Impatiens Downy Mildew Disease

Back in March 2013 I wrote an article (Impatiens Downy Mildew) about the downy mildew disease which has been devastating impatiens.  There is still no cure and you'll likely not find Impatiens Walleriana in the greenhouses this year either. Your best bet is to substitute the impatiens with a variety that is resistant such as New Guinea Impatiens (impatiens x hawkin) or substitute with another shade loving plant.  Pansies, sweet alyssum, forget me nots, begonias, ageratum, fuchsia, caladiums,  and coleus are a few you may want to consider instead.  

Fuchsia in a hanging basket offers an enormous pop of colour in the shade.

For more information see:
http://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/index.php/disease-alert-impatiens-downy-mildew/

Happy Mother's Day

The sweetest sounds to mortals given

Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.

~William Goldsmith Brown

Orchid Show 2015

Last month the Enjoy Centre of St. Albert, Alberta hosted the annual Orchid Show and Sale.  The following are highlights I captured of the day.

Brilliant colours

Pretty in pink

My favourite of the "orchid gardens" this year.

This lovely arrangement is similar to those my son will have for his wedding this summer.

Cute with an oriental theme.  I love the Japanese Maple!

Daughter-in-law (feels more like a daughter), son and daughter joined me for the afternoon.

This show is very much like last year's.  We unanimously decided we'll likely skip next year's unless one of us suddenly becomes an avid collector.  My son, above, was but after a considerable investment in some unusual and apparently difficult to grow orchids; he's decided to enjoy them at arm's length for now.  After all, he has a wedding to prepare for!

The World's Largest Flower, Putrella, Blooms Again

Tuesday, April 7/15 Putrella opened her enormous bloom. 

 I went to see her the following day.

This YouTube video was posted to the Facebook page for the Muttart Conseratory.  

Putrella Draws Crowd With Her Odour and Beauty

The Corpse Flower in Bloom (left), the enormous corm (middle) and the plant (right) on exhibit in the main concourse.

This year's presentation was more informative and included displays such as the corm from which the flower or plant develops.  Also on site was a dead carrion beetle, the only insect known to pollinate the corpse flower.  The stench, which is strongest on the first evening of the flower opening, draws the carrion beetle which then pollinates the flower.  

When the corm begins growing, it is difficult to tell if it will develop into a flower or a plant.  It's always exciting when it's a flower that develops.  You can follow her progress on the Muttart Conservatory Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/muttart.conservatory1.  The dates are March 10-April 9/15.  

#Putrella  #MuttartConservatory

Be Gentle With Spring Raking

Now's the time, if your lawn is dry and not spongy, to get out and give your lawn a gentle raking followed by an application of a spring fertilizer high in nitrogen.

Turkish Delight at Muttart Conservatory March 7 - April 12/15

With all the excitement over Putrella blooming again, I forgot to post the photos from the Turkestan Exhibit which coincided the Putrella event.  

Spring flowers were blooming in the pyramids too.  

You Have to Do or See Something Special When the Big Birthday Hits......

so my friend Kim and I went to the Blue Chair Cafe to see Heather Blush and The Uppercuts.  What a fabulous evening!  I adore jazz and this trio with special guest Cedric Blary on the clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone were fabulous!!

It was a celebration of 10 years of performing as a group for Heather Blush and The Uppercuts too!  Of course I had to buy a CD "Versa".

In this video they are performing Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love."

#HeatherBlush #TheUppercuts #BlueChairCafe #yegevents #yeg #jazz

So this happened.....

As the first day of spring  arrived yesterday, one might have expected a continuation of the mild weather we'd been enjoying all week but Mother Nature had other ideas in store. It began to snow Thursday night, depositing inches of white fluff  over what had been bare pavement and dry sidewalks.  Might this day be called Sprinter instead because winter has not given up on us yet?

Thank you to Global Edmonton for inventing the term #Sprinter.