SPICING UP THE GARDEN sorrel/ Sourwoocd trees can give visual interest throughout yea ARE YOU weary of the same-old in flowering trees for the garden? I am sure many of you share my jaded taste caused by our over abundance of gorgeous flowering cherries, magnolias, dogwoods, etc. After two weeks of sirloin tip, even a plate of baked beans and franks starts looking pretty good. Well, you'll be pleased to know you need not go to the same ex- tcemes in order to introduce a little variety into the skyline of your garden. The following are just two ex- amples of the many unique alter- natives available, given a little research. Sure, they may be hard to find, but since the whole point of this exercise is to obtain a little distinc- tion, it will be worth the effort. First, look into the Sorrel tree (oxydendrum arboreum). This common name, as weil as the alternative, Sourwood, arises from the acid flavor of the leaves. I am unsure as to any culinary uses, but the leaves are purported to have medicinal properties. Being the typical skin-deep kind of guy, I just think they look good. I do not understand why this tree is not a native. Anything that can tolerate our ample moisture, let alone prefer it, must be happy in the Pacific Northwest. This, combined with its affinity for acid soils, makes it a perfect companion for rhododendrons, azaleas and similar broad-leaved evergreens. The relatively slow growth and semi-spreading habit produce a mature tree whose scale is well- suited to the average home garden. Although they can reach heights of 50 feet, I have seldom seen one over 25 feet. One of the most attractive features of this tree is its ability to supply visual interest in virtually every season. It begins with emergence of bronze tinted new growth in spring which quickly de- velops into the characteristic, rich, glossy green. Being one of the few summer flowering trees, the chains of fragrant, white flowers are very noticeable in the months of July ard August. The flowers bear a strong resemblance to those of its close cousin the lily-of-the-valley shrub (pieris japonica). Spring and summer are consid- ered 10 be simple warm-up acts for the fall as far as the Sorrel is con- cerned, Its beautiful orange and 13 - Friday, November 10, 1989 - Nozth Shore News If you are lucky enough to find one of these beauties, place it in a sunny or moderateiy shaded !oca- tion in the garden. It does not make a good lawn iree because it does not do well with overly com- petitive plants. This is yet another reason for over the garden gate scarlet hues earned it a coveted and well-deserved FCC award in 1972. Even in winter this tree begs to be noticed. The ripening seed cap- sules become a light silver grey and extend out from the tips of the bare branches like skeletal fingers. under planting it with shallow- Smoke alarms save fives IN THE dead of winter don’t be caught dead because you haven’t got a smoke alarm. That might be a pretty dramatic way of making a point, but when you think that hundreds of Cana- dians lose their lives annually because of fires in the home, and discover that most of them occur in homes without such alarms, you want tc make the point dramatically. All Rese hos, Thomas & Dansk 25% OFF Bums many hours for that ‘special atmosphere. MARTINI; SET 6 glasses, pitcher & stir stick. After all, smoke alarms range in price between 15 and 35 dollars plus installation if you are not a handyman, so it is not a major ex- pense for most people. Some municipalities, by the way, have smoke alarm bylaws so you may want to check with a repre- sentative of your local fire department. There are two types of alarms, fonized and. photoelectric, and both are effective in detecting and warning about fire. If yu are installing an alarm, it should be iocated in a hallway or corridor between the bedrooms and the living area of your home and be tested, of course, to see if it is audible in the bedrooms before being put into place. Actually, it’s 2 good idea to put See Place Page 15 Wine ae reg. $50 Special 14” across (measure yours) By Riedel Crystal reg. $140 Ask about our PLACE SETTING A MONTH DINNERWARE PLAN ty RX Thomas, Dansk, Fitz & Floyd Purchased monthly at up to i/2 PRICE Geoff Tobiasson tooted plants such as rhododen- drons and azaleas. It, too, prefers not io have its shallow roots disturbed by excessive cultivation. Next, let’s look at the Dove or Handkerchief tree (davidia in- volucrata). It might take you a while to fully appreciate the common names given to this outstanding tree. It gets its name from the flower and the flowers seldom appear on trees less than 10 years old. Just to satisfy the ‘budding’ botanists out there, I will point out that the huge white ‘flowers’ that give the tree its mame are really bracts (special purpose leaves)* rather than petals. But whether you call them bracts, petals, or simply big white floppy things, they do grab your attention in late May. The leaves and general appear- ance of the tree itself look very similar to the Lime tree (tilia) — very hardy on all areas of the North Shore and suitable for all but the poorest of soils. Plant it in the sun with room to spread as crowding will spoil its shape. Planting in front the dark green of some of our larger coni- ferous evergreens will accentuate this tree’s bright, lime-green foliage and white flowers. I do not intend to slight the beauty of the flowering cherries or our native dogwoods, but there is nothing wrong with desiring a little change of pace either. 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