The Carnegie Gallery Secret Gardens Tour June 1 will show great ideas about plants, decks, patios, small spaces. Here's a preview from a Westdale garden.

We all love going on garden tours. The Carnegie Gallery Secret Gardens Tour is coming up June 1. I'm writing about it in tomorrow's Hamilton Spectator. This Westdale Gardens makes great use of a small space.

The front has a Japanese inspired design. Restful, layered, with a careful selection of textures.

Hostas, sweet woodruff, ferns and small evergreens form the carpet.

The backyard has a dry stone riverbed, hot tub, covered patio, and plants chosen for dappled shade. There are eight other gardens on the Carnegie tour-full information at:
wwwcarnegiegallery.org

This is what the long weekend looked like last year...

Wisteria was in full bloom.

Shrubs were leafed out and ready to burst into flower.

Annuals were happily settled in their pots.
This year I'm hearing about dead roses, burned ivy and boxwood. We're still recovering from the winter.

Pots, plants and putting them together

A rex Shadow King begonia from President's Choice plant lineup for 2014 in a French style pot and golden lemon thyme in a teapot pot made by Night & Day Studio. I like the look of a specimen plant in an unusual pot. These may not stay in the pots all summer, there just small enough they would need careful attention to watering. That's why I like big pots.

I've never used this metal urn before, but for a few weeks I will enjoy this coleus and lemon grass planting. Then I will change it. 

The snake plant in the big Guy Wolff pot in the background looks a million times better planted with a sage and a small birdsnest type snake plant.
My full article is in the Hamilton Spectator.
bit.ly/1iWlGaD

A few tips about potting I have learned over the years.

Hot pots for summer

  I went to the preview yesterday of the new Loblaws President's Choice plants for this season.
New in the Calliope series of geraniums is Crimson Flame. It’s the shade of deep pink that stands out in all light conditions, but particularly on overcast days. This one notable for drought tolerance.

 I liked the new hibiscus called Fiesta. It combines pink, orange and red all in one flower. In full sun on a deck, it becomes a focal point.

 
Freeman herbs grows basil standards for the PC lineup. They do look charming, but don’t overlook the grooming.

I'll have more in my column tomorrow in the Hamilton Spectator.