A passion for gardening continues to flourish in Portage la Prairie, even as lingering snow and wet conditions delay the start of the spring season for one of the community’s most dedicated green thumbs.
Rose Parks, a local garden enthusiast whose yard earned provincial recognition, says this year’s late thaw has postponed many of the usual outdoor preparations. Despite the delay, she remains focused on early indoor tasks that help ensure a vibrant growing season ahead.
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Parks explains that her love of gardening began decades ago, inspired by her mother’s own dedication to cultivating a beautiful yard.
“Gardening has been a passion since my twenties, and I think that comes from my mom, who was an avid gardener with a beautiful yard. She was always there to give me advice when I was younger, and that encouragement really stayed with me,” she says.
While some years allow for early lawn care, Parks notes that persistent snow and saturated ground have made it impossible to begin outdoor work this spring.
“This year we still have quite a bit of snow on the lawn, and it’s simply too wet to do anything outside. In some past years, I already had the lawn raked, thatched, and seeded by this time, but this season is definitely later than usual,” she explains.
Even with outdoor tasks on hold, Parks is busy preparing her plants indoors, a strategy that helps reduce gardening costs.
“I winter over my geraniums and start making slips from them in the spring. That way I don’t have to buy new plants each year, and it saves quite a bit of money,” she adds.
Understanding lawn challenges
The condition of a lawn after winter can vary significantly depending on weather patterns. Parks says gardeners must assess the extent of winter damage before determining the necessary steps.
“Some years you have to reseed large patches because of winter kill, especially if there wasn’t enough snow cover or if frost penetrated deeply into the ground. Other times, snow mould can develop, which is also very hard on the grass,” she notes.
Weed control is another essential part of lawn recovery, as unchecked growth can prevent new grass from establishing.
“When you’re reseeding, you also have to remove weeds because if they get too big, they take over and the grass seed doesn’t grow,” she continues.
Supporting pollinators
Beyond lawn care, Parks emphasizes the importance of protecting beneficial insects by delaying the cleanup of flower beds until warmer temperatures arrive.
“I always leave my flower beds for a bit because there are lots of good bugs that overwinter under the leaves, such as ladybugs and solitary bees. You don’t want to disturb them until it’s warm enough,” she says.
To further support pollinators, Parks has installed small bee houses in her yard and maintains water sources to attract them, enhancing both her flower and vegetable gardens.
“These little houses have holes drilled into wood blocks where solitary or carpenter bees can nest. Having pollinators around makes a big difference, especially for vegetables like tomatoes and zucchini,” she explains.
Provincial recognition
Parks’ dedication to gardening has not gone unnoticed. Her yard was selected to represent Portage la Prairie in the Manitoba Good Roads Association competition, where it won top honours in 2024 for communities with populations of 7,500 and over.
“We didn’t enter the competition ourselves. The city approached us after being nominated, and we agreed to participate. I never expected that we would be chosen to represent Portage, let alone win for all of Manitoba,” she says.
Although the recognition was a proud moment, Parks notes that preparing for such events requires significant effort.
“It’s a lot of work getting everything ready, and I tend to be harder on myself when I look at the yard than other people are,” she adds.
Advice for aspiring gardeners
For those interested in developing their own gardens, Parks encourages starting small and taking advantage of the wealth of information now available.
“I always tell people to start simple with a single flower bed. There’s so much information online now, and joining gardening groups on social media can provide great advice and inspiration,” she explains.
She also recommends incorporating personal touches, such as decorative features or water elements, to create a cohesive and inviting outdoor space.
A personal oasis
Despite the time and financial investment, Parks believes the rewards of gardening far outweigh the challenges. She estimates that annual spending on plants once reached between $200 and $300, though cost-saving measures like propagating plants and growing flowers from seed have helped reduce expenses.
“If you love having a nice yard, it does take a lot of work, but the benefits are incredible. In the summer, our yard becomes a little oasis where we can enjoy bright colours, and flowers without having to travel anywhere,” she says.
Before and after, noting the delay in spring breaking through:
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