Grow great tomatoes in Edmonton

2024 has been a good year for tomatoes in my backyard garden. Here's a few tomato growing hints that work for me.

Starting from seed

Don't start tomato plants from seed  too early. They get leggy and roots become crowded in their pots. Start them from seed in mid - late March, indoors. Once they sprout, immediately put them under lights for 16 hours a day. I usually plant seeds in 4 inch pots in potting mix. If you start them earlier, have bigger pots ready to transplant into. They need artificial light until you plant them out in mid-May.  Some seeds are expensive these days, so don't waste them. Tomato seeds are viable for at least a few years, even longer. For expensive tomato seeds, I plant only one seed per pot. 

The tiny orange ones are sweet, tasty Sungold.

Keep the indoor tomato seedlings growing at a steady pace with ample light. Toughen them by running a low fan over the seedlings, just so they flutter a bit, for an hour or so each day. If the daytime temperatures are warm & it's not too windy, put the seedlings outside for a few hours. Once the seedlings have a couple of sets of leaves, fertilize with 1/4 strength soluable tomato fertilizer every 2 weeks and keep this up throughout the season, even once the tomatoes are in the ground. 

Shop around for seedlings

If you prefer to buy already started seedlings  check local greenhouses early for 6 packs of tomato seedlings. These are much cheaper than buying individual plants. If you buy them when they first arrive at the store, they should be healthy. I have found 6 packs of Tumblers for $8 (at Home Depot) when the seeds alone sell for about $1 each in a packet from mail order greenhouses. Shop around. 

Planting out

As mid May approaches put the seedlings outside for a few hours each day to harden them off. Plant tomato seedlings outdoors into a sunny spot, with early morning sun. Give tomatoes the sunniest part of the garden, with all day sun. A tomato stem grows roots out the side, so bury the stem a few inches deep but wait until the soil is good and warm. Extra roots will take up more water & nutrients for the plant. Plant them 2-3 feet apart. Don’t add tomato plant supports just yet as you might need to cover the seedlings if frost is threatened. When that threat is over, use strong and tall supports. I use a trellis for climbers (like SunGold). Supplement tomato cages with bamboo poles. When the tomatoes grow, they should be well off the ground, tied up, as should all the leaves. Your plants will get quite large & need strong support. Interplant basil seedlings. Basil is super easy to grow from seed.

Watering

Edmonton has been somewhat dry these past few years. In dry spells, tomatoes need watering. If you plant tomatoes in a raised bed, keep the soil a few inches below the inside walls of the bed. This way when watered, the water doesn't run off. It pools at the base of the tomato plants.  Try to get water running towards the base of the plant instead of away from it. Water the plants evenly, the same amount each day, even more when it's extremely hot & sunny. If the leaves wilt the plant needs water. Ideally water them before they wilt. Water at the base of the plants to deter disease. Don't water the leaves or fruit. We mulch the plants with compost from the City of Edmonton.

Pruning

Take off the bottom leaves up to the first flowers. As leaves yellow & die, clip them off. As the fruit grows remove more leaves from the bottom up. This way you can see the tomatoes as they ripen. In mid August clip off new flowers. They won't have time to set fruit in the Alberta climate. I do my best to take off the suckers, but as the season progresses, I miss a few. 

Harvest

Harvest tomatoes before they are fully ripe. They will quickly ripen indoors, and they will still taste fantastic.  If left too long on the vine you may miss picking them, they may attact bugs or birds, or they may crack and soften too much. 

Raised bed with Celebrity. Bottom leaves trimmed off.

The red ones are delicious Costoluto Genovese.

Favourite Varieties

I have been growing tomatoes in our Edmonton backyard garden for over 30 years and all this time I have been after the taste of the tomatoes I had as a kid in southern Ontario. In the Windsor area, in sunny, warm, fertile Essex County, the local tomatoes were absolutely delicious. 

Finally, I am satisfied with the flavour of the tomatoes I now grow in Edmonton. A particularly delicious variety is Costoluto Genovese, a medium sized, deep lobed Italian heritage tomato. I also like the sweet fresh burst of flavour of the Sungold cherry tomato, and we grow several plants.  Kids love them. 

This year I grew CobraF1 (in my little greenhouse). In the main garden I grew Yellow Boy, a classic favourite; Sungold - a sweet orange cherry tomato; an old faithful tomato Celebrity; Tumblers in pots; Juliet -a climbing sturdy small oblong tomato; and Candyland - a tiny currant novelty tomato, that kids like to eat fresh off the bush. If I had to limit plants to 3 varieties I would grow Sungold, Celebrity and Costoluto. Of course, we have had hot, dry summers and these 3 varieties have flourished. I am not sure how they would do in cool damp weather. 

Chalky plastic chairs? Try this!

 Plastic outdoor garden chairs are inexpensive and comfortable. But the weather, especially the sun,  can degrade and wear off the smooth surface.  On some plastic chairs, the outer layer begins to break down and a chalky film can form on the exposed areas. Who wants to sit in a chair that feels chalky to the touch? 

My plastic chairs are about 6 years old. A powdery dust covered the areas where the sun hits, especially on the arms. The smooth finish had been replaced by a slightly rough degraded surface. When hands were rubbed on the surface a powder was left on the hands. No thanks!

I really did not want to throw out these otherwise fine plastic chairs. Maybe another time, I will buy better chairs, but not now. I didn't want them ending up in the landfill. 

So, I searched the internet for solutions. I tried waching the chairs with vinegar, and later with baking soda, but the film remained.  Other internet suggestions were simply not acceptable to me. I wanted a quick, inexpensive, safe & easy fix. 

 I didn't want to change the colour of the chairs by painting them as that was too big of a job. I also didn't think I could match the grey colour of the chairs perfectly, either.  I phoned the experts at my local paint store. Was there a clear paint, perhaps a spray paint, that would coat the surface and make it smooth again? The paint clerk had no suggestions and could not guarantee good results with what they had.

So, I decided to gamble and just try a clear spray paint made for plastic. This was readily available at the neighbourhood box hardware store.  I bought one can with a clear satin sheen.  

After washing with vinegar, and then baking soda, I again cleaned the chairs with dish soap & water and left them to dry.  I worked outdoors, actually just inside the open garage door.  It was not windy or rainy. I wore a mask to cover my mouth & nose & protective glasses.  I lightly coated the rough areas of each chair and used the paint as instructed on the can. I didn't sand the chairs first because I thought the areas were already rough & pitted enough to grip the paint. This clear paint dried quickly to the touch, and I only sprayed the chalky parts of the chairs. I lightly sprayed the arms several times, waiting about 15 minutes between coats - maybe 4 coats or so. Other chalky areas were lightly sprayed several times too. 

I knew right away, after the first coat, this was working. Each light coating felt smoother to the touch, and there was no chalky residue coming off the chairs. I left the chairs to thoroughly dry - 24 hours- under a canopy.

It's been about 3 weeks since I sprayed the chairs and I am quite pleased with the results. This worked on my particular plastic chairs. I used far less than a can of spray paint and the can was under $15. It all took very little time. The fix was quick, cheap, easy, and safe. Voila.

I don't know how long this will last, but it's all good for now. 

Grow shishito peppers in Edmonton, Alberta

 

Top bowl - shishito peppers

Shishito peppers suprisingly grow well in  Edmonton gardens. I have not seen shishito pepper plants for sale as bedding plants, so we grow ours from seed. Shishitos are a mostly mild, smoky pepper, valued as a grilled or air fried appetizer, but about one of ten is hot. That's part of the fun of eating them. 

Our shishito seeds were purchased from West Coast Seeds. The peppers are a good size, mostly mild with a tremendous yield per plant. The pepper plants are hardy, too. No staking required.

Plant seeds early (late February or early March) in 4 inch pots. Grow seedlings under lights - 12 hours light/day. For sturdier plants blow a gentle fan across them for an hour or so each day. Pepper plants are quite beautiful. Deep green, strong glossy leaves on well shaped plants with sweet little white flowers. They are a joy to grow, with few problems.

Plant the bedding plants out into the garden when warm, - late May in Edmonton, in a sunny place. They like the warm morning sun. Our shishitos do well in raised beds. Water as needed.

No need to prune these gorgeous plants. Pick the peppers often when still green. Picking encourages plants to produce more. We grew about 8 plants and ate shishito peppers from early July to September. We had too many. The large bowl pictured above is the final harvest this year of shishito peppers.

For a tasty appetizer, stir fry, or air fry whole green peppers. Add a dipping sauce on the side (peanut sauce is yummy). Reminder: although Shishitos are a mild pepper, one out of ten peppers could be HOT.  Beware!

Start shishito plants early under lights (top left)

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Harvested about 10-12 peppers per plant.

Air fried shishito peppers with garlic scapes

Pick & eat when still green

Shishito bedding plants in 4 inch pots.

Valiant Grapes - hardy grapes for Edmonton

 

Valiant grape vines flourish along the fence on the west side of the garden, tucked behind squash plants.

Delicious juice

About 5 years ago we planted a Valiant Grape plant in the back yard garden, on the west side against the fence. Valiant is a cold hardy variety of grape suitable to the Edmonton climate. The west side of our garden gets warming morning sun, and full sun until late afternoon. The site is sunny & warm & the fence gives the vines something to climb on. 

The first few years, we had no grapes. The 4th year, we had enough grapes to make a few jars of jelly. This past year saw grapes galore, on long vines, ripe for picking in late August, and into September. 

Valiant grapes are deep dark purple, somewhat tart but flavourful. They do have a seeds in them.  They make a good jelly.  I prefer to use the grapes to make juice to drink fresh. 

Make Juice

I use an immersion blender (pictured above) to gently mash the grapes in a big bowl. The seeds will remain whole. Pour this mixture into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Squeeze the grape 'must' with a big spoon. The seeds and skins remain behind in the strainer and a deep juice will drip out. I add the fresh juice to a smoothie, but taste it fresh & straight up, too.  It is really delicious and powerful. It must be super healthy.

Even though I harvested a bushel of grapes, once the frost killed the leaves, many grapes were left on the vines.  I neglected to prune the vines the year before so the vines were dense. Next year I will be sure to harvest the full crop. I will also prune the canes.

Well, it's late October, 2024 and I didn't get all the grapes off the vine. Some bunches are still there, easily visible because the leaves have shrivelled and died. We have had frosts, several nights of frost, and these fresh picked grapes have become sweeter and more flavourful. I've been emulsifying them lightly with the immersion blender and straining out the seeds. The fresh 'ice' juice is delicious and full of nutrients. 

Seedlings Under Lights

Impatiens, 4 weeks old, in little pots.

It’s March 10th and a few seedlings are already growing under lights in the basement. I grow seedlings under banks of inexpensive flourescent lights hung from box store metal shelves.  

It's still a bit early to start most seeds, but about 4 weeks ago I sowed some varieties that require a long growing season. Impatiens, Wave Petunias, Wave Pansies, peppers and celery.  I also sowed a variety of herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, marjoram, lemon balm, Greek oregano).  It's early, but I have adequate artificial light, lots of pots to transplant the growing seedlings into, and for later, a small outdoor greenhouse with a spaceheater for use in early April. 

I sowed most seeds in small individual but connected plastic cubes filled with damp potting mix, patted down gently. The seeding cubes come in a variety of styles. They could be hexagons, or 6 packs. If you have lots of room, treat your seeds to 4 inch individual pots. I use all kinds of seed starting pots - whatever I have. Note, however, if the containers are too small, seedlings will quickly outgrow tiny pots. 

Don't bury tiny seeds deeply in the potting mix - just lightly cover them with soil, pat them gently to make contact with the soil below. Spritz with water. (Lettuce seeds like some light to germinate, so don't bury them). 

Put the seeded pots in a tray and onto a seed heating mat- out of direct sunlight. The mat keeps them at a steady warm temperature, ideal for germination. It also improves germination rates, and seeds will pop up uniformly and quickly. If you don't have a heating mat, place the tray in a warmish spot, again out of direct sunlight. 

Cover the tray with a clear plastic lid to keep the air and the soil evenly moist.  Ideally the potting mix is damp but not soggy. Occasionally, give the seeds a gentle misting with water if the potting mix seems dry. Too strong a blast of water may move the seeds down and around in the potting mix, never to be seen again.

If the seeds are expensive, or I only have a few left, I plant one seed to a little pot. 

Once they seeds sprout, at the first sign, move them under lights.  In our northern location, (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) the seedlings need artificial light to grow stoutly.  A southern window just doesn't provide enough light. Without artificial light at this time of the year, seedlings grown indoors will get spindly. The basement flourescent lights are on a timer and they stay on for 16 hours a day. The seedling tops are fairly close to the lights, about 4-6 inches away.  

To improve seedling strength I run a gentle fan over them for about 30 minutes, twice a day. If the fan is too strong, too close, or on for too long, the seedlings will weaken. You want them stressed just a bit, to toughen them up. 

If you start the seedlings too early, you might run out of space under the lights on your growing racks. If that happens, do 'shifts' where the seedlings spend 12 hours under lights & 12 hours in darkness - 2 shifts. This involves some moving around of your trays each day, but only for a few weeks.

Water the seedlings, ideally from the bottom - where the potting mix absorbs water. This reduces chances of disease. Keep the seedlings well watered, keep them growing. 

Parsley beside a pepper plant

Herbs under lights

Tomatoes sprouting up, in hexagon trays.

Candyland Hybrid Tomato

Candyland is a tiny bright red tomato. Not a cherry tomato, but a current type. It's about half the size of the cherry tomato Sungold or Sweet 100, and not quite so sweet. It has, surprisingly, the taste of a red salad tomato - like Celebrity or Early Girl. The tiny fruit are smooth and round and grow in clusters, that are easy to pick by the handful. The plant grows into a bush - about 3 feet high, loaded with clusters of tasty pea-sized fruit. Candyland is an indeterminate tomato & it keeps on producing until frost. One plant is enough to provide hundreds of tasty tiny tomatoes.

Anyone with young kids will appreciate the little tomato size. It is perfect for pre-schoolers to pick and eat straight from the tomato plant. 

I bought Candyland hybrid seeds from William Dam Seeds, a company located in southern Ontario. Other seeders sell them too. This is my third year growing Candyland. I start all my tomato plants indoors in early March and grow the seedlings under flourescent lights in the basement. Out they go into the garden when days & nights are warm in Edmonton. I provide some support for the Candyland plants, (tomato cages) to keep them up off the ground, This year (2024) I am growing my Candyland in a big pot. I hope the tomatoes are easier for the grandkids to get at. We will see how that goes.

Serve them as a snack, toss them in a salad, throw them into a pasta dish - or just head out to the garden and feast on them right off the plant. They are a 'novelty' tomato, too small for market, but for the home gardener, they are fun for the kids. 

Impatiens for semi-shade: Brighten a shady corner

City living creates ample opportunity for shade gardens.  Trees, houses, apartment buildings can block the direct sun required for many types of flowers. A south backyard vegetable garden is the best location, but that means a cool north shady front yard, where sun-loving blooms just won't flourish. A cool green garden is beautiful but for that pop of colour, flowers are desired. What flowers grow in shade?  

Vibrant impatiens

My favourite shade-loving flower is impatiens. They grow best in dappled shade and are softly beautiful & delicate with both vibrant and pastel colours.

This spring I grew Beacon impatiens from seeds bought at T&T Seeds. I am quite pleased with the results. I planted each seed in its own little pot in early February. The pots were placed on a heat mat, and every seed germinated. I grew them under lights for a few months, and then placed them in a south facing window. As they grew, I transplanted them into bigger pots.

Once the impatiens started to branch out and bloom, I cut off the flower heads with about one inch of fleshy stem. This trimming gets the plant to branch out, creating more blooms, and the plant is full, not leggy.

Impatiens grown from seed

Don't throw out the trimmings, though. Take off the flowers, leave a few leaves on each stem. Place the cuttings into water. I propped them up in a shallow jar criss-crossed with tape, so each stem was suspended in water, with a few leaves held above the water by the tape. 

Even easier, just plant each stem with a few leaves directly into a loose, moist potting mix. 

Place the cuttings in water, or in potting mix, in a bright room, but out of direct sunlight. They will grow roots.

The cuttings in water developed roots quickly, and after about 2 weeks, I planted them into a moist potting mix and they grew well. 

The cuttings placed directly in the soil also rooted really well too. 

All of the cuttings have flowers on them (early May). I will clip them as well, to create fuller plants with more blossoms. 

And I'll plant them outdoors in semi-shaded spots in my front yard once there is no danger of frost. Impatiens are tender and will die when temperatures hover around freezing. They also require a steady supply of water, as they thrive in moist soil. I grow them in planters. 

Soft white delicate impatiens

Notes: 

I noticed little crystal clear droplets of a sticky substance on the stems of my extremely healthy looking impatiens today (May 8).  What?  Yikes! Absolutely no sign of bugs, or mildew, or damage. I researched these honeydew-like  tiny glimmering beads and it seems they might appear on impatiens grown indoors. Sugars are released, or something like that. Maybe I let them sit in a bit of water too long....good news is that there is no big problem here.  

Jar & string for rooting cuttings

Impatiens cuttings not yet trimmed 

Trimmed cuttings ready for rooting

The seeds were a bit expensive, $3.95 for 25 seeds. But every seed I planted germinated, and from 10 seeds I generated by cuttings about 30 plants. These will all be of good size when I plant them out in a few weeks. I am extremely satisfied with my venture into growing impatiens, and I'll grow other types of impatiens next year. 

Cuttings in jar filled with water

In March and April, a south window in Edmonton provides enough light for impatiens bedding plants to flourish.  In my shady front yard, I observe that impatiens grow best in dappled shade. They seem to like early morning or late afternoon sun. I grow them in pots, as the soil is too dense and hard in my front yard, with  tree roots and a clay base.   

After 2 weeks in water, roots are well formed.

Impatiens cuttings will root in water in about two weeks. At this point, put them in moist potting mix and indirect light. They will further root and be ready for transplant into bigger pots or the garden in another 3 weeks or so. 

Tip: Keep plants in pots moist with this idea.

https://greenhousecarol.blogspot.com/2010/07/hidden-reservoir-for-pots-in-garden.html

 

What I learned about succulents

Six years ago I began propogating succulents. Here's what I learned.

Succulents are hardy. They do well when left alone. They don't like to be touched.

They need a sunny window, a fast soak of water every week or two, good drainage holes in the planter, and a potting mix that drains well. 

In winter, they do well grown under lights, if you have that set up. But they will survive in a south facing window in a northern location, like Edmonton. 

A few varieties will survive outdoors in a cold winter (Hens & Chicks), but most will die when temperatures drop.  

A potting mix with lots of peat will retain too much water. Cut a regular potting mix with about 1/3 small gravel, perlite, or coarse sand. A potting mix that drains well ensures the roots will not get soggy. 

Propogation of succulents

Some succulents send out 'babies' that put down roots. Others root in the soil from tendrils sent out. Some expand underground. All succulents take their sweet time. 

Certain types of succulents can be propogated with leaves. This is straightforward enough.  Snap healthy bottom leaves off. Snap them off  cleanly and fully. The leaves must be complete and undamaged in order to grow roots. 

Roots grow on their own

Roots will grow from the base of the leaf. If laid on a potting mix and lightly spritzed every week with water, the roots will grow down into the potting mix. 

Keep them in good light, but not direct sunlight.  The food and moisture for the first roots are stored in the leaf. Have patience.  More roots will grow and they will take up moisture and food from the potting mix. Eventually a little plant will emerge from the bottom of the leaf. This can take weeks.

 

Tray of perlite layered on top of potting mix cut with gravel.

The tray pictured above has a thin layer of perlite over the potting mix (cut with coarse gravel), to create a dry, hospitable environment for the leaves to sit on. There is only about 1.5 inches of potting mix. There are drainage holes in the tray. Eventually, roots grow down into the potting mix.  You don't really need the perlite. You can let the little plants grow in the tray for a few months, or move them to a smalll pot when the roots are well established. 

Roots will also grow from a succulent leaf if propped up above a small vial of water. The water should not touch the base of the leaf. After a good base of roots has formed, plant the roots in the potting mix. Generally, let them settle in the mix for a few days before watering. Succulents need water but not too much. That's why good drainage holes in the container are imperative. 

Roots grow in the air too

All of the above can be propogated by leaves.

Roots lifted from soil to view

Mini succulents in planter & drainage hole.

 

Succulents will stay small for a while if planted in shallow and not too fertile potting mix. Eventually the stems will elongate. A succulent head can be snapped off with about 1/2 inch or less of stem, and roots will from from the base of the stem. Just place it in dry potting mix for the first week or so. They store water in their leaves, and use this to start up the roots. 

They will grow faster if you give them a little fertilizer, but just a little. 

(You actually can grow them in a container without drainage holes, but you must underwater them. I just spritz water lightly around the roots once every two weeks. I don't recommend this, as the temptation to overwater is too great, but it can be done.)

Common mistakes made with succulents

Poor drainage in the soil and too much water.

No drainage holes in the planter.

Not enough sun.

Microclimate in the city - extend the growing season

Check out this mini garden in my neighbourhood, at a nearby condo complex.  I took this picture on October 16,  about one week after Edmonton had a first frost. 

Sheltered on north, full sun, raised bed, warming blocks, warmth reflecting walls

Create a warm microclimate to extend the growing season.

The tomato plants are still green and growing. Even the basil, which is super sentitive to cold, has not blackened or wilted. Nothing has yet fallen to the cold. We have already had some light snow in Edmonton, yet this little garden hangs in there, long after our own backyard garden has packed it in for the winter. 

Why is this tiny garden still flourishing? It has to do with the microclimate where the garden is situated. 

This tiny garden sits in a sunny and sheltered spot. It's about 15'x8' and is bordered and sheltered on the north by the condo. Cold northern winds do not cool this garden. It's also sheltered a few feet out on the east and west sides by condo walls and cement steps. Warmth is held in by the sheltering walls.

Tomatoes still ripening 

It has almost full southern sun, essential for good growth. The garden earth absorbs the warmth from the sun during the day and radiates it at night. What else? The garden is planted in a deep raised bed, and raised beds absorb heat and, therefore,have warmer soil. The garden is fronted by three rows of cement blocks. These absorb heat in the day and release the heat at night.  Also the condo itself is a light cream colour, and this reflects some light and warmth back onto the garden bed. The lush greenery of the garden keeps in some warmth at night too, much like an atmospheric cover of clouds traps in warm thermal air at night.

All of these things combine to create warmth at night in the garden, and extend the growing season. For cold climate gardeners, we are offered some clues on how to extend our growing season in northern cities like Edmonton. Just common sense, really. 

 

Take a look at the productivity of this little garden. Truly wonderful what can be grown in such a small garden. Tomatoes, peppers, herbs and flowers galore!

A little snow cover

 

October 11 Hawrelak Park Edmonton

 Enjoying the beauty of our glorious parks in Edmonton. Hawrelak park skirts the North Saskatchewan River, Lots of wide trails for walking. Relax in the fresh air, get a bit of exercise, unwind with the trees.

Hawrelak Park in Edmonton

October 11 Hawrelak Park Edmonton

October 11 Hawrelak Park Edmonton

One week later....

October 18 Hawrelak Park Edmonton

October 18 Hawrelak Park Edmonton

Harvest and first frost in Edmonton

October 10, 2020.

The first frost on average in Edmonton is sometime around September 24. This year we saw temperatures dip to 0 degrees C a few nights ago, but we still have not had a hard killing frost in south Edmonton. The last frost of 2020 was May 7. One hundred years ago the average last frost was May 27 and the first was September 6. There has been quite an expansion of frost free days in Edmonton.  The source for this information is Edmonton Weather Nerdery thank-you very much.

Pumpkins and Heart of Gold squash

We still have kale, carrots, parsnips, swiss chard, parsley, sage, mint and rosemary growing. Today, we finished harvesting all squashes, and found a few small zucchini hidden under wilting leaves. This was a good year for winter and summer squash. 

We harvested 5 Jack O’Lantern pumpkins, 7 Acorn and 5 Heart of Gold squash. Since mid July, we have harvested zucchini, which is a summer squash, non-stop - from 6 plants. We started all of our squash plants in pots from seeds in late March. They were grown under lights in the basement. Squash plants need warm temperatures. Leaves will die when temperatures approach freezing. After we planted them out in mid May, we were on guard for cold temperatures, and one night we covered them. We also covered them on nights in October if temperatures threatened to hover around freezing.

Today we pulled up a few beets and small onions that still remained in the garden. A red pepper, cherry tomato and basil plant in pots survive in the unheated greenhouse.

In mid September, we planted our favourite and easiest crop – garlic. Each year we plant more and more, this year about 225 cloves in 2 8x4 raised beds and 1 4x4 raised bed. See how we grow this great crop here.   

Jean Paul Langlois The Conversation

I realise this is a gardening blog, but I want to draw your attention to some cool art in my neighbourhood. If you are near the Parkallen area of south Edmonton, check out the colourful mural called "The Conversation" by Métis artist Jean Paul Langlois.

The vibrant mural fills the south side of a two story building at 6551 111 Street. You can't miss it. The building itself is painted in bright colours. The Conversation steps up the pizzaz with 6 bold cowboy and Indigenous looking figures on horseback set against a vivid sky.  The mural is interesting and beautiful with cheerful colour.

It’s yours to enjoy and ponder.  The Conversation is a welcome gift to the Parkallen community. Thanks to the muralist and to the sponsor. 

See Jean Paul Langlois talking about The Conversation in the video below (Edmonton Journal).

 

Follow this link to learn more about painter Jean Paul Langlois.

The Conversation     Jean Paul Langlois