Iris Reticulata "Joyce"

WOW. When I planted these in the fall, I was hopeful that they would be pretty. Did I ever under-estimate them!!! I love these! They are blooming right now, alongside crocuses in mid April. I’m sure they started blooming over the Easter weekend.

This is a dwarf iris of only 8”, which comes in a bulb form, and must be planted in the fall at the same time as tulips and daffodils. The name “Reticulated” or Netted Iris refers to the appearance of the bulb before planting. They are a perfect candidate for a rock garden or along the front of any sunny garden. They do require a dry bed for the summer months, so planting in a bed with trees or shrubs will do them well.

Last spring, Carleigh and I transformed the round island garden near the Starter Hut into what we now call “Iris Island”. The Iris Reticulata “Joyce” are the first of many iris’ to bloom here. Definitely a garden to keep an eye on!

Stephanie Osborne

Gardener

York Downs Golf and Country Club

Pretty Crocuses

The crocuses are still in bloom, but it won’t be for much longer.
Here are a few that are so pretty, I simply had to take a picture of them!

Stephanie Osborne
Gardener
York Downs Golf and Country Club

Crocus in snow

Crocuses are amongst the earliest spring blooming flowers. They are known to bloom while there is still snow on the ground and will even tolerate a snowfall after the blooms have appeared.

It's important to plant them where you will see them (near a front entrance or in view from a window) as they will likely be in bloom before you will be doing any yard work.

Avoid overwatering. Crocuses do best when they're planted in a sunny bed with well drained soil. The crocuses that have been consistantly doing well at York Downs are planted amongst trees and shrubs. These complex root systems take the bulk of the rain water and ensure that the crocus bulbs are dry throughout the summer.

The greatest threat to crocus bulbs are squirrels. All you can do is plant them at their maximum depth of 6" along with some bone meal and dog hair if you have access to it. For extra insurance, secure some chicken wire over the planting area.

Although spring is here and there is a fresh layer of snow on the ground, we can count on these flowers to give us hope that warmer weather is around the corner!

Stephanie Osborne
Gardener
York Downs Golf and Country Club

Pruning Hydrangeas

Pruning Hydrangeas

Spring is the best time to prune hydrangea shrubs. Their dried flower heads have provided us with something interesting to look at over the winter months and it’s now time to clean them up.

They bloom on old and new wood so if it’s in good shape and you want to leave it alone, this is fine. In order to keep it compact and fresh looking, I cut them down to 12”-18” (cutting just above a leaf node).

Pruning them in this fashion strengthens the base and provides support for the often heavy blossoms. Using a tomato basket or peony ring for reinforcement will also help during the summer months.

Hydrangeas are a lovely specimen plant in any garden. I encourage you to go to the garden centre and see what interesting varieties are available. You won’t be disappointed!

Stephanie Osborne

York Downs Golf and Country Club

Gardener