Chapter 5 Blooming the Gardens

I’m Analyzing the Garden

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Before growing plants, it’s essential to understand your garden and the environment it offers them.

  • Garden A
    This drawing illustrates the Blue Poppy Garden. A gravel path winds through the garden. About twenty blue poppies fill the foreground. To the left of the path, a flowerbed features green shrubs accented with colourful blooms in shades of pink, yellow, white, red, and orange. On the right side of the path, two trees frame the flowerbed, which is composed of several shrubs with varied green foliage.
    Partially Shaded
    Cold
    Moderately Moist
    Garden A

    This garden is located on a gentle slope near Page’s Brook. It’s one of the coolest spots in my gardens. Spruce trees create shaded areas that protect the plants from the afternoon sun. These trees also act as windbreaks against the strong autumn and winter winds that could damage the plants.

    This garden is located on a gentle slope near Page’s Brook. It’s one of the coolest spots in my gardens. Spruce trees create shaded areas that protect the plants from the afternoon sun. These trees also act as windbreaks against the strong autumn and winter winds that could damage the plants.

  • Garden B
    This drawing depicts the Long Walk. A path made of large grey stones runs through the centre of the image, dividing it into two flowerbeds. The beds are filled with white lilies, red roses, purple flowers, and dense green shrubs. In the background, a few deciduous and coniferous trees complete the scene.
    Full Sun
    Mild
    Moderately Moist
    Garden B

    The plants in this spectacular garden grow on either side of a long walkway. It’s one of the public’s favourite spots. The sunlight here is strong, so the gardeners need to water it more than once a week. A refreshing breeze from the St. Lawrence River helps cool the garden.

    The plants in this spectacular garden grow on either side of a long walkway. It’s one of the public’s favourite spots. The sunlight here is strong, so the gardeners need to water it more than once a week. A refreshing breeze from the St. Lawrence River helps cool the garden.

  • Garden C
    This drawing represents the Entrance Garden of the Reford Gardens. A gravel path divides the image in two. On the left, the flowerbed is made up of large and small shrubs, with foliage ranging from dark green to pale green. A few purple flowers add contrast to the bed. On the right, the flowerbed is dotted with red and purple flowers. There are many trees in this garden.
    Shaded
    Mild
    High Humidity
    Garden C

    This garden is the first one visitors encounter upon arrival. It consists mainly of native plants and trees. Thanks to the abundance of trees, this section is the most shaded area of the Reford Gardens. It is located near Page’s Brooke, making it a zone with rich, moist soil.

    This garden is the first one visitors encounter upon arrival. It consists mainly of native plants and trees. Thanks to the abundance of trees, this section is the most shaded area of the Reford Gardens. It is located near Page’s Brooke, making it a zone with rich, moist soil.

  • Shaded
  • Partially Shaded
  • Full Sun
  • Cold
  • Mild
  • Hot
  • Light Humidity
  • Moderately Moist
  • High Humidity

I Choose the Right Plant

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Now that you know my gardens, help me identify the ideal plants. Take a close look at the garden features and match them with the perfect plant. The azalea is perfect for Garden C, where the soil is acidic and the humidity is moderate. Dahlias, on the other hand, prefer gardens with neutral soil and a texture similar to black soil. That makes Garden A ideal for them. Tulips grow best in Garden B. They need alkaline soil with a sandy texture.
 

  • Garden A
    This drawing illustrates the Blue Poppy Garden. A gravel path winds through the garden. About twenty blue poppies fill the foreground. To the left of the path, a flowerbed features green shrubs accented with colourful blooms in shades of pink, yellow, white, red, and orange. On the right side of the path, two trees frame the flowerbed, which is composed of several shrubs with varied green foliage.
    Illustration of a Blue Poppy
    Garden A
  • Garden B
    This drawing depicts the Long Walk. A path made of large grey stones runs through the centre of the image, dividing it into two flowerbeds. The beds are filled with white lilies, red roses, purple flowers, and dense green shrubs. In the background, a few deciduous and coniferous trees complete the scene.
    Illustration of a Royal Lily
    Garden B
  • Garden C
    This drawing represents the Entrance Garden of the Reford Gardens. A gravel path divides the image in two. On the left, the flowerbed is made up of large and small shrubs, with foliage ranging from dark green to pale green. A few purple flowers add contrast to the bed. On the right, the flowerbed is dotted with red and purple flowers. There are many trees in this garden.
    Illustration of a Ostrich Fern
    Garden C
  • Illustration of a Blue Poppy
    Partially Shaded
    Cold
    Moderately Moist
    Blue PoppyMeconopsis betonicifolia
  • Illustration of a Royal Lily
    Full Sun
    Mild
    Moderately Moist
    Royal LilyLilium regale
  • Illustration of a Ostrich Fern
    Shaded
    Cold
    High Humidity
    Ostrich FernMatteuccia struthiopteris
  • Bird of Paradise
    Full Sun
    Hot
    High Humidity
    Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae
  • Paddle-Shaped Tillandsia
    Partially Shaded
    Hot
    High Humidity
    Paddle-Shaped TillandsiaTillandsia cyanea

The Microclimate of the Reford Gardens

When I designed my gardens, I knew I was at the heart of nature. I’ve always wanted to respect the spruce forest and the waterways on my property. They are essential to maintaining the gardens’ microclimate balance.

Elsie in the Blue Poppy Glade, about 1941
About thirty blooming blue poppies fill the foreground of this colour archival photograph. Elsie Reford is posing in her garden. She is wearing a sun hat and gardening gloves, and holding pruning shears. Elsie Reford is surrounded by white and pink flowers. In the background, a few spruce trees border the garden. Sunlight filters through their branches, illuminating the space.

The proximity of the St. Lawrence River and the harsh winters are two other defining features of my region. But snow can also be a useful tool for plants. Sun exposure varies from one garden to another, each is unique. You need to understand them well to know where to place the flowers.
 

View of the Entrance Garden, 2023
In this colour photograph, a grey gravel path separates two flowerbeds in the Entrance Garden. In the foreground, the left-hand bed stands out with its lush green plants and shrubs. A birch tree and some spruces are visible in the background. A few pink and white flowers are scattered throughout this area of the garden.

The blue poppy is in a garden that suits it perfectly. The tree canopy and cool air help this flower grow. Lilies, on the other hand, thrive in the Long Walk. The sun warms them, and the river breeze helps them stay in bloom. Ferns prefer shade and moist soil to grow well. The Entrance Garden is the ideal spot for them.

Elsie Reford posing in the Long Walk, about 1935
In this black-and-white archival photograph, Elsie is posing at the centre of the Long Walk. She is holding a gardening basket in her left hand. Behind her, the row of spruce trees opens up to reveal the St. Lawrence River. This opening aligns with the large stone path of the Long Walk. On both sides of the path, blooming white lilies dominate the garden.

Hello!

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