Garden Photo of the Day

Flowers from Clay

Dealing with tough soil in Ontario

By GPOD Contributor

My name is Beth O’Brien, and I live in a Zone 6b location in Fort Erie, Ontario. We purchased this new home five years ago, and the yard was a blank slate. It has been a constant learning experience to find plants that rabbits don’t eat, that are fairly drought tolerant, and that can grow in the hard clay soil. Amend, amend, amend.

I have been trying to achieve constant color throughout the growing season.

The front garden in May with spring bulbs.
The front garden in May with spring bulbs

In June, blue salvia (Salvia nemorosa, Zone 3 - 8) takes center stage.
In June, blue salvia (Salvia nemorosa, Zones 3–8) takes center stage.

In July, the stargazer lilies (Lilium ‘Stargazer’ Zone 3 - 8) bloom in mass.
In July, the ‘Stargazer’ lilies (Lilium ‘Stargazer’, Zones 3–8) bloom in mass.

Another view of the front bed lined with Stargazer lilies.
Another view of the front bed lined with ‘Stargazer’ lilies.

In August the dahlias are at their best, providing plenty of colors. I started them in April in a little greenhouse.
In August the dahlias are at their best, providing plenty of colors. I started them in April in a little greenhouse.

This is a shade garden on the north side of a shed with a big clump of variegated Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zone 5 – 9) in the middle.
This is a shade garden on the north side of a shed with a big clump of variegated Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) in the middle.

Monarchs compete for nectar on the blooms of a butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii, Zone 5 - 9).
Monarchs compete for nectar on the blooms of a butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii, Zones 5–9).

A favorite combination of asters, coneflowers and phlox
A favorite combination: asters (Stokesia laevis, Zones 5–9), coneflowers (Echinacea spp., Zones 4–9), and phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8)

Petunia ‘Bees Knees’ (annual) are easy maintenance in boxes on our deck.
Petunia ‘Bees Knees’ (annual) are easy to maintain in boxes on our deck.

A group of coneflowers lasts well into the fall.
A group of coneflowers lasts well into the fall.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to gpod@taunton.com along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach.
Buy at Amazon

The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard.
Buy at Amazon

Razor-Back Potato/Refuse Hook

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Buy at Amazon
X
View 9 comments

Comments

  1. sandyprowse 10/12/2021

    It seems to be that whatever you set out to do originally you have perfected and your garden is a great success. Congratulations! It is gorgeous and must be the envy of the neighbourhood. .

  2. User avater
    treasuresmom 10/12/2021

    It is all so lovely but especially the lilies.

  3. sagebird52 10/12/2021

    Lovely artistic and a benefit to the neighborhood

  4. User avater
    pattyeckels 10/12/2021

    You done good! Lol.

  5. nicki_s 10/12/2021

    Everything looks so perfect! Wonderfully colorful.

  6. User avater
    simplesue 10/12/2021

    Your perennials and annuals are amazing! I saved your photo of the butterflies on the butterfly bush!
    You're front border really graces your pretty house- great curb appeal!

  7. btucker9675 10/12/2021

    Wow - what a wonderful job you've done with your gardens! I just love all of the colors, so pretty. I deal with heavy clay soil here in North Carolina, too. It's quite a struggle and you're obviously winning the battle!

  8. Maggieat11 10/13/2021

    Great job! Those petunias are fab!

  9. user-5117752 10/13/2021

    Absolutely delightful in every way!!! A joy to behold!!!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest

Design
Gardening: The Original Outdoor Living | Letter from the Editor

Let’s talk about a phrase that never fails to make me laugh: “outdoor design and living.” As if gardening isn’t, at its core, the ultimate act of designing an outdoor…
Design
Is No Mow May a Good Idea?

No mow may, a movement that started in 2019 in the U.K., has challenged how we think about lawns. For at least one month of the year, we are encouraged…
How-To
Easy Ways to Make Any Lawn More Eco-Friendly

Replacing your lawn with a matrix of native plants might not be an option for you, but you can still move the ecological needle in the right direction in your…

Video

View All Videos
Design

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping—not because you’re likely to trip on something, but because you might be dive-bombed by a pair…
Design

4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder's Garden
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 179: Most Beautiful Flowers  
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 178: Best Interview Moments from Let's Argue About Plants
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 177: Seeds We’re Starting This Year