Gardens and Gardeners

by Kathy Purdy on May 25, 2005 · 3 comments

Cold climate gardeners to advise you and cold climate gardens to inspire you!

Beautiful Botany - Janet Davis Writing and Photography
"Janet Davis is an award-winning garden writer and photographer based in Toronto. For almost two decades, her words and images have been featured in numerous Canadian and U. S. books, magazines, newspapers and packaging materials, and on the website ICanGarden.com. She is also an avid gardener, with a tame city garden and wild country garden."
Daisy Moore on Gardening
Daisy is a horticulturist and garden designer who shares her time between her home and office in Toronto and her home and garden in Elora.
Fletcher Wildlife Garden
"THE FLETCHER WILDLIFE GARDEN, a long-term project of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, is located on a site that is only minutes from the centre of Ottawa. With habitat loss a major factor in the decline of many plant and animal species, our goal is to encourage as many people as possible to create or restore natural landscapes on their urban or rural property. Our Interpretive Centre disseminates information on conservation issues and regional natural history. Behind the centre is our Backyard Garden designed to show how anyone can transform their own garden into one that is wildlife friendly."
Garden Design: Gordon Hayward and Mary Hayward
Based in Vermont, the Haywards have created a beautiful garden which has been featured in many magazines. This website features images of their garden, information on the books they've written, and Gordon Hayward's ideas for people who want to design their own landscape or garden or work with a professional designer.
Garden Walk Buffalo
"Garden Walk Buffalo is a free, self-guided tour of more than 300 Buffalo gardens, one of the largest garden tours in America. Held annually on the last weekend of July, this year <2009> it will be Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26. Garden Walk has become one of Western New York’s most anticipated summer happenings. Tens of thousands of visitors join us each year, as we show off our city’s beautiful homes and gardens. You will leave refreshed, entertained, and inspired!"
Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamentals Trial Garden
Located in Orono, Maine, this is the same place that publishes the Woody Landscape Plant Cold- Hardiness Ratings, Technical Bulletin #156 "The mission of the facility is to obtain, plant, and evaluate as wide a range as possible of ornamental plants with potential for use in the northern landscape. Over the last three decades, the Garden has amassed a collection of over 2,500 woody and herbaceous plants. Major focus collections exist within the overall collection as follows; 210 crabapple varieties, 180 lilacs, 150 rhododendrons, 35 magnolias, and many more smaller. All plants in the Garden receive extensive evaluation for winter hardiness, ornamental characteristics, cultural requirements, and overall potential for the landscape."
Maine Cottage Garden
"A three acre perennial garden open to the public through the growing season. (For the 2005 season - Memorial Day to September 30th.) It features old fashioned 'zone 3-4' perennials, fruit trees, and shrubs that survive (and thrive) in Maine's Western Mountains with our -30 degree winter temperatures. We call it a 'Garden of Survivors.' Consisting of islands, borders, and courtyard, the flower beds are naturalistically landscaped around the house and throughout the old Baldwin apple orchard, extending to the forest's edge."
McLaughlin Garden
Located in South Paris, ME, this was originally the private garden of Bernard McLaughlin. Since he has died, it has been maintained by a non-profit corporation and is open to the public.
Shelburne Farms
"Shelburne Farms is a membership-supported, nonprofit environmental education center and national historic site on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont. School children, adults, educators and families come here to learn, while casual visitors may enjoy the walking trails, children's farmyard, inn, restaurant, property tours and special events."
Sweet Pea Gardens
"Our gardens are created and maintained using organic methods. We raise over 30 types of specialty cut flowers, vegetables, greens, raspberries and hundreds and hundreds of dozens of sweet peas each year. We typically grow over 25 different varieties of sweet peas."
The Alaska garden
Flowers and veggies which grow up here next to the Arctic Circle, 65 degrees north and at the edge of the treeline. Plus garden tips for those of us who are really in the cold climate zone.
Thyme For Ewe Farm - A Family Farm in Maine
"Thyme For Ewe Farm is a family owned diversified farm located in northeastern Maine. We farm on 45 acres of land in the middle of the forest. We are strong believers in community, small business, local economy, sustainable agriculture and fresh, healthy, locally produced food. We educate children and adults through farmers market, speaking engagements, phone calls, and hands on opportunity. We learn from our visitors and meet new friends. Sustainable agriculture: farms are run sustainably when the animals, the gardens and other resources are managed as naturally as possible and provide a good income and living for the farmer. Farmers are able to share knowledge and experiences with their customers that a grocery store will never begin to grasp let alone share. Come to the garden and see what we grow."
Vermont Herb and Perennial Display Gardens
This is a list maintained by The Vermont Association of Professional Horticulturists of display gardens created by nurserymen to help sell their plants. Some have web sites, some take mail order, so even if you don't live in Vermont, this could be a way to find unusual hardy plants.
WiseAcre Gardens
Located north of the Adirondacks in New York state, this site is a mixture of solid horticultural information and LooneyTunes love affair. The man does excellent stone work; check it out by following the "Gardens" link. Read more . . .