Hi GPODers!

Today we’re in the garden of Evelyn Sterenberg, who deals with some pretty unique conditions. Located in the city Lethbridge, Alberta, she is squarely in the Canadian prairie but still close enough to the Rockies to have some crazy weather blow in from the mountains. Despite often dealing with extreme conditions, Evelyn takes advantage of her urban location to create a thriving garden:

Fifteen years ago we began working on the garden at this house. We are blessed with plenty of sunshine, fertile soil and years of homemade compost, but on the other hand we contend with extreme heat and cold, hailstorms, high winds and drought. Our location within the city is sheltered by trees and buildings and we have adequate water.

Yarrow, ‘Johnson’s Blue’ geranium (Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’, Zones 4–8), thrift (Armeria maritima, Zones 4–8) and yellow sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Zones 6–9).

A package of seed rewarded us with these lupins after the second year.

Irises (I believe this variety is ‘Edith Wolford’ [Iris ‘Edith Wolford’, Zones 3–9]) and lupins do well here because the prairie soil is somewhat alkaline.

Ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris, Zones 2–8) love their spot by an old chunk of driftwood.

Itoh peony, rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum, Zones 3–8), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis, Zones 4–7) and wild lupin (Lupinus perennis, Zones 3–8).

Shady doorway planter contains pansies, impatiens and parsley.

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