Leslie Cox

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Brunnera macrophylia, or Jack Frost, will add a touch of silver to your garden.

Going for silver in the garden

Who thinks about leaf colour in relation to how a plant handles weather conditions?

Brunnera macrophylia, or Jack Frost, will add a touch of silver to your garden.

Raking tips to make the task easier

Raking up the leaves is very likely one of the last garden chores you will have left to do at this time of year

Miscanthus ‘Cosmopolitan’ - in flower.

Duchess of Dirt: Autumn’s fall grasses provide variety of choices

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Miscanthus ‘Cosmopolitan’ - in flower.
Hummingbirds are proving to be dedicated predators to pesky vinegar flies.

Duchess of Dirt: Ripe fruit attracts vinegar flies

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Hummingbirds are proving to be dedicated predators to pesky vinegar flies.
‘Black Cherry’, ‘Gold Nugget’, ‘Yellow Pear’ and ‘Snow White’ are four of the varieties of cherry tomatoes.

Endless varieties of tomatoes on the vines

by Leslie CoxSpecial to The RecordAugust in the vegetable garden is pure…

‘Black Cherry’, ‘Gold Nugget’, ‘Yellow Pear’ and ‘Snow White’ are four of the varieties of cherry tomatoes.

Many variations, but all black-eyed beauties



Did you know we have fireflies in B.C.? Black lampyrids are day-active fireflies whereas the more widely known bioluminescent firefly species are nocturnal.

Duchess of Dirt: Plenty of insects to celebrate

Upwards of eighty per cent of all plants in the world are pollinated by insects...

Did you know we have fireflies in B.C.? Black lampyrids are day-active fireflies whereas the more widely known bioluminescent firefly species are nocturnal.
The Duchess of Dirt's grafted Indigo Apple tomato plant already has its first tomato, before the middle of June.

Grafted tomato plants offer benefits

Well...I promised more this column about the new tomato plant I am growing this year, the grafted tomato...

The Duchess of Dirt's grafted Indigo Apple tomato plant already has its first tomato, before the middle of June.
A variety of vegetables can be grown in pots, such as eggplant.

Early jump on tomatoes for Duchess of Dirt

I grow tomatoes in pots mainly to see how well they will perform...with a focus on growth habit in a limited space...

A variety of vegetables can be grown in pots, such as eggplant.
Tree peonies were traded as passage to bring Chinese mandarins girls to Canada more than a century ago.

Noxious or nuisance?

A noxious weed or merely a nuisance? Either way they are both invasive

Tree peonies were traded as passage to bring Chinese mandarins girls to Canada more than a century ago.
Kerria japonica has bright green, bamboo-like stems which look great in winter and deep yellow, double pom-pom flowers right now.

Here come the caterpillars, again

Beware! It may be another bad year for northern tent and forest caterpillars if you had an infestation in your garden last year

Kerria japonica has bright green, bamboo-like stems which look great in winter and deep yellow, double pom-pom flowers right now.
Molly had sauntered up and quite nonchalantly plopped down on top of most of the violet flowers.

Time for violet jelly

Not too many days ago I happened to notice a few violets blooming in my lawn

Molly had sauntered up and quite nonchalantly plopped down on top of most of the violet flowers.
'Sophie's Choice' tomatoes are good for growing in small spaces as the plant will just grow twenty-four to thirty inches tall, but will produce three-inch diameter fruit.

Duchess of Dirt, educating readers for 10 years

Looking back through my history file, this translates into quite a few articles on a variety of gardening-related topics...

'Sophie's Choice' tomatoes are good for growing in small spaces as the plant will just grow twenty-four to thirty inches tall, but will produce three-inch diameter fruit.
Phaseolus coccineus 'Painted Lady' flowers can help attract pollinators to your garden.

‘Weather hiccups’ hard on plants

What was with all the snow in February? Oh, wait...we have had snow in this month before...

Phaseolus coccineus 'Painted Lady' flowers can help attract pollinators to your garden.
Daphne cneorum (rock daphne) is no slouch when it comes to finding nice plants for your Pacific Northwest garden.

Scents theme for this year’s list of outstanding plants for Pacific Northwest

Each plant in the trial is evaluated for its overall performance in Zone 7 and 8 for growth, flower and fruit production...

Daphne cneorum (rock daphne) is no slouch when it comes to finding nice plants for your Pacific Northwest garden.
Duchess of Dirt Leslie Cox is faced with a pest control job on the underside of a camellia shrub.

Plenty to prepare in garden at this time of year

Top of my winter garden list is my gardening tools. Secateurs and pruners need cleaning and sharpening...

Duchess of Dirt Leslie Cox is faced with a pest control job on the underside of a camellia shrub.
The new seed catalogues are out. Can Seedy Saturday be far behind?

Now is the time to think seeds

Selecting seeds can be complicated unless you are ordering from a certified organic seed company, or one who signed the Safe Seed Pledge

The new seed catalogues are out. Can Seedy Saturday be far behind?
It's the year of the cucumber, says the Duchess of Dirt. It's a superfood, she adds.

Cuke named Vegetable of the Year

Who knew cucumbers have been grown in space? Or that, worldwide, they are the fourth most popular vegetable in cultivation?

It's the year of the cucumber, says the Duchess of Dirt. It's a superfood, she adds.
THE BAPTISIA belongs to the pea family and is a tall flower which is draught-tolerant.

New Year exciting for gardeners

Especially if you are a gardener, as there is always the anticipation of new plant introductions making their way into the nurseries...

THE BAPTISIA belongs to the pea family and is a tall flower which is draught-tolerant.
The Duchess of Dirt is busy in the kitchen, creating positive memories of Christmas for a new generation.

Sugarplums dancing in Duchess of Dirt’s head

I love Christmas! It is one of a very few bright spots in an otherwise dreary, non-gardening winter...

The Duchess of Dirt is busy in the kitchen, creating positive memories of Christmas for a new generation.