What's a Northern Gardener to Do?

Usually when I buy gardening magazines I stick to the Canadian variety -- of which there are two main ones: Gardening Life and Canadian Gardening. That's not from a patriotic standpoint, or even a financial one (although the publishing industry in this country is set up quite deliberately to favour local offerings).

No, it's not about that.

It's because all areas of Canada (except perhaps certain spots along the West Coast) are within northern climate zones. Because my zone 5b garden is in one of the warmer areas of the country, most of the suggestions shown in Canadian gardening magazines will work for me. (Of course, it would be a different story if I were trying to read about gardens that work in a true northern climate as Gardenista is. I have sensed disapproval on her blog towards gardening magazines because hardly any of them, Canadian magazines included, are useful if your climate is colder than zone 4.)

Cold hardiness is very important to Canadian gardeners, so describing the patch of land that I tend and nurture as a "zone 5b garden" is, to me, second nature. However, I have been asked by people in the UK to explain what a zone 5b garden is. Most areas of the UK are so favourable to growing flowers that you could probably become a fairly serious gardener without ever having to worry about such things. As shown on this map, even the coldest part of the UK, a small dot in Scotland, is two climate zones warmer than mine.

Camperdown Elm in Winter 2004


'Hoopsii' Spruce

Anyway, where this all began was... for the first time I have actually bought a gardening magazine, Taunton's Fine Gardening, that originates in the U.S. rather than Canada. At approximately 10 cents a page (including the advertisements), the magazine was only slightly cheaper -- though definitely more cat-friendly -- than the orchid I briefly considered buying. I am grateful to notice, however, on page 78, in an article talking about woody plants suitable to the Rocky Mountain zone in Denver, Colorado, that all four recommendations have been in my garden. Three still are: Camperdown Elm, 'Hoopsii' Spruce, and Paperbark Maple. Unfortunately, my Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (which I call Corkscrew Hazel) were taken by disease.

Former Corkscrew Hazel in Winter

So, in answer to my original question, "What's a northern gardener to do", well, dream and plan. Look at catalogs, books, and magazines.

Paperbark Maple -- A Recent Addition

Wait desperately for spring?

I leave you with the list of daylilies that I came up with for my garden from the Floral and Hardy catalog:

Chicago Jewel
Dragon's Eye
Japanese Brocade
Ivory Edges
Kallista
Metaphor
Real Purple Star
Royal Eventide
Siloam Dan Tau
Siloam Tommy Tucker

I also want 'Little Red Spring Song', even though it's an orangey-red colour. It's a very early one, and small, so I would love to have it in my garden. Oh, and check out 'Real Purple Star' -- it even gets the Martha seal of approval.