You know what I really love? Blackberries. They are awesome for fresh eating, amazing in jams and superb in pies! You know what I really hate? Blackberries. There is nothing worse than going to pick Blackberries and coming out with a scratched and bleeding arm. Those thorns are more than just annoying, they are dangerous! Okay, I may be exaggerating a bit with the word "dangerous", but I'm not kidding about the scratches, cuts and blood (it may be just a little blood though).

Well, if you would put yourself in the same boat as me (or should I say bush??), there is hope on the horizon for us. I would like to tell you about the Black Satin Blackberry, this beauty is thornless. That's right, I said thornless!

There is nothing quite so poetic as watching a butterfly flit from flower to flower on a warm summer's day in the garden. If this is a scene you want to help encourage, the best thing you can do is to plant nectar producing flowers to help attract these graceful fliers to your garden.

One of the most popular choices to help attract butterflies is Tuberosa Asclepias, also known as Butterfly Weed. Not only do they provide a source of nectar for them, but they also act as a host for the eggs of Monarch butterflies.

If you are interested in producing more than just a feeding ground for butterflies, but a sanctuary where they can grow and multiply, there are other steps you can take to help create a butterfly haven.

• Plant your butterfly garden in a sunny location (5-6 hours each day), but sheltered from the winds. Butterflies need the sun to warm themselves, but they won't want to feed in an area where they are constantly fighting the wind to stay on the plants. It is also a good idea to place a few flat stones in your sunny location so the butterflies can take a break while warming up.
• Butterflies need water just like we do. Keep a mud puddle damp in a sunny location, or fill a bucket with sand and enough water to make the sand moist.
• Do not use pesticides in your garden. 
• Butterflies use two different types of plants, those that provide nectar for the adults to eat (nectar plants: Aster, Shasta Daisies, Hollyhock, Echinacea, etc.) and those that provide food for their offspring (host plants: Digitalis, Lonicera, Parsley, etc.).

Check out the North American Butterfly Association for more information on creating a butterfly garden.

Did you know? Have you heard? This year is the 150th anniversary of Canada becoming a country. I have to admit, that is pretty exciting. That is 150 years poutine, 150 years of hockey, 150 years of the true North strong and free, that's 150 years of everything that makes us Canadian. Can you tell I'm proud to be a Canadian?!?

To go with this event, the people at Vineyard decided to create a Rose that would help every garden join in the celebration and we have them in stock for you! Introducing the Canadian Shield Rose:

Canadian Shield is a versatile garden and landscape Rose with a 3 ft. height and width, and full, silky-textured red flowers and glossy green foliage. It’s a repeat bloomer, resistant to blackspot and winter hardy from coast to coast. Hence the name Canadian Shield!

​You can trust in its hardiness as this beauty was started right next door in Morden, MB as a federal breeding program to create rose varieties that could cope with our extreme Canadian temperatures. Vineyland Research Station (located in Ontario) took over the program and helped finish bringing this Rose to market.

The only reason to prune back a hardy Rose is that it has grown extremely tall (over 3 ft.). In this case, it should have their branches cut back to 3 ft. in the fall to prevent ice damage. 

Canadian Shield Roses are such a unique way to commemorate Canada's sesquicentennial. That's right, I said sesquicentennial... Well maybe I just typed it! So pop by the greenhouse and have a look at these brilliant, red blooms for yourself. Add a little patriotism to your garden this summer!

Let's just get it out in the open, right from the beginning... I'm not a big fan of Celosia. There I said it. This has to be one of the most unique looking "flowers" out there. I did put the quotation marks around the word flower on purpose. This "flower" doesn't have petals, depending on the variety, it will have spires or cockscombs.

Celosia flowers, with their unusual blooms, can "flower" up to 10 weeks. When many of these "flowers" are next to each other, they collectively resemble fire, which is why the name Celosia, meaning burning in Greek, was chosen.

Perhaps I'm a traditionalist, I expect my flowers to have petals. But then, Dracula Celosia arrived in the greenhouse. I have to admit, the name alone intrigued me enough to take a closer look and I'm glad I did! I may be a Celosia convert. Perhaps my flowers don't need to have petals, perhaps they can have spires, perhaps I would like a cockscomb in my garden!

Dracula, a novelty Celosia, is new for 2017. It is the first of its kind, with one large 6-7 in. "flower" on top of each plant. In the greenhouse, the combs are red and the foliage is green with some red, but once you take this lovely beauty home and plant it in your own garden, the foliage will get darker and change to purple tones. The come will also start to change to a darker purple colour. With its unusual shape and eye-catching colour, Dracula Celosia will add drama to your landscapes, gardens and containers.