Hi GPODers!
06.09.2024 - 07:15 / finegardening.com / GPOD Contributor
Happy Friday GPODers!
We’re ending the week on a very tranquil, peaceful note with another visit to Montreal Botanical Garden courtesy of Cherry Ong. In case you missed it, yesterday we explored the impressive penjing collection in the Springtime Courtyard (Le Cour du Printemps), and today we’re exploring the aptly named Dream Lake Garden (Le Jardin du Lac de reve).
This is an authentic Chinese garden designed to resemble the private garden of a mandarin, an Imperial court official, in Ming-era (14th to 17th centuries) southern China. The 2.5 hectare space was designed by Chinese architect Le Weizhong and is one of the largest classical gardens outside of China.
The Garden is the fruit of friendship between Montreal and Shanghai. It was built entirely in China, then dismantled and shipped by sea to Montreal. Here it was reassembled in 1990 by a team of more than fifty craftsmen brought specially from China. The Dream Lake Garden opened on June 20, 1991.
The Garden’s layout, the plant species and the architecture of the different buildings all reflect age-old traditions. It is a peaceful haven for you to enjoy in the heart of the city, just as people would have done in China in days gone by.
Not dissimilar to the penjing we saw yesterday, Chinese gardens were traditionally designed to mimic and evoke the larger natural world. This is why both rocks/stones and greenery are two prominent features. Large rocks and boulders like the incredible structure above, are meant to represent towering mountain peaks, while the bright yellow-green sedum and other foliage plants that surround capture the feeling of ancient forests. To learn more about the importance of rocks in traditional Chinese garden design, check out this
Deter Garden Pests with Thorny Rose Canes Do you deal with critters tracking through your winter garden? Try this smart reader tip that utilizes rose canes to keep them out. Use thorny rose canes to deter pests in the garden
Friday, October 4 2:00 PM-6:00 PM Friends of the Garden members Become a member today!
Happy Monday GPODers!
Mums are a popular fall flower—they come in beautiful fall-inspired hues from rusted orange to sunset red. They also start to bloom in fall, when all the summer flowers disappear.
Happy Friday GPODers!
Chrysanthemums or mums are a must-have for autumn décor. They are perfect for pairing with pumpkins and gourds, and steal the spotlight with an explosion of blooms in fiery red, orange, and yellow hues that echo the autumn foliage. You’ll also find vibrant pink, lavender, and even white mums to dress up containers and gardens. Mums are easy to care for but require regular watering to keep them flowering for many weeks. How much water plants need and how often you should water mums varies depending on where the plant is growing. Follow these simple tips to determine when to water mums and keep them looking their best all season.
Long flowering plants mean that you can extend your summer colour right through to autumn. And even to the first frosts of winter.
Rock gardens are an attractive way of displaying a variety of small plants including alpines, dwarf shrubs and low-growing perennials. They can be adapted to suit any space – an alpine trough, old stone wall or sunny border can all be used to create a form of rock garden. One of the first rock gardens was built at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London in the late 1770s, and they became a popular feature in Victorian and Edwardian gardens, providing a way to display alpine plants from around the world.