Plan for a 6-month Garden - at least!

As a gardener, nothing is more frustrating than the ‘gardening season’ mentality in Ontario. Garden Centers pop up in mid-May, everyone races out to load up on plants May 24 weekend - then it comes to a swift end. I actually saw an “end of season” sale on June 3rd.

I blame the big retailers for this frenzy. Annual plants are wildly profitable. It’s worth it for them to dedicate an outside space and promote this intense madness of colourful blooms for a few weeks. So if they’re such an earner why end it so quickly? Because annuals - as many new owners quickly find out, need watered often. If ignored they die. Party over. Retailers don’t want the maintenance headache in the heat of summer, therefore the profit bomb goes off for a short window. And we have been programmed to think of this spurt as “gardening season”.

However, perennials - those flowers that only bloom for a period but generally return each year aren’t always as sexy, as showy and they require more knowledge to sell them. They don’t always ‘sell themselves’.

They do, however, allow the gardener to plant, anticipate and admire from spring to autumn. If you can break ground you can plant a perennial. They won’t show you much for awhile - maybe not even this season, but they heighten the gardening experience. You can take your time to evaluate how your garden is filling in, what gaps were left by a rough winter or spent plant? What colour would complement your May show, versus your June, July and September show - because they will all be different. Your garden should pull you through the season.

If you can break ground it’s gardening season - from hardy perennials that you plant in April to allium bulbs (or more spring blooming perennial plants!) in October. Enjoy the slow unfolding of gardening season and don’t get caught up in the 2-week frenzy.