Garden Tapestry – Page 3 – Tips and Tricks for Gardeners

Book Review:”Perennials for British Columbia” by Alison Beck & Marianne Binetti

Posted on June 20, 2000 in Book Reviews, General Posts, How to: Plant Care

Summer Book Review:
“Perennials for British Columbia”
by Alison Beck & Marianne Binetti.

Lone Pine Publishing
ISBN 1-55105-258-X
Softcover. 352 pages.
$21.95 CAD Suggested Retail Price

This new book from Lone Pine Publishing is the Canadian (British Columbia to be precise) edition of the gardening guide ‘Perennials for Washington and Oregon’, launched at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, February 2000. The small, soft cover book (a handy size to take with you to the local nursery) describes 95 species, with several varieties, hybrids and cultivars of each, bringing the total number of plants covered to 434. With over 500 colour photographs for illustration, and the basic facts about each species clearly listed (flower colour, bloom season, height, hardiness, light requirements, soil conditions), this is an excellent beginner to intermediate gardeners guide to a wide selection of appropriate plants for this particular area.

The book gets off to a good start with an Introduction that explains the different gardening regions and zones within this vast province. Anyone who lives in B.C. clearly knows the difference between gardening on the wet, warm West Coast and the dry, desert-like interior with its extremes of temperatures. B.C. actually has areas that correspond to nine main temperature zones as defined by Agriculture Canada, and yes, a Zone map is presented (it stops at Prince Rupert, leaving the top 1/3 of the province blank, claiming no data available). It continues on to explain how different 5 degrees F (-15 degrees C) can be with or without reliable snow cover, an important point for people that worship zone maps!

The Introduction then proceeds to describe the basics of perennial gardening, with information on what a perennial is, how to design a space taking into consideration different plant textures and shapes as well as flowers and how to determine the different growing areas within your garden space. The section on preparing the garden briefly covers composting, how to choose a good specimen at a nursery and then how to plant it once you get it home. The information is simple, basic and to the point, and is nicely illustrated with photographs.

The book then discusses perennial care, covering weeding, mulching, deadheading, pruning, staking, watering and fertilizing. All the basics are explained in simple language that any beginner can easily understand and follow, to get great results. The section on propagation outlines seed preparation and sowing, taking cuttings, both root and shoot, and also plant division. Everyone should have a go at propagation for its challenges and rewards – lots of plants at no additional cost (or very little as in the case of seed packets – the book doesn’t cover seed saving) – and this section should give you the confidence needed to jump in and have fun and success.

Finally, still in the Introduction (it goes for 60 info-packed pages!), there is a section on common pests and problems, including identification and control.

With the basics covered, the bulk of the book is an alphabetical (by common name) description of 95 species. Common and latin names are listed which is nice, since this is the only way you can be sure you are talking about the same plant as someone else. Descriptions and a couple of photos illustrate the plants features, how and where it can be used, where it should be planted. There is a list of recommended varieties to look and ask for. A handy Quick Reference Chart (cross references common names with flower colour, height, bloom period, hardiness, light and soil conditions )at the end of the book will help plan and design your new perennial beds. A brief Glossary explains the terms used throughout the book.

The authors are experienced gardeners, as well as having wide knowledge of related fields. Marianne Binetti has a degree in Horticulture from Washington State University and extensive experience in the nursery and retail florist trade. She now lectures to garden groups, writes for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and other newspapers across the state as well as national magazines. Alison Beck has a diploma in Horticultural Technology as well as a degree in Creative Writing and Classical Studies, and has been gardening since childhood.

This book is an excellent starting point for anyone that doesn’t have much experience with perennials, or for more experienced gardeners that are looking for a good selection of plants for the particular growing conditions of British Columbia and similar climates (it would work well for most areas of England for example). The simple, straightforward text is helpful and covers the basics nicely. The full-colour photos are of good quality and illustrate the plants features very well. All in all, a great little book to expand your gardening repertoire. Look for it in local bookshops or order toll-free direct from Lone Pine Publishing at 800-661-9017.

June Garden Action Items

Posted on June 20, 2000 in How to: Garden Maintenance, How to: Plant Care, Month 06: June

It’s official – summer is here, although the rainy and cold weather that we’ve been having so far in Vancouver (and also in England if Chelsea coverage is anything to go by) wouldn’t let on to that fact…still, there is lots to do in the garden now, so out you go!

Start to sow quick maturing vegetable seeds such as lettuce and radish on a regular two-week basis for the next couple of months. This will ensure a steady supply of fresh produce that is ready on a staggered time frame, and doesn’t mature all at the same time. Remember that these quick crops are a great starter plant for children, as their speedy germination and growth can be easily monitored and appreciated before they lose interest.
Make sure that watering of newly emerging seedlings and freshly planted out flowers and vegetables is done very regularly! Don’t let them dry out too much at this delicate stage as they will not have the resources to recover, as will more established plants.
Keep a close and vigilant eye out for garden pests. A small infection caught now will be much easier to control than a rampant infestation in a few weeks time. Aphids, blackfly, greenfly, slugs, etc can multiply at an alarming rate at this time of year. Try hand picking them, squashing them between your fingers (wear gloves if you are squeamish!). Some sources suggest a strong spray with a water jet to dislodge them – I don’t like this method personally as I’m sure they’ll be back within minutes? A mild soap solution seems a much better bet. Whichever method you choose, the trick is to catch the bad bugs early and regularly.
By now almost all danger of severe frost has passed in even the coldest areas, and bedding plants can be safely put outside into the garden. Make sure they have been slowly acclimatised, though, or the sudden shock of moving them from a warm, sheltered indoor or greenhouse location straight outside can set them back quite a lot.
It’s time to start the regular schedule of mowing the lawn, and if you haven’t done so already, the blades can now be lowered to their final desired position. If you cut regularly enough so that only a tiny bit is taken off each time, you won’t have to worry about the clippings, just let them fall back down. If you wait until you are removing an inch or two, it is often tidier to collect the clippings, either at the same time with the bag attached or raking up afterwards. Remember that these clippings are great for the compost heap, or used as a mulch (after they have been laid out to turn brown).
All manner of vegetable crops can be sown outside throughout this month and will mature in time to produce a healthy harvest. Try beans, carrots, squash, peas, corn, lettuce, spinach and beets for a good assortment of fresh produce, guaranteed to taste better than anything you get from the supermarkets!
With rows of vegetables planted earlier this year, it is now time to thin them to the correct spacing. This depends on the crop grown, and will be indicated on the seed packet. Firm the soil back around the row and water gently to settle the soil. A row of plants that is too close together will never reach its full potential, and the final produce load will be smaller than if you are brave and thin out now. This is a difficult job for some people (I definitely fall into this category!!) but remember that you can almost always use these little seedlings for fresh and trendy ‘baby vegetables’. Especially delicious are tiny carrots, beets and leeks which can be eaten whole, leaves and all in fresh salads or braised/grilled lightly in a pan.
A little fertiliser sprinkled around rapidly growing shrubs and perennials will help them flower to their best. Scratch it in gently around the plants, not directly up against the stem but in a wide circle around the base. Water in if rain isn’t expected shortly.
Now is a good time to divide those spring flowering perennials such as hellebores, primulas and pulmonarias. After the flowers have faded, dig up any old, established clumps and gently divide them into smaller pieces, each with its own section of leaves and roots. Replant these sections where desired or share them with friends.
Early this month, cut back spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia. This will keep the bush in shape as it tends to get a bit loose and straggly otherwise, as well as quickly outgrowing it’s allotted space! Cutting back at this time of year rather than in late autumn will ensure a good crop of flowers next spring as the plant has time to grow the shoots which will bear blossoms next season.

Flower Shows – ‘Tis the Season!

Posted on June 20, 2000 in Garden Gossip, General Posts, Thoughts

Since 1913, the Chelsea Flower Show has been a showcase of the very best of English gardening and one of the leading events of gardening and horticultural season. Attended by royalty, celebrities and a very keen public, it is a treasured tradition each year at the end of May. The show actually started quite a few years earlier than this, in the late 1880’s, but was in a different location – it became the Chelsea Flower Show when it moved to the current premises at the Hospital.

There are many photographs and analyses of this most famous of all flower shows, each year seems to get more media coverage and promotion. This year there seems to be a glut of internet reviews, complete with pictures, video and pages of text, written by experts and laymen alike. You don’t even need to be there any more to have seen all the exhibits, enjoyed the scenery and even bought that special plant that caught our eye!! But what is this really all about? Why the big deal about Chelsea? Maybe because it is put on by the Royal Horticultural Society, that venerable institution that all serious gardeners are required to aspire to belong to someday. The RHS is revered around the world for its research, seedbanks, training facilities, demonstration gardens and library, and Chelsea is definitely the jewel in the crown of its horticultural year.

The exhibits are by much sought-after invitation only, so right there you know you are seeing a privileged selection of the best nursery and tradesmen showcasing their products and expertise. And tens of thousands of pounds are spent on each exhibit area, so this is not a cheap spectacle, not to mention the months and months of planning and meticulous preparation. This year showed an expanded selection of international exhibits which was a nice and very welcome change.

Leyhill prison’s award-winning garden at Chelsea yesterday. The design shows nature’s ability to heal scars on the landscape caused by industry

So why haven’t I been suitably impressed with all the pictures that I’ve seen so far of the show? I must acknowledge that there is no way that any media coverage can substitute for the real thing – a walk around the show – but it seems to me that all the exhibits are trying just a little too hard to be perfect, and every gardener knows that a real garden is far from perfect. These little glimpses into different worlds, loosely based on a theme which varies from year to year seem like still life paintings somehow, and not like someplace that I would ever feel like I would want for my own garden! Maybe my tastes and styles are just too simplistic to appreciate them, but any garden that requires so much explanation and reasoning isn’t my style. Far too much symbolism to figure out, who wants to work that hard? Especially after a long day working at a job, the last thing I want from my garden when I get home is more work (of the mental kind). Something basic and soothing to the soul where I can simply and mindlessly putter around and relax is my idea of a garden, and none of the fancy displays at Chelsea made me feel like I could do that. But it is always a great place to go for ideas and inspiration – just pick and choose the elements that do appeal to you and incorporate them into your own garden or plans.

Here are some examples from Chelsea this year:

The Gardens Illustrated entry called Evolutions is, along with many other of the more conspicuous gardens, brimming with post-millennial symbolism and novel interpretation	‘Evolution’ garden at the Chelsea Flower Show
The Garden of the Night	A man models a defribulator in the Lifesavers garden

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Some of the best Chelsea coverage this year is by The Times newspaper of London – check their online special for reviews and photographs at:

http://www.the-times.co.uk/onlinespecials/britain/chelsea/

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There are other major flower and garden festivals held regularly all around the world, and they all have their own loyal following. Although it seems like it’s been around almost as long as Chelsea, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show first took place as late as 1990!

Another new one that draws a national and loyal audience is the BBC Gardener’s World Live Show in Birmingham, only 6 years old.

The biggest local event in Vancouver is probably the VanDusen show, held in late May/early June. This outdoor extravaganza is based loosely on the same principles as Chelsea, but much less formal – anyone can buy themselves a booth and set up a display, no invitation needed. Many smaller companies band together and share the tiny cubicle-like spaces, usually creating more chaos than creative space management!

I decided at the last minute to attend the Gala Preview Night, and it was a great party, hosted this year by my good friend David Tarrant. Lots of delicious food and drink, every ‘gardening celebrity’ that this town can muster (plus a few from out of town as well), music, speeches, charity auctions and more. But what about the exhibits, the real reason for the show? The preview night is always a good night to have a snoop around since you can beat the crowds and everything is still at its finest and freshest. This year’s theme is ‘Evolution’ and there were a few vague attempts to portray the idea, but as was to be expected with such a loose and undefined theme, there was lots of room for interpretation and pretty much anything went! All this would have been just fine if anyone had actually shown any creativity and imagination. While Chelsea is renowned for innovation and creativity, these exhibits were, for the most part, rather boring and pedestrian. As I looked around, it seemed like everyone was using the same few plants placed around in very mundane ways. I’ve noticed this in the last few years also – one year it was the lovely Corydalis ‘Blue Panda’, I swear every booth had some of these beautiful blue flowering plants displayed! Last year it was Geranium ‘Pink Spice’, a sweet, dark foliaged hardy geranium with abundant small pink flowers. A couple of years ago, at the Victoria Flower & Garden Festival, it was the pretty pink version of the familiar white baby’s breath. While all of these are great plants, does everyone there need to show it at the same time, and in the same way? I suppose this is how ‘plant fashions’ are determined: someone decides arbitrarily that one particular plant is ‘it’ this year and everyone follows along blindly like sheep! One notable exception was a couple of nurseries that had a lovely display of native and unusual perennials, using dried grasses to make trellis-type screens was particularly inspired. I’ll patronise that creative and unusual display every time! You didn’t have to think very hard or interpret anything, it was just done beautifully, simply and with flair – excellent.

There is definitely a lot to be learned from attending one of these shows, and you’ll always get something out of a day walking around, observing. Take a notebook, wear comfortable shoes, dress in layers and hope for good weather. Enjoy the show!

Flowering trees, rhododendron shows and a day at a nursery

Posted on May 6, 2000 in General Posts, Thoughts

by Mala Gunadasa-Rohling

During May, the last days of spring slowly turn into early summer. This is the time when the last of the perennials appear above ground, and the daffodils and tulips and all their springtime companions fade away. The magnolias are almost over, their unreal goblet-shaped flowers shedding huge pink petals onto the grass, totally overpowering the smaller pink petal snow of the cherries and plums. Now the crabapple and hawthorn trees are covered in their delicate blossoms, ranging from almost white to dark red. I’ve loved these trees ever since I was young and used to play under them in our school playground, collecting the flowers as they fall to the ground. They were also a predominant feature of the hedgerows and verges in our part of the country, and I remember them vividly growing wild in the large open hillside behind our house, leading down to the railway line… One day I am going to plant a large orchard that has these lovely trees growing in a random pattern (I hate orchards with trees in rows!), with long, unmown grass underneath. Of course this meadow will be filled with beautiful wildflowers coming into bloom, replacing the fading bluebells and daffodils, primulas and violets.

I suppose this time of year lends itself readily to dreams like this – right now, the garden just might be perfect this year, since the bugs haven’t really got to anything yet, no fungus or viruses have attacked the delicate emerging foliage or flowers, and drought hasn’t made anything wilt sadly. Now is the time to imagine how gorgeous that lush hosta foliage will be, without a slug-eaten leaf in sight, and the roses might possibly have buds without a single aphid sucking on them. Of course the tomato seedlings sitting safely on the windowsill won’t end up grey and curled with blight like last year, and we will have enough sun to actually ripen some fruit this year!

Enjoy the optimism of this month, it is good and necessary for all gardeners to be dreamers as well as having a solid and practical head and hand. We need to be able to visualise and project, to see in our mind how the border will look when mature as we carefully plan and build with little plants now. All those precious plant sale treasures must be found a home somewhere, and if you are lucky to have bought a small annual or perennial, your troubles are limited as they can be squeezed in just about anywhere. Imagine the task facing someone that just came home with a spectacular species rhododendron or such – now that needs some room in a good spot and may not be so easy to find without taking out some previous treasure! I was sorely tempted recently as I walked around a rhodo plant sale last weekend at the UBC Botanical Garden, put on by the Vancouver Rhododendron Society…I must admit that I think that rhodos and azaleas are greatly overused in the Vancouver area. They have been a staple of gardens here for decades, and now most of them are overgrown for their spots, neglected and quite sickly, with yellowing and thinning foliage and a few sad flowers. Most were planted much to close to the house, probably even under the windows and have been thoughtlessly cut back. The few plants that do well, do really well here since members of the rhodo family like this cool, wet climate and acidic, shallow soil. These lucky plants are gorgeous and almost overpower a garden during their blooming season, but does everyone have to choose a red one when there are so many choices available in all shades of white, pale yellow to bright orange, pinks, mauves to dark maroon? Try one a little different, you won’t regret it!

This rhododendron show also had some spectacular azalea bonsai on display. Until now, I’ve never been a big fan of this particular aspect of horticulture, since it seems to take far too long to achieve a nice looking specimen (I’ve always liked the mature end result though, especially those charming little forests of tiny japanese maples…pure magic). Maybe I’m just getting older and more patient these days, but I might be tempted to start my own bonsai forest one day.

It is hard to watch something grow and evolve that slowly though, especially at this time of year when you can practically watch the paeony shoots grow by inches each day! It is always amazing just how fast perennials emerge and fill in the border – within a matter of weeks bare earth is transformed into a full swathe of plant material. Few annuals can match the rate of growth of an established perennial. Never mind that most perennials only flower for a few weeks each year because so many of them have lovely foliage and possibly interesting seedheads to offer during the rest of the season. It is as important to plan for a harmonious blending of leaf material in your borders as coordinating colours of blooms, but this is a topic all unto itself…

There was a wonderful day last week when I hung out with a friend (Hi Sharon!) as she worked at a local nursery – I watched and listened as she patiently shared her expert advice with the garden tour going around, the eager and slightly anxious customers, and of course, myself. What a treat to get outside and actually see and touch so many unusual plants that I usually only get to read about in books! I even got to get my hands dirty and help with a bit of potting up – so much nicer than working behind a computer all the time. A fascinating lecture presented by a local gardening club that bought in famous plant explorer and nurseryman, Dan Hinkley of Heronswood Nursery rounded out an excellent last week of April. Definately the best way for a beginner to learn about plants and gardening is to talk with, and above all, listen to experienced people like this that are willing to share their knowledge and enthusiasm.

I’m going back outside now to watch my perennials growing, as well as admiring the staying power of a few annuals that survived the mild winter and are now flowering where they left off last November… Time to get those stakes into the ground before the paeony buds open and fall over. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain and cause them to rot before they even have a chance to open…but wait, no bad thoughts allowed yet, it is still springtime!

Horticulture News From Around the World

Posted on May 6, 2000 in General Posts, Plant Talk

Horticulture News From Around the World

1. England: Celebrating the Oak

May 29 is oak apple day, which commemorates the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. The oak apple was chosen to represent the oak that Charles II hid in after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester. Many of the customs that take place on this day have their origins in ancient rituals. Villagers from Great Wishford in Wiltshire carry armfuls of green oak, cut at dawn in nearby Grovely Forest, to Salisbury Cathedral. Here they dance in the Close, before entering the cathedral to make their claim of common rights to gather firewood in the forest.

Despite the name, oak apples are not fruit. They are galls caused by insects. The true fruit of the oak is the oak corn, now called the acorn.

2. Canada: Apple Orchards:

Orchard owners don’t like dandelions because they believe they compete with fruit tree blossom for the attentions of all-important bee pollinators. But entomologists at the University of Western Ontario say that mowing them is an expensive waste of time.

When they let the dandelions bloom under apple trees, they found that less than three percent of pollen collected by bees came from dandelion flowers, even when these outnumbered apple flowers by twenty-eight to one. If fruit growers follow the expert’s advice, orchards could be carpeted with gold under the apple blossom in spring.

3. USA: Passion Flowers:

Plant breeders at Cornell University in New York believe that Passiflora incarnata, a species of passion flower currently considered to be a weed in the south-eastern United States, could form the basis of a new fruit crop. Its seed pulp contains a tasty juice, but its weedy nature has deterred breeders from working with it in case it becomes a problem in the wild.

The way forward, say the Cornell scientists, is to cross it with the commercial passion fruit, P. edulis, with the aim of generating a new range of useful and non-invasive hybrids.

Seedtapes: how to use them and their benefits

Posted on May 6, 2000 in General Posts, How to: Plant Care, Month 05: May

Even experienced gardeners can benefit by using some seedtapes – this is a super easy and fast way to sow seeds that are the perfect space apart every time (no more thinning, which is great for people like myself that can’t bear to remove perfectly healthy seedlings just because they are too close to another perfectly heathly seedling!).

Here’s how to do it:
1. Prepare the bed or border exactly the same way as if you were broadcast sowing seeds or setting out established seedlings.

2. Make a trench where you want the plants to grow that is the same depth as individual seeds would have been planted. Use the edge of a hoe or handle of a rake. If you want perfectly straight lines, say for vegetables, you can use a board as an edge. A string stretched taut between two end pegs works very well also. (see picture below)

3. Lay strips of seedtape down in the trench (see picture below) and cover, firming the soil gently. Water in as for individual seeds.

The paper or plastic that holds the seeds in place will degrade over the season, there is no need to remove it at any time. This techniqe of seed sowing is very simple, great for kids (or anyone that has trouble handling small seeds or just simply doesn’t have the patience!), and there is no waste. Check out the many varieties of flowers and vegetables available this way, and save yourself many headaches this season.

All the varieties listed below are available on eSeeds.com – or by special order: just send us an email indicating the type you want and number and we will post them directly to you. Please don’t send credit card details by email, call our toll-free customer service number at 1-877-373-3376.

Flowers:
Alyssum ‘Snow Cloth’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	250mg	McKenzie
Cosmos ‘Early Sensation Mixed’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	2g	McKenzie
Cutflower ‘Early Flowering Mix’	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Portulaca ‘Double Flowered’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	150mg	McKenzie
Snapdragon ‘Dwarf Lollipops’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	120mg	McKenzie
Zinnia ‘Tetra-flowered’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	1.25g	McKenzie

Vegetables:
Beet ‘Cylindra Formanova’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	930mg	McKenzie
Beet ‘Detroit Dark Red’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	2g	McKenzie
Beetroot ‘Boltardy’	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Carrot ‘Red Cored Chantenay’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	710mg	McKenzie
Carrot ‘Scarlet Nantes’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	900mg	McKenzie
Carrot ‘Autumn King’	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Carrot ‘Early Nantes’	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Cucumber ‘National Pickling’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	3.5g	McKenzie
Lettuce ‘Grand Rapids’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	550mg	McKenzie
Lettuce ‘Cos’/’Romaine’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	350mg	McKenzie
Lettuce ‘Mixed Leaves’	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Onion ‘Annual Bunching’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	1.25g	McKenzie
Spring Onion ‘White Lisbon’	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Parsley ‘Single Hardy Italian’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	780mg	McKenzie
Radish ‘Cherry Belle’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	3.1g	McKenzie
Radish ‘French Breakfast’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	1.65g	McKenzie
Radish ‘Globe Varieties Mix’	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Spinach Beet (Perpetual Spinach)	$3.49	5m (17′)		Unwins
Swish Chard ‘Fordhook Giant’	$2.49	4.5m (15′)	2.4g	McKenzie

All these varieties can be sown in spring/early summer or again in September/October for fall and winter harvesting or earlier blooms next spring.

May Garden Action Items

Posted on May 6, 2000 in General Posts, How to: Garden Maintenance, Month 05: May

May and June are really the best months for many perennials, before the real heat of the summer cuts them short. Work in the garden takes on the familiar rhythm of seasons past, with some staking, potting up seedlings, preparing beds for annuals, planting out, etc etc. A busy time, but filled with promise and good things ahead…

1. Pot on young plants and rooted cuttings regularly to ensure that they don’t get potbound and slowed down in their growth. At least every 10 days to two weeks, they should be checked by gently removing them from their pot (turn it over and tap out the rootball). If you can start to see roots around the edges, it is time to put it into the next size pot. If you have left it too late and the young roots are circling around the bottom and sides of the pot, don’t despair! Just rough up the root ball a little to loosen the tight roots and place gently in the next size pot. In drastic situations, remove a bit of the overgrown roots by cutting them away.

2. Continue sowing seeds of annuals directly into the ground until the end of this month. They will grow and bloom this season. Try easy and reliable favourites such as cosmos, lavatera, nigella, california poppies and marigolds.

3. Plant some marigolds (tagetes) around the vegetable plants such as tomatoes and carrots. The strong smell of the flowers can help in keeping insects such as whitefly and carrotfly away from the crops. Besides, their cheery and bright colours add interest to this area of the garden until the fruit ripes. Nasturtiums are great for this job also, and are very attractive to aphids, and may keep them off other plants. A few annuals also help in attracting pollinating insects to improve the crop yield in a vegetable area.

4. Feed your roses now as they are just starting to grow vigorously. If you are using a dry fertiliser, scatter around the base of the plant and scratch it in gently. Water if the soil is dry to start it working.

5. Also feed your flowering bulbs as the flowers fade. If you can deadhead them, that’s great, but leave all the foliage intact (don’t bend them over, tie them up, or cut them off). The leaves are the only source of food for the bulb underground, and if they are removed before they have done their job and replenished the bulb’s nutrients, there won’t be any flowers next year. If they are unsightly where they are, it is fine to remove them intact gently with as much soil around them as possible and move them into a nursery bed or quiet corner of the garden where they can finish the season’s growth unnoticed.

6. Don’t be in a hurry to plant out summer bedding or tender annuals – bad frosts can still occur at night until the end of May. Keep them in the greenhouse or coldframe until the end of this month, or be prepared to act quickly if necessary to cover them up with fleece or other material if a cold night is forecast.

7. Now is the time to put stakes in place for all perennials that may need them! Don’t wait until they’ve already toppled over since at that time, they will look terrible propped or tied back up. Plant supports come in many shapes and sizes, from fancy willow cages and small trellises, to shiny metal canes. A simple and effective way that also blends in unobtrusively is to use pea sticks – small branches cut from any shrub or plant stuck into the ground around the plant to be supported. The new branches will grow up around and through the pea sticks and be supported gently without having to be individually tied in.

8. Lawn care – you may need a slight trim at this time, but make it a gentle one with the mower settings as high as possible. They can be lowered later as growth gets more vigourous. Lawns benefit from a raking to remove winter debris such as old leaves and moss. If they are compacted, try aerating them by spiking or even pulling out cores (make sure these are raked up and composted as they look terrible otherwise, and probably plug up the holes they were meant to open!)

9. Prune back stems of hellebores and primulas that have finished flowering. If you want the plants to set seed, leave one or two stems to finish maturing. This will tidy the area, save the plant some energy and prevent too many unwanted seedlings spreading around.

10. Harvest rhubarb now by gripping stems firmly at the base and pulling away from the crown sharply. Try to remove any flowering stems completely.

Beneficial Insects – Part III

Posted on May 6, 2000 in General Posts, How to: Garden Maintenance

“Beneficial Insects – Part III” by Sharon Hanna.

Lacewings are unmistakeable: pale green, with slender, elongated bodies, and two pairs of extremely delicate netted wings. Their larvae are similar to that of the ladybird beetle (ladybug), in that they resemble little dragons or alligators, except that they are beige with brown markings.

Adult lacewing

While adult lacewings require nectar for energy, pollen from flowers, and drink the honeydew from aphids, the larva eat anything, and lots of it. It is estimated that during the larval stages, one lacewing can eat up to 800 aphids.

Known as “indescriminate” feeders, the larva behave like teenage boys, walking over 8 linear miles in one short larval season, consuming anything which lies in their path, including thrips, red mites, spider mites, leaf-hoppers, and also caterpillars. Unlike other beneficials, lacewings produce several generations each growing season, making them possibly the most effective predatory insect we know.

Lacewing larva

Have you been hankering for a “water feature”, for haven’t found a good enough excuse? Here is a great one, for lacewings love (and need) constant humidity to support their dainty physiological structure, and will stay around if you have a garden fountain which will create a constant mist! Or, increase humidity by close planting and using mulch. Lacewings are nocturnal and phototropic (attracted by light), so garden lighting will give them a real welcome.

Adult lacewings feed on flower nectar, and their number one favourite is Cosmos, and especially the white variety. A good one is aptly-named “Purity”. Other useful plants for them are fennel, alyssum, achillea (tansy), all easily raised from seed, and fundamental to your bio-diverse garden.

Alyssum (left) and achillea (right) attract lacewings to your garden

While we are all the subject of beneficial insects, it’s useful to remember that today’s caterpillar is tomorrow’s butterfly. It is another of life’s ironies when one finds that in order to attract butterflies, you must be willing to tolerate damage to the “host” plant.

Years ago, I ripped out a patch of fall asters for that very reason – chewed leaves, caterpillar droppings, and what I felt were unsightly webs. Undoubtedly my backyard is less populated with certain types of butterflies!

Mother Nature prefers a riot of Everything, including leaves with holes, and she likes it messy. Weevils, slow-moving snub-nosed creatures, might take a few bites of the rhododendron, but they are also food for the kind of birds that you want to attract.

So, you are invited to play in your own biosphere! And, remember – if this sounds overly bizarre or time-consuming, and relaxing appeals to you, there is another way to help – neglect a part of your garden, and let it be. Leave a rotten stump, stones, and leaves. Mother Nature called them leaves for a reason. Tell your neighbours you have become a “zen” gardener. You are exonerated, for ‘lazy’ gardeners naturally generate biodiversity, a great justification to sit back and watch your garden grow.

How To Photograph Flowers

Posted on May 6, 2000 in General Posts, How to: Garden Maintenance

Reprinted with permission from the New York Institute of Photography website at www.nyip.com. All photographs on this page by Mala Gunadasa-Rohling.

Sunshine on the new buds and blossoms of a lavatera. (MGR)

It’s spring in many parts of the world. For those of us who spent the winter trapped inside, spring means, among other things, an irresistible chance to grab the camera and start capturing the first blooms of the season. Yet, how do you turn those shots of your favorite blooms into something special? Here are some tips on how to take better flower pictures from the world’s largest photography school, New York Institute of Photography (NYI).

First, walk around the flower to see how it looks with light coming from different directions. Watch carefully when the light (usually, the sun) is behind the flower, coming toward the camera. Often, the petals will glow with beautiful iridescence. This is called “backlighting” because the light is coming from the back of the subject (in this case, the flower). Backlighting is often the best type of lighting for translucent subjects like petals.

Raindrops and dew on leaves and petals add highlights and sparkle to a picture. Shown here are lupine leaves. (MGR)

However, don’t despair if there is no sun. Gray and overcast days provide great opportunities for flower photography. The lighting is more even and there are no shadows. Rain turns colors more intense. You can even carry a spray bottle to create rain droplets on the sunniest of days. Even night photography is an option. You’ll be surprised at how attractive a flower photo can be when illuminated by flash.

Second, to make a flower picture come alive, wait until something adds life to the flower – for example, a bee alights, or a spider crawls into it, or a hummingbird pays a visit. It takes patience, but it pays off if, for example, after you wait a few minutes, a butterfly lands on your flower. Shoot! The picture you get will be great.

Action photo – a hoverfly visits a cosmos bloom on a balcony garden. (MGR)

Three, try interesting angles and backgrounds. Consider getting down low on the ground or shooting with the wide angle setting on your lens. Don’t despair if the background behind the flower is unattractive. Try replacing it with a colored piece of paper or fabric. There are lots of different ways you can experiment when photographing flowers!

A simple trellis adds interest to the leaves of a hosta (left) and keeping the focus on the tiny flowers in the foreground makes the others fade gently into the background. (MGR)

Let one large, spectacular bloom fills the frame! Here it is a vivid red-orange lily. (MGR)

Spring in the Garden

Posted on April 6, 2000 in General Posts, How to: Garden Maintenance, Month 04: April

With all the Millenium hype and the lack of holidays during the first part of this Canadian year, winter has been drearily dragging on and on and on.. But, I know spring is really here when the huge magnolia trees are ready to burst.

Magnolia stellata (Zone 4-9) has already peaked, but M. kobus (Zone 4-8), and M. soulangiana (Zone 4-9) are just getting ready to do their thing. My favorite of all though, has to be M. grandiflora the Southern or Evergreen Magnolia (Zone 6,7-9). It’s a massive tree growing as tall as 60-80′ and 30-50′ wide. It’s flowers are described as perfect, creamy white, beautifully fragrant and better than the best perfume.

Here in Zone 7 it can be successfully grown in a very sheltered microclimate that may be considered Zone 7 1/2 – 8. In the southern states like Georgia they thrive like our common firs and cedars. How lucky we are in our Zone 7 climate where many of these incredible trees share their beauty, although in a cold winter much damage can be done as we’ve seen in recent years at the botanical gardens. Shelter these babies.

One thing I can never remember at this time of year is all the planting lore that correlates with the phases of the moon. I want to remember it – it makes so much sense and, hey if the farmers go by it, there must be something to it. Those people make their living from what comes out of the ground, they aren’t growing flowers for fun and decorating. So here it goes.

The best time to plant annuals (flowers or vegetables) that produce their yield above the ground is during the light of the Moon; that is, between the day the Moon is new to the day it is full. This is also called the waxing of the moon.

An annual is a plant that completes its entire life cycle within one growing season, and has to be seeded each year.. A basic explanation being that at this time the sap of the plant is said to flow upward due to gravitational forces of the moon filling the plant with vitality.

Plant biennials, perennials, bulb and root plants (potatoes, carrots and beets) during the dark of the Moon; that is, from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again. This is called the waning of the moon. Biennials include crops that are planted one season to winter over and produce crops the next. Perennials, bulb and root plants include all plants that grow from the same root year after year. It is explained in the Farmer’s Almanac that during this period, the plant is oriented toward the root and its sap is rushing downward (also a good time for transplanting).

Interestingly enough, it is believed that the Fourth Quarter (decreasing from half-full to New Moon) is the best time for cultivation, pulling weeds; and destroying pests of all kinds, turning sod, etc. Especially when the moon is one of the barren signs. Now as you read more and more on the topic, you will find all sorts of exceptions to the rule, but the above are the basics.

Here’s a little ditty that will help you remember when to plant peas.

Sow peasen and beans in the wane of the moon
Who soweth them sooner he soweth too soone
That they with the planet may rest and arise,
And flourish with bearing most plentiful wise.

Thomas Tusser, Farmer & writer Elizabethan era 1558-1603

A very happy gardener am I – Just found a seed packet given to me last fall by gardener extraordinaire Joanne Baskerville who gardens in BC’s interior. In her garden, I spotted some very oddly colored Foxglove in a yummy yellow-apricot. Loving foxglove, but hating pink and purple which is what I’m used to seeing around, I hinted at some seed sharing. Turns out they are a hardy perennial (bonus) by the name of Digitalis lantana x tetra, ‘Johnson’s Tetra.’ A bit late, but better than never, I started these little gems indoors an await germination. I’ll keep you posted on the results.

Now, my neighbor is already on top of his weeding (he’s a rose gardener, can’t you tell!) He came by the other day to say hi (ya sure!) and started eyeing my lovely ‘bed ‘o Weeds.’ “Oh,” he says. “Here it comes,” I thought. “I see you have a lot of the exploding kind. They’re more troublesome than people think,” he says bending down to begin clearing a little area of the culprits. Once again he is correct. Wavy and Hairy Bittercress, also known as Jumping Cress are plants that produce seed whenever the weather is not too cold. We had an extremely mild winter here, so you can guess the population explosion – literally. The seed pods explode up to 80cm from the plant in all directions when touched or ripe enough, disperse potentially hundreds of new little plants. If that isn’t bad enough, when wet, the seeds become sticky and attach themselves to boots and tools spreading them around even further. Forget about Magnolias and Cherry blossoms, when the weeds show their nagging leaves, spring is really here! Indoor Design Tip: The Mini Moss Garden – Use instead of a flower arrangement on your dinner table.

1 Choose a Japanese tea bowl or similar vessel with an Asian feel.

2 Fill bowl with stones almost to the lip of the bowl and add enough water to just cover stones.

3 Cover stones with pieces of moss from shady areas of your garden or nearby park (look in the cracks of concrete that is shaded for most of the day) until you have a mini lawn.

4 From your garden cut one or two small flowers like crocus or vibrant periwinkle

5 Cut two small flowering branches like quince or cherry. Bamboo looks great too.

6 Insert your selected materials into the moss deep enough so that the materials stay in place.

Go as minimalist as you like – a little goes a long way!