GARDENING WITH NATURE

Article by Sigrie Kendrick

Create garden drama with eye-catching ornamental grasses

In an era of increasing water consciousness and changing climate, gardeners are discovering the remarkable beauty and resilience of xeric ornamental grasses.

These drought-adapted species offer a low-maintenance solution to challenging growing conditions while providing year-round visual interest.

Three standout varieties, Blue Grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis), Blue Oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens), and “Blaze” Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’) demonstrate how water-wise landscaping can be both sustainable and stunning.

Blue Grama Grass

Blue Grama represents the epitome of prairie toughness. This native North American species thrives in conditions that would challenge most ornamental plants, making it an invaluable addition to your drought-tolerant garden. The grass forms dense, low-growing clumps that rarely exceed 18 inches in height, creating a fine-textured ground cover perfect for naturalistic plantings.

The true charm of Blue Grama lies in its distinctive seed heads, which curve gracefully like eyelashes dancing in the breeze. These inflorescences appear in mid to late summer, adding movement and whimsy to the landscape.

The foliage transitions beautifully through the seasons, beginning spring with fresh blue-green colour, maintaining its appeal through summer’s heat, and finishing autumn with warm bronze tones that persist well into winter—while the seed heads transition to burgundy shades with the cooling weather.

From a practical standpoint, Blue Grama grass excels where other plants struggle. It tolerates extreme drought once established, requiring virtually no supplemental irrigation in most climates.

This grass also handles temperature fluctuations remarkably well, surviving both scorching summers and harsh winters. Its fibrous root system helps prevent soil erosion, making it an excellent choice for planting on slopes. Additionally, Blue Grama grass requires minimal maintenance, no fertilization, and is naturally resistant to most pests and diseases.

Blue Grama grass in the fall

Blue Oat Grass

Helictotrichon sempervirens brings a touch of Mediterranean sophistication to drought-tolerant gardens. This evergreen perennial forms striking architectural clumps of steel-blue foliage that maintain their colour throughout the year, providing consistent structure in the landscape. The narrow, arching leaves create perfect spherical mounds that can reach 2-3 feet in both height and width, offering a substantial presence without overwhelming smaller garden spaces.

The ornamental value of Blue Oat grass extends beyond its foliage. In early summer, tall, graceful flower stems emerge, carrying delicate oat-like seed heads that sway elegantly above the blue foliage.

These inflorescences begin with a subtle golden hue and gradually fade to warm tan, adding vertical interest and seasonal transition to the planting scheme. Blue Oat grass thrives in full sun and well-draining soils, demonstrating remarkable drought tolerance once established. Its Mediterranean origins make it particularly well-suited to regions with hot, dry summers and mild winters.

This grass requires excellent drainage and can suffer in heavy, clay soils. However, when properly sited, it proves nearly maintenance-free, requiring only annual cleanup of old foliage in late winter.

Blue Oat Grass
Matt Lavin | Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Little Bluestem ‘Blaze’

Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’ represents the pinnacle of ornamental grass breeding, combining the toughness of native Little Bluestem with enhanced ornamental characteristics. This cultivar was specifically selected for its exceptional fall colour, living up to its name with blazing orange-red foliage that provides a spectacular autumn display.

During the growing season, ‘Blaze’ maintains attractive blue-green foliage in upright clumps reaching two to three feet tall. The grass develops a naturally vase-shaped habit that fits into both formal and informal garden designs. In late summer, delicate seed heads appear, creating a soft, hazy effect that adds textural interest without overwhelming the planting.

The true glory of ‘Blaze’ is apparent in autumn when the foliage transforms into brilliant shades of orange, red, and burgundy. This dramatic colour change occurs reliably each year, providing dependable seasonal interest that rivals any deciduous shrub or perennial. The colourful foliage persists well into winter, gradually fading to attractive golden-tan tones that provide structure and interest during the dormant season.

Like its native parent, ‘Blaze’ demonstrates exceptional drought tolerance and adaptability. It thrives in full sun and well-draining soils, handling both clay and sandy conditions with equal success. This grass requires virtually no maintenance once established and proves resistant to pests and diseases.

Little bluestem ‘Blaze’ in fall
Photo by Woodside Plants

These three grasses complement each other beautifully in drought-tolerant plantings. Blue Grama works well as a ground cover or in naturalistic drifts, while Blue Oat grass provides architectural structure and year-round colour. “Blaze” Little Bluestem adds seasonal drama and vertical interest.

Together, they create layered, textural plantings that celebrate the beauty of water-wise gardening while providing habitat for wildlife and reducing landscape maintenance requirements.

In our increasingly water-stressed valley, these xeric grasses prove that sustainable gardening doesn’t require sacrificing beauty but simply requires choosing plants perfectly adapted to our environment.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- June

by Sigrie Kendrick

Papaver orientale, Oriental Poppy

Few plants announce the arrival of early summer quite like Papaver orientale, the Oriental poppy. With blooms that can reach the size of a dinner plate, this bold perennial has captivated gardeners for centuries and is an excellent fit for the Okanagan’s hot, dry summers.

Native to the meadows and hillsides of southwestern Asia, Oriental poppies are built for drought. They emerge in spring, producing deeply lobed, bristly grey-green foliage before sending up stiff stems topped with enormous, papery blooms. The flowers typically appear in late May through June in the Okanagan in colours ranging from fiery scarlet and orange to softer shades of salmon, pink, and white, usually with a dramatic dark blotch at the base of each petal. Although not particularly long-blooming, they are irresistible when in flower.

After flowering, the foliage dies back completely by midsummer, a quirk that catches some gardeners off guard. This summer dormancy is actually an advantage in xeriscape design as the plant requires virtually no water during its period of dormancy. Plan for this gap by surrounding Papaver orientale with late-season bloomers like Agastache cultivars (Hyssop), Salvia yangii (Russian sage), or ornamental grasses, which will fill in as the poppy vanishes.

Oriental poppies thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, the sandier and leaner, the better. They dislike heavy clay and resent overwatering, making them a natural choice for our semi-arid Okanagan conditions. Once established, Papaver orientale are long-lived and reliably self-sufficient, returning larger and more floriferous each year.

Plant bare-root divisions in late summer or early fall, when the plant is dormant. Consider the site carefully as Oriental poppies develop a deep tap root, which allows them to access moisture deep within the soil. The downside of this deep tap root means they are all but impossible to transplant. Plant it right, leave it alone, and prepare to be dazzled year after year.

An added bonus of Papaver orientale is that its fuzzy, prickly foliage is seldom browsed by visiting deer.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- MAY

by Sigrie Kendrick

Bergenia cordifolia, heartleaf Bergenia

Bergenia cordifolia, commonly known as pigsqueak or heartleaf Bergenia, is a herbaceous perennial native to Russia, grown primarily as a groundcover. Practically indestructible once established, it is a foundation plant with enduring appeal.

This perennial is hardy in zones 3-8 and is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and light conditions. Reaching a height of 1 to 1 1/2 ft with an equal spread, this perennial features rosettes of large, leathery leaves, which are useful in flower arrangements.

Bergenia cordifolia blooms in April to May with dense panicles of small dark pink flowers held above the foliage by stout 16-inch stalks.

Bergenia cordifolia is not typically bothered by deer, insects or disease.

The common name of pigsqueak comes from the noise produced by rubbing the leaf between thumb and forefinger.

How does Bergenia cordifolia resist drought?

Growing tips–

Bergenia cordifolia works wonderfully for:

• shaded border fronts or rock gardens
• ground cover for woodland or shade gardens
• edging for paths and walkways
• a much-needed pop of early bloom colour
• an early nectar source for pollinators

Plant Bergenia cordifolia in part to full shade with moist, well-drained soil. It will tolerate dry shade once established and adapts well to a range of soil types.

To get the most out of Bergenia cordifolia in your garden, a protective layer of mulch is highly recommended to retain shallow moisture.

Trim back spent flowers after blooming, and remove damaged foliage in early spring to make way for fresh growth. To maintain density and vigour, divide every few years in the spring.

Suitable for use as a fresh cut flower. 

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

CLIMATE-RESILIENT PLANTS

Article by Josh Smith, Xeriscape Endemic Nursery (XEN)

Biologist Josh Smith is general manager of XEN Nursery in West Kelowna, which grows and propagates native and xeriscape plants for both ecological restoration projects and landscaping use throughout the Okanagan. He is also vice-president of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association.

Plants have evolved a range of ways to survive under a blazing summer sun.

Adaptability and climate-resilience are essential for plants native to the Okanagan Valley’s arid climate, with its hot summers and low rainfall. Increasingly, these same strategies are becoming important across British Columbia, as drought and extreme heat events intensify with climate change.

ESCAPING DROUGHT

One of the most effective tactics is simply to hide from harsh conditions altogether.

Many xeric (Latin: ‘dry’) plants “escape” drought by completing their life cycle during the moist spring months. They bloom early, set seed quickly, and then die back above ground before the heat and dryness of summer arrive.

A familiar example is Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), Kelowna’s official flower. These bright yellow blooms cover Okanagan hillsides each spring, taking advantage of abundant moisture. As summer heat intensifies, their large arrow-shaped leaves wither and dry. However, the plant persists underground, storing energy and moisture in a deep taproot, ready to sprout again with snowmelt and spring rains.

An even more dramatic example is Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva). Growing in dry, rocky soils, bitterroot emerges early in spring to produce delicate pink flowers, often before its leaves are fully visible. Soon after blooming, the entire plant disappears from the surface, surviving the summer drought as a fleshy underground root until favourable conditions return. The Latin ‘rediviva’ means ‘revived’ and refers to this ability.

Spring bulbs follow a similar pattern. Emerging from bulbs or corms, they grow rapidly, bloom, set seed, and store energy underground before retreating as temperatures rise. During their brief time above ground, they complete their entire reproductive cycle and prepare for the following year.

Although it is much more common for plants in Mediterranean climates, some drought escapers don’t go completely dormant until next spring but simply allow leaves to dry up and yellow during the summer, then green up rapidly once the fall rains start. In the Okanagan, this strategy is used by all of our native grasses, which is why our hillsides are yellow in the summer yet green in the spring and fall.

AVOIDING DROUGHT

Some plants are able to avoid drought stress through strategies focused on maintaining a high water content inside the plant. This falls into two major categories: (i) ‘Water Savers’ prioritize minimizing water loss from the leaves, and (ii) ‘Water Spenders’ focus on maximizing water uptake from the soil.

An easily spotted water saver strategy is silvery, powdery, or fuzzy foliage. This reduces water loss by reflecting more sunlight, which lowers leaf temperature and reduces transpiration. Common Rabbit-Brush (Ericameria nauseosa), Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), and Golden-Aster (Heterotheca villosa) are native Okanagan examples of silvery, powdery, or fuzzy foliage, respectively. Garden favourites like Lavender or Silver Mound also use this strategy. Though less easily identified, another water saver strategy is to reduce the quantity or diameter of the pores on the underside of leaves (stomata) to reduce water loss when the leaves exchange air with the environment.

Water spenders take a completely opposite approach and focus on getting as much water as possible out of the soil. Many Okanagan native plants produce deep and/or dense root systems to reach moisture far below the dry surface soils. Balsamroot, Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and Brown-Eyed Susan (Gaillardia aristata) all produce a deep taproot and, for an extreme example, Giant Wildrye (Leymus cinereus) produces a dense fibrous root system that has been found as deep as 2.4m (8’) below ground. Garden favourites such as Missouri Evening Primrose also demonstrate this strategy well. Another water spender strategy, which is too complex to explain in this brief article, is to increase hydraulic conductance. Essentially, picture all plant roots as straws sipping at the water in the soil. Through a multitude of different mechanisms, some plants can suck harder or more efficiently on the straw than their neighbours. Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) and Antelope-Brush (Purshia tridentata) are great examples of native species with a high hydraulic conductance.

Lavender and Yarrow  (Photo by Judie Steeves)

TOLERATING DROUGHT

Finally, some plants are adapted to tolerate drought conditions directly, even when water is scarce. These adaptations can be structural, physiological, or biochemical.

Many xeric plants have narrow or finely divided leaves, reducing surface area to limit water loss and heat absorption. Desert Yellow Fleabane (Erigeron linearis) and Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) are examples of native species that use this strategy, and the garden favourite Pine-Needle Penstemon is another classic example. Other plants, like Snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus), produce a thick, waxy leaf coating (cuticle) that acts as sunscreen to block some UV light from entering the leaf.

Some plants make use of accessory pigments to absorb sunlight. Chlorophyll, which is what makes plants appear green, is the most efficient pigment for absorbing sunlight, but in low-water conditions, it produces harmful compounds that can damage or kill leaves, so some plants make use of accessory pigments to shield the chlorophyll from sunlight. These pigments give off red, orange, or blue light more than green, which is why some of our drought-tolerant plants, like Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium), are these colours.

Another easily noticeable drought-tolerance adaptation is aromatic plants. They produce essential oils, also called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), that are often stored in glands on the leaf surface where they function to absorb and scatter excess light and form a water repelling layer to slow the diffusion of water vapour out of the leaf. VOCs also evaporate easily when heated and provide evaporative cooling, similar to sweating in animals. For native species, Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is the most aromatic example, but many ornamental favourites also use this strategy, like Russian Sage, Lavender, Thyme, and Common Sage.

Succulents, like cacti, sedums, and sempervivums, are stereotypically thought of as some of the most drought-tolerant plants. Their almost unique adaptation is a specialized photosynthesis pathway that enables them to open their leaf pores only at night when it is cool, absorb and store carbon dioxide, and then during the day they can close their leaf pores to reduce transpiration loss and still perform photosynthesis using the stored CO2. This adaptation is highly water-efficient and is what allows succulents to have watery, fleshy leaves even in the middle of a desert.

Oregon Grape, Berberis aquifolium

Working with nature in the Okanagan

In reality, many plants use a combination of these strategies rather than relying on just one. This flexibility is what allows them to thrive in the Okanagan’s challenging climate.

For gardeners and landscapers, understanding these natural adaptations offers a powerful lesson: by choosing plants that are already suited to our environment, we can create landscapes that are both beautiful and resilient– while using far less water. As drought conditions become more common, working with nature is no longer just a good idea– it’s essential.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- APRIL

by Sigrie Kendrick

Pulsatilla vulgaris, the European Pasque flower

Few spring-blooming perennials combine delicate beauty with rugged resilience quite like Pulsatilla vulgaris, the European Pasque flower.

Named for its bloom time around Easter (Pâques in French), this silky-petalled gem is equally at home in a rock garden or a sun-baked hillside and is virtually maintenance-free.

Pasque flower is cold-hardy in zones 4-8, making it an excellent choice for even the higher elevations in our Okanagan valley.

Native to the dry chalk grasslands and limestone meadows of central and northern Europe, Pulsatilla vulgaris has evolved over millennia in some of the continent’s most unforgiving soils.

Poor, thin, and freely draining ground is exactly what it prefers. Plant it in rich, moisture-retentive soil, and it will quietly sulk or simply disappear.

Give it the lean, gritty conditions it knows, and Pulsatilla vulgaris will reward you with decades of enjoyment.

How does Pulsatilla vulgaris resist drought?

The Pasque flower’s drought resilience is structural, not incidental. Its deeply tapering taproot drives far down into rocky substrate, accessing moisture reserves long after the surface soil has dried.

The finely divided, feathery foliage is covered in soft silver hairs, a classic xerophytic adaptation that reflects intense sunlight and reduces water loss through the leaf surface.

Even the ornamental silky-tailed seed heads that follow the blooms serve a purpose by allowing the plant to complete its reproduction cycle quickly, before summer heat fully arrives.

Growing tips–

Once established, which typically takes a full growing season, Pulsatilla vulgaris requires essentially no supplemental irrigation in climates such as the Okanagan with its modest spring rainfall.

It is highly suited to xeriscaping plantings, gravel gardens, and low-maintenance perennial borders where water conservation is a priority.

Pulsatilla vulgaris prefers to be sited in a full-sun location with excellent drainage, but will tolerate part-sun.

Avoid transplanting Pulsatilla once established, as the taproot, which makes this such a successful xeric plant, resents disturbance.

Cultivars of this perennial range from the classic violet-purple through white, red, and soft pink.

Pasque flower is one of the earliest blooming spring perennials and, as such, offers vital support for pollinators emerging from the long winter.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

Use Native Plants to Create a Natural Garden

Article by Josh Smith, Xeriscape Endemic Nursery (XEN)

Consider transitioning a section of your landscape to native plants, where you can reduce both maintenance and water use, conserving a vital resource in this arid valley, along with your own energy.

A side benefit is that you are providing valuable feed and habitat for all sorts of indigenous wild things– from insects to birds, to small and large mammals– by your restoration.

Do not embark on this project unless you are prepared to accept that you are collaborating with your environment, not conquering it.

Rabbitbrush, Eericameria nauseosa

WHAT ARE NATIVE PLANTS?

Native vs Endemic vs Exotic vs Naturalized vs Invasive
The scientific definition of a native species is an organism that occurs naturally in a region without human introduction, having evolved there or arrived via natural dispersion over evolutionary time.

• NATIVE plants belong here.
• ENDEMIC plants belong ONLY here.
• EXOTIC plants are introduced by humans from elsewhere.
  *NATURALIZED plants are exotic plants that behave themselves.
  *INVASIVE  plants are exotic plants that are ecologically harmful.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR CHOICES

Consider first where a plant is native— Canada, B.C., or the Interior. Winter cold, summer heat, humidity/precipitation, and competition are all factors in limiting where exactly a plant is native.

Lots of plants native to B.C. are completely inappropriate in the Okanagan, so they’re unlikely to thrive here.

Then, within the Okanagan, first you must also consider whether a plant is native to our particular region of the valley; then, in which ecoregion it belongs: upland, riparian, high elevation, etc.

Further, consider whether it would thrive on a dry silty slope, a creek edge, or in a bed of clay.

Provenance (original seed source) and site matching (right plant, right place) matter more than just choosing a native plant.

Within the Okanagan, there are extremely diverse ecosystems in close proximity to each other, and ignoring sub-regional differences can cause failure unless you are careful to plant native plants in their natural environment.

Elevation, temperature, sun exposure, drainage, and soil texture often matter more than region.

In general though:

• The South Okanagan is hot and dry and of low elevation
• The Central Okanagan is transitional
• The North Okanagan is cooler and wetter

Pre-settlement landscapes in the Okanagan featured native plants that evolved with disturbance, not with watering, fertilizer, or mulch, such as we use on our man-made landscapes. This is a fire-adapted ecosystem that consists of drought-tolerant plant communities in patchy, disturbed, open landscapes.

Many native plants expect stress and respond poorly to pampering, so, as gardeners, we should take advantage of these attributes.

Showy Milkweed, Asclepias speciosa

ADVANTAGES OF NATIVE PLANTS

LESS WATER
The use of native plants in your landscape reduces the amount of supplemental water needed, but it does not necessarily mean they require no water. All plants require enough water when first planted to help them to settle in, so at least for the first year, they are likely to need some supplemental water over the summer and during drought.

LESS MAINTENANCE
Over the longer term, inputs such as fertilizer, replanting, chemicals and other maintenance are greatly reduced with native plants grown in a natural garden. Plants that evolved here are used to our weather swings. This is their home, and they are climate-resilient.

SUPPORT LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS
Native plants also support the local ecology, including pollinators, birds, mammals, and beneficial microorganisms, as well as their companion native plants.

Native plants overwhelmingly provide better habitat than non-native ornamentals and are the entry point for energy into our local ecosystem. They are the foundation of all food webs and feed everything, or everything’s food. Birds depend on insects as part of this food web: over 95% of land-based birds in North America feed insects to their young, and this includes species of birds that exclusively eat seeds as adults.

Birds cannot survive without insects, and insects are highly-specialized and often have evolved specific digestive enzymes and life cycles that require native plants as food or as a larval host for reproduction.

For an extreme example, the Okanagan has some species of butterfly that are at risk or endangered because they have evolved to only use one specific plant, or plant family, as a larval host.

Behr’s Hairstreak Butterfly depends on Antelope Brush; Monarch Butterfly larva can only survive on Milkweeds (Showy Milkweed is the only native here), and the Mormon Metalmark Butterfly relies on Buckwheats.

Human activity and climate change have reduced the population of these plants, which results in a reduced butterfly population, which in turn reduces pollination and seed production for these plants. This type of negative feedback spiral is often the cause of species extinction.

Pollinators also require native plants. Most ornamental, non-native flowers produce nectar that can be used by native adult bees as food, but the 500-600 species of bees native to BC are often pollen specialists that require specific plants or plant families for the pollen they need to feed their larva. Although the bees are very important, flies, other insects, and birds also do their share of pollinating plants.

In addition to pollination services, these insects and birds also often provide pest control, such as being predatory on pests like aphids.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- March

by Sigrie Kendrick

Lenten or Christmas Rose, or Hellebore

Helleborus orientalis, commonly known as the Lenten or Christmas Rose, or simply Hellebore, is an excellent choice for Okanagan gardens.

Native to Greece, Turkey, and the Caucasus region, this elegant perennial has been favored by gardeners for centuries for its remarkable resilience and quiet, understated beauty.

Despite its common name, the Lenten Rose is not a true rose but a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It produces nodding, cup-shaped flowers in a stunning range of colours from pure white and soft cream to deep plum, burgundy, and near-black.

Many cultivars feature attractive spotting, veining, or picotee edges, adding further visual interest. Helleborus orientalis blooms appear from late winter through early spring, often pushing up through frost and snow, earning the plant a reputation as a harbinger for the warmer days ahead.

The leathery, dark green foliage is evergreen in many climates, providing year-round structure and ground cover. Leaves are deeply divided into palmate segments, giving the plant a bold, architectural quality even when not in bloom.

Hellebore thrive in a woodland garden

Helleborus orientalis thrives in partial to full shade, making it an invaluable choice for woodland gardens and shade borders. It prefers well-drained, humus-rich soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Once established, it is remarkably drought-tolerant and long-lived, with individual plants surviving for decades with minimal care.

Few plants offer so much for so little effort. The Lenten Rose naturalises freely, self-seeding to gradually form impressive clumps. It is also deer-resistant, a significant advantage in many Okanagan gardens.

However, gardeners should note that all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested, so care should be taken in gardens frequented by children or pets. Some people may even experience mild skin irritation after touching Hellebore.

With its late-winter blooms and easy-going nature, Helleborus orientalis remains an essential plant for any shade garden.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- FEBRUARY

by Sigrie Kendrick

Why are snowdrops remarkable?

Galanthus nivalis, commonly known as the snowdrop, is a small bulbous perennial plant that has captured the hearts of gardeners and nature enthusiasts worldwide. Native to Europe and parts of the Middle East, this delicate flower is one of the earliest bloomers in the garden calendar, often pushing through frozen soil and even snow cover to display its pristine white flowers.

The botanical name offers insight into its nature – “Galanthus” derives from Greek words meaning “milk flower,” while “nivalis” refers to snow, aptly describing both its appearance and its winter-blooming habit. The snowdrop typically grows to about 15 centimeters in height, with narrow, blue-green leaves and a single pendant flower consisting of three outer tepals and three shorter inner tepals marked with green.

What makes snowdrops particularly remarkable is their ability to flower in the coldest months of the year, usually between January and March in the Northern Hemisphere. This is made possible by several adaptations, including antifreeze proteins in their tissues that prevent damage from freezing temperatures. The drooping posture of the flowers also serves a practical purpose, protecting the plant’s reproductive parts from rain, snow, and cold winds.

Galanthus Nivalis – the promise of Spring

Snowdrops contain compounds of medical interest, notably galantamine, which is used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. This alkaloid was first isolated from snowdrops and related species in the Amaryllidaceae family, showcasing how even the smallest garden plants can hold significant pharmaceutical value.

For garden enthusiasts, snowdrops inspire a particular passion, sometimes leading to “galanthomania” – the obsessive collection of different snowdrop varieties. Despite their seemingly simple appearance, there are over 20 species and hundreds of cultivars differing in size, flowering time, and the patterns of green markings on their inner tepals. Some rare varieties can fetch prices in the hundreds of dollars for a single bulb.

Planting snowdrops is straightforward, though they prefer partial shade and humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. They naturalize readily in suitable conditions, forming impressive carpets over time. Most effectively, they are planted “in the green” – that is, shortly after flowering when still in leaf, rather than as dry bulbs.

For many gardeners, the sight of the first snowdrops emerging marks a significant moment in the yearly cycle – a promise that spring, with all its abundance, is on its way.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.

PLANT OF THE MONTH- JANUARY

by Sigrie Kendrick

Wild pansy, heartsease, or Johnny-jump-up

Although not typically considered a xeriscape plant, these diminutive beauties, sited on my patio, receive very little supplemental irrigation and are actually quite drought-tolerant. They have been blooming since September and, with our recent mild weather, continue to do so, brightening the gloomy winter days, making them worthy to feature as Plant of the Month.

Viola tricolour, commonly known as the wild pansy, heartsease, or Johnny-jump-up, is a delightful European wildflower that has captured hearts for centuries. This small but mighty plant, belonging to the violet family Violaceae, displays cheerful blooms in combinations of colours, hence its scientific name “tricolour,” meaning three colors. Blooming in shades of blue, purple, orange, yellow, burgundy, white, and near-black, with many multicoloured varieties, these are tough, fast-growing, self-seeders.

Native to Europe and temperate regions of Asia, this hardy annual or short-lived perennial thrives in meadows, wastelands, and cultivated fields. The plant typically grows 6 to 8 inches tall, with delicate flowers measuring about half an inch across. Each bloom features distinctive face-like markings, with dark lines radiating from the center.

Viola tricolour – folklore and symbolism

Throughout history, Viola tricolour has been steeped in folklore and symbolism. Medieval Europeans called it heartsease because of its supposed ability to mend broken hearts and ease emotional pain. In the Victorian language of flowers, it represented loving thoughts and remembrance. Beyond its ornamental appeal, the wild pansy has practical uses. Herbalists have traditionally employed it to treat skin conditions, respiratory ailments, and inflammation. The flowers are edible and make attractive garnishes for salads and desserts, offering a mild, slightly minty flavor.

Viola tricolour is also the ancestor of the modern garden pansy (Viola × wittrockiana), developed through extensive breeding in the 19th century. While cultivated pansies now boast larger blooms in countless color combinations, many gardeners still cherish the wild pansy’s modest charm and natural grace.

This resilient little flower continues to brighten gardens and wild spaces, reminding us that beauty often comes in small, unpretentious packages. Viola tricolour are typically more heat and drought-tolerant than pansies and worth including in any garden.

Our Plant Database features more than 500 plants tested and ideally suited for the unique challenges of gardening in the Okanagan’s extreme climate, including the plants in this article.