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As a second-generation co-owner of Dutch Growers, Rick has decades of knowledge and expertise when it comes to plants! From tried-and-true choices to new varieties on the market, you can be sure to trust his recommendations! As he says, it's all about finding "the right plant for the right place" — let this guide inspire you before you come down to the garden centre! So without further ado, here are Rick's favourite plants!
Campfire Rose
Height • 3 feet
Width • 3 feet
Blooms all colours of a campfire (pink and white with intense yellow centres) from July until snowfall! Do not deadhead after September 1st.
Dwarf Korean Lilac
Height • 4-5 feet
Width • 5-6 feet
Beautiful and fragrant blooms in late spring! Prune in June, right after blooming, to maintain desired shape and size.
Globe Blue Spruce
Height • 8 feet
Width • 6 feet
Dense steel blue needles in a globe shape! Trim back in August to maintain desired shape and size.
For a Single Row
Spruce or Pine
For Multiple Rows
Starting from the sun side, the first row could be Colorado Spruce, Meyers Spruce, Black Hills Spruce, and Scotch Pine. The next row could be Silver Maple, Manitoba Maple, Ash, Oak, and Prairie Sky or Okanese Poplar. Finally, the third row could be Royalty or Villosa Lilac, Sea Buckthorn, High Bush Cranberry, and Pin Cherry!
For a windbreak, it’s important to mix varieties within rows (do not monoculture) to prevent loss due to disease or insects.
For larger yards, go with a Silver Cloud Maple! For smaller yards, Rick recommends a Ming Cherry, or if you have limited or narrow spaces, a Purple Spire or Midnite Spire Crabapple (opt for a Courageous Crabapple if you prefer smaller, very few fruit).
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For rural yards, Rick suggests September Ruby and Prairie Sensation (developed at USask), both with crisp, sweet-tart fruit! For urban yards, go with the Honeycrisp or the narrow, upright TreasuRed (also developed at USask).
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If you’re looking for sour cherries, you can’t go wrong with Juliet or Carmine Jewel (both USask varieties)! If you prefer smaller but sweeter cherries, choose Pink Candles Nanking.
Phantom Hydrangea
Height • 10 feet
Width • 10 feet
Maybe the fullest flower heads of any panicle hydrangea! Blooms from mid-summer to late fall.
Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea
Height • 5 feet
Width • 4 feet
Flowers emerge white then change to pink and finally turn strawberry red! Blooms from early summer to early fall and great for smaller spaces.
Tiny Wine Ninebark
Height • 4 feet
Width • 4 feet
Foliage starts wine-red and turns deep red-purple, with white flowers in spring! A compact variety excellent for smaller spaces.
Double Play Big Bang Spirea
Height • 3 feet
Width • 3 feet
Pairs well with most plants in terms of leaf colour and blooms! Foliage emerges orange-red and turns deep yellow, with bright pink flowers from mid-spring to mid-summer.
Forsythia
Height • 8 feet
Width • 7 feet
Double Flowering Plum
Height • 12 feet
Width • 12 feet
Both of these plants bloom before they even leaf out! Forsythia features prolific yellow flowers in early spring, and the Double Flowering Plum explodes into showy pink blooms in early spring too.
Hydrangeas
Typically bloom from July until the first hard frost, providing late season interest!
Fall Aster
Daisy-like flowers that appear from late summer to early fall, adding interest to any perennial flower garden!
Tor and Tor Gold Spireas
All season interest! Green and gold foliage during the growing season, white flowers in the summer, and orange-red leaves in the fall.
Prairie Horizon Alder
Height • 40 feet
Width • 30 feet
A strong, upright tree with dark green foliage and smooth gray bark, highly adaptable to most conditions!
Highbush Cranberry
Height • 10 feet
Width • 8 feet
Native to North America, this shrub features white flowers in late spring, and edible red fruit from late summer to late winter, providing year-round interest! Prefers average to moist conditions and will not do well in dry areas.
Japanese Lilac Tree
Height • 20-25 feet
Width • 15-20 feet
One of our bestsellers! Prolific white blooms in late spring and early summer on an upright tree suitable for smaller yards.
Yellow Potentilla
Height • 3-4 feet
Width • 3-4 feet
Showy bright yellow flowers and many different varieties! Blooms from June until frost and are drought-tolerant!
Yellow Gem Potentilla
Height • 2 feet
Width • 3 feet
Low-growing and very hardy, ideal for northern gardens! Features bright yellow flowers from June until frost.
Blue Chip Juniper
Height • 12 inches
Width • 5 feet
An excellent groundcover evergreen for northern gardens, with steel blue foliage. Wide-spreading and very hardy!
Creeping Jenny
Height • 4 inches
Width • 2 feet
A vigorous but not overly invasive perennial groundcover! Features yellow flowers all summer long over a carpet of bright green leaves.
From flowering shrubs to fruit trees, and shade trees to windbreak trees, here's a list of Rick's favourite prairie-hardy plants for urban and rural Saskatchewan!
From flowering shrubs to fruit trees, and shade trees to windbreak trees, here's a list of Rick's favourite prairie-hardy plants for urban and rural Saskatchewan!
As a second-generation co-owner of Dutch Growers, Rick has decades of knowledge and expertise when it comes to plants! From tried-and-true choices to new varieties on the market, you can be sure to trust his recommendations! As he says, it's all about finding "the right plant for the right place" — let this guide inspire you before you come down to the garden centre! So without further ado, here are Rick's favourite plants!
Campfire Rose
Height • 3 feet
Width • 3 feet
Blooms all colours of a campfire (pink and white with intense yellow centres) from July until snowfall! Do not deadhead after September 1st.
Dwarf Korean Lilac
Height • 4-5 feet
Width • 5-6 feet
Beautiful and fragrant blooms in late spring! Prune in June, right after blooming, to maintain desired shape and size.
Globe Blue Spruce
Height • 8 feet
Width • 6 feet
Dense steel blue needles in a globe shape! Trim back in August to maintain desired shape and size.
For a Single Row
Spruce or Pine
For Multiple Rows
Starting from the sun side, the first row could be Colorado Spruce, Meyers Spruce, Black Hills Spruce, and Scotch Pine. The next row could be Silver Maple, Manitoba Maple, Ash, Oak, and Prairie Sky or Okanese Poplar. Finally, the third row could be Royalty or Villosa Lilac, Sea Buckthorn, High Bush Cranberry, and Pin Cherry!
For a windbreak, it’s important to mix varieties within rows (do not monoculture) to prevent loss due to disease or insects.
For larger yards, go with a Silver Cloud Maple! For smaller yards, Rick recommends a Ming Cherry, or if you have limited or narrow spaces, a Purple Spire or Midnite Spire Crabapple (opt for a Courageous Crabapple if you prefer smaller, very few fruit).
For rural yards, Rick suggests September Ruby and Prairie Sensation (developed at USask), both with crisp, sweet-tart fruit! For urban yards, go with the Honeycrisp or the narrow, upright TreasuRed (also developed at USask).
If you’re looking for sour cherries, you can’t go wrong with Juliet or Carmine Jewel (both USask varieties)! If you prefer smaller but sweeter cherries, choose Pink Candles Nanking.
Phantom Hydrangea
Height • 10 feet
Width • 10 feet
Maybe the fullest flower heads of any panicle hydrangea! Blooms from mid-summer to late fall.
Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea
Height • 5 feet
Width • 4 feet
Flowers emerge white then change to pink and finally turn strawberry red! Blooms from early summer to early fall and great for smaller spaces.
Tiny Wine Ninebark
Height • 4 feet
Width • 4 feet
Foliage starts wine-red and turns deep red-purple, with white flowers in spring! A compact variety excellent for smaller spaces.
Double Play Big Bang Spirea
Height • 3 feet
Width • 3 feet
Pairs well with most plants in terms of leaf colour and blooms! Foliage emerges orange-red and turns deep yellow, with bright pink flowers from mid-spring to mid-summer.
Forsythia
Height • 8 feet
Width • 7 feet
Double Flowering Plum
Height • 12 feet
Width • 12 feet
Both of these plants bloom before they even leaf out! Forsythia features prolific yellow flowers in early spring, and the Double Flowering Plum explodes into showy pink blooms in early spring too.
Hydrangeas
Typically bloom from July until the first hard frost, providing late season interest!
Fall Aster
Daisy-like flowers that appear from late summer to early fall, adding interest to any perennial flower garden!
Tor and Tor Gold Spireas
All season interest! Green and gold foliage during the growing season, white flowers in the summer, and orange-red leaves in the fall.
Prairie Horizon Alder
Height • 40 feet
Width • 30 feet
A strong, upright tree with dark green foliage and smooth gray bark, highly adaptable to most conditions!
Highbush Cranberry
Height • 10 feet
Width • 8 feet
Native to North America, this shrub features white flowers in late spring, and edible red fruit from late summer to late winter, providing year-round interest! Prefers average to moist conditions and will not do well in dry areas.
Japanese Lilac Tree
Height • 20-25 feet
Width • 15-20 feet
One of our bestsellers! Prolific white blooms in late spring and early summer on an upright tree suitable for smaller yards.
Yellow Potentilla
Height • 3-4 feet
Width • 3-4 feet
Showy bright yellow flowers and many different varieties! Blooms from June until frost and are drought-tolerant!
Yellow Gem Potentilla
Height • 2 feet
Width • 3 feet
Low-growing and very hardy, ideal for northern gardens! Features bright yellow flowers from June until frost.
Blue Chip Juniper
Height • 12 inches
Width • 5 feet
An excellent groundcover evergreen for northern gardens, with steel blue foliage. Wide-spreading and very hardy!
Creeping Jenny
Height • 4 inches
Width • 2 feet
A vigorous but not overly invasive perennial groundcover! Features yellow flowers all summer long over a carpet of bright green leaves.
Rick's Favourite Plants
From flowering shrubs to fruit trees, and shade trees to windbreak trees, here's a list of Rick's favourite prairie-hardy plants for urban and rural Saskatchewan!
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