Heat Things Up with a Patio Fire Pit
Extend long summer days into cosy fall nights with the warmth of a patio fire pit. Solus Decor’s Hemi 26 Firebowl is hand cast using high-performance concrete designed to endure the West Coast elements. This petite, rotund fire bowl is suitable for small areas and has an optional pedestal to raise its profile when placed among larger furniture. It can run on natural gas, ethanol or liquid propane.
From $2,950; Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre
Just Add Water with a Wall Fountain
Water features aren’t realistic for all gardens, but wall fountains are an accessible way to add the soothing touch of running water. The soft lines of this handcrafted fountain mimic a clam’s shell, making the concrete structure feel delicate and at home in a serene garden space. Create a focal point in an open area, or nestle the fountain among climbing plants – its simplicity works well in busy gardens with myriad plants and flowers.
Made by Countrywide Garden Ornaments in Duncan, B.C., the fountain is built to withstand cold Canadian winters, and comes in a classic natural grey, a contemporary charcoal and an antique rustic finish (shown here).
$375; The Natural Gardener Garden Store
Take Two Scoops of Ice Cream Tulips
For a late-spring garden that looks good enough to eat, plant Ice Cream Tulip bulbs (zone 3 to 8) in borders or containers. The tulip’s ruffled white petals burst forth from the raspberry-pink, cone-like outer petals, resembling a generous serving of vanilla ice cream. The large, fragrant blooms make beautiful cut flowers and remain fresh in a vase for extended periods, so you can enjoy their distinctive look both indoors and out.
Image by: Illustration by Michael LeGeyt
Thicket Good with Thimbleberries
Natural thickets add beauty to suburban and rural landscapes, and also support wildlife. Hardy thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus, zone 3) makes a wonderful thicket with beautiful leaves, tasty fruit and no prickles. This species is easy to raise from seed or grow from rooted shoots and is also available from specialist nurseries. A relative of raspberry, it establishes quickly and binds the soil to provide delightful metre- (3-ft.-) to shoulder-high shrubbery.
The large white blooms appear in mid-spring, held just above the soft, maple-like leaves. Naturalize them in moist corners and under deciduous trees. Aboriginal people ate the berries fresh, or pressed them into dry cakes; sweet, juicy, spring shoots were peeled and eaten raw. And, reportedly, soap can be made from thimbleberry’s bark
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