Gardening 101 (Calgary)

Having a gorgeous garden is one of the surest ways to surround your home with an essential aspect of opulence. But if you want to have a beautiful garden and you're faced with a short growing season like we have in Calgary, you have to work smarter than you do in say, the Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley in British Columbia.

Here a few tips to help bring out the best in your yard.

The Faster, the Better

The growing season in Calgary is short. We have around 175 frost-free days in a year. So whatever you plant, it has to get to the point quickly. Fast growing plants are the way to go if you want to be surrounded by greenery and flowers in the summer.

The Day Is Long

Fortunately, Calgary gardens have an advantage when it comes to the growing season. Though there may not be many days for growing, our days are long. In fact, in the summer the sun shines from 5:00am to 10:00pm and dusk can stretch until midnight. At the height of summer, it never really gets dark for long at all.

Did you know: Calgary is one of the sunniest places in the country? We have an annual average of 2400 hours of magnificent sunshine.

Coming Up Roses

Alberta is a Wild Rose country! It's easy to have a rose garden if you stick to wild roses. Hardy and abundant, the prairie rose makes a great border that blooms early and provides colour all season with very little help from you. Try a Morden Rose!

Big Hard Sun

Before you plant anything, look to the sky! Figure out where the sun is going to hit your little patch of paradise and from which direction -- this should be the first thing you consider when planning your garden. A north facing yard should be a shade tolerant planting area, while a south or southwest facing yard will soak up the rays (and the moisture). If you want vegetables, they should be planted in a sunny spot. Also, pay attention to elevations and slopes when making your site selection and avoid depressions and low areas which would allow water to pool too easily.

Wind, Wind, Wind

While Calgary isn’t necessarily flat like the rest of the prairies, we are at the swoop of the mountains -- this means Chinooks in winter and general wind from the south all summer long! Gardeners should intervene because there will always be days when there's nothing to stop the wind from whipping itself into a fury and making your garden shiver. Create a windbreak or shelterbelt! Windbreaks stop the wind from lowering the temperature on the property which is good for the garden, good for your house and good for you. Fences are the quickest way to enjoy the benefits of a windbreak and open fences (picket style) will always do better than solid fences which just seem to make the wind angrier, but you can plant a shelterbelt too. There are hardy belt plants like common lilacs, dogwoods and the Northwest poplar.

Tolerate the Drought

It’s great if you have time to stand outside everyday watering your lawn to make it green, but hopefully you have better things to do. Besides, it's always wise to accept things for what they are and Calgary's climate is dry, dry, dry. Choose drought tolerant grasses and ground covers. Save money on your water bill. Be at peace. So, rock on! Rock gardens are a go in Calgary. Use local rocks for the best effect - they look better and cost you nothing. Did I also mention they look better? Luckily, most of the plants that grow in a traditional alpine rock garden will also do fabulously in Calgary.

Possibility Abounds With Snowballs!

Give your garden and yourself, the full benefit of all the seasons by making your space a fun and beautiful place all year round. Plant trees and bushes that will not only survive the winter but will add colour and interest. There's nothing nicer than red berries contrasted with white snow in February. Evergreens and conifers are another timeless choice. Pay attention to shapes and shadows when you are planning your winter garden.

There's also nothing more enjoyably rebellious than hanging out in the hot tub when the thermometer has dipped well below zero. Saunas, out door fireplaces and heated spas all make the cold months a bit warmer and open up a whole world of possibilities when it comes to winter parties.

How about a skating rink? Forget tarps and boarding, there are portable rinks to flood on the market right now!

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If you're serious about turning your yard into a copious wonderland, there are some great books out there that deal exclusively with gardens in a Calgary climate zone and point out plants that do well here.

Hint: The Calgary Horticultural Society is also a fantastic resource for local green thumbs. (Wink)