There is so much opportunity in early spring for gardeners to create year-round beauty with vines and climbers. While the bare bones of the garden are still leafless and without flowers, look closely at its framework and structure. Where could you add instant height and year-round architectural interest with a garden arch, pergola, trellis, or obelisk? There are several distinct types of plants to choose from that will climb up wooden or metal structures, scramble across exterior walls, frame entrances, enhance privacy, and decorate your outdoor rooms with vibrant flowers, intriguing foliage, and delicate perfume.
Clematis, one of the most popular garden plants, climbs by twining. It makes an impressive statement whether you choose large-flowered hybrids or species with smaller, nodding flowers. Remember to plant clematis in a full-sun location that has well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Shade the roots with a mulch layer of compost. Planting a groundcover will help to keep the roots cool, too. I love this example by John Leperre, a Winnipeg gardener, who plants a carpet of portulaca around the base of his clematis. Portulaca is a creeping flowering annual that self-seeds and often comes back the following year.
Clematis Jackmanii, introduced by English horticulturalist George Jackman more than 160 years ago, is beloved by gardeners around the world for its violet-purple flowers. In Susan Billinkoff’s garden in South Winnipeg, Jackmanii clematis grows on a sturdy wooden trellis next to the outer wall of her garage. She has juxtaposed it with the large leaves of Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) which frame her garden’s unique wood and stainless-steel gate. Virginia creeper also requires a sturdy support and climbs by tendrils. Adaptable, it grows in full sun to full shade. Together, the clematis and Virginia creeper create a picturesque leafy backdrop in Billinkoff’s exquisite garden.
Erroll billinkoff
This jewel of a garden is enhanced by Clematis Jackmanii vines growing on a trellis on the outer wall of the homeowner’s garage.
In autumn, the large leaves of Virginia creeper turn a stunning shade of red and decorative silky seed heads adorn Jackmanii clematis. Jackmanii Superba is an improved version, but a protected location will provide the best results. It’s not possible to list here all the varieties of clematis that can be grown but two exceptionally hardy clematis varieties are Blue Boy and Blue Bird which were bred by Frank Leith Skinner, renowned Canadian plantsman who lived in Dropmore, Manitoba.
As for Virginia creeper, it is indestructible and will grow practically anywhere. In a shade garden that I visited over the years, a wooden arch or arbor covered in lush layers of Virginia creeper made an enchanting scene.
Val Thomson makes the most of vertical accents in her spacious 5-acre garden in Birtle. On a visit to Spain in 2001, she was inspired by the ornamental use of grape vines. “I saw grape vines trained up the walls of houses and along upper-story verandas – thick ropes of woody trunks and fruit hanging down. That’s a look I’ve tried to recreate,” says Thomson.
Thomson selected two varieties of grape, one of which is Valiant. As a climbing vine, many hardy varieties of grape will grow to two or more metres tall at maturity with a spread of more than one metre. She dug deep holes spaced 10 feet (3 metres) apart and filled the holes with cement. Tall 4×4 wooden posts were inserted (“they will never come out,” she says) and cross pieces were attached. “I wrapped bird netting around each pole and across the top to support the vines,” says Thomson. A grape plant was installed at the base of each pole except for one of the poles which was planted with Clematis Bill MacKenzie, a vigorous climber with bell-shaped nodding flowers.
Thomson ruthlessly prunes any side shoots that appear along the vines to keep the growth at the top of the trellis. The grape trellis creates an inspired backdrop to what she calls her hot garden which features other strong vertical accents such as verbascums (mullein), a prolific spreading plant if ever there was one. But in Thomson’s garden, the architectural stalks are prevented from dispersing their seeds to assist her in achieving the inimitable, luxuriantly layered look that she seeks to achieve in her garden design.
COLLEEN ZACHARIAS / FREE PRESS
Create a scene with a vine-covered arbor. Shown: Virginia Creeper vine.
Arctic Beauty (Actinidia kolomikta) is a kiwi vine that is hardy to minus 40 Celsius. Despite its ornamental beauty and suitability for our climate with its short summers, hardy kiwi is a mostly underrated plant. Rod Kueneman, co-founder of Sustainable South Osborne Community Co-operative and a senior scholar, Department of Sociology, University of Manitoba, grows Arctic Beauty on the chain link fence between his yard and his neighbour’s yard. For proper pollination, he purchased female plants and a male plant. Two female plants and one male plant are the norm, but Kueneman purchased three female plants and one male plant. That was 10 years ago. Kiwi vines are slow to start but in each of the last two years, Kueneman was able to harvest three gallons of kiwi fruit.
“The fruit has a football shape with elongated ends, it is twice the size of a haskap fruit, and has a sweet taste similar to kiwi fruit at the grocery store,” says Kueneman. The fruits have small seeds and need to be harvested when they are ripe, otherwise they fall to the ground. “The neighbour’s dog loves how the fruit tastes,” says Kueneman.
Arctic Beauty kiwi vine grows more than three metres tall and has stunning foliage – green with pink and white. Kueneman has observed that the more fruit the vine produces, the whiter the pointy leaf tips become. In winter, Kueneman admires the gnarly, peeling bark and the way that it rambles along the chain-link fence. “The vines remind me of climbing beans in the way that they wrap around each other to get elevation. They work to fill the fence on their own. I don’t do any training. I don’t fertilize the plants but have always ensured that they are watered in dry conditions.”
Would you like a vine that does not grow tall? Bush clematis is a non-vining herbaceous clematis that restarts from the ground each year and grows no taller than 42 inches or 106 cm. New for 2024 from Proven Winners is Stand by Me Pink bush clematis with pink downward-facing bell-shaped flowers. There is also the original Stand by Me clematis with blue bell-shaped flowers as well as Rain Dance bush clematis with large outward-facing indigo blue flowers. I would not be without bush clematis in my garden. Bush clematis does require support and looks outstanding when it is grown on multiple obelisks placed throughout the centre of the garden.
Keep in mind that the materials you use for plant supports are hugely important if the overall effect is to be one that is long lasting and beautiful. Quality structures made of weathering steel or built from wood will outperform flimsy plastic. Provide a solid foundation for supporting structures by anchoring them securely to the ground.
VAL THOMSON
A firmly anchored trellis supports Valiant grape vines for a luxuriant look in Val Thomson’s garden.
colleenizacharias@gmail.com
For advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing, sign up to receive Winnipeg Gardener, a free monthly digital newsletter I write for the Winnipeg Free Press at https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/newsletter/winnipeg-gardener
CLEARVIEW HORTICULTURAL
Arctic Beauty Kiwi is a hardy vine with decorative foliage and sweet edible fruit.
PROVEN WINNERS
New for 2024, Stand by Me Pink is a non-vining bush clematis that only grows to about one metre tall.
Colleen Zacharias Gardening columnist
Colleen Zacharias writes about many aspects of gardening including trends, plant recommendations, and how-to information that is uniquely relevant to Prairie gardeners.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
