Making a Lot ... A Lot More

By Ely Schweyer

This spring, Mary – you may know her as the Perennials Gal at Eising Greenhouses and Garden Centre – invited me over for a garden tour. I knew to expect a good collection of perennials, but this garden also shines with personality and character. Having brought my big camera, I wanted to help Mary show off all her efforts, as this property has undergone some serious changes. If you wish to make your garden unique to you, whilst eco and budget friendly, may this garden tour inspire you!

A Clean Slate

Mary and her husband, Chris, brought their 60’ x 120’ property in July of 1985, which was then “no trees, no lawn, just weeds.”

The lack of trees and the overabundance of Norfolk County clay resulted in drainage issues, which led to the first planted tree drowning, and quickly made mowing a strenuous chore.

The Fix

With her husband driving truck for a construction business, Mary and Chris had access to hauling 17 dump truck loads of sand home to raise the property. Mary says the blue-grey clumps of clay still make their way to the surface – but the drainage issues have subsided!

🖱️ Visit this blog to learn more about soil amendments!

Mary then focused on establishing some native trees on a small budget, and that’s when the community began to grow in her garden. “We have had the best neighbors ever, for 46 years, watched their kids grow, and leave, and come back, and leave - pets come and go - quite the legacy!” With the leaves she collected from her neighbours, Maple Trees volunteered sporadically over the property. Then, after buying a native Carolinian forest seed package at a Toronto garden show, Mary carefully seeded Yellow Birch, White Birch, Wild Crab Apple, and three Sycamores, which now stand tall and proud in her garden. One of my favourites in the little forest was a variegated lilac!

These trees not only provide protection for the house and the many birds but also offer enough shade to maintain a moss-like lawn that requires minimal mowing. The shady canopy offers a coziness adding to the overall quaintness of the garden.

The Perennials Gal’s Perennials

In 1985, the property was surrounded by woodlots; however, all is subject to change. “When we learned of a housing development planned for the forest across the highway from us, I lead crusades to save the native plants that were so abundant there.” The forest may now be gone, but the Trilliums, Mayapples, Violets, Solomon’s Seal, and Ferns are still growing happily and abundantly in Mary’s – and her neighbours’ – gardens. “Over the years I have shared many trunk loads of perennials, many of which were given to me!” Other notable perennials in Mary’s garden are an abundance of Crocus and Forget-Me-Nots, a Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and a Prickly Pear Cactus.

Hardscaping

One of my favourite things in any garden is creative ways to recycle and repurpose, and Mary’s garden does not disappoint!

Immediately, one will notice the unique pathways that intertwine throughout the spaces. Mary collects broken terracotta and ceramic pottery pieces to create footpaths akin to mosaics. The addition of colour is not only visual but provides an audio sensory experience as one moves throughout the garden, “we can always tell when a little animal is coming to visit us sitting out here,” as the pieces gently clink underfoot.

I also must make note of the wine cork pathway to the fairy garden!

The back patio too is tasteful and playful visually, with blue blocks laid interspersed. You’ll be pleased to know that the Dover Arena lives on in Mary’s garden – the repurposed blocks lie on their sides – and the blue? Those came from the men’s washroom!

The Ponds

Two little ponds provide popular watering holes for birds, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and the neighbours' cats, all of which are welcome.

The pond nearest the patio is a fish tote off the Dover Fish Tugs. Mary dug into the clay to set the 4’ x 4’ x 3’ deep tote, knowing she had one chance or she’d never be able to pull the heavy tote out. “We figure that whoever inherits this property will have to dynamite the pond out, it is set in Norfolk County Clay!” The tote pond is home to a family of goldfish, who don’t mind wintering in it with its little waterfall that keeps the water moving. The goldfish weave through Irises, Waterlilies, and Dwarf Hyacinth.

Another small pond sits in the very back of the yard between the trees, visited by many birds and critters.

The Fairy Garden

As a fun ongoing project, Mary recently began a fairy garden – and is it ever quaint! Central to a tree and skirted by a pathway, many of the pieces are thrifted or gifted!

Pots as More Than Just Containers

Mary uses pots to extend where she can grow her favourites; this is an excellent way to create varying heights, breaking up horizon lines and adding interest. The terracotta orange also contrasts beautifully with Mary’s frequent use of blue.

Things that Make it Just Mary and Chris

Vintage and found objects help to ground any space. Mary and Chris have collected rocks, driftwood, shells, “anything that makes a statement, big or small,” bringing unique natural elements into their garden that sync with their interests.

Mary and Chris, founders of Port Dover’s famed Friday the 13th, undoubtedly have a longtime love of motorcycles. In March of 1978, they travelled south to Daytona, Florida, for Bike Week, the largest motorcycle event in the world. There, Mary would earn a ‘raccoon’ nickname from wearing wide-brimmed shades all day in the sun. “Of all the stuffed toys Chris could possibly have owned at that time, he had a little raccoon at his bed side table, I still have it, it would be Number 1 of 3920! Yes, the collection is cataloged, every piece is given a number and recorded. I still collect to this day, but am very selective as to what I buy, as I have so many.” Mary’s raccoon collection is playfully hidden throughout her garden, with little mischievous eyes watching you as you move about. The ornaments help to draw the eye up into the trees and into the shrubs. Mary makes an effort to carefully pack them all up in the fall and bring them out again each spring.

Speaking of spring, this blog will be updated with summer and fall pictures as the garden moves through time!

Mary’s garden is a little ode to a life well cherished; no one thing in it is without purpose or a memory. It is also a great example of reusing and repurposing – gardening does not have to cost an arm and a leg to be great. When you enter the space, you know whose energy is channeled into it, and that is, in my opinion, exactly how to garden!

A Full List of Plants that Grow in Mary’s Garden

Plants that Enjoy Zone 5a and 6b - Provided by Mary

TREES and SHRUBS

• Norway Maple
• Sugar Maple
• Sycamore
• White Birch
• Yellow Birch
• Cedars
• Forsythia
• Burning Bush
• Butterfly Bush
• Kousa Dogwood
• Weeping Cherry
• Sand Cherry
• Pine
• American Oak
• Ginkgo 
• Red Bud
• Annabelle Hydrangia
• Variegated Lilac 
• Wisteria
• Rose of Sharon
• Variegated Euonymus
• Juniper
• Holly Bush
• Wild Crabapple

SPRING BULB PERENNIALS

• Tulips, Daffodil, Hyacinth, Narcissus, Windflower, Snowdrops, Cilia, Crocus, Frittalaria, Grape Hyacinth

FREE SEEDERS

• Forget Me Nots
• Lunaria (Money Tree) 
• Columbine
• Sun drops

GARDEN PERENNIALS

• Hostas (approx 10 species)
• Irises (approx 4 species)
• Tall Phlox: pink, purple, white, coral
• Creeping Phlox
• Candytuft
• Periwinkle
• Lily of the Valley
• Oriental Poppies
• Cranesbill Geranium
• Jacobs Ladder
• Lamnium
• Goutweed
• Lungwort
• Sweet Woodruff 
• Clematis
• Ivy ground cover
• Sedum, creeping 2 Species
• Sedum tall
• Ajuga
• Blue Grass
• Hens and Chickens - 100’s!
• Variegated Solomon’s Seal
• Allium
• Beard Tongue
• Brunaria
• Goats Beard
• Bergenia
• Creeping Thyme

NATIVE PERENNIALS

• Red and white Trillium
• Jack in the Pulpit
• Wild Geranium
• Mayapple
• Wild Violet
• Ferns (approx 6 kinds) 
• Solomon’s Seal
• Euphorbia
• Prickly Pear Cactus

POND PLANTS

• Yellow Iris
• Dwarf Hyacinth
• Water Lily

Be sure to visit Mary in the perennials section at Eising Greenhouse & Garden Centre this summer for many of the mentioned plants – and be sure to make your garden yours! 🪴

By Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer

As plant people, we’ve all experienced that moment when we realize the novelty phase of that plant we brought home from the garden centre has worn off. The plant isn’t standing quite as tall, the flowers aren’t as bold, and the leaves are unravelling smaller or not at all. What is this magic they perform in the greenhouse? Perhaps you’ve provided sufficient lighting and adequate watering; there’s just one thing that is often overlooked because dirt is dirt, isn’t it?

  97% percent of plant tissue is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen pulled from the air and water, the remaining 3% is comprised of 16 other elements taken up from the soil. The quality of soil then is crucial to your plant’s health. Whether your plants are in pots or in ground, each soil type you could provide your plant offers something unique and may lack in another.

*Clay particles are even smaller than silt particles.

Resist the Urge to Slam Your Plant in Potting Soil

There’s bags and bags of rocks, sand, bark, manure, and moss on the shelves, yet the common buyer seems to always opt for potting mix. It’s fair; organic matter is usually great for plants and simple to use. However, most people don’t realize it’s merely an ingredient.

   Strictly using potting mix is like attempting to make a loaf of bread out of only flour. All those bags of other materials on the shelves are also components for a successful plant diet!

  Potting mix is a great base material, however, alone it presents risks of compacting, becoming waterlogged, can mold easily, and over time will become depleted of nutrients. Consider mixing the following ingredients into your pots, ground and raised beds to meet your plant’s required nutrients, pH level, and volume of moisture.

🖱️Use our Plant Finder to find some details on your plant! We try our best to keep this updated!

👍 Rule of Green Thumb: Plant roots can help you to determine the medium needed – thick, robust roots (i.e., yucca) typically enjoy chunkier materials, and smaller, delicate roots (i.e., begonias) enjoy finer materials.

Mulch and Bark Bites

• Mulch is the organic slow-release fertilizer, as it slowly decomposes, it lowers soil pH. However, may eventually compact soil once fully broken down.
• In the meantime, it creates shelves in the soil that create air pockets and prevent the soil from compacting. Mulch is a great short term medium for arid potted plants.
• If kept too wet, it can harbour fungus gnat larvae.
• Make sure when sourcing your mulch it doesn’t contain any black walnut.

🖱️ See more on mulching here. 

Sphagnum Peat Moss

• Peat moss is used to help retain moisture and lower pH in the soil given it is harvested from bogs.
• Retains nutrients very well.
• It is difficult to rehydrate once it loses moisture.

Coconut Coir

• Coco coir, much like peat moss is used to keep the soil moist and keep pH low, however it lasts longer and is possibly less invasive to harvest.

Sand

• Grains are relatively large and do not bind, allowing for excellent drainage depending on grade.
• Adds weight to top heavy plants.
• Has no ability to store minerals itself, however, pH can vary by its content of shells, minerals like silica, or fine organic matter.

Manure & Compost

• Source these organic by products locally and ensure they’re not too hot. These additions can significantly lower pH.
• Sheep manure is usually near free of weed seeds as sheep digest seeds better than cattle and horses!

Perlite

• Perlite is a volcanic byproduct (so it floats like pumice) that helps drainage in the soil and prevents compaction – vital in the case of starting seeds.
• If a rockier, well-draining medium is required for your plant, consider perlite.
• Perlite can expand holding trace amounts of water.
• Perlite has a neutral, slightly acidic pH.
• Make sure when sourcing perlite, that you are not being sold Styrofoam balls.

Vermiculite

• Vermiculite is a recycled mineral used similarly to perlite, and too has a neutral, slightly acidic pH.
• Expands with water content.
• Can contain amounts of potassium and magnesium (as well as good cation exchange capacity).
• Runs the potential risk of introducing asbestos into your soil.

Calcined Clay Materials

• Clay materials like recycled brick bits, pottery, or lecca are typically used for arid plants as it improves aeration and drainage.
• Can raise pH.
• Can retain some water.
• High cation exchange.
• Can also be used for starting robust cuttings when kept moist.  
• Probably not ideal for inground amendments.

Maintaining Your Plant’s Dietary Needs

Perhaps we’ve crafted the perfect soil type for your plant – your plant thanks you – but over time, we will end up in the same staling predicament. Why? Because with each thorough watering, we leech the soil of the provided nutrients. Best we use the plant-specific required fertilizer for your plant to prevent nutrient loss.

   Organic sources of fertilizer such as bonemeal, composts, and manures, along with the application of lime, will improve the physical condition of the soil in terms of water and element holding ability. Unfortunately, in many cases though, manures and lime alone cannot be depended upon to provide enough available nutrients in soils with low essential element reserves.

   Let’s talk about commercial fertilizers, which can help target your plant’s exact needs much like vitamins and supplements!

The Scoop on Fertilizers

Of the essential 16 elements your plant pulls from the soil, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are the most critical for good plant growth. You’ll recognize the three numbers appearing on your commercial fertilizer labels known as the fertilizer analysis of the product, representing the percentage of each of the three "macronutrients" in the order of N, P & K.

Nitrogen (N) is necessary for green leafy or vegetative growth which is important in crops like corn, cabbage, and potatoes.

☝️ It is important to remember that you should not use a fertilizer which is high in nitrogen late in the summer on your perennials, as it may cause a boost of growth which will only freeze as the cold weather sets in. Also, too much nitrogen in the analysis could cause too much lush, leafy growth thus inhibiting the desired flowering aspect of a plant species.

Phosphorus (P) promotes the development of flowers, fruit and roots. Crops like tomatoes, cauliflower and garden flowers.

Potassium (K) boosts plant hardiness, stem strength, resistance to disease and drought which is important to all crops, but especially in potatoes, celery and rhubarb.

👍 Rule of Green Thumb: For foliage plants, provide them with shade and lots of nitrogen, and for flowering and fruiting plants, provide them with lots of sun and lots of phosphorus!

Amending Clay

Hello Haldimand and Eastern Norfolk!

   We’re presented with the challenge of compacted, often shallow and waterlogged clay, which proves difficult but not impossible.

   Clay becomes compacted and waterlogged as it is the smallest soil particle – smaller than a grain of sand, and even smaller than silt – with rough edges that allow it to interlock and bind. In this instance, roots cannot penetrate further into the soil, are susceptible to root rot, and air pockets are slim to none.

   This, however, can be fixed with the addition and renewal of the above materials.

  Mindful that you don’t create a watery bowl in the ground (score the edges the area being worked), you can add organic matter (i.e., manure, compost, and potting soil) for nutrients, as well as mulch, sand and perlite for aeration and drainage. Annual soil particle aggregation in clay soils increases air porosity (air pockets) and is accomplished by the incorporation of organic matter that breaks down to form humus.

🖱️ See more here for planting trees in clay. 

We hope this soil and fertilizer guide helps you provide all the vital nutrients to your beloved plants in ground and above ground! For more information - and soil – visit Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre! 🌱