Your Gardening Questions

photo by Becky Cortino https://flic.kr/p/byQ3No

Over the years Lac Le Jeune residents have raised questions about the types of plants they can grow in this region, and about best practices for landscaping and yard maintenance in way that is environmentally responsible. Diane Hynds, owner of High Country Nursery in Logan Lake​, has kindly offered to ​respond to your questions, and ​contribute some gardening tips and advice to the blog​.

Your Questions

Here are the questions gathered so far (edited for brevity and consistency).

Annemarie Tempelman-Kluit​: ​​What do you recommend for hedging?

There are several that one could use: Cotoneaster, Caragana (these both are quick growers but the downside is they attract lots of bees). The Cotoneaster has beautiful fall red colour. My preference are Junipers. They are more slow growing so purchasing a taller shrub can be useful. They offer different shapes and colours. They grow naturally in this area so they do well here. They are a low water consumption shrub which is nice and the deer don't touch them. Several types produce berries which can be used for cooking, and the Cedar Wax Wings love them.

Pamela Mason​:​ ​Will French Lilacs​ grow here (and do you sell them)? ​​

Yes, French Lilacs do well here. I have one myself. They are a later bloomer than the common Lilac, the flower head is smaller and has a really different nice fragrance. They also do not sucker like other Lilacs. Yes I do sell them by order and they come in several colours.

Amie Schellenberg​:​ What food plants / trees could we try that will be less prone to getting eaten or attracting unwanted wildlife? ... I'm thinking of trying nuts...

That is a tough one because of the short growing season and lack of really rich soil, and low rainfall.

• Elderberries grow really well.
• There is a low growing Honeysuckle that produces edible berries
• Gooseberry 
• Crabapple. 

This area is very limited with fruit trees and shrubs. Apple trees will grow but again a favourite of deer so unless you build a twelve foot enclosure it will be impossible to keep the deer away. Wish I could suggest more but if the deer are hungry they will eat just about anything.

Karen Morash​:​ I ​am interested in attacking some weeds!! 

I am not sure how big an area you want to eliminate. If you have just a small area you can spot kill with a paint brush or one of the wands that has a sharp end -- when you push down on it it releases the herbicide. For a large area that will kill everything you can use horticultural vinegar. Purity Feeds carries it but it is a large quantity and a bit pricey. Be cautious of the 'weed n feed' type products as they can build up in the soil. Also, they will eventually kill your grass.

Robin Campbell​:​ What type of perennial flowers would work​?​ ​

Oh my there are so many that will do well.

• Iris
• Reony
• Monarda
• Bugbane
• Veronica
• Speedwell
• Columbine
• Artemesia
• Campanula
• Delphinium
• Dianthus

There are many more but all of these listed will bloom at different times throughout the Spring and Summer.

Sylvia Currie: What gardening and landscaping practices do you recommend to maintain our healthy lake?

Good question and a tough one. Use low water plants and landscape. Avoid using pesticides, herbicides and so on. Keep rotting vegetation away from the waterline, and never dump material into the lake, liquid or otherwise. Perhaps the Ministry of Water and Lands could help to respond to this question.

Final Tip

There really isn't a bad time plant up this way. In fact, I have planted perennials and shrubs as late as September.

How to order

Diane can be contacted by phone 250-523-6510, and will place orders for trees and shrubs and perennials. Freight is expensive so she waits for a big enough order to have it delivered.

Ask away!

Do you have gardening questions? Post them in the comments section or in the Lac Le Jeune Facebook Group.