Manitobas Prairie Garden Book Series Is A Musthave

When gardeners are not gardening, we usually plan and calculate our next steps. We bookmark our new seed catalogs, browse must-haves, and draw knowledge and inspiration from gardening books, magazines, and shows.

Whatever aspect of gardening you're into, chlorophyll is a reliable resource that is worth its weight in gold. Originally from Manitoba, Canada, the Prairie Garden book series is a must-read for gardeners in the Upper Midwest. If he plays well in Winnipeg, he will be a hit in Fargo and all points will be within reach.

I have long loved the horticultural research done in Canada's prairie states because it fits so well with horticulture in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. There may be a national border between two countries, but growing conditions are the same throughout the region, and the climate knows no national boundaries. If we created a new nation based on garden conditions, we could combine most of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan into one big botanical garden.

My favorite hardy roses are an example of valuable collaborative technology. My best roses have come from Canadian research and breeding including Morden Sunrise, Campfire, Canada Blooms, Morden Blush, William Baffin and the list goes on.

That's why I love the Manitoba Prairie Gardens book series. This is an annual non-profit publication dedicated to the development of horticulture in the northern prairies. This is a paperback short published by the Winnipeg Volunteer Committee since 1937.

Each year, an issue of The Prairie Garden focuses on a particular aspect of gardening. For example, the 2022 edition was Small Spaces. 2021 Flowering Shrubs, 2018 Shadows, 2016 Fruits and Berries, 2015 Herbs and Succulents, 2013 Perennials, 2007 Edible Landscape. The second half of the book offers a number of topical questions.

The 2023 issue of The Prairie Garden magazine, Climate Aware Gardening, has just gone to press. From the site description: “As gardeners, we care. We maintain our thriving vegetable gardens, our beautiful perennial flower beds, and our regional fruit trees and shrubs.

“In taking care of ourselves, we have to ask ourselves, what exactly is climate change? How will this affect my gardening? Home gardeners can do a lot to adapt their gardening practices in light of climate change. Learn about native and arid uses. tolerant plants, water management, composting and the importance of healthy soil Learn how to reduce your carbon footprint by using less plastic, planting more trees and using mulch.

As the synopsis says, "Whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener, there are articles of general interest to those gardening in our short season areas."

The 2023 issue of Climate Conscious Gardening features 32 articles on climate, including Imagining the Prairie Climate of the Future, How to Replace Lawn with Food, How to Grow Carrots in a Milk Jug, Create. Healthy Soil", "Perennials to Choose a New Reality", "Growing Tomatoes in Garden Pots" and "Turning Your Garden into a Climate Change Friendly Oasis" to name but a few.

Also included are 22 common gardening topics, such as: how to create a beautiful border, prepare trees and shrubs for winter, underutilized perennial winners, grow giant greens, irises; Garden rainbows in early summer”, “Winter damage to evergreen trees” and many others.

Each annual review features a series of short, easy-to-read, essay-like articles filled with practical gardening and horticulture advice specific to Canada's Upper Midwest and Prairie provinces.

For more information, including pricing and ordering information, visit https://www.theprairiegarden.ca/. In addition to the new 2023 edition of Eco-Responsible Gardening, the site features editions from previous years, most of which are still available for order. I own 16 different titles myself and consider this one of the most valuable assets in my collection of gardening books.