Expert Picks You Can Plant Right Now

By Ava Green

Looking for a flowering shrub that delivers season after season? We asked our experts at Eising Garden Centre to share their top picks, the ones that customers and staff love most, and they delivered. Whether you’re looking for spring blooms, fall colour, wildlife and pollinator value, or a shrub to suit your space, there’s something on this list for every garden.

Fuji Cherry ‘Little Twist’, Prunus incisa ‘CarltonLT’

As an accent in a small garden, or planted in a grouping in a larger garden, this multi-stemmed shrub is a gem! 

In early spring, crimson buds emerge before the leaves appear. Little Twist then produces clusters of lightly scented white, bell-shaped flowers with soft pink centres that grow along its stems, a stunning early-season display. It is a deciduous shrub, and leaves begin as green before shifting to coppery-bronze, then deepen to a rich burgundy in fall. Smooth, dark red bark adds interest in the winter once the leaves are gone.

This slow-growing, multi-stemmed shrub makes a striking feature in your garden.

Best for: Small gardens, accent planting, four-season interest. | Sun: Full sun | Mature size: 6 ft. tall × 6 ft. wide

Downy Serviceberry, Amelanchier canadensis

One of the most rewarding native shrubs you can plant, Downy Serviceberry earns its place in the garden from spring right through to fall. Showy clusters of fragrant white flowers in early spring, followed by small, sweet, edible purple-blue berries in early summer that are wonderful for making jam and an absolute favourite for birds. Come fall, the foliage puts on a spectacular show in shades of yellow, red, and orange.

As a bonus, choosing a native plant like Serviceberry supports local pollinators and wildlife, making it as ecologically valuable as it is beautiful. It works well as a specimen plant on it’s own, in a grouping or hedge, or naturalized in a larger landscape.

Best for: Wildlife gardens, naturalized areas, multi-season interest | Sun: Full sun to part shade | Mature size: 20 ft. tall × 10 ft. wide

Amur Privet, Ligustrum Amurense

Amur Privet

When fast growth and privacy matter, Amur Privet is one of the best choices available. This dense, dark green shrub produces white flower panicles in late spring and small black berries in fall. It responds exceptionally well to pruning after it blooms, making it an ideal candidate for a formal or informal hedge. If you need to fill a space quickly and create structure in your garden, this is a reliable, low-maintenance option. 

Best for: Hedging, screening, fast coverage | Sun: Full sun to part shade | Mature size: 12–15 ft. tall × 8–15 ft. wide

Viburnum ‘Fragrant Snowball’, Viburnum Opulus ‘Roseum’

Few shrubs stop people in their tracks quite like Fragrant Snowball Viburnum in full bloom. Large, rounded clusters of sweetly scented white flowers cover the plant in spring, creating a display that’s hard to match. While it doesn’t produce fruit, it earns its place again in the fall when the foliage transitions to rich shades of purple. 

Pruning after it blooms will help to keep it a manageable size and encourage healthy new growth. It’s also available as a standard, or tree form, which matures to a more compact 6 to 8 feet tall.

Sun or part shade are best for this deciduous shrub, a beautiful, solitary accent plant for the garden growing 12 feet high and 10 feet wide. As a standard, it is smaller, maturing at 6 to 8 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide.  

Best for: Specimen planting, cottage gardens, fragrance | Sun: Full sun to part shade | Mature size: 12 ft. tall × 10 ft. wide (shrub); 6–8 ft. tall (standard)

Snowbelle Mockorange, Philadelphus ‘Snowbelle’

Don’t let its compact size fool you; when Snowbelle Mockorange blooms in early summer, it puts on a big show. This dense, mounded shrub is blanketed in sweetly fragrant double white blooms that are absolutely irresistible to bees and butterflies. Once the flowers fade, its rich, dark-green deciduous foliage makes it a lovely backdrop for other blooming plants in the border.

Growing just four feet tall and wide, it’s one of the best choices for smaller beds, borders and foundation plantings. It prefers full sun but handles part shade as well.

Best for: Small borders, foundation planting, fragrance | Sun: Full sun to part shade | Mature size: 4 ft. tall × 4 ft. wide

More Flowering Shrubs Worth Exploring

This is just the beginning! At Eising Garden Centre, we also carry a wonderful selection of Azalea, Eastern Redbud, Kwanzan Flowering Cherry, Hydrangea, Dogwood, Butterfly Bush, Beauty Bush, Lilac, Rose of Sharon, Forsythia, and Potentilla, to name a few. 

The best way to find the right flowering shrub for your garden is to come in and see them in person, and right now is the perfect time to plant. Stop by and chat with Zach or Donna, who are always happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, based on your space, soil, and vision. We’re here to help you make the most of every corner of your garden!

By: Ava Green

One of the best things about living in southern Ontario is the beautiful show our deciduous trees and shrubs put on each fall. 

Autumn is also the perfect time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials. The sun is less intense, temperatures are slightly cooler, and with regular, deep watering, the plants are less prone to transplant shock, ensuring a successful planting. 

As the leaves begin to change, they mark the arrival of autumn, a season full of colour and celebration. If fall is a special time of year for you, our staff have handpicked their favourite deciduous trees and shrubs with the most stunning seasonal displays. Here are their top recommendations.

Autumn Blaze Maple

Botanical Name: Acer x freemanii 'Jeffersred'

This tree is a cross between the fast-growing Silver Maple and the showy Red Maple - two very popular trees! 

Autumn Blaze will provide a display of colour throughout autumn by starting earlier and lasting longer than most other trees. It’s large, with 5-inch leaves that begin by turning red at the top, then eventually shades of red and orange cascade down the length of the tree. 

Even in the winter, this is a beautiful specimen because its shape is so symmetrical.

Seven-Son Flower

Botanical Name: Heptacodium miconioides

Considered a small tree or large shrub, Seven-Son Flower is popular for its year-round beauty! 

Growing to a maximum of 6.1 metres (20 feet) tall and 3 metres (9.8 feet) wide, the leaves of this plant change from spring to summer, making it an interesting specimen plant in the garden. 

The biggest attraction is the fragrant white blooms it produces late in summer, which are highly attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. As the blooms fall, they leave behind pink sepals, so it looks like it’s in bloom all over again!

Its unusual bark makes this tree beautiful year-round, but especially in the winter.

Washington Hawthorn

Botanical Name: Crataegus phaenopyrum

Leaves that turn vibrant shades of orange, purple or scarlet red in the fall are just part of the beauty of this small tree.

This is another specimen with year-round interest. In early spring, reddish-purple leaves emerge, which eventually turn dark green, followed by graceful white flowers. After its fall show, it produces bright red berries that last for most of the winter.

Maturing at 8 to 9 metres (25-30 feet) tall, Washington Hawthorn is also an important nectar plant for pollinators and provides food for birds in the winter.

Barberries

Botanical Name: Berberis thunbergii

Depending on the type of Barberry these deciduous shrubs can grow ½ to 3 metres (1-10 feet) tall and have varied shapes and features as well. For example:

• Barberry, Concorde (Berberis thunbergii 'Concorde')forms a nice globe when it's mature. Leaves start out red and gradually turn a deep, dark purple as they mature.
• Barberry, Ruby Carousel (Berberis thunbergii 'Bailone') is a compact variety with vibrant, ruby-red foliage.
• Barberry, Rose Glow (Berberis thunbergii 'Rose Glow') which matures to 1 to 1 ½ metres (3-5 feet) tall, starts out with a combination of green, white, and deep rose-red foliage in the spring. In the fall, it produces bright red berries that persist into winter.

Beautyberry, Pearl Glam

Botanical Name: Callicarpa 'NCCX2'

While many Beautyberry are showy in the fall, Pearl Glam is an upright, small shrub that has all-season interest. Its dark purple foliage emerges in the spring that lasts until frost. 

In late summer it’s adorned with white flowers which attract butterflies and bees. After blooming it produces hundreds of beautiful violet-purple berries which last long after the leaves have fallen.

Crepe Myrtle, Cherry Mocha

Botanical Name: Lagerstroemia 'Cherry Mocha'

Another small ornamental deciduous shrub with an upright growing habit, Cherry Mocha Crepe Myrtle has decorative appeal in every season.

Burgundy coloured stems with semi-glossy burgundy leaves makes this plant stand out. To add to that, new growth at the tips starts out glossy, deep red. If that’s not enough, in late summer and early fall, the blooms on this cultivar are large, cherry-red flowers which stand out from the burgundy foliage. Its flowers late in the season provide important food for bees. After flowering, green seed pods provide extra interest.

Note: Have you ever wondered why leaves on trees and shrubs change each fall? Here’s a simple explanation. During the long, sunny days of summer, trees and shrubs produce plenty of chlorophyll - the food needed to keep the leaves green. In autumn, as the days grow shorter and temperatures are cooler, there is less chlorophyll produced and the plant breaks down residual chemicals on the surface of the leaves which produces shades of red, orange and yellow.

You’ll find more information in our handy Eisings online Plant Finder!

Growing Vegetables in Pots!

A few years ago, I was walking through town with a friend as we discussed planting vegetables in our tiny front gardens. It seemed like an unusual idea until we spotted not one but two front gardens with pumpkin vines rambling amongst the shrubbery. What a novel way to cover the ground without mulch and have the bonus of showy, bright blossoms and bold foliage! Of course, this is eventually followed by the standout feature of brightly coloured pumpkins. It’s built-in fall decorating!

Right now, everyone is looking for ways to reduce grocery bills, and growing a few vegetables amongst the flowers and shrubs can make a big difference. If your garden is on a patio or balcony, there are lots of ways to add edible plants to maximize your space and beautify it at the same time. Who says vegetables can’t be ornamental and beautiful?!

Gaps and Small Spaces

If you have a new shrub and flower garden that has gaps or there’s a space in your garden where you’re not sure what to plant, consider tucking in a potted vegetable. In a cool, shady space, try some luscious lettuce bowls. Shade allows lettuce to grow more slowly in the heat of the summer. Keeping lettuce in a cool, shady spot will prevent it from bolting and becoming bitter.

If you have a small garden, a patio or a balcony, pots with compact varieties and hanging baskets are a terrific alternative for growing vegetables, herbs, and some fruits. These are some of the options we offer at Eising Garden Centre (based on availability) that can be purchased fully planted, or you can grow your own from seed if you have time, space and lights.

Trellised Planters and Patio Pots

For patios, balconies, or even a gap in the garden, there are lots of vegetables that can be grown in a trellised planter.

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and eggplant all love warm soil and growing in pots provides the heat to help them thrive. Eising trellis pots are planted with specific varieties that are smaller but pack a flavourful punch.

Patio Snacker cucumbers.

Sweet Snackabelle, Candycane Chocolate Cherry or Red, Mocha Swirl and Fresh Bites peppers.

Little Sicily, Patio Hybrid, Candyland Red, Rapunzel and Tidy Treats tomatoes.

Eising Greenhouse also carries eggplants in trellised pots - a patio pot with Patio Baby eggplants is a perfect choice if ratatouille is on the menu!

All of Eising's trellised planters would look lovely plopped into one of our decorative outdoor cover pots!

Herb Planters

Many herbs thrive in a sunny and warm spot with well-drained soil, making a pot the perfect container for them. Herbs also make great companion plants with other vegetables and can be tucked into other pots. Most herbs also love to be harvested frequently, especially when they’re given these ideal conditions.

Lettuce Bowls

Lettuce bowls are a great way to grow greens in small spaces. Our 10” bowls are chock full of a variety of lettuces and are never boring! 

👍Tip: Try the “cut and come again” method for harvesting lettuce, which prolongs the plant’s life. Simply pinch off the outer, mature leaves each time you pick the lettuce and leave the centre of the plant to keep growing.

Hanging Baskets

If there’s a spot to hang a basket or place a shepherd’s hook, you will want to grow one of the edible options we offer. 

Topsy Tom tomatoes.

Pot-a-Peno and Peppers From Heaven peppers.

Tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries are all available in hanging baskets. Our deliciously sweet everbearing strawberries are also available in 4.5" pots and bareroot, which are great options for window boxes.

👍Tip: Pick strawberries as they ripen to encourage your plants to produce more. Also, remove runners as they grow to allow your plants to send energy into growing fruit instead of bigger plants. Painting rocks to look like strawberries is said to deter birds from feasting on ripe berries.

Citrus and Figs

Consider growing a beautiful and fragrant lemon, orange, fig or grapefruit tree in a patio pot. Just keep in mind that it will need to come indoors in the fall. 

Container Plant Care

Whether you’re growing edible plants in the garden, a pot or a hanging basket, don’t forget to give them the care they need to maximize productivity:

• Water regularly, deeply and in the heat of the summer, frequently. Watering early in the morning is ideal. Pour water on the soil, not the foliage to prevent diseases like powdery mildew.
• Feed your vegetables and fruits throughout the growing season with fertilizer or compost.
• Remove dead foliage and prune plants as needed. Especially herbs.

Once you start foodscaping by including vegetables with your flowers and ornamental plants we’re sure you’ll want to keep looking for innovative ways to grow your own food! Who knows, maybe even pumpkins by the front porch!

The flavour of homegrown tomatoes is like nothing else, and tomatoes are pretty easy to grow in Southern Ontario. With all that classic, juicy flavour, it's so satisfying to serve your family beautiful and tasty tomatoes that you grew yourself. Some of the more unique varieties are surprisingly beautiful plants as well—especially when they're loaded with brightly-coloured fruit! 

Here are some of our favourite tomato varieties for 2020!

Little Sicily is the perfect patio tomato, delivering lots of tomatoes with excellent flavour on a plant that stays under 2 feet tall!

Candyland Red is a currant tomato—slightly smaller than the cherry size. The sweet flavour of these dark red fruits can be enjoyed all season long.

Glamour is an early producing tomato, with large crack-resistant fruits. These are a delicious all-around tomato, great for sandwiches, salads, slicing, and canning.

Great White is a large, yellow-white tomato with a delicate tropical flavour and low acidity. These are the best when eaten immediately after harvesting! Great White is pleasant and mild, and perfect for folks who are sensitive to acidic foods.

Green Zebra is a green and yellow striped tomato with a tart and rich flavour. It's a little smaller than your average grocery store tomato. Let them ripen fully on the vine before picking to enjoy their full, balanced flavour.

Pineapple is a sizeable bright-yellow tomato known for its refreshing citrusy flavour. These are super sweet with lower acid levels than other yellow tomatoes. Pineapple tomatoes can weigh up to 1 pound each and are perfect for sandwiches!

Better Boy is the perfect classic red tomato. Its the perfect balance of tart and sweet, and it produces an amazing amount of fruit in one season. This excellent slicing tomato grows well almost anywhere.

Bush Beefsteak is the perfect beefsteak variety for patios. It delivers large and flavourful fruit early in the season, maturing in just 62 days. The plant stays much more compact than other beefsteak varieties. 

Whatever variety of tomatoes you choose to grow, you can be sure they'll taste amazing. You'll be able to show off your delicious homegrown fruit in all sorts of meals—from salads to kebabs, soups to sauces, and burgers to sandwiches. All of these varieties are disease resistant and will grow well in Simcoe!

Tomatoes are pretty simple to care for, but there are a few basics to keep in mind. These garden favourites are heavy feeders, and they're also very thirsty. Because they grow so fast, they use up nutrients in the soil fast. Fertilize your tomatoes once a week to ensure they have the nutrients they need to produce the best possible flavour. During the summer, you may need to water your tomatoes daily, especially if they are in pots. Growing as fast and as large as they do, tomatoes use up water very quickly. Make sure they're watered consistently, without getting too dry in between, to prevent blossom end rot. 

Ready to start growing tomatoes for your summer BBQs, picnics, and block parties? Stop by our Garden Centre; we've got many more delicious and beautiful varieties to choose from!

We’re fortunate here in Simcoe—our weather is mild enough that we can grow a pretty impressive variety of delicious fruit trees. There are loads of benefits to growing fruit trees, the most obvious one being the large amount of fruit you can harvest every year. On top of that, they’re seriously beautiful, especially when they’re in bloom, and they can help increase your property value significantly! Want to try and grow your own? Here are the best fruit tree varieties for our neck of the woods. 

5 Fruit Trees For Southern Ontario Gardens

Having your own backyard orchard is totally possible, so long as you pick the right kinds of fruit trees to grow. There are many different varieties of each kind of fruit tree, and it’s important to keep in mind that some are self-pollinating, while some others aren’t. The ones that don’t self-pollinate will need to be grown in groups of two or more, so check with one of the experts at our garden centre to make sure you’ve got everything you’ll need to successfully grow fruit. 

There’s nothing quite like freshly picked fruit right off the tree, and it’s definitely a nice bonus to get it for free instead of shelling out money for imported fruits from the supermarket. Here are some of our favourites fruit trees for Southern Ontario:

Cherry: The gorgeous blossoms of the cherry tree are truly in a league of their own—the colour and the fragrance are so breathtaking! And, of course, all that tasty fruit definitely sweetens the deal. When choosing your cherry tree variety, always check to see if it’s a sour cherry or sweet cherry tree. The sour fruits are usually used for baking or cooking, but you can snack on the sweet ones with no problem. Black cherry trees are the most popular, and their fruits are usually ripe by late June or early July. Harvest them by nipping them off with pruning shears, because the branches are a little too delicate for you to pull them.

Peach: Fuzzy golden peaches are so tangy and perfect—having your own peach tree is really quite the luxury! Luckily, they’re pretty easy to maintain. Peach trees are technically self-pollinating, but as with all fruit trees, you’ll get the best yields if you keep two peach trees of different varieties on the same property. Make sure you plant your tree, or trees, in a spot that gets plenty of sunshine, with healthy soil that drains well. Plant them in the spring when the weather is mild, and once they’re mature, you can harvest your peaches in July or August. Regularly pruning your peach tree will help to increase your crop yield, but that little extra effort will definitely be worth the payoff of buckets full of fresh, juicy peaches.

Pear: These are definitely one of the most low-maintenance fruit trees to grow, but none of them are self-pollinating, so you’ll definitely want to plant at least two of different varieties.  Thankfully, they aren’t very large, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble making space for them. Plant them in the spring, in an area with full sun and plenty of air circulation, which will help to prevent the buildup of mildew or other fungi. Depending on your chosen variety, it can take anywhere from three to 10 years for your pear trees to start bearing fruit, so you’ll need to be patient, but we think it’s definitely worth the wait! Pears usually begin to ripen by the end of the summer through until October, so you can enjoy a nice late-season harvest. 

Plum: Few things are as refreshing on a hot day than a frosty, cold plum straight out of the cooler. If you’re a fan of these juicy purple fruits, then you absolutely should grow your own plum trees because the amount of fruit they produce is incredible! Some trees will continue producing fruit from May all the way until October, so there will be plenty to go around. Plums are the perfect fruit tree for beginners because they’re super hardy and low-maintenance. One thorough pruning in the spring will help a lot, though, because thinning out the weaker branches will prevent major breakage later on when the fruits grow and get all plumped up.  

Apple: Ah yes, the classic apple tree, how could we ever forget? This much-loved fruit tree has so many different delicious varieties, and the fruits are so versatile. Dinner guests will be fawning over your pies and dessert crumbles made with garden grown, organic apples from your own backyard! Apple trees can be planted in the spring or fall, and they like lots of water for those first few months after planting. You won’t have to prune them much, but you may notice they’re a bit more prone to pests, so you’ll want to regularly inspect your tree and spray with natural pesticides when needed. 

 

Need any guidance on how to plant your own trees successfully? We’d be happy to help walk you through the process! Don’t hesitate to contact us at Eising; we’ll help you on your way to creating your very own home orchard. Don’t forget, we just launched our online store, and we have curbside pickup and delivery options available, so getting your garden plants and supplies is now easier than ever!