Plants - All

The Chinese Evergreen also known as the Aglaonema - Green Papaya is a vary easy plant to care for and they are a great choice for beginners! This plant is native to the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and New Guinea, where it grows in low-light, humid conditions.

Scientific Name: Aglaonema - Green Papaya

Common Name: Chinese Evergreen - Green Papaya

Growth: 2-3 feet

Light: Bright, Indirect light but can withstand low light conditions

Watering: Water when top layer of soil dries out

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

Chinese Evergreens are characterized by large, oval-shaped leaves with striking patterns, and this Stripes variety does not disappoint. The rich green leaves have bands of sparkling, silvery-white striations. It's a great beginner houseplant that thrives in both low + bright light conditions, making it a versatile plant perfect for a housewarming gift.

Scientific Name: Aglaonema 'Stripes'

Common Name: Chinese Evergreen Stripes

Light: Medium-Low

Growth: 1 ft - 2 ft growing compact + bushy

Watering: Let top 2" dry between waterings; likes humidity + misting (great in a bathroom!)

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

The Chinese Evergreen also known as the Aglaonema - Sparkling Sarah is a vary easy plant to care for and they are a great choice for beginners! This plant is native to the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and New Guinea, where it grows in low-light, humid conditions.

Scientific Name: Aglaonema

Common Name: Chinese Evergreen

Growth: 2-3 feet 

Light: Bright indirect light though it can withstand lowlight conditions 

Watering: They need to be watered when the top layer of soil drys out.

Pet Safe: no

Care: Easy

The Chinese Evergreen, also known as the Aglaonema, is a very easy plant to care for and they are a great choice for beginners!

This plant is native to the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and New Guinea, where it grows in low-light, humid conditions.

Scientific Name: Aglaonema

Common Name: Chinese Evergreen

Growth: 2-3 feet 

Light: Bright indirect light though it can withstand lowlight conditions 

Watering: They need to be watered when the top layer of soil drys out.

Pet Safe: no

Care: Easy

The Cissus Discolour, also known as the Rex Begonia vine is a tropical evergreen climbing plant known for its beautiful silver, green and purple foliage with a burgundy underside.  It's actually a member of the grape family, not a begonia, funny enough.  It is a great trailing plant and grows well with trellises.  It originates from Southeast Asia.

Scientific Name: Cissus Discolour

Common Name: Rex begonia vine, tapestry vine

Light: Bright, Indirect Light

Watering:  keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged

Growth: Can grow up to 20 feet long if not pruned

Pet Safe: No

Care: Intermediate

A curious palm sprouting straight from the coconut!  This palm, while kept indoors, will not grow into a tall tree. Their growth depends on the size of their pot. Coconut palms that are grown indoors are also not likely not reach a size that allows it to bear fruit.  As your palm grows, be sure to up the pot size to give the root system lots of room.  

Scientific Name: Cocos Nucifera

Common Name: Coconut Palm

Light: Full sun for as many hours as possible.  In the winter months, consider using a grow light to compensate for the shorter days.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently hydrated but not soggy.  Fertilize regularly if possible.

Pet safe: Yes

Care: Easy

Uxbridge Township’s flower!

These delightful beauties in cheery pinks (my favourite colour!) are showstoppers in my full sun gardens. 

Daisy-like blooms sit atop long, slender stems with feathery leaves, forming a cloud of colour. Once blooming, you’ll have non-stop flowers until a hard frost.

They crawl with bumblebees, hoverflies, sweat bees and ladybugs; I love sitting quiet and close to a patch of Cosmos, listening to soft buzzing and watching the action. Small birds such as goldfinches and chickadees eat seeds from the dried flower heads.

An excellent cut flower, lasting a week or more. East Gwillimbury Garden Club 3rd place winner in 2023, any other annuals category.

Open-pollinated

Heirloom

Type: annual, but reliably self-seeds and returns in my Zone 5b garden

Colour: pink shades, from pale to dark crimson, some variegated, yellow centres

Mix of single, double and fluted blooms

Height: 30-183 cm (1-6 ft)

Soil: well drained, drought tolerant

Light: full to partial (6+ hours/day)

Planting: direct sow lightly, no more than 1/4” deep, in warm soil after last frost. For earlier blooms, start seeds indoors 4 weeks before last frost, then transplant outside after hardening off (LINK: how to harden off seedlings)

Care: low maintenance. Deadhead regularly

Bloom time: early summer - hard frost

Carly’s Tip: Water soil first, let saturate, then plant seeds. This prevent seeds – especially light, delicate ones not deeply sown – from moving/washing away.

The Crown of Thorns plant is a succulent native to Madagascar known for its spiny stems and colourful, long-lasting bracts that look like flowers. It's often associated with good luck and protection.  These flowers will bloom all year round!

Scientific Name: Euphorbia Milii

Common Name: Crown of Thorns

Light: Bright indirect light

Watering: When top soil is dry, ensure good drainage.

Growth: Can grow up to 6 feet tall!

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

The Crown of Thorns plant is a succulent native to Madagascar known for its spiny stems and colourful, long-lasting bracts that look like flowers. It's often associated with good luck and protection.  These flowers will bloom all year round!

Scientific Name: Euphorbia Milii

Common Name: Crown of Thorns

Light: Bright indirect light

Watering: When top soil is dry, ensure good drainage.

Growth: Can grow up to 6 feet tall!

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

The Crown of Thorns plant is a succulent native to Madagascar known for its spiny stems and colourful, long-lasting bracts that look like flowers. It's often associated with good luck and protection.  These flowers will bloom all year round!

Scientific Name: Euphorbia Milii

Common Name: Crown of Thorns

Light: Bright indirect light

Watering: When top soil is dry, ensure good drainage.

Growth: Can grow up to 6 feet tall!

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds love this plant's nectar, making Dense Blazing Star an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Birds then eat the seeds through the winter.

I love the whimsical, long-lasting, bright, feathery pop of purples as it grows and flowers from the top down - truly unique. I grow it among White (dwarf) Lavender, Lance-Leaf Coreopsis, Spotted Bee Balm and Blanket Flower.

Type: Native Perennial

Height: 5 ft.

Light: full sun-part shade

Moisture: well draining, drought tolerant

Planting: Cold, moist stratification required - see options in photos, courtesy of Northern Wildflowers. Lightly cover (1/8" depth) with moist soil, and do not let seedlings dry out. OR direct sow in late fall to overwinter in the garden for blooms the following spring

Bloom time: July-late fall

Looking like a palm tree gives this plant a tropical look! This variety has lovely pink edges to its leaves.  This plant originates from tropical Madagascar and It can live for decades under the right conditions.  

Scientific Name: Dracaena Marginata "Colorama"

Common Name: Dracaena Colorama/Dragon Tree

Light: Bright indirect light

Growth: 4-6 feet tall indoors

Watering: Keep evenly hydrated

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

This variety has lovely lemon lime colour.  The Lemon Lime plant looks like it just came out of a Dr. Seuss book but this plant originates from tropical Africa, specifically regions of Sudan and Angola.  This plant is known for also removing toxins from the air.

Scientific Name:  Dracaena Fragrans

Common Name:  Dracaena Lemon Lime/Lemon Lime Corn Palm

Growth: Can reach 5-7 feet tall indoors

Light: Bright indirect light

Watering: Keep evenly hydrated

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

Straight from Carly's homestead garden, these colourful dried bouquets will spruce up any room. Bonus - they also act as a pot pourri!

A pretty little succulent that pet safe too!  This plant originates from desert regions of Mexico. The Echeveria is a drought-tolerant succulent that thrives in high-elevation, rocky, and dry environments.

Scientific Name: Echeveria Elegans

Common Name: Echeveria

Light: Bright, indirect light

Growth: 2-3 inches tall

Watering: Let dry between watering 

Pet Safe: Yes

Care: Intermediate 

This gorgeous house plant has airy, textured leaves that start out bright green and mature to a bronze-green colour. A fabulous houseplant addition to add drama + interest.

Scientific Name: Plerandra elegantissima

Common Name: False Aralia

Light: Partial sun; place near a window for bright, indirect light 

Growth: Can reach 6 ft tall, 2-3 ft wide, but prune to keep it compact

Watering: Let top 2" dry between waterings + do not let it completely dry out; loves humidity + regular misting 

Pet Safe: No

Care: Intermediate

Native to parts in Southeast Asia, known for symbolizing abundance, happiness and wealth. This plant is a great addition to your plant collection with its beautifully spotted/painted thick leaves.

Scientific Name: Ficus Elastica Tineke

Common Name: Rubber Fig, Rubber Tree, Rubber Plant

Light: Bright, Indirect light

Growth: Can grow 2-5 Feet

Watering: When the top two inches are dry

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

Native to parts in Southeast Asia, known for symbolizing abundance, happiness and wealth. This plant is a great addition to your plant collection with its beautifully pink tinted leaves.

Scientific Name: Ficus Ruby

Common Name: Rubber Fig, Rubber Tree, Rubber Plant

Light: Bright, Indirect light

Growth: Can grow 2-5 Feet

Watering: When the top two inches are dry

Pet Safe: No

Care: Easy

This is a dangling plant that has beautiful bright purple flowers that look like tubes of lipstick!  The Curly Q is a variety of the Lipstick Plant. Known for its trailing stems, waxy leaves, and striking red, tubular flowers that resemble lipstick emerging from a tube. This plant is native to Southwest Asia, specifically Indonesia and Malaysia.

Scientific Name: Aeschynanthus Radicans

Common Name: Lipstick Plant/Curly Q

Light: Bright indirect light

Watering: Keep evenly hydrated, likes to be misted 

Growth: 2-3 feet long indoors

Pet Safe: Yes

Care: Intermediate 

A funky succulent with a spiky look!

Haworthia attenuata, also known as zebra haworthia, is native to Southern Africa.  This plant is very slow growing and has a life span of up to 50 years! In the wild, these plants grow in very harsh conditions and can be found buried in sand.

Scientific Name: Haworthia attenuata

Common Name: Zebra Haworthia

Growth: 1-6 inches in height

Light: Bright indirect light 

Watering: Let dry out between watering 

Pet Safe: Yes

Care: Easy