I cheer when temperatures dip below 7 degrees Celsius (45 degree Fahrenheit) and stays above 0 degree Celsius (32 degree Fahrenheit). No, I haven’t completely lost my mind. It’s the magic temperature range that many deciduous plants require to flower abundantly in the spring.

Written on Friday, December 2, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

Like a little tempest in a teapot, the debate over real Christmas trees versus artificial trees heats up again. With all this hot air, the real meaning behind Christmas trees is being shoved aside. Christmas trees are supposed to remind us of everlasting life during winter not carbon footprints and dollars.

Written on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

In the GTA (zone 5), winter urns are huge. Even the box stores and large chain supermarkets carry cut evergreens and decorations. Winter urns filled with cut evergreens and decorated with sparkly bright ornaments are common. I am not surprised… a beautiful bountiful colourful urn always lifts my spirits during drab dull winter days.

Written on Friday, November 25, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

I love watching the Weather Network every morning. I usually decide what to do outdoors while watching the local weather and slowly sipping coffee. Yesterday, the Weather Network had a segment on making Christmas wreaths that captured my interest.

Written on Thursday, November 17, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

Boxed amaryllises (technically, Hippeastrum) stacked up in my local grocery store remind me it’s time to start indoor bulbs. I believe in being proactive. If I start bulbs now, I will stave off the growing, colour and flower deprivation that sets in during January and February

Written on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

After talking about planting my bulbs for the last month and half, I finally planted my tulips yesterday. I always have the intention of picking my tulips carefully so there are colourful blooms from early spring to late spring. But despite my best intentions, I usually succumb to the siren call of pretty colours and pleasing shapes.

Written on Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

I love using and promoting plants that are easy-to-grow, versatile and adaptable. And I was really happy to discover that the National Garden Bureau showcases plants similar to my criteria.

Written on Monday, October 31, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

We got our first real frost this morning. Now, many gardeners dread this day, it marks the end of gardening. But frost isn’t all doom and gloom; there is an upside to frost in the garden. There is a sweet side to frost.

Written on Saturday, October 29, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

Today, I volunteered 6 hours at the Mississauga Master Gardeners’ booth at the International Home Show. My reward for giving advice all day is discovering the number one gardening question in late October.

Written on Friday, October 28, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva

It was the uniformity that gave it away. Fifty or more anthuriums packed together in a tiny booth resplendent with glossy red spathes, all absolutely alike. There’s only one form of propagation that produces such uniformity: micropropagation.

Image courtesy Westland Greenhouses

Written on Thursday, October 27, 2011 in Plants

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Written by Cristina da Silva