Everyone has a connection with plants, whether we realize it or not. With 1000’s plants being planted in the gardens this year; we are sure that something will appeal to your senses. It may be the smell of fresh herbs, the feeling of a fuzzy leaf, or the rolling choreography of different blooms throughout the season.
Over the winter, our horticulture team has been busy starting plants indoors and imagining exciting displays for you to see in the outdoor Gardens at The Leaf this year.
Here are some highlights to watch for!
Spring blooms
Our Seasonal and Sensory Gardens will hold some highly anticipated pops of colour this spring with added varieties of tulips and daffodils! Did you know that deer in the Park will often snack on our tender tulips, but leave the daffodils alone? Daffodils are beautiful to look at, lovely to smell, but dangerous for the deer to eat.
Bears
We know you love the bears in the Zoo, so we decided to have some in the Kitchen Garden too. The honey bear acorn squash is a variety known for its sweet flavour and compact bush growth, making it perfect for smaller gardens. The naked bear pumpkin is a small variety named for its naked or hull-less seeds, which are ready to eat or use in baking.
Hops
For the beer lover, there will be 18 different varieties of hops vines, humulus lupulus, growing in the Kitchen Garden. The flower of this plant is used in brewing beer to maintain freshness and provide the “hoppy” flavour. At the Park, we are growing different varieties to test their cold hardiness in our northern climate.
Espalier fruit trees
If you dream about incorporating aspects of European gardens into your backyard, you will love the Kitchen Garden espalier fruit trees. These trees have been trained to grow flat against the wall by means of cables, but you can also use fences. Over the years the trees continue to grow and produce fruit without taking up much space.
Still have a need for some green? This video, filmed last summer by Travel Manitoba, highlights some aspects of the Gardens at The Leaf in their summer glory!
