garden life

Gardeners are preparing for the second spring during COVID-19. Business is already picking up at some Greater Victoria nurseries, including Elk Lake Garden Centre. (Nina Grossman/News Staff)

Vancouver Island garden centres preparing for busy season

Businesses stocking up after last year’s COVID-19 pandemic gardening explosion

  • Mar 24, 2021

 

Carrots are a popular winter harvest vegetable. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE

Winter gardening discussed at first Comox Valley Horticultural Society meeting of 2021

The Comox Valley Horticultural Society welcomes Arzeena Hamir as the guest speaker…

  • Jan 3, 2021

 

A late-blooming Welsh poppy gave the Cox garden some unexpected colour last month. Photo by Leslie Cox

DUCHESS OF DIRT: La Nina signs not necessarily steeped in science

LESLIE COX Special to The Record I am beginning to think climate…

  • Nov 25, 2020

 

There are specific things to look for to ensure your hive is ready for the cool, wet winter months ahead. Photo supplied.

THE BUZZ ON BEES: Time to start winterizing those hives

Rachel Halliwell column

  • Sep 14, 2020
There are specific things to look for to ensure your hive is ready for the cool, wet winter months ahead. Photo supplied.
Hakonechloa macra, or Japanese forest grass, likes full sun, medium soil and less water. Photo by Leslie Cox

DUCHESS OF DIRT: Cooler spring produces more summer ‘stand-outs’

Leslie Cox Special to The Record Typically, at this time year -…

  • Jul 22, 2020
Hakonechloa macra, or Japanese forest grass, likes full sun, medium soil and less water. Photo by Leslie Cox
Wasps may seem like pests to us but they do play an important predatory role - they can help reduce the pest populations that take over our beautiful vegetable gardens or farm crops. Adobe Stock Image photo

BUZZ ON BEES: Wasps are predatory insects, even to honeybees

Every year as the weather gets warmer and we begin to relax…

  • Jul 22, 2020
Wasps may seem like pests to us but they do play an important predatory role - they can help reduce the pest populations that take over our beautiful vegetable gardens or farm crops. Adobe Stock Image photo
Propolis helps protect the hive against insect intruders, and even wood decay. Photo supplied.

THE BUZZ ON BEES: The purpose of propolis

We have come to know honeybees (Apis mellifera) for what their name…

  • Jun 22, 2020
Propolis helps protect the hive against insect intruders, and even wood decay. Photo supplied.
Water features are an attractive custom touch to any garden. Stock image

SPRING IN THE GARDEN: Must-haves for the pond or your water features

Ellen Presley Special to The Record Research has shown that being near…

  • Jun 15, 2020
Water features are an attractive custom touch to any garden. Stock image
An Acer bloodgood in all its colour shows why it is named as such. Photo submitted

Spring in the Garden: Maples make great focal points for a garden

Ellen Presley Special to The Record With any design, you need a…

  • Jun 9, 2020
An Acer bloodgood in all its colour shows why it is named as such. Photo submitted
The Cox rhododendrons are beautiful in full bloom but now is the time to prune off the dead flowers. Photo by Leslie Cox

Duchess of Dirt: Unexpected May chill precedes June prune

Leslie Cox Special to The Record I freely admit. I was a…

  • Jun 9, 2020
The Cox rhododendrons are beautiful in full bloom but now is the time to prune off the dead flowers. Photo by Leslie Cox
Your English cottage garden should have a relaxed feel and let the plants slightly cascade over the paths and intertwine with one another. Photo supplied

Spring In The Garden: Natural disarray adds to the charm of the English cottage garden

Ellen Presley Special to The Record The cottage garden has had an…

  • Jun 2, 2020
Your English cottage garden should have a relaxed feel and let the plants slightly cascade over the paths and intertwine with one another. Photo supplied
Hummingbirds love plants with red, tubular flowers, like the crocosmia. Photo by Terry Farrell

SPRING IN THE GARDEN: Plants the hummingbirds love

SPRING IN THE GARDEN: Plants the hummingbirds love

  • May 18, 2020
Hummingbirds love plants with red, tubular flowers, like the crocosmia. Photo by Terry Farrell
An example of dogwood anthracnose fungus on Pacific dogwood leaf. Photo by Leslie Cox

DUCHESS OF DIRT: Be wary of a fungus familial to dogwood trees

Anthracnose will spread throughout the tree

  • May 18, 2020
An example of dogwood anthracnose fungus on Pacific dogwood leaf. Photo by Leslie Cox
Honeybees hard at work in a hive. Photo supplied

BUZZ ON BEES: Beekeepers rely on neighbouring gardens for a healthy hive

The Latin term for honeybee is apis mellifera. Its literal meaning is…

  • May 11, 2020
Honeybees hard at work in a hive. Photo supplied
Hives should be experiencing a population growth at this time. Take a look at yours and see id you can spot the queen. Photo suppplied

Buzz on Bees: Hives should be experiencing a population growth at this time

Rachel Halliwell Special to Black Press In the last article, we spoke…

  • Apr 26, 2020
Hives should be experiencing a population growth at this time. Take a look at yours and see id you can spot the queen. Photo suppplied
Pansies are a colourful delight in any garden. Photo supplied.

Gardens offer solace in these troubled times

Ellen Presley Special to The Record We really are living in an…

  • Mar 31, 2020
Pansies are a colourful delight in any garden. Photo supplied.
Duchess of Dirt: Thinking about gardens

Duchess of Dirt: Thinking about gardens

Leslie Cox Special to The Record It is the time of year…

  • Mar 19, 2020
Duchess of Dirt: Thinking about gardens