Blotanical and Northern Garden Bloggers

Have you checked out Blotanical (the international garden blog directory) yet? There is a tool you can use to search for blogs in different regions of the world, so I searched for TRULY northern bloggers:

1. Most northern garden blog in Europe: A Finnish blog from 66 degrees north latitude, Puutarhaprojekti, which warms my heart with its pictures of snow, snow shovels, late springs, spindly trees, and plants that look very familiar. Alas, there is no English here.

2. Another northern Finnish blog (Quu's Garden): Actually this one is designated my sister blog, coming from 65 degrees north latitude in Oulu, Finland. This creative gardener has several gardens in a few different locations, from what I can determine. She has the most beautiful pictures of blooming spring bulbs and some impressive collections of perennials too. She always puts an English translation on her posts.

3. Myself (Northern Exposure Gardening) in La Ronge at 55 degrees, 6 minutes north latitude: I am in the top two most northern Canadian bloggers on Blotanical, with the blog in Hythe, Alberta technically being just a smidgeon north. I can see from Google Earth that Hythe is an agricultural community, with vast cultivated fields making a grid around the town. La Ronge is as "agricultural" as New York City is rural.

**Note: You garden bloggers from Russia, Yukon, NWT, and Alaska need to get onto Blotanical's directory ASAP. I know you're out there!

Hardy Primulas, An Obsession

I have found myself thinking about primulas alot lately. Maybe it's in anticipation of spring, which is still a few months away. While there are so many types of primulas, we must stick to the hardiest of these dainty flowers up here in the north. There are a few flowers one could easily develop an obsession over, wanting to collect every color and type available. Primulas are one of those. Generally, they prefer shade to part sun and don't like drought or extreme heat (hey, that's exactly what conditions I prefer as a feeble fair-skinned human).

I've tried a few primulas here since 2006, but I haven't been really dedicated to selecting the hardiest types, so some of these didn't make it through the winters. Most are Polyanthus primroses (Primula X polyanthus):




A pertinent article on hardy primulas for Saskatchewan is Sara William's article on the University of Saskatchewan Gardenline website:
http://www.gardenline.usask.ca/yards/primrose.html
Edmonton's Devonian Botanic Garden has an excellent guide to growing primulas: http://www.devonian.ualberta.ca/getgro38.html

I am currently starting some Primula auricula "Viennese Waltz" from seed (from Thompson and Morgan). They don't require cold treatment to germinate and they should be hardy. I also started a bunch of Primula saxatilis from seed given to me by another La Ronge gardener. I know those are hardy here, because they thrive in her yard.

Primula saxatilis in BB's yard:

Last year, I ordered a double flowered Primula auricula (plant, not seed) from Wrightman Alpines. It should be hardy here. I am also trying to germinate a non-hardy primula from Thompson and Morgan called Primula obconica "Twilly Touch Me". RLM thought this was one of the stupidest plant names he'd ever heard of. The name highlights the fact that this primula is free of primine, the chemical in primulas that causes skin irritation when they are touched.

Currently, there are 3 large specimens of Primula denticulata (the drumstick primrose) grown from seed under lights in the basement. I'm hoping they will flower for spring. Maybe Kate in Regina will have some tips about Primulas in her garden!

Trying a Venus Fly Trap

I just discovered a perfect use for the small terrarium that is sitting unused in the basement: growing a Venus Fly Trap. I have some seeds from Thompson and Morgan which I hadn't really looked at seriously until now.
I did some internet research about the soil, humidity, and watering requirements and I think I might give it a try. Although it would be much easier to just pick up a plant at Walmart (and maybe I will if this fails), I'm going to try growing a Venus fly trap from seed just for the horticultural fun of it!