Bernadette Vangool

A plant I’m anxious to add to my garden is Lewisia longipetala ‘Little Plum’. Lewisia longipetala is a rare species in the montiacea family. It was first discovered in 1806 by Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis  and Clark expedition. Lewisia longipetala is endemic to the Sierra Nevada and found in only 20 locations, usually on north facing scree slopes near Lake Tahoe. This subalpine bloomer prefers rocky, well-drained, gravely soil. Another species, Lewisia cotyledon or Siskiyou Lewisia is native to Oregon and Northern California. ‘Little Plum’ is a chance  cross of two L. longipetala x L. cotyledon discovered in Scotland. It  was introduced in 2000 to the North American market by Jelitto Perennials.

‘Little Plum’ Lewisia forms small rosettes of narrow fleshy evergreen leaves, 15cm across The star-like, daisy flowers are born on stalks 15 cm high on plants of the same diameter Each flower typically has eight pink-purple petals between 1 or 2 cm long. ‘Little Plum’ blooms in late spring and develops a deep taproot. It is best left in place once established.

For those looking for a winter project next year, perhaps try to grow these little gems from seed, and plant them in a pot or in your garden in spring. Surface sow the seeds in a gritty,  fast draining media.  Cover them thinly with fine grit or sand and leave them at room temperature for 4 weeks. Then refrigerate them for 6 to 12 weeks. Next, bring them into a cool bright place around 15 degree C to germinate. Germination may take over 60 days. Although mature plants are drought-tolerant, seedlings require constantly moist (but not wet) soil. Once large enough to handle, plant the seedlings in pots or into the garden. These plants are ideal for rock gardens with gritty gravely soil. Plant them in full sun or partial shade.

Sticking with the rock garden theme, next up is Arabis caucasica or mountain rock cress, native to the Crimea, Turkey and Iran. In its native habita, it is found in limestone crevices and alpine meadows. It has become naturalized in Canada and the northern Unites States.
The species Arabis caucasica has a white flower, but for the plant sale we are bringing in ‘Pixie Cream’ which has more subdued creamy-white flowers. ‘Pixie Cream’ forms low mounds of grey green foliage, 15 cm high and 30 cm across. As this is a herb in the mustard family, the leaves are edible. The entire mound becomes  blanketed with 4-petaled, creamy white, sweetly scented flowers with a yellow centre, adding colour contrast to the garden in mid to late spring. ‘Pixie Cream’ should be planted in full sun in gritty, or sandy alkaline, well-drained soil. Allow the plants to dry out between waterings. This plant will tolerate poor soils and periods of drought, but tends to get leggy in hot weather with nude branches except for the terminal leaves. For healthier growth in summer and to encourage the spread of rhizomes, cut back the foliage after bloom. This, again, is a plant that does not like its roots disturbed. Pollinators are attracted, but deer not so much. Some years aphids can be a problem.

Last but not least, who has not been wowed by a great show of thyme in the garden. Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’ forms a mat of evergreen, dark green leaves and is covered in rich mauve flowers in early summer. It thrives in full sun and is drought tolerant. It is great for rock gardens and is often used between pavers and as a ground cover to suppress weeds. An occasional shearing gives the plant a denser appearance. Red creeping thyme is native to the mountainous regions of Europe and Western Asia. Thyme has a long history in human culture. It was used for embalming in Egypt and in Rome it was associated with courage. Thymos is the Greek word for courage.

These three rock garden plants are on order for the Saskatchewan Perennial Society Plant Sale, to be held on Tuesday, May 26^th at 6:30 pm at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park Hall. Note that sometimes plants ordered are not delivered due to high demand or occasional poor growing conditions at the nursery.

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page for a list of upcoming gardening events.

Bernadette Vangool

Along with the camaraderie and belonging to an organization of like-minded, plant loving people, one of the benefits of membership in the Saskatchewan Perennial Society is being able to take part in the Spring and Fall Plant Exchange. Held in the Hall at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park, members bring perennials and other plant material that have outgrown their space and are in need of dividing. Plants are put on tables and  participants are given a coloured piece of paper. When your colour is called, it is your turn to peruse what is on the tables and choose a plant to take home. There are usually enough plants for three rounds of plant picks. Following these organized plant picks, there is a free-for-all at the end, when enthusiasts rush to the table to attack whatever is left, usually daylilies, irises, ferns  or other common plants of indeterminant colour.

In conjunction with the Spring Plant Exchange, is a plant sale to raise funds, so that the Saskatchewan Perennial Society is able to provide services to the public and its members, while keeping actual membership fees at the reasonable level of $10 per year. Plants are ordered in the fall from Vanstone Nursery, a wholesale supplier in Manitoba,

The sale will be held on Tuesday, May 26, at 6.30pm at the Hall at the Forestry Farm Park. Some of the plants are repeats from last year that were not delivered, like the maiden fern, or that sold out within minutes.

Trollius or globe flower is a clump forming perennial in the buttercup family. Ranunculaceae, the generic name, comes from the German word ‘Trollblume’, meaning a rounded flower. It is native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and in its natural habitat appears in meadows with heavy clay soil. We have ordered ‘New Moon’ (Trolius x cultorum) which has large, cream-coloured flowers on a compact plant, 50 cm in heigh with a spread of 40 cm. ‘New Moon’ blooms from late spring May into June. It was introduced by Jelitto Perennial seeds in 2011, which received seed from Coen Jansen in the Netherlands. It can be used as a cut flower and is said to resist deer and rabbits. But as Lyndon Penner loves to remind us ,‘The deer can’t read.’ Plant them in partial shade as they prefer moist soil conditions. ‘Golden Queen’ (Trollius chinensis) is an orange-yellow variety with bowl shaped flowers, from China through Russia. It prefers cool weather and is best  planted it in the shade of taller perennials or partial shade. It blooms in mid-summer and resembles a double buttercup. We saw this variety in a member’s  garden last July and it was quite the show stopper. Trollius is best divided in the fall. Although Trollius is quite poisonous, its acrid flavour discourages ingestion.

We are again bringing in a lavender. Last year we provided ‘Munstead’, which is a shorter variety. This year we are bringing in ‘Phenominal’, which will grow 75cm tall with a spread of  75cm. Lavender likes full sun and dry roots and will do best in sandy or well drained soils. It is highly fragrant and attracts bees and butterflies, is an excellent cut flower and is deer and rabbit resistant. There are over 450 varieties of lavender, of which only a handful are hardy to zone 3. Cover it with mulch in late fall to insulate the roots. Some gardeners treat them as annuals, grow them in pots, and bring them indoors for the winter.

One of my favourite flowers in the garden is the cornflower or Centaurea montana. The blue bachelor button spreads prolifically by seeds. ‘Amethyst in Snow’ is better behaved and slowly spreads from the base. (It has not self-seeded in my garden at all.) While the blue variety blooms profusely from spring, and will rebloom if deadheaded. ‘Amethyst in Snow’ tends to bloom only once in early summer. The flowers have a purple-blue centre with white fringed flower petals. The foliage is a soft grey colour. Plants are 40cm high with a spread of 30cm. It is a great pollinator plant.

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saskperennial) for a list of upcoming gardening events.

Jackie Bantle

Are you feeling depressed about your grocery bill and the lack of your own fresh produce during the winter? Maybe you can beat the ‘blues’ by growing some of your own sprouts and microgreens.

As the name suggests, sprouts are sprouted seeds. Only a few supplies are needed: a small amount of good quality seeds, a large glass or clear plastic jar with a wide opening (such as a quart sized jar used for canning dill pickles) and a square of nylon mesh or screen along with a rubber band that will fit over the mouth of the jar.

Step one of the sprouting process is soaking seeds. Place seeds in the jar and cover the seeds with clean, potable water at room temperature. Soak smaller seeds like broccoli or radish for 6 hours and larger seeds like beans or peas for 12 hours. After this soaking or swelling stage, pour water through the mesh and rinse seeds with fresh water. If possible, place jar in a dark place. 

Wait for the seeds to germinate: this can take anywhere from one to twelve days, depending on the seed. While waiting for seeds to germinate, rinse seeds at least twice daily (morning and evening). Always use clean water near room temperature for rinsing. Once seeds begin to produce leaves, place the container in a bright spot to allow green chlorophyll in the leaves to develop. Never place any sprouting seeds in direct sun. Sprouts are ready to eat as soon as tiny leaves or roots are visible.

Sunflower sprouts are delicious however, you may not want to eat the hulls (even though the hulls are edible). Once the sunflowers have sprouted, place them in a sink or a big bowl filled with water. The hulls must be manually removed from the sprouts and will rise or sink in the water. Gently separate the hulls from the sprouts using your fingers. 

Store sprouts in the fridge for up to two weeks. Keep the sprouts in a sealed container and rinse with cool water every two days.

Microgreens are the next ‘generation’ of plant growth after sprouting: the seeds have sprouted and tiny, delicate plants have started to grow. Microgreens are often made up of the same plants that are found in salad greens but they are harvested at a much earlier stage. Recommendations for microgreen production include cress, flax, buckwheat sunflower, broccoli, cabbage, radish, lettuce, kale, kohlrabi, pea, spinach, salad mixes, barley, oat or wheat grass. Growing microgreens in your home is easy.

Choose a large enough container or tray so that the seeds are only one layer deep and have some space between seeds (at least 2-3mm). The container or tray should be 3-4cm deep and have some holes for drainage. If the drainage holes are large enough to allow the soil mix to drain out, line the tray with paper towel or newspaper. Fill the bottom of the tray with your soilless mix 2-3cm deep.  Soak seeds in water overnight.  In the morning, drain the seed and sprinkle seeds evenly on top of the mix. Cover seeds lightly with 0.25cm of your mix, pressing seeds and mix firmly into the tray.  Cover the container/tray with clear plastic wrap or a lid. Place the tray in a warm room, 20-25°C.  Using a mister or light sprayer, ensure that the surface of the tray remains moist. As soon as germinated greens are visible, remove the clear plastic cover. Continue to water greens: ensure that the tray remains moist but is not left in standing water.

When growing microgreens of larger seeds such as barley, oat or wheat grass, soilless mix in the bottom of the tray is unnecessary. Simply line the seedling tray with 2-3 layers of damp paper towel and spread the soaked seeds over the damp paper towel. Cover the seeds with a plastic lid and/or damp paper towel.  Remove the lid and covering paper towel when green leaves appear. Keep seeds and paper towel moist throughout the germination and growing period.

Unlike sprouts, microgreens need sunlight to grow. When grown indoors, they should be located on a south facing windowsill, under a grow light. Some seeds have hulls that will persist on the young plants. Mist the plants with a spray bottle, as the moist hulls will naturally fall off.

Microgreens are usually harvested when they are 3-5cm tall.  Cut shoots just above ground level with a sharp knife or scissors. Plan to use your microgreens fresh however, if necessary, they can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for several days.

One of the main concerns with sprouting seeds and growing microgreens is the possibility of contamination with harmful bacteria such as salmonella. The key to avoiding this risk of infection is to purchase and sprout seeds that are sold for sprouting purposes and have been tested for pathogens. Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds is a local supplier of sprouting seeds located in Parkside, Saskatchewan (www.sprouting.com).

For more information and recipes on sprouting and microgreens, check out ‘Growing and Using Sprouts’ by Richard Helweg.

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saskperennial) for a list of upcoming gardening events.

Jackie Bantle

Saskatchewan Perennial Society

As I write this, we are experiencing one of the coldest weeks so far this winter.  The good thing about January is that the seed and gardening catalogues have started to arrive.  I can start planning and dreaming about the upcoming gardening season.

While you are perusing the catalogues, it is important to remember our growing zone and the relatively short growing season that we experience on the Canadian Prairies.  With the new growing zone map released in July, 2025, Saskatchewan’s growing zone now ranges from Zone 4a (in the southern part of the province and in the city of Regina) to Zone 3 in the Saskatoon area, Zone 2a/2b in the Prince Albert area and all the way to Zone 1b/2a in the LaRonge area.  At latitudes in the province like Saskatoon, there are approximately 125 frost free days each season however, that can vary considerably with late spring frosts and early fall frosts.

You may be wondering: “Can I import seeds and plants from outside of Canada without having to deal with confusing terms like ‘import certificate’ and ‘phytosanitary certificate’?” A general guideline is that small lots of flower, tree and vegetable seeds that are commercially packaged can be imported from the United States and most European countries. HOWEVER, border inspectors or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have the right to withhold any seed shipment if the seed quality is questionable.

Another issue is the transport of items with soil attached. Many diseases and pests are transferred in soil attached to plants.  In order to prevent the movement of these issues between different geographical areas, tubers (ex. potato seed), bulbs and rooted trees and shrubs are usually not allowed to pass between countries. The good news is that the closer the bulb source is to home, the less chance there is of introducing a new disease or soil organism to your area. Bulbs, perennials, trees and shrubs that pass interprovincially should be grown in soilless media.

If you are unsure if you can import a type of seed or plant into Canada, more information can be found on the Government of Canada’s website: Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) (http://inspection.canada.ca>airs).

Following is a list of my favorite gardening catalogues. With a pile of seed catalogues near your couch or on the ‘favorites’ list of your computer, you might understand why sometimes I think that winter just isn’t long enough. 

Eagle Creek Potatoes, (large selection of unique seed potatoes), Bowden, Alberta, 1-403-224-3995, https://.seedpotatoes.ca – Order EARLY! – they sell out fast.

Early’s Farm & Garden, (Vegetables, flowers, grass seed), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 306-931-1982, https://www.earlysgarden.com

Florabunda Seeds, (Wildflower, Victorian Cottage Garden, Heirloom and Unusual seeds of vegetables, annuals and perennials) Keene, Ontario, https://florabundaseeds.com

Garden’s North, (rare & exotic perennial, woody, flower seed), Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, https://gardensnorth.com (Online catalogue only)

Halifax Seed Company (Vegetable, flower and herb seed), Halifax, Nova Scotia, 902-454-7456, https://halifaxseed.ca

The Incredible Seed Company, (Vegetable, herb, flower, tree and fruit seed), Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, https://incredibleseeds.ca

Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Vegetables (my favorite source for tomato seed), flowers), Winslow, Maine, https://www.Johnnyseeds.com

Lindenberg Seeds Ltd., (Vegetables, flowers), Brandon, Manitoba, 204-727-7885, https://www.lindenbergseedsca

OSC Seeds (Vegetable, annual and perennial flowers, trees, lawn and ground covers, forage seeds), Kitchener, Ontario, 519-886-0557, https://oscseeds.com

Pépinière, (Tree seeds), Quebec, 450-688-2922, https://pepiniere.ca

Prairie Garden Seeds, (Vegetables, flowers, grain seed), Humbold and Cochin, Saskatchewan, https://prairegardenseeds.ca

Revival Seeds (Canadian vegetable, flower and herb heirloom seeds), Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, 902-825-6699, https://revivalseeds.ca

Richter’s Herbs (vast selection of herb seed and books), Goodwood, Ontario, https://www.richters.com

Rainbow Seeds, (Heirloom vegetable and grain seed), Roachville, New Brunswick, https://rainbowseeds.ca

Salt Spring Seeds, (heritage and heirloom vegetable, herb, garlic, grains seed), Ganges, Salt Spring Island, BC, 250-537-5269, https://www.saltspringseeds.com

Seed Shed Canada, (Pepper seeds), https://seedshed-canada.square.site/

Seeds of Diversity, https://seeds.ca, “Canada’s Heritage and Endangered Seed Program for Gardeners”. The website includes information about seed saving.

Sheffields, (Tree & shrub, vegetable & herb, vine & grass, fruit & flower seeds), New York, 315-497-1058, https://sheffields.com

T & T Seeds (Vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs, perennials for the Prairies), Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1-204-895-9962, https://ttseeds.com

TomatoFest (Tomato Lover’s Paradise – especially heirloom tomatoes), USA, https://tomatofest.com

Tree Seeds (Tree and vegetable seeds), Ontario, https://treeseeds.ca

West Coast Seeds (Organic, heirloom, unique vegetable seed, flowers, great selection of asian vegetables), Delta, BC, 1-604-952-8820, https://www.westcoastseeds.com

W.H. Perron Seeds, (Vegetable, flower, herb and native plant seeds), Quebec, https://whperron.com

William Dam Seeds, (Untreated vegetable and flower seed), Dundas, Ontario, 905-628-6641, https://www.damseeds.com

Vesey’s Seeds Ltd., (Vegetables, flowers, plants, bulbs), Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, 800-363-7333, https://www.veseys.com

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saskperennial) for a list of upcoming gardening events.

Bernadette Vangool

Saskatchewan Perennial Society

Cecil F. Patterson was born in Watford, Ontario on December 1, 1892. He was one of seven children of Frederick and Mary Patterson. His older brother, Charles passed away in infancy. Cecil finished high school at the young age of 13. For the next eight years he helped his parents at the farm, milking cows, growing corn and hoeing the vegetable garden. His father was the local cheese maker, and there was never a dearth of chores around the farm.

In 1913 Cecil enrolled in the Agricultural College in Guelph, spending his summers at the farm. Cecil received his Bachelor of Science in Horticulture in 1918. He continued his studies in Urbana, Illinois with a Masters in pomology (fruit breeding) and finished his formal education with a PHD in plant physiology with high honours in 1921.

In the fall of 1921 he was hired by William J. Rutherford, the Dean of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan. He developed the curriculum for the Horticulture Department there over the next couple of years. Courses offered included general horticulture, protective forestry, fruit growing, floriculture and landscape gardening as well as apiculture and vegetable gardening. The first degree in horticulture was awarded in 1926, with seventy nine students receiving their degrees by 1956.

Dr. Patterson was responsible for the preparation and teaching of all the classes, research, administration and extension. Besides this, he was also responsible for developing the landscape at the University. No wonder it is said that in his 39 years at the University, he never took a sabbatical and seldom used his vacation days. He basically was a One-Man-Show from 1921 until 1942 ,when Margaret Young was hired as a secretary. In 1944, David R. Robinson was hired to  oversee Extension.

Soon after his arrival on campus, he became acquainted with Laura Fraser, who was a nurse working at Saskatchewan Hall. The couple married and had three children, a boy followed by two girls. Their daughter, Joyce, recalls her father as “a gentle man, unassuming, pleasant, honourable. The depression years, were difficult in Saskatoon…University salaries were cut in half, but sharing was evident. Mom always had a meal and some warm clothes for the young male transients who were plentiful.” The Pattersons lived on Elliott Street near the University but moved to Sutherland in the 1950s, giving Cecil more room for his many plants, in the hope that he could continue his plant breeding in his retirement.

During his tenure at the University, he did much research with fruit breeding. He also taught classes on growing fruit on the prairies. Because no textbooks existed for our climate, he undertook the task of writing and self-publishing a book on Hardy Fruits with Special Reference to their Culture in Western Canada’ He believed that fruit orchards should be an essential part of every prairie farmstead. His personal fruit orchard, which he developed in Sutherland, eventually became C.F. Patterson Park.

Dr. Patterson introduced over 30 varieties of fruit including apples, pears, plums, raspberries, cherries and strawberries. Unfortunately, the majority of those are no longer available. All the fruit tested and developed at the University during his time was grown without irrigation. He also had a great interest in ornamental plants and developed many lily cultivars. One of his selections was ‘Edith Cecilia’ named after his daughter, who died at age 13 of leukemia. ‘Edith Cecilia’ is a down-facing lily with pinkish-white petals with a light salmon tint and small black spots in the throat. It has been used as a parent in many modern lilies. After Dr. Patteson’s death, Bert Porter wrote in his 1963 catalogue: “These lilies have made horticultural history, not only in this region but throughout the world.”

Dr. Patterson’s health started to fail in 1959. He retired from the University of Saskatchewan in 1960 and passed away in 1961 from colon cancer.

In 1969, the Patterson Garden Arboretum was named in his honour. It was established in 1966 to showcase trees, shrubs and vines hardy on the prairie provinces, as well as species from northern regions of the world. The Arboretum, open to public year-round, is still a site of experimentation with new species introduced annually. It is located on the southeast corner of Preston Avenue and College drive.

In 1973 Dr. C.F. Patterson was posthumously inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honour.

Many thanks to Sara Williams’ “In a Cold Land, Saskatchewan’s Horticultural Pioneers” and Barbara Adams-Eichendorf (CPLS Newsletter March 2018)

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saskperennial) for a list of upcoming gardening events.

Bernadette Vangool

Saskatchewan Perennial Society

The 87^th Annual Edition of the Prairie Garden is out. The theme this year is Shaping Spaces and there are many articles dealing with the design of a yard, garden and other outdoor spaces.

Like many of the recent editions, this issue also embraces the concept of letting nature into our gardens by introducing native species of plants, reducing traditional lawn areas and concentrating on what actually wants to grow in your space: finding the right plant for the right conditions. This approach benefits both the gardener as well as local pollinators and wildlife.

The guest editor for this edition is Mark Bauche, a landscape architect and master gardener with a degree in Environmental Design from the University of Manitoba.

He is the first to admit that many of the landscapes that have inspired him the most are actually those designed by hobby gardener like you and me, who learned from trial and error and enrich the community with colour and life as they improve their small and not so small spaces. A case in point are the boulevard gardens on Ethelbert Street in Winnipeg. In the early 1990s the City of Winnipeg, as a cost saving measure, turned the responsibility of boulevard maintenance over to its citizens, some of whom grew tired of mowing the area and opted instead to use this space for gardens and flowers. This method of gardening is not for the faint of heart. Your creation may be overturned unexpectedly to access underground utilities, or your particular boulevard may get hit by an errant snow plow. Nevertheless, enough citizens persevered and Ethelbert Street has become a destination for garden tours. If you are interested in gardening on the boulevard, know your community’s rules and restrictions before you start.

The majority of the well over fifty articles in this issue deal with some aspect of design and design considerations for planning a successful landscape. The emphasis is on the plants rather than the hardscaping – which is often overemphasised.

June Flanagan has suggestions for and edible landscape design, while Sheryl Normandeau tackles a theme garden approach using many dark flowering plants to create a goth garden. Attracting pollinators to the garden is addressed by Jane Olenick who introduces the reader to ten stunning bloomers which attract and support butterflies and hummingbirds. Virginia Stephenson shares her adventures in rain gardening, those gardens taking advantage of occasional flooding from downspouts and water runoff.

As we think about native plants to introduce to our landscape, we often picture the sun-loving plants that colonized the landscape. It was therefore refreshing to find an article by  Diana Bizecki Robson, which dealt with native plants for shady locations such as wild ginger (Asurum candense) and bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), both choices for damp shade. Native plants for dry shade include Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis) and early blue violet (Viola adunca). For wetter locations try turtlehead (Chelone glabra) andmarsh marigold (Calthra palustris).These are just a few cultivars mentioned in Diane’s article.

Besides these theme targeted articles, others of general interest are also included. Of special interest are the cold hardy trees and shrubs being trialed and introduced by the North Dakota State University Woody Plant Improvement Program. The cultivars discussed by Dr. Todd West are hardy to USDA zone 3 and 4. Tulip planting, owning a hobby greenhouse, inviting house sparrows to your garden, growing winter squash and starting tree peonies from seed are some of the general topics included.

As we embrace the concept of gardening more naturally, and introducing natives to the landscape, Linda Dietrich reminds us that ecological gardening is mainly about addition not necessarily subtraction. She says it’s okay to hang onto your favourite cultivars  – “No one is asking you to give up your peonies.”

The Prairie Garden is available from McNally Robinson Booksellers, some garden centres, as well as through their website: www.theprairiegarde.ca or email: sales@prairiegarden.ca

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society
(SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page for a list of upcoming gardening events.

Erl Svendsen

Saskatchewan Perennial Society

There are several plants associated with the coming holiday season, many of them rooted (pardon the pun) in the past. But they are now mere decorations and much of their original meanings or origins have become forgotten or pushed to the side.

Bringing in evergreen boughs at this time of year has been practiced since at least Roman times. They were used to decorate homes during Saturnalia in celebration of Saturn, the god of Agriculture. Because they were plants that ‘did not die,’ evergreens represented good health and fortune. As for using the whole evergreen tree instead of just branches, there are a number of legends describing the ‘first’ Christmas tree, dating back as far as the 7^th Century. But it is more likely that the first Christmas tree was erected in 1521 in Alsace, France (then part of Germany).

Martin Luther is credited with introducing lights to replicate his experience of seeing stars shining through the trees in the forest. He used wax candles, not a recommended practice today. I remember my first Christmas on the farm in Norway. The tradition there is to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve day (followed by the opening of presents the same night). My grandparents had added the extra special touch of using real candles to light the tree using special candle holders designed for this purpose. I was 6 and entranced by the dancing light. Sadly, that was the only year they did that. After that, they used electric Christmas lights, an invention that dates back to 1882. Today, of course, many of us use energy efficient LEDs that can be dimmed, change color and bop along to the music.

Evergreen wreaths have likewise been around for centuries. The circle itself symbolizes eternity and the evergreen branches signify immortality. Decorated with dried fruits, flowers and seeds, the wreath represents the annual cycle of the seasons.

Rosemary is now mostly used as a seasoning in the turkey stuffing at Christmas. But it used to feature more prominently during the season. There are a few legends involving Mother Mary describing how it acquired its distinctive aroma and its blue flowers. Even its Latin genus name, Rosemarinus, meaning Mary’s rose hints at this origin. In the past, it was commonly strewn on church floors and in the home. When walked on, it releases a pleasant aroma and it was associated with friendship, fidelity and remembrance.

The poinsettia is a relatively recent entrant to the Christmas season. ‘Discovered’ by Joel Poinsett during his time as US Ambassador to Mexico in the 1820s, poinsettia is now unarguably the second-most popular Christmas plant after the Christmas tree (various fir, pine and spruce species). The legend on how it came to be so beautiful tells of a small poor Mexican girl who had nothing to give the baby Jesus. Her cousin told her that it didn’t matter what the gift was nor how small, as long it was given with love. So the little girl picked a bouquet of weeds by the roadside to offer to the baby Jesus at the nativity scene on Christmas Eve. The other children teased her, but then the weeds miraculously transformed into the bright red flowers we know today. From that night forward, they have been known as ‘Flores de Noche Buena’ or ‘Flowers of the Holy Night.’

One myth to dispel: poinsettias are not deadly toxic. According to POISINDEX, a 50-pound child would have to consume at least 500 poinsettia leaves before coming close to a toxic dose. In a review of nearly 23 000 cases of poinsettia exposure, 96% did not receive treatment in a health facility. And not a single death has ever been documented. Some people may experience skin irritation from the milky white sap and, if consumed, leaves may cause stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhea.

Kwanzaa, while celebrated during the week between Christmas and New Years (December 26 – January 1), is not a religious observance. Instead it is celebration of African American culture and values, first celebrated in 1967. Two of the Kwanzaa symbols are plants. Mazao (fruits, nuts and vegetables) recalls historical harvest festivals or gatherings where joy, sharing, unity and thanksgiving were the true fruits of labour. Vibunzi (plural: muhindi) is a simple ear of corn, one ear for each child in the family. But it goes beyond a simply numbering of children – it is a recognition that it ‘takes a village to raise a child’ involving the whole community as each one contributes their patience, love and understanding.

Erl gardens in Saskatoon.

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page  for a list of upcoming gardening events.

Alan Weninger

Saskatchewan Perennial Society

I’ve always been interested in the plants that don’t get a lot of attention. Overlooked plants, like overlooked things in general, are usually interesting but don’t fit a general norm of expectations.

A fruit on a bush, for example, is expected to taste sweet and flavourful, like a saskatoon berry or a blueberry. That first bite is the dealbreaker: not sweet enough, or an unusual flavour or texture, and it will probably be the last bite.

Here are a few fruiting bushes along with my thoughts on why they continue to live in the shadows (figuratively, of course):

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is having a bit of a revival these days. If you’ve ever popped one in your mouth, you’ll know that the fresh taste is strongly skunky and notably different than the taste you get when it’s used in ice cream, or jam, or pie. Night and day, really.

Cooked, it is one of my favourite flavours, and I literally buy every blackcurrant thing I can get. As an alternate host for the tree-killing disease white pine blister rust, it was discouraged in cultivation, but new varieties that are disease resistant are now being grown. Once seemingly appreciated only by those of European origin, I’ve noticed that they are now part of a local U-pick operation. Blackcurrants are easily grown and bountiful.

Another uncommon currant deserves mentioning, as I always snack on it as I work in Patterson Arboretum. It is alpine currant (Ribes alpinum), and although sweet, tasty, and bright red, it’s size may be limiting its popularity. The tiny fruit is not produced in abundance and only in small clusters, nevertheless it still holds a place in my heart. If you’ve got kids, especially, this one is a winner.

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), not to be confused with our native chokecherry, is another bountiful and misunderstood fruit bush. Eaten fresh, it would be considered an aquired taste, and texture. I’ve seen it growing in cottage gardens in Siberia, and it appears to be more popular in Europe and Asia than here in its native homeland of North America. Again, the key is to use it mostly for cooking, and not to judge it for it’s fresh taste. The fresh taste, acceptable to some, improves after it is fully ripe, usually in the late autumn. At this same time it’s glossy round leaves will be turning a vibrant red colour, a beautiful sight.

Goji berry (Lycium chinense is a species commonly cultivated here), is a brightly coloured, shiny, pepper-like fruit (same plant family as sweet peppers and tomatoes), that hang in an orderly fashion down along an arching cane of tiny leaves. It is a sprawling plant, with aspirations to be a vine if it finds a shrub or fence to grow over. I find that the fresh fruits go down easily at first, but soon the lingering taste can be described as weird. Really weird. Despite this, I have eaten them in a soup in Asia and they were a pleasant, tangy complement to the broth. It is also used in trail mixes. Black goji berry (Lycium ruthenicum), a species with smaller, very dark fruit, is also hardy here. To cultivate Goji berry you will need a full sun exposure, which mimics their native desert environment. They will not grow in shade.

There is a type of unusual shrub fruit that I really do enjoy fresh. It has a lovely flavour that often surprises people. They are hawthorn berries, and there are two species in Patterson Arboretum in Saskatoon that produce tasty fruit. I offered some to my boss at the Horticulture Field Lab a few weeks ago. “Too many seeds” she said as she spit it out. Oh well.

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page for a list of upcoming gardening events. The Saskatchewan Perennial Society will have some blackcurrant ‘Ben Nevis’ for sale at our Spring Plant Exchange in May.

Vanessa Boniface

Saskatchewan Perennial Society

Food weaves northern communities together. Sharing homemade berry jam, trading wild harvests, collecting mint, and sharing community meals creates bonds beyond sustenance. These traditions draw from knowledge passed down over generations, predating colonial agriculture by millennia. For settler gardeners in the north like me, this broader context transforms how I think about horticulture.

Unlike southern gardening, where focus is mostly on planted crops in defined spaces, people in our La Ronge region commonly gather and steward wild foods and medicines as part of daily life. Families protect and pass down secret berry picking sites, stewardship practices, and recipes across generations. Pre-colonial Indigenous food systems were more sophisticated than the “hunter-gatherer” label I was taught in school. Indigenous peoples intentionally cultivated landscapes to encourage food plant diversity, deliberately creating an environment much richer in edible plants than untouched wilderness. These carefully managed spaces may be easily mistaken for simply “wild” nature by modern eyes.

Gardening in La Ronge blends this time-honored wild management with formal gardening. At our place, we steward our wild spaces and carve out garden beds where sunlight and workable soil allow. Walking the land, we observe thriving native edibles, prune overgrowth to favor them, and propagate the best throughout our property. We sometimes plant near-native horticultural varieties of locally native plants like Theissen saskatoon or Boreal Beast haskap. This approach makes the land more abundant without making it less wild.

When it comes to classic crops like tomatoes and carrots, nature sets the limits. Prime spots with ample sun and soil get our compost and the topsoil we haul in from town, always finished with mulch. Seeds and seedlings are limited and expensive, so my yard has become a horticultural test site. I trial dozens of new species every year to discover what thrives without extensive care. Learning what survives naturally allows me to plant strategically later, building diversity and resilience into my garden while supplementing local seed supplies.

I am cautious about introducing non-native plants. Biodiversity remains strong in the north thanks to lower human impact and colder winters. However, climate change means I can’t assume hardy winters will always stop invasive species. Snow presents its own challenges. In the south I would cover perennials for protection but up here, snow loads sometimes force me to remove snow. I learned this the hard way last winter, when heavy snow damaged our greenhouse, picnic table and camper.

Our frost-free season is at least two weeks shorter than Saskatoon’s, with unpredictable frosts on each shoulder. Choosing fast maturing cultivars as well as locally native food crops is not just practical, it honors which plants naturally belong in this landscape. Many imported garden favorites won’t thrive here, and that’s okay. Plus, I’m eating a much wider diversity of plants!

For many crops, season-extending solutions like cold frames, row covers, greenhouses, and indoor starts aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities. While heat-lovers struggle unprotected, peas, potatoes, hardy greens, and brassicas thrive. Pest pressure is lighter here too, largely thanks to cold winters and few local monocultures. Pollination is more hit-or-miss, probably because of fewer bees so I plant abundant flowers to help. We never seem to run out of biting black flies though! Fun fact: they’re drawn to height, so if you don’t have a head net, gardening with a tall friend or extending a stick above your head might distract them.

Wildfires are another challenge. Recent fires forced large game, especially bears, into our communities and gardens, and reduced sunlight for weeks, stunting crop growth. Only after the smoke cleared did plants recover, but many lost their season entirely. It’s easy enough to wear bells when picking berries but try bear-proofing a compost bin!

Anyone who remembers my Gardening at USask days recalls my obsession with mulch. Wherever you live, mulch is essential for suppressing weeds, conserving moisture and soil building. In Saskatoon, aged straw or bagged leaves are easy to find online, wood chips are freely available at city depots, and you can purchase commercial mulches. Here, options are limited to what local landscapers provide or are purchased in small bags; costs add up fast. Wild rice harvesting means rice husks can be redirected from landfills for use as a mulch or soil amendment. I still avoid peat moss for all outdoor soil use and living near many beautiful wetlands only reinforces why they need our protection.

DIY resourcefulness is a way of life. Old skylight panels from a local building repair became my cold frames. From our local “free shack,” I reclaimed drainage ditch covers for row protection. This isn’t just thrift, it’s necessary when supplies are expensive and hard to source.

Gardening in the north is more than neat vegetable rows. It’s a holistic, biodiverse practice, an ongoing partnership with nature. Northern gardening isn’t “making do,” but reimagining what growing food can look like. It’s larger in some ways, tied to forest health, community resilience, and traditions that stretch back before settlers first broke prairie. Although our yards may look very different from those further south, northern gardening isn’t any less sophisticated than gardening in the south. it’s an invitation to grow differently, to recognize our unique landscape, and to reshape how we relate to both land and one another.

This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page  for a list of upcoming gardening events.