Hello my dear friends,

Remembrance Day is almost upon us – how many lives were changed forever, young men and women, children really, went away never to return, those that did, came back quite changed. Do the young people today realise the great sacrifice so many made for them? Do they even care? Several members of my own family, were wounded, gassed, or died, changing lives, breaking hearts and inflicting intense grief on their families for the rest of their lives. War’s victims are not just the ones who go away – my brother-in-law died on D-Day one of the first Canadians to die at Juno beach. Jack never stopped looking for him, until he went to the cemetery at Beny-su-mere and accepted that it was indeed true Freddy was never coming home. In a lighter vein I found a little book called, “Every day is Wonderful”:

The world is full of wonders that are a joy to see,
Even when a summer shower makes you feel depressed, Keep looking for the rainbow, by which you may be blest.
There’s wonder in the mighty oak, that from an acorn grew, and in a single flower that someone gives to you.
The gentle waves that lap your feet, reveals small wonders of the deep, And see what wonders from the sand, you can fashion with your hands!,
All sort of things are wonderful If we have eyes to see, The beauty and the goodness that Mother Nature has made to be,
Like butterflies and honey-bees, and birds who build their nests in trees, and little girls who sometimes cry, and little boys, who always try to make them smile again.
Every day is wonderful, from the moment that it begins, every day is wonderful even when it ends! Wonders are from Beauty and goodness made,
So look for Beauty everywhere and practise Goodness too, for wonders have their origins, in the heart of YOU.

I have just returned from the Horticultural Society meeting in Lakefield. Our speaker was not able to be with us this evening. Once again a member, Brenda Coons, stepped into the void bringing us beautiful pictures of fields of tulips in Holland, telling us that it takes seven years, from seed to the sale of the new bulb. The “babies” are grown in fields, carefully checked to make sure that they are growing as they should, any deviation is ousted and discarded. Only those that conform to the very high standards have their flowers removed so that all the strength goes in the maturing bulb, rather than making more seeds – and eventually the bulb goes into your garden. We do not realise all the work that has gone into producing that $1.50 gem.

As we are talking about bulbs, I would like to suggest that you look for those Parkinson tulips, or “Grow a Brighter Future” for people with Huntington disease. The Huntington Society of Canada is selling amaryllis kits, $12, including ‘Orange Sovereign’ – the official flower of the HSC – pot, saucer, soil and care instructions. Huntington disease is an inherited brain disorder affecting both mind and body. One in 10,000 Canadians has this incurable disease. If you would like more information call 1-800-998-7398 or www.hsc-ca.org/english/amaryllis.htm .

I know that Thanksgiving has past, but I thought that some of you might like to try making a unique ‘natural’ vase. You can use hollowed out, hard-shelled gourds such as pumpkin, squash, acorn or butternut. You can even try savoy cabbage, or ornamental kale. Fill the “vases” with any flowers that you have left in the garden (I have two Casablanca lily’s blooming right now); look for berries, pretty leaves, there are lots of high bush cranberry’s around , bitter sweet, winter berries, etc. Please make sure that you ask permission to pick them if they are in someone’s garden. Someone cleaned out my bitter sweet, by slashing the branches to the ground and trampling down the poison ivy!!!! I would have gladly cut it for them. I wonder if they read the sign "Please do not feed the bull, nor yet pick the poison ivy". Guess not.

Savoy cabbage vase:
Look for a fresh, firm, frilly cabbage. Why fresh? If it is fresh it will not smell “cabbagey” once you have it inside. Make sure that it is sitting flat. Cut off any torn or blemished leaves – curling back the next row of leaves to make a frill. Using an apple corer, cut into the cabbage in five or six places and make the hole large enough to be able to have a plastic florists tube pushed down into that hole, making sure that the tube is flat with the cabbage’s surface. Fill the tubes with water and insert flowers, leaves and branches, leave enough foliage on the branches to hide the holes/tubes – you can purchase a few chrysanthemums to add to your cabbage 'vase'. It makes a wonderful decoration for outside too – keep your eye on it – for after a while it will start to deteriorate, and go mouldy.

Pumpkin arrangement:
Choose a small to medium-sized pumpkin, with a smooth unblemished skin and a flat bottom. Cut off the top and remove the seeds, as if you were making a Jack-o-lantern. Pour water right into the pumpkin, which should be watertight – if it isn’t put a glass vase or even a jam jar inside. Next, choose flowers and berries, etc. to show off the beauty of the orange “fruit’ and enough foliage to hide any containers that you have added.

I have finally brought my ivies inside – they are beautiful and so versatile. You can make topiaries, using frames that can be stuffed with moss and ivy, or open frames in which the ivy is tied to the frame. You can also place them in hanging baskets, dish gardens, terrariums, bonsai, wreaths and on and on.

Place any ivy out of direct sunlight, but near a window or fluorescent lights, away from cold drafts, or hot air ducts. A north or east window is fine, although ivies do well under fluorescent lights, making them an excellent plant for an office or spare bedroom. Check the soil every day for the first little while, and this will determine how quickly the soil dries out for you.

If the plant has been purchased, remove all the decorative wrappings, foil or plastic, even decorative pots, before you water. This way the plant is not left standing in water. This applies to all purchased plants, not just ivy – if you do not wish to remove the ‘pretty’ disguise, at least cut off the bottom portion of the wrapping. With ivy, water thoroughly but infrequently. When the soil feels dry, gently add water until the surface is totally wet making sure that the water drains out of the bottom of the pot. If the air in the house is dry, and all houses are, you can raise the humidity by grouping several ivies on a pebble or perlite and water filled tray. Do not allow ivies to stand in water – otherwise they will rot.

Use fertilisers that are high in nitrogen to give good green growth, applying the fertiliser to the soil only. It is time to re-pot when the plant becomes really top heavy, root bound (roots coming way out of the hole at the bottom of the pot) or dries out too quickly – pot up one size only.

Most pest problems are easily looked after, or even prevented by an occasional wash or bath in warm water, removes dust too. A spray with lukewarm water is also very welcomed by the ivy. Remove any and all dead leaves – this will prevent the spread of any disease that might be lurking there.

The most common problem is spider mites. You can spot it in the earliest stages by the pinpoint yellow speckles on older foliage toward the base of the stems. Several washings are called for, raising the humidity and lowering the air temperature reduces any spider mite attacks, helps with the fuel bill too!!!

Another common problem is scale – wipe the leaves off with 70% alcohol (not gin) and rinse with warm water – if the attack is very bad, it is better to discard the plant – throw it out pot and all. Drastic? Maybe but you do not want scale on every other plant in the house.

Q) When is an ivy not an ivy?
A) There are many plants called ivies that are not ivies at all such as Boston ivy, grape ivy, German and Swedish Ivies. I suggest that you read the instructions that come with these plants when you purchase them as they differ from the regular ivy instructions – some actually need to grow in the direct sunlight.

Q) I have been asked several times recently – “Can I leave my perennials in the containers outside??”
(A) It will depend on the hardiness of the plants, your climate conditions, location and the type of containers in which the hapless plants have been placed. Plants that have been recommended for two zones away from where you live should overwinter outside in containers without too much trouble (e.g. a zone 3 plant growing in a container in zone 5 should be fine). Just make very sure that the container is made of flexible material that can withstand the expansion that any moisture in it will create. Keep the container reasonably wet just before hard freeze-up.

If your containerised plants are only recommended up to your growing zone, it is far better to remove them from the containers in the late fall, about now is a good time, planting them in a protected part of the garden. If you live in an apartment, ask your local horticultural society or a master gardener if someone will over winter them for you. Mark them with a sturdy plant tag for easy identification come the spring, when they are transplanted back into their containers. Remember the tags made from metal blinds, placed with the writing down into the soil. They will be in perfect condition in the spring and the writing will still be visible. Try this trick outside too.

Many plants will survive the winter in a container if you insulate with bales of straw or if stored in an unheated garage. Place the pots full of perennials next to a wall adjoining your home, a lot of perennials will survive quite well. Remember you must water them every month or so, even through the winter, do not allow the containers to totally dry out.

It is a good idea to move the containerised plants to the south or east side of the house for the winter if you do decide to chance leaving them outside. They will have the blessing of the ambient heat from the winter sun as it radiates off the wall, and will not miss the north west winds. Personally, I do not like to leave my containers outside full of earth, our winters (in the Kawarthas) are so harsh that the chance of either plant or container surviving is very iffy, but go for it - and let me know in the spring how successful you were.

It is almost time to put away those gardening tools. I know that I never know quite how to store them, so here are a couple of suggestions. First of all make sure that they have been cleaned and sharpened, all ready for next year.

I suggest that you buy yourself a sheet of trellis, you can paint it if you wish - you will also need to purchase some "S" hooks. Attach the trellis to the wall of your garage - or any other wall that is appropriate. The trellis should be high enough so that any rakes, hoes, etc. are hanging freely without touching the floor. Secure the trellis to the wall with 1/2 inch screws placed at intervals around the perimeter. Suspend your tools with the "S" hooks hung in the grid patterns of the trellis. For anything that cannot be hung on the 'S' hooks, try either bicycle hanging hooks (Home Depot carries these wonderful items- they can be screwed into almost any place) or large paper clamps (from any stationary department can be hung onto either of these two types of hooks). Look around it is amazing what you can do with a little imagination. Do not forget that a bucket of sand filled with oil is a fast and easy way to oil your tools before putting them away - if you have just won the lottery, any food spray, Pam for example, works well too!!!

Our tools do not always get treated with respect, we throw them down on the ground, forget where we have left them, etc. Buy yourself a carpenter's apron; they are very strongly and well-made with deep pockets that are perfect for carrying around pruners, small garden forks, packets of seeds, gloves, spray bottles and even your cell/cordless phone. This way you will not have an unpleasant surprise when they "come up" in the spring. Or you can have a 70th birthday like I did, with very generous wonderful friends of many years standing, who presented me with a real tool belt. Keep Lee Valley Tools in mind for your Christmas wish list - I might suggest a pair of really good pruning shears and those ratchet pruners - always buy good tools - I am still using Jack's father's tools and he died 45 years ago. I am sure that he would be surprised to know that a daughter-in-law is still getting lots of use out of them!!!

For we coffee drinkers, an added bonus, those used coffee grounds are excellent for our plants, they are a good source of nitrogen, which helps to promote healthy leaf growth. Grounds have an acidic pH range of 3.0 -5.0, so that they make a useful and cheap mulch for those acid loving plants, such as ferns, azaleas and hydrangeas not to mention that very difficult to grow Gardenia, which I love, purchase and struggle to keep alive - I am rarely successful. Those beneficial earthworms enjoy their coffee (grounds) too, and will make a beeline to your garden beds where they go to work aerating the soil and leaving their rich castings behind.

I am about to bring in my fish, my beloved grandson solved my aquarium problem. He suggested that I purchase a very large plastic container - I have an 89 litre "box". Not only is it much lighter than a glass one, very much cheaper, but is larger than anything I could afford - how much did it cost??? $17 - not bad for a winter vacation home!

It is still beautiful outside, do go spend as much time as you can in the garden, for soon it will be too cold to sit outside with your coffee, and all we will be able to do is dream of the gardens to come, for next year they will be more productive, bigger and better flowers, less weeds, and all in all give us even more pleasure than ever before - such is a gardener’s dream.

Hats, warm gloves, be very careful with those sharp tools, we do not want to lose any fingers, hats, maybe woolly ones, and sunscreen as always.
Lovingly, Beryl