November 20, 2008

Hello from Hekkla!

It’s a beautiful day here! The sky is blue, the sun is shining and the trees are heavy with a deep layer of white, sparkling snow. Winter is well on its way and its time to reflect on this past season and begin planning for next year.

We had a very unusual summer this year. It was very damp, although we missed a lot of the rain here in Hekkla. It was very dark, due to cloudy days and my plants were much taller than normal. It was warm but never very hot. That made perfect conditions for insects. It seemed like the mosquitoes and blackflies were larger than smart cars and lasted most of the summer. I spent most of the season hiding in my bug suit.

I have just updated the website with a list of plants and bulbs available for Spring 2009!
Photos will be added soon. My goal for next season is color. I have tried to add plants to extend the season with new and exciting color and interest. I am also increasing my stock in groundcover. It seems that more customers want the ground to be covered in plants that do not require as much care and maintenance as grass does. To facilitate this need I am growing Vinca, Sweet Woodruff, Ajuga, Creeping Sedum, Creeping Phlox, Irish Moss, Veronica and of course, Lily of the Valley, plus many more. Once these plants are established, they offer pretty, interesting and dense coverage with a bonus of seasonal bloom color as well. They require no cutting, very little care, rarely need watering and when planted in well prepared soil, very little fertilization.

Next summer I am hoping to organize an event. I am thinking Art, Food and Learning in the Garden. August is a good time for blooms and it is normally a festive time in our family. Each year the Brown Baggers (a local art group) visit and spend the day, painting and drawing in the garden. My son, Dan Clements is the chef at Shutter’s in Barrie and hopes to do some cooking of local produce and I hope to prepare a short seminar or two for the occasion. There will be an update in a newsletter in Spring 2009.

Thank you to all of our customers for a great season. I look forward to seeing you again next season and hope to meet more new gardeners in the near future. If you have gardening problems or questions, please email me. I will do my best to help you find your answers.

Yours in Blooms or (bloomers at this time of year!)
Marlene