My dear Fellow gardeners,

I am feeling so very much better, thank you once again for all your good wishes. I hope that all the bulbs are planted and everything that you wanted to save is now inside, I am guilty of leaving my Canna's outside in the garden, perhaps I will bring them in after all - I still have to empty my pond, but haven't yet found another aquarium - I will have to have a fast run around the second hand stores!!!

Did you all see the eclipse? It was so beautiful, now I understand what they meant by the sun reflected on the moon's surface. I drove to Toronto to-day and back again - I needed a new passport - they were so very nice, helpful and kind. It is interesting to see all the different ethnic people, what an exciting country this has become. People living here from many parts of the world - I enjoyed hearing Spanish spoken and I was in Toronto (at least Scarborough Town Centre) not Mexico!!!!

I keep talking about healthy environments in your gardens, some of you would like to know more about this and just what is it?? It is very simple: A healthy environment is merely a collection of healthy plants. By using a wide variety of plants in your yard, and encouraging animals and birds you will be creating a natural balance which will resist diseases and infestations, whilst at the same time you will be encouraging many new wild friends to your garden. Your environmentally healthy garden, a few weeds perhaps but no toxic pesticides.

All species have their own preference for food, but they all have the same needs in common, these are: food, water, shelter and space. Keep these necessities in mind when designing a "home" for your furry and feathered friends. If you do not have a hiding place from predators for them, you may be creating a “supermarket” for your precious but hunting pussy cat.

Many birds and bats depend upon insects for food. Some butterflies are partial to the plants that we consider weeds and banish them from our garden (wild carrot, milkweed etc) worse - we run out with a can of toxic weed killer and spray wildly and heedlessly. For instance the beautiful American Goldfinch loves thistle seeds and uses the thistledown to line its nests - I always have at least one thistle in my garden - love 'em. Many folk dispose of them one way or another.

I would suggest that this is a good time to draw a map of your property. Mark the boundaries, any buildings, driveways, trees and especially power lines. Now fill in the smaller details, shrubs, flower beds, vegetable garden and horrors, lawns (they will have to go) Finally find out which way is north/ south, east and west.

Now ask yourself the following questions :-

Height:

• Do you have a good assortment of plant heights including tall trees, smaller trees and shrubs, low bushes, tall herbs (non-woody plants) and very low groundcovers?

Species:

• Do you have a mixture of conifer and hardwoods? Is there a variety of each?

• Do you have ground covers, other than grass?

• Do you have a good selection of native plants in your yard? (No, do not run out into the wood and dig some up - that is what Marjorie Mason is for!)

• Do any of the plants in your yard provide food for the wild life? (I do not want to hear about the deer eating your special favourites)

Groupings:

• Are the plants grouped in clumps rather than arranged singly and spread all over the place?

Water:

• Is there dependable source of water nearby a lake, stream, pond etc.?

Chemicals:

• Do you avoid applying chemicals to your plants? Many chemicals even organic ones can be toxic to some of your pets either indoor or wild ones.

This evening I had a phone call from my dear friend Judy, to-day they had to put their German shepherd to sleep, he had eaten something that destroyed his kidneys - do be careful what you leave outside and spray with - anti-freeze is one of the biggest culprits in killing animals.

Soil:

• Do you cover any bare soil with mulch?

• Do you use organic material, compost and chopped leaves? Important soil micro-organisms need this humus to survive. Healthy soil feeds all other kinds of life.

Now think of all the questions to which you have answered (No). Can you change any of these features in your garden? Using your map sketch in possible locations for any elements that are missing. Consider the amount of shade the area will receive from buildings or any other plants. While you are waiting for your shrubs and trees to grow, think about using fast growing herbaceous plants to provide not only summer food but winter shelter as well - even the raspberry bushes that snag your beautiful sweaters, become a heaven (haven) for little bodies, when the winter winds blow so hard.

Fill your bird feeders, but remember that water is needed too – there are bubblers that can keep the bird baths from freezing - If anyone would like a list of trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers annuals and perennials just let me know.

I have had an enquiry about Amaryllis - what do we know? :- When you go shopping for bulbs buy the biggest ones that you can find, for you will have larger and better flowers. Make sure that they have been carefully stored and handled, if they are tumbled all together in a box they will not perform as well as expected, it is worth a few extra dollars not to be disappointed by inferior blooms. You can still purchase them – ask for a reduction in price- and with some T.L.C they can be "healed" lots of careful handling and fertiliser, the next year they will be bigger and healthier.

Pay attention to what country your bulbs come from to estimate just how long they will take to flower the first year that you plant them. Dutch hybrid amaryllises generally need 6 to 12 weeks to flower after planting; South African strains, sometimes labeled "Christmas Flowering," are acclimated to the Southern Hemisphere's season and will flower 4 to 6 weeks after planting.

Plant the bulbs individually in containers that are about two inches wider than the bulb itself, or combined three or four in a large pot for a spectacular display. If the bulbs roots are tangled, gently separate them. Fill an individual container with about two inches of soil, packing it down slightly. Place the bulb in the pot and fill in around it with more potting soil (not from your garden) keeping the bulb's neck and half the bulb exposed. Water thoroughly and place the container in a bright, well -ventilated room. As a general rule, the warmer the room, the faster the bulb will grow; amaryllises do not like draughts and cold air, just like us. Once growth begins, water when the soil is dry to the touch. To coax plants to bloom as soon as possible, put the pot in a sunny window. To delay flowering, keep it in a cooler spot. If you are purchasing a pre-potted bulb, choose one that is just starting to put up a stem; taller plants are harder to transport and they will mature (die) more quickly.

Q) How can I get my amaryllis to bloom again?

a) After blossoms fade, cut off the flower stem a few inches above its base- but not the leaves. Keep the plant growing in a warm bright location. Do not be surprised if a second stem appears with another beautiful flower.

b) Water the pot regularly, keeping the soil moist but not wet. Apply houseplant fertiliser monthly (I still like 20-20-20) to help the bulb "re-charge itself" with energy for next year’s blooms - a leafy plant is still attractive without flowers.

c) In the spring put it out in the garden, mark the place – be careful not to introduce it to the full sun all at once - do it gradually.

d) Bring it indoors at the beginning of September, stop watering and feeding the plant to give it two to three months rest. Put the whole thing in a cool dark basement, let it sit and dry out.

e) In November, carefully clean the bulb of dried, loose, outer scales and dead foliage. The roots should be fleshy and not damaged, if they are, just remove them. Re-pot in a clean container with fresh potting soil, follow the same instructions as before. In about 8 weeks, the bulb will bloom again. Just repeat the cycle.

I prefer the Cyclamen:
This delicate looking long blooming plant is actually quite hardy. Keep it evenly moist in a cool north window or where the sunlight is not very strong. In late March, flowering stops, the leaves turn yellow as the dormant period begins. Gradually reduce the watering, pick off the dead leaves, being careful not to wet the centre of the plant. In early June stop watering altogether and expose the corms to the full sun until the end of July, then pot up and start watering again. When the corms start to show leaves, you can re-pot it into the next size larger container - I plant mine in the garden in the shade, in June, then bring it indoors before the first frost - the key to keeping them blooming and growing - is cool, cool, cool!

Christmas cactus - I see that they are already on sale in many florists and other stores. Some general care:
With its large showy blooms on blunt toothed flat stems, the Christmas cactus is always welcome in any home. Contrary to the usual thoughts on conditions etc, it will do best in a bright but cool room, well away from heating vents and other blasts of hot air ( not a good plant for a politician) Water with care. When the soil feels dry to the touch, water thoroughly, letting the water run through, being very sure that the water drains away from the roots. Never let the plant sit in a saucer of water. When the blossoms fade, pinch off a few sections of each stem to stimulate branching and increased bloom next year. Move it outdoors for the summer months, semi-shade please. In the fall move the plant in and out each day, letting it gradually get used to life indoors. For repeat bloom by Christmas, starting in mid-October keep the plant in darkness for 12 hours each day for three weeks. Then keep the plant at temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees F at night for another three weeks.

Do not forget the lovely Rosemary: It can be kept as a houseplant through the winter months. Decorated with tiny white lights, with its pot covered in a bunched skirt of burlap, it is delightful and if you can bear to part with it - it makes a wonderful Christmas gift.
Jordon has a few bulbs left at Rural Routes, Anne Griffin and Horlings have bulbs too - now is a good time to purchase some, they can still go in the ground - Deborah gave me a Christmas gift early, some pink bluebells(oxi-moron) I will be planting them outside this week.


November the 4th is the start of the waning moon. Add mulch around new raspberry canes to retain moisture - Build wooden frames to protect shrubs from heavy snows .Do not wrap evergreens in burlap - build screens around them, but not touching the plant. Cut all your asparagus plants to the ground. The full moon this month is called the Beaver month in the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Do not cut down your grasses - they give the garden the appearance of growth even when the snow is almost up to their “head’s” swaying in the slightest breeze giving us the winter interest that is lacking at this time of year - we do know that those bulbs are lying waiting for us.

Hopefully everyone changed their clocks Back - No? You are not the only one - a friend put hers forward, good try, it does not make the year go faster!!!! - have you noticed that it is lighter in the mornings? I know darker earlier!

Well my dears there is still something for you to do - It is also a good time to redesign your gardens - decide what "has to go" and mark the plants - so that in the spring you will know where to dig for the plant sales.

Good gardening to you all - warm gloves, it is going down to 32F to-night and I still have icicle pansies to plant, hats, sunscreen, bug repellent, hats, boots, watch out for the poison ivy - it is just little sticks with white berries ??!!

Lovingly Beryl,
PS: Brian's daffodils are glorious - shall we all pop over to Australia for our winter??