Creating a natural transition from your yard into the prairie or sagebrush
- Use hillside plantings to soften slopes and merge your garden into the surrounding landscape
- Incorporate native or drought-tolerant plants like bush honeysuckle, yellow campanula, and cow slips
- Focus on plants that thrive in Calgary’s semi-arid climate and withstand wind and cold
Wind Protection & Shelter Ideas
- Plant evergreen trees or dense shrubs as windbreaks
- Use native pines, junipers, or other hardy evergreens for year-round protection
- Create barriers around more delicate plants like boxwoods or wisteria
Soil & Water Tips
- Calgary’s soil is rocky and well-draining—add compost and organic mulch to improve moisture retention
- Use drip or soaker hoses for targeted watering—great for conserving water in our variable climate
- Mulch heavily to keep roots cool and reduce weeds
Design & Structure Ideas
- Add arbors, gazebos, or Japanese-style tea houses for focal points and relaxing spots
- Grow climbing plants like native clematis, honeysuckle, or roses on structures
- Use curves and layered plantings—taller plants at the back, shorter in front—for visual interest
Wildlife & Native Plants
- Attract pollinators and beneficial insects with native plants
- Use natural windbreaks or plant groups to deter deer nibbling on delicate plants
- Remember: wildlife is part of the Calgary landscape, so build your garden to support local ecosystems
Garden Maintenance & Organic Practices
- Compost yard waste and kitchen scraps to enrich your soil naturally
- Start plants from seed—native or adapted varieties do well in Calgary’s climate
- Regular weeding, watering, and caring keep your garden healthy and vibrant
Dealing with Calgary’s Climate
- Be prepared for frost and variable weather—use frost cloths or strategic planting spots
- Create microclimates with rocks, walls, or south-facing areas to extend your growing season
Plant Choices:
- John Cabot’s roses (on either side of the arbour)
- Pear tree (supported by an arbour)
- Bush honeysuckle
- Yellow Campanula thyrsoides
- Cow slips
- Boxwood hedge
- Daphne ‘Carol Mackie’
- Pink-flowered wisteria
- Black mondo grass
- Evergreen ceanothus
- Lavender (mounds at the garden)
- Delphiniums
- Clematis (e.g., Clematis Perle d’Azur, Clematis dioscoreifolia, Clematis durandii)
- Rose ‘Henry Kelsey’
- Veilchenblau (a purple-flowered rose)
- Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’ (a honeysuckle)
- Constance Spry (a rose)
- Penny Lane (a rose)
- Compassion (a rose)
- Westerland (a rose)
- Fuchsias
- Lamium galeobdolon ‘Hermann’s Pride’
- Lobelias
- Daylilies
- Epimediums
- Stachys lanata
- Hostas
- Clematis integrifolia
- Heucheras
