Gardening style and plant markers

Although I'm not a frequent contributor to the the list, I have been
lurking more that usual these last 6 months or so. I've been so busy with
non-gardening activities--mostly work--that I haven't had time to
participate more. But these two topics are just too interesting to let
slide by!

My gardening style has evolved over time. I used to be a collector, buying
one of everything I liked and shoe-horning them into the garden anywhere
they'd fit.

I'm still a collector, but I'm a bit more selective. I collect by genus
now. Daylilies, hardy roses, and asiatic lilies are my favourites. I also
like clematis but am a bit short on veritical space to get really serious
about them. 

Actually, I don't think that it's a bad thing for a beginner to collect
everything in sight. It's the best way to discover what grows well in your
garden and what type of plants you like the best. 

When I chose a plant, my first consideration is hardyness for cold and
drought. I'm solidly in zone 3a. -40 is not at all unusual for December and
January. Also, snow cover isn't dependable from year to year. Our summers
are very warm and rain fall tends to come in the form of 3 or 4 serious
storms, instead of regular gentle showers.

Secondly, I look at plant shape, leaf and flower colour, and leaf texture.
I'm not really fond of "weedy" looking periennials, although I do grow both
yarrow and oriental poppies which are as weedy as they come. 

I consider scent a bonus attribute. If a plant can survive the winter and
looks good through the growing season, that's good enough for me. When you
live in zone 3, you can't be picky.

As far as garden planning is concerned, I've broken all the rules. I had
to, you see.

We live on a large lot, in a rural area, surrounded by grain fields.
Fifteen years ago, when I first became interested in gardening, I read a
number of books all saying to plan the garden before digging and planting.
I tried. I really did! But the space was intimidating. I couldn't get my
head around it. 

Finally, in 1994, I had an epiphany of sorts; I would ignore the advice of
the experts. I would start small with one bed and, year by year, add more.
So far, things have gone well. I'm not saying that my piece meal approach
to design doesn't have any errors in it. I just don't care about them. The
important thing for me is that there are finally trees, shrubs, and flowers
growing in my yard!

On the subject of plant markers... I like them and I use them. I originally
put them in for my benefit. I would forget the variety names and used the
markers as a memory aid. Later I found that they were a good way to keep
track of where thing are. I tried making garden maps, but I'm not
disciplined enough to keep them up to date.  In a sense, the markers are by
gardening database.

I've also had visitors compliment me on the markers. One friend, who is
just beginning to garden, likes them because she doesn't like asking,
"What's that?" when she recognizes a plant but can't remember the name.

My husband pointed out the markers can also start conversations. His
example was the types of roses that I grow--mostly Parklands and Explorers.
 Non-gardeners might not know that Agriculture Canada has two very
successful rose breeding programs. But they would recognize the names of
explorers such as John Cabot, William Baffin, etc. or the name of the town
of Morden, Manitoba, where the Parkland series is developed. Without the
marker, they're just roses.

BTW, just to show how challenging it is to garden here, last Friday the
temperature went to 31 C (88 F). This morning it started to snow!

Leslie
zone 3 southern Manitoba

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