Denise's Weekend Practical

Hello Everyone, Denise Rogers here.


School has been in for a week and a half now and I will say I love every minute of it. My classmates and I have been so busy with classes that it is difficult to get away for a while to enjoy Cuddy Gardens, but I am so glad to be here this weekend to enjoy all the life, colour, and scenery it has to offer.

This weekend is my Landscape & Maintenance Practical, which consists of working 8-5 Friday to Sunday. It is hard work but absolutely gratifying to see everything that I have accomplished at the end of the day. Since I am on a practical I will be getting evaluated on the things I have completed this weekend which is scary, because I am having to use the information I have learned over the 1st year of classes, as well with what I learned during my summer co-op here at Cuddys, and Fanshawe College. I will admit the first day I had a ton of emotions going on, like nerves, anxiety, and excitement, because I just didn’t know how the days would unravel.

On Friday the 14th it poured, the rain just did not want to give me a break. I was prepared of course with my multiple layers, my clothes, and two pairs of sock. Although it was a dreary day I was busy working away. I mowed the upper lawn and lower lawn, and the small lawn at the back of the house. After lunch I finished of the little area that was left to do with the push mower that I started on the beautiful Perennial border. I cut back all the perennials that had faded and gone to seed, because granted all the plants are wonderful, they look that much better when they are all grouped together and look unison instead of sporadically placed. The reason we cut back the perennials this time of year is to showcase the beautiful fall colours of the many plants that are in bloom. One of them that I find very pretty is Aster x ‘Blue Autumn’. 

On Saturday, my plan was to finish the perennial border which I accomplished. I had to finish cutting some of the perennials that I didn’t get to on Friday, and I weeded and cultivated the borders. It was a great day and I definitely felt great with the borders and how they look.

In the afternoon I had went to the next project, which was the Rose garden. I absolutely love this garden. Roses are gorgeous to begin with, but working in an area surrounded by them you really can’t stop smiling. I did have some war wounds at the end of the day because the thorns, but all in all it was great. I finished dead heading both beds of roses. We do the dead heading because it will get the flower to grow and bloom again which is wonderful for a late September bloom of roses! Who wouldn’t love that?

Last but not least Sunday, this was such a busy day. To start off the day my plan was to vertical edge the rose garden which consisted of going along the edge of the outer beds and of course the two middle beds. I then proceeded to weed the surrounding area around the rose garden which also leads into the grass border. It was a busy day but it all went so well. There were still many things that needed to get done throughout the day, so I could say that I did it! I completed everything, and it feels great. I raked the dry garden, and the woodland garden, watered some much deserving plants, and at the end of the day I put on the back pack blower and proceeded to do a huge sweep over the property to clean off all the hard surfaces. All in all it was a crazy busy weekend, with a lot to do but it was a great experience to just be by myself and be in control of what I can accomplish.



My Opinion

Aster is Greek for a star, which refers to the shape of the flowers. Most asters thrive in sun or semi shade. They like any moderately fertile, well-drained soil that retains moisture throughout the growing season. They are great for attracting butterflies; they are wonderful as an accent plant in borders, or massing because of their beautiful vibrant blue colour.

Aster x ‘Autumn Blue’ Autumn Blue Aster

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Aster

Species x

Cultivar ‘Blue Autumn’

Category Perennials

Origin Horticultural origin. Herbert Oudshoom.

USDA Hardiness zone 5- 8

Height 40-60 cm

Spread 40-60 cm

Growth Medium

Flowering Period August to September

Foliage height 45 cm dark green

Flower 50 cm in height and deep blue in colour

Soil prefer alkaline, sandy or acid.

Propagation normally by division but also possible by soft cuttings in the spring.







Work Cited



Griffiths, Mark, and Pollock Michael. Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening, the definitive reference guide to plants, techniques, and gardening terms. New York, New York: DK Publishing Ink,2005. Print.

Heritage Perennials. Aster Blue Autumn. Web. September 15. 2012. http://www.perennials.com/plants/aster-blue-autumn.html