Gardening 101: The Best Plants for Winnipeg’s Climate

Gardening season is here! Are you wanting to do some planting in your yard this year? If so, we've put together a list of the hardiest plants—those capable of withstanding temperatures as low as -40 degrees or a long drought when you are at the lake in the summer. These are truly resilient choices worth considering for your garden:

Trees:

• Limelight Hydrangea (tree form).  Its creamy white flowers blossom in late summer and transition to green in the fall. This distinctive Hydrangea tree thrives under almost any conditions.

• Evergreens.  Incredibly hardy and a nice way of keeping colour in your yard throughout the year.

• Globe Blue Spruce.  This plant features striking blue foliage that emerges with a silvery blue hue in the spring. The needles are highly decorative and maintain their blue color throughout the winter.

• Skybound Arborvitae.  This majestic columnar evergreen boasts outstanding cold hardiness. Its narrow, upright shape and dark green foliage make it ideal for mass plantings, hedge creation, or as a privacy screen, all with minimal to no pruning required.

Shrubs:

• Annabelle Hydrangeas (available in various colors).  The Annabelle Hydrangea is a robust shrub known for its impressive blossoms that can grow up to 12 inches in diameter and is low maintenance.

• Ninebark (available in various colors).  Ninebark is a low-maintenance shrub that thrives with minimal pruning and feeding. It is exceptionally adaptable to a variety of growing conditions, including drought.

• Yellow Spirea.  In early spring, this plant's elegant branches burst into bloom with light, airy white flowers, well before the emergence of its bright yellow leaves. Acting like a chameleon, the foliage undergoes a striking transformation. As spring progresses, the leaves turn a vibrant chartreuse green, eventually giving way to a fiery orange hue that persists deep into the fall.

Perennials:

• Karl Foerster.  A cool-season grass that experiences the majority of its growth in the spring, before temperatures rise above 24 degrees Celcius, and again in the fall as temperatures decrease. They typically retain their color well throughout the summer, though they grow minimally during hotter periods.

• Daylily. The daylily is an exceptionally low-maintenance perennial. It is virtually immune to diseases and pests, resistant to drought, and thrives in a variety of soil types.

• Sun King Japanese Spikenard.  This distinctive golden-leafed plant is perfect for shaded areas. Its color shines as a brighter yellow in partial sun, while in full shade, it transforms to a chartreuse or lime green.

Do any of these beauties grace your garden?