move beyond the 1950's trend of the front lawn. Don't get me wrong, a lawn has it's place. No other plant can serve as a bed, soccer field and pathway all in one. However, if your front lawn isn't used, a well designed garden can be a much more attractive site to come home to. Beyond esthetics, a garden can attract more wild life such as bees, butterflies, and songbirds; can be lower maintenance; can use less water, fertilizer and pesticides; increase your 'curb appeal'; can generate compliments.

My all time favorite book for inspiration in this area is simply titled Front Yard Gardens, by Liz Primeau. I refer to this book so much that I have 2 copies. It is full of photographs of beautiful, creative and diverse gardens of every size, shape and style. The text includes interesting history, facts, advice and other tidbits.

Early in the book, Liz takes us through the evolution of her own front yard garden. Being the first in her neighborhood to move away from the sea-of-green, she gradually increased her garden over the course of a few years. If you are concerned about a drastic change, this is the way to progress. Soon her garden was the envy and the inspiration of her street.

One chapter I find particularly appealing is regarding the secret garden. Many houses are set back from the road, with a large front yard, and little to no back yard. Often owners of these homes lament the lack of outdoor privacy available to them, but this can be remedied with a front court yard. You can have a formal, walled courtyard if you desire complete privacy. If you live on a friendly street and you like to meet & greet, perhaps a simple fence and gate, a low hedge or simply a plant boarder is more to your liking. The options are endless.

I hope you find as much enjoyment and inspiration from the book as I do.

WE'RE BRANCHING OUT! Now offering INTERIOR PLANT MAINTENANCE AND INSTALLATION in the Kamloops area

2011-02-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

We are now offering Interior Plant Care services for your home and office. We offer weekly and biweekly maintenance as well as 'Vacation' care.

For more information download our brochure HERE.

Signs of Spring

2010-02-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Spring seems to have arrived early this year. Not so good for the winter Olympics, but great for the impatient gardener. Let's just hope Mother Nature doesn't send us a curve ball with one last freeze. Let's also hope that we receive adequate spring and summer rains!

Of course, this is the year I took up snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, so I wouldn't have minded a few more weeks of winter. Luckily I live in beautiful BC so, with a short drive, I can have my cake and eat it too!

I was very excited to see these pussy willows emerge last week. They are one of my all-time favorite things. I was even more excited to see this emerging tulip. Many more have appeared in my yard since I first noticed this one a few days ago.

Well, were back to work, so please give us a call if you have fruit trees to prune, gardens to clean up or a new garden to plan. In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful weather!

KAMLOOPS LANDSCAPE AND DESIGN

2009-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

FALL WINDS ARE BLOWING BUT WE CAN STILL PLAY IN YOUR GARDEN

Don’t leave that mess for spring

Last chance for fall cleanup!

PLAN FOR NEXT YEARS LANDSCAPE TODAY

Landscape Design & Installation

Roof Top Gardens ~ Xeriscape ~ Water features Pathways and Patios ~ Residential and Commercial

~Always Organic~

Celebrate your garden with us!

Certified Horticulturists ~ 20 yrs Experience

Phone: 250-572-GROW (4769)

Email: info@artizanhorticulture.com

Kamloops Pesticide Bylaw: Effective March 15, 2010

2009-09-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

The City of Kamloops passed a bylaw regulating the cosmetic use of pesticides. This bylaw comes into effect March 15, 2010.

For more information visit the City of Kamloops website here.

For more information on the effects of pesticides visit the David Suzuki Foundation here.

If you would like a consultation to create, renovate or maintain your garden contact us at: info@artizanhorticulture.com

Spring Bulbs, Transplant and Redesign

2009-09-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

A slight chill can be felt in the air threatening an end to summer. Don't despair! Fall doesn't have to just mean cleaning and packing up the garden fun. While we cram in the last camping trips, barbecues and beach days and garden parties, we can also plant, transplant and and redesign for next years pleasure.

Now is the perfect time to start planting bulbs for spring. So often bulbs are forgotten and sorely missed in the last days of winter. There is nothing like a crocus poking through the melting snow to lift your spirit when winter has out stayed it's welcome.

If you are planning to sell your house, a fine display of spring bulbs will attract attention and add a warm feeling to you curb appeal.

Divide and transplant now. This will give your plants time to establish roots before winter.

Lay turf or seed you lawn.

Add organic fertilizer for winter feeding

Prepare a garden to be planted next year

Install hardscape such as raised beds, rock walls, stone paths and patios

Plant hardy vegetable seeds for early spring crops such as spinach, chard and kale

For major projects, consult with a professional now. Designs can be created over the winter and plans can be set in motion for an early spring completion.

Kamloops Business Magazine: Keeping the backyard green

2009-08-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

Read the full article HERE

Pathway, mulch and clean-up

2009-08-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

Hedge Trimming

2009-08-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this pest? Douglas Fir Tussock Moth

2009-07-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

Douglas Fir Tussock Moth

Adult

Eggs

Damage

Cocoon

Larva

WOW, is all I can say. This adorable little critter defoliated my mother-in-laws 50 ft Fir tree in about 3 weeks. Yes, I said spray. BT is a bacterial spray that is currently acceptable for organic use. BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a naturally occurring bacteria that only attacks members of the lepidopteran species (moths and butterflies). As a precaution you can band your trees with Tanglefoot. Keep your trees well watered and healthy.

For more information visit Ministry of Forests
and City of Kamloops

If you require a specialist for larger trees contact the City of Kamloops:

Phone: (250) 828-3461

Email: scook@kamloops.ca

KAMLOOPS LANDSCAPING AND DESIGN

2009-07-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this pest? Spruce Budworm

2009-07-06T12:25:00.001-07:00

The Spruce Budworm is here and the damage can be dramatic. The following photos are in order: Larva (caterpillar), egg mass, pupae, adult and visible damage of a spruce tree. We have already lost so many trees in the Kamloops area. Every tree lost is not only a loss for the city, but for the world. If you notice this pest or damage, please consult a professional immediately for proper identification and appropriate action. Quick action is essential for successful pest management.

For more information on the Spruce Budworm from BC Ministry of Forests click here.

For City of Kamloops pest management information click here.

Our Organic Food Garden

2009-04-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

I was reading one of my favorite blogs today,Unstuffed. The author is planning on creating her first vegetable garden and stated that she wasn't sure what to do. I think this is a good time for an article about vegetable gardens. Like all new gardeners, I didn't know what to do when I made my first garden either. I did however have the guidance of my partner who has a couple of decades of Horticulture experience.

Our first garden in our current home had an unfortunate beginning. Our beloved young pooch died a few months after we moved in. He was a full grown Rottweiler/Lab, so his grave was large and deep. It's an interesting experience digging a hole big enough for yourself and the time consuming labour gives you plenty of time to contemplate life and death. After he was laid to rest and the last shovel full of soil set in place we began tearfully preparing his grave to support new life. I decided to use this first plot as an herb garden. It was protected and sunny and plants that provide beauty, scent, food and medicine seemed to be the best tribute to our pup. I think of him every time I work in that garden.

We expanded from there building 3 more similar sized plots for our vegetables. It was hard work, but very rewarding.

We began with digging out the turf and weeds. We shook out the soil and put the grass into our compost. We then dug over the soil to a depth equivalent to 2 shovels (not including the handle) and removed any big rocks. Next we added a bag of peat moss and the bit of not quite completed compost we'd made. This we spread evenly over the area and mixed in as well as possible.
We were a bit early with the first seeds we planted and lost most of them to frost. We were a bit late with our next planting and had to be patient. Luckily a 'crop' of lambs quarters had eagerly grown. After researching and properly identifying it, we nibbled on this weed until our kale and lettuce grew.

LAMBS QUARTER

We had excellent success with kale, lettuce, swiss chard and green onions. Our carrots were small but delectable. We had a few good radishes, but they quickly became woody. Planted a bit too late I suspect.

We had some amazing cherry tomatoes, but our roma's were a bit mushy. Better for fried green tomatoes. We tried broccoli, but only had enough flowers for a couple of meals.

Last year (a bit late again) we tried broccoli again, as well as cabbage, but both became host to gross looking black aphids. I able to salvage some by washing away what I could and cutting out the rest.

CABBAGE APHIDS

We tried fennel, chives, cilantro, leeks, parsley and another green onion with success. Our peas and beans bore a bit of fruit, but just enough to nibble. They may have been too shaded by our very successful sunflowers that will likely reseed forever. Our spinach, surprisingly, was a no-show. Again, perhaps too late.

Zucchini and squashes have worked well for us. They tend to get Powdery mildew, but only on the leaves. This can be cut away or wiped off. I've heard a milk and water spray works, but have never tried it.

This year, by some miracle, we are actually organized. We have cool season seeds from last years packets, and a few we saved from our crops like cilantro, basil and onion.

In the fall we planted organic garlic and non-organic garlic. I'm interested to see what the difference is once they have both been grown in organic soil. We also planted potatoes.

Our onions and their relatives have returned, the kale is still kicking and the chard has new growth. My herbs are looking well except for some die-back on some sages.

I don't limit my vegetable garden to vegetables. I have some beautiful yarrow (an herb I don't use much because I'm hoping to go to fruit myself soon), the odd iris volunteer and tulips and some other decorative perennials. I also add some marigolds here and there to repel insects and add colour.

I generally avoid very poisonous plants in the vegetable garden like Datura (Jimson Weed) and Hellebore's. There's other spots for them.

My best advice for the novice gardener is read the seed packet. If all of the information you want isn't on it, look the plant up in a planting guide or search the internet. Better yet, ask someone with a nice veggie garden.

Start small. You can alway make your garden bigger later. Plants such as kale, chard, spinach, onions, herbs, tomatoes, beans and peas don't require a lot of space and can be harvested throughout the season. Broccoli, cabbage and squashes require a lot of space, but squashes can be stored for much of the winter.

Add some kind of organic matter:

~Compost
~Composted manure from cows, lama, rabbit, horse, chicken or other vegetarian animals
~Seaweed
~mushroom manure

Weed regularly

Water, water, water. Better to water long and deep every 2 to 4 days than for a short while everyday. This encourages deep roots and stronger plants, and discourages rot and disease.

If you discover a pest act fast. Squish it, remove the affected plant or plant part. Aphids can sometimes be killed with a hard spray of water.

*Make sure the insect is really a pest. Some insects look ugly but eat the real trouble makers. You don't want to kill off your entire pest population so these predators have something to eat. Otherwise they will move to a neighbors to work.

THE GOOD GUYS

LADYBIRD BEETLE NYMPH

ICHNEUMON PARASITIC WASP

THE BEAUTIFUL GREEN LACEWING ADULT, EGGS, AND THE NOT SO BEAUTIFUL NYMPH

ADULT

EGG

NYMPH

Experiment and have fun! You have nothing to loose but the cost of the seeds.

Spring has finally sprung! (and some thoughts on food)

2009-04-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

I may be a fool, but I think spring is here to stay. I have a few crocus' in flower, and more to follow. Plenty of tulips and daffodils are poking through the ground and a few are in full leaf. I've carefully raked away the leaves and debris (and my end-of-winter gloom) to reveal green unfurling leaves and a few surprises. My biggest surprise so far are the new leaves growing out of last years swiss chard. I didn't think it was a perennial and I don't remember any growing back last year. Perhaps some of you can provide some insight.

Speaking of veggies, some of my clients have requested new vegetable gardens or elaborating on existing gardens this year. With all this talk about recession, depression and food availability and quality, people seem to be turning to their own back yards to provide for their kitchen. You just can't beat home grown food! Even the wonderful produce available at our farmers market can't quite compare to the food that was grown with your own blood, sweat, and tears and a little bit of love.

The new leaves of my chard plants has got me thinking about perennial and self-seeding food plants. There may not be a lot, but their are some. Onions, garlic, horseradish and fennel come to mind. Many herbs will return year after year such as mint, oregano, sage and thyme. Of course there are plenty of perennial fruits from apples and apricots to raspberries and saskatoon berries.

You don't have to limit yourself to what you see in a typical grocery store. Some of your decorative plants can be just as scrumptious. Nasturtians have a sweet, peppery flavor and add a touch of class to any salad. Some lily flowers are edible as well as violets and roses. Be sure to properly identify any plant before you include it in a meal. IF IN DOUBT, DON'T EAT IT! BE SURE IT HAS NOT BEEN SPRAYED WITH HARMFUL PESTICIDES.

You don't have to stop at the cultivated garden plants. I eat my weeds too. Weeding doesn't seem like such a chore when the weeds are headed for my belly.
Dandelions are, in my opinion, a perfect food. They are a wonderful tonic for your liver an kidneys. You can eat the leaf in salads and soups. You can make dandelion wine or vinegar, and the root can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute. I'll be honest with you, it is an acquired taste. Dandelion is bitter, especially older plants, but it's worth trying, and not so noticeable when cooked or mixed with other foods.

I also eat lambs quarters (which come up before my lettuce and kale are ready), portulaca, and burdock root. As I stated above, Be sure to properly identify a plant before you use it. IF IN DOUBT, DON'T EAT IT! BE SURE IT HAS NOT BEEN SPRAYED WITH HARMFUL PESTICIDES.

Enjoy the bounty the earth provides!

Suzy Q

KAMLOOPS LANDSCAPING AND DESIGN

2009-03-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd live in Kamloops. I've lived in some pretty spectacular places; Kingston ON, Nelson, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver. Before moving here I had only driven through. The place seemed drab compared to the lushness of the Kootenays and the coastal mountains. Strangely enough, this Canadian desert is where I found my gardening soul.

Kamloops has won awards from Communities in Bloom Nationally and Internationally. It has (in my biased opinion) the best Horticulture Certification program in Canada, and the clay back drop makes the tiniest flowers stand out like mini divas. The City of Kamloops has been creative and progressive with their gardens, blending unconventional tropical and succulent plants with standard perennials and annuals.

As with any town, there are incredible landscape designs and some......... well, uncreative designs. I moved here in the beginning of a housing boom. Every day there seemed to be a new big box or a new row of generic condominiums, all painted various shades of brown and beige. Perhaps there is a bylaw restricting the use of colour. In newer developments, such as Bachelor and Juniper, gigantic houses are built on small lots. Very little space is left for gardens. Often these yards are landscaped with shale or gravel and dotted with common drought tolerant plants and perhaps a dwarf ornamental tree. The visual effect is lopsided as the enormous house diminishes the tiny garden.

This can be easily remedied by a bit of creative planning.

~Vines are a must! They add height and texture without taking up space.

~Seek out a couple of tall thin trees or shrubs such as Sky Rocket Juniper or Columnar Maple, Columnar Cherry and fill in the spaces with a bushy
shrub, tall grasses or tall perennials

~Be sure to include medium and small plants to the forefront of your garden to add depth to your design.

~Don't forget to include evergreens! They add so much life in the long months of winter.

~Don't bother with a lawn. If a lawn isn't going to be useful, it's a waste of water and not worth the maintenance. A well designed garden will be nicer to come home to, add more to your "CURB APPEAL" and cost less in the long-run, not to mention being less maintenance.

~PLANT WHAT YOU LOVE!!!! Remember, this is your garden.

Have fun designing!

SQ

FOOD BY YOU

2009-03-03T12:06:00.000-08:00

You don't need to be a master gardener with acres to work with to grow your own food. You have nothing to loose by trying and everything to gain: Fresh organic produce, exercise, and a sense of well-being. Economist keep harping about a declining economy, job losses, recession, depression; what better reason to be self-sufficient.

If you are concerned about space there are plenty of wonderful, nutritious plants to choose from. We've had great success with low maintenance veggies such as:

Kale
Swiss Chard
Green Onions
Carrots
Garlic
Butter Lettuce
cherry tomatoes

None of these plants require a lot of space. You can tuck them into flower beds or small garden patches. Kale and chard are very nutritious. I put them in salads, soups, stir fries, and steamed like spinach. They are very versatile a keep on giving from spring to fall. Just pick the outer leaves and wait for the inner leaves to grow.

If you have some room to play with I recommend zucchini, squashes,and potatoes.

If you find a particularly successful variety, be sure to let a plant or two go to seed. Keep them in a sealed, labeled envelope in the fridge or a cool, dark and dry space.

If you see interesting seeds, give them a try.

When you are preparing your bed, be sure to add plenty of quality compost, about a 3-4 inch layer. Mix it into the soil, about 1 shovel depth.

Weed when necessary and enjoy the fruits of your labour!

GOT SPRING FEVER? WE DO TOO!

2009-02-23T16:35:00.000-08:00

Spring is on the way, though you couldn't tell this morning as I opened my blinds to see lovely, large flakes forming a new blanket of snow over my snoozing garden. It was an enchanting and disappointing sight. I love my 4 seasons, but come february I have no more use for winter. Now it's the afternoon and thankfully, there is no evidence of this mornings snowfall.

Last week I noticed sweet little fuzzy buds on my apple tree, and this weekend I discovered buds on my willow shrubs. My herb garden has been partly exposed to reveal some of my favorites, sage, lavender and thyme; colour intact!

I've seen sneak previews of Snow-in-Summer, and two ornamental grasses, and I know there is more to come! I can now begin my daily ritual (for 10 months of the year) of walking around my gardens, visiting my precious, slumbering plants and discovering the difference a day can make.

In warmer weather, I make these rounds with Snuggles, my 'garden-helper' and feline friend, in the morning and again in the evening. There is always something new. A sprout, a bud, a bloom, even the occasional unwanted pest.

If you are like me, and can barely wait until the first crocus pokes through the snow, I recommend taking advantage of this remaining snow to mark out a new garden bed or a new border on an existing bed. We don't need warm weather to plan and dream!

A Few Tips on Designing

2008-11-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

You want your garden to look great for all 4 seasons. That's right, even winter. Plants such as tall ornamental grasses, evergreens and interesting shrubs will add interest through out the winter. Here is a brief list of some of my favorites:

Shrubs

Burning bush (euonymus alatus)
Dogwoods (Cornus)
Rododendrons (Rododendron)

Grasses

'Karl Foerster' Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea)
Purple Flame Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens')
Plume Grass (Erianthus ravennae)

Evergreens

Weeping Blue Spruce (Picea pungens 'Pendula')
Globe Blue Spruce (Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa')
Skyrocket Juniper (Juniperus virginiana 'Skyrocket')
Yew (Taxus)

Welcome to ARTIZAN HORTICULTURE

2008-11-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

We are Kamloops organic Lanscape Company.

CELEBRATE YOUR GARDEN WITH US!

The snow may be on its way, but we can still work in your garden.

*Plan now for next year*

We offer unique landscape designs with a focus on oragnic low maintenance, water conservation, blending in with the surrounding environment and a touch of drama.