There are events happening that put spring on the horizon, gardeners!聽 Stop in at the Yorkton Public Library, get a supply of great gardening books for inspiration, and then stop at the front desk and ask about the Seed Library. There will be a variety of seeds available for eager gardeners; it鈥檚 a wonderful free program and a great way to try new seeds!
Also, don鈥檛 forget, the 9th Annual Seedy Saturday is on Saturday, February 23, 2019, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at SIGN on Broadway (345 Broadway Street West). There is something for everyone including local seed vendors and info booths.
And of course, we have our seed catalogues to really make us think spring. If you haven鈥檛 received any seed catalogues, request one or two. It is so rejuvenating to look at the exciting new offerings for this year! 聽
Some things that caught my attention in the Lindenberg catalogue: there鈥檚 a new Siberian iris called 鈥淧ink Parfait鈥�.聽 This iris is a double iris and the blooms look like a rose. If you鈥檙e looking for a statement plant for a border, there鈥檚 a calamagrostis that is a cousin to the ever-elegant Karl Foerster, and its name is 鈥淟ightning Strike鈥�, with creamy white leaves edged in green. Beautiful! And if you love daylilies, there鈥檚 one called 鈥淏ehaviour Pattern鈥� and it looks as interesting as its name, with purple and mauve petals and white sweeps on the petal. Email them at [email protected] or write to them at 803 Princess Avenue, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 0P5.
T & T Seeds always has a beautiful catalogue, and very interesting things like 鈥淪unrise Sauce鈥� roma tomatoes, described as 鈥減erfect for small gardens and containers鈥�. The picture shows bright orange-yellow tomatoes, imagine how appealing they would look in a salad! Get a color theme in the garden with 鈥淐heddar Hybrid鈥� cauliflower, a beautiful orange color, and giving us 鈥�25 times the beta carotene of regular white cauliflower鈥�. There is even a 鈥淩ainbow Mix Beets鈥� to create delight for the taste-buds and the eye!聽 Visit their new website at www.ttseeds.com
W.H.Perron has a catalogue that bursts into color as soon as you open the pages!聽 You can find a 鈥渟ucculent kit鈥� that gives you succulents, soil, rocks, and even a beautiful container to plant them in! They have a wonderful selection of sprouts and microgreens. And the zinnia 鈥淨uenny鈥� series will give beautiful flowers for you to cut and enjoy, in colors that delight your eyes, like 鈥淟ime Orange鈥� and 鈥淟ime with Blotch鈥�.聽 Their website is whperron.com
Contact these places, or any other seed houses that appeal to your gardening interests, and request a catalogue.聽 Your mailbox will be bright and exciting on the day when the catalogue arrives, no matter what the weather!
I love gardening quotes, and here are two that speak to us, I think. 鈥淓verything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.鈥� (May Sarton)
And鈥� 鈥淕ardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized. (Allan Armitage) I love the second one especially because I think it is so important to try something new each year and keep our thinking fresh and alive. The gardening dreams we have far outweigh the time and space in our yards! Let鈥檚 make a pact, gardeners, that we will try at least one new thing this year. At least one. Done!
Visit the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society at www.yorktonhort.ca, and have a great week!
