Friday, April 3, 1992 - North Shore News — 24

Potting brings versatility to summer gardens

ALTHOUGH MOST peopie associate bulb flowers with
spring, there are many that bloon: throughout the summer,
such as dahlias, tuberous begonias, gladiolus and lilies.

However, in addition to these,

there is a host of lesser-known
bulb flowers that are just as bright
and attractive. Also, they have the
advantage of being best suited to
container growing, making them
ideal for the balcony or patio.
. In the garden, they can best be
incorporated by sinking the entire
pot in which they are planted right
into the flower bed. Cr set them
out on the deck for everyone to
enjoy. In the fall you can bring
them indoors for the winter as
houseplants.

Tender bulbs that do well in
pots include Agapanthus,
Eucomis, Oxalis, Calla, Galtonia
and Canna. Agapanthus, called
Lily-of-the-Nile, is a regal-look-
ing flower, about one metre tall,
bearing dense white or blue
blossoms.

Eucomis is calied the pineapple
plant because it reaily does look
like one, thanks to a bunch of
small leaves at the top of the
flower spike, which may reach
half a metre (18 inches) or more.
When the spike opens in late
summer it is packed with little
greenish-colored flowers, each
edged with a fine lilac-red line.

Oxalis, also called the four-leaf
clover or weod sorrel, is reason-

able enough in price to be com-
petitive with most annual bedding
plants. It bears little long-lasting
white or pink flowers and clover-
like leaves, both of which con-
tribute to the plant’s ornamental
value.

The Calla lily, properly known
as Zantedeschia, is an exotic-
looking sheath-like flower
white, yellow or pink — that is
almost too perfect to be real.
They do best in full sun, sheltered
from strong winds.

Galtonia is often cailed the
summer hyacinth. Standing about
one metre high (approximately
three feet), it bears a long stalk of
fragrant, nodding little bell-like
white flowers.

Canna were favorites in
Grandma’s garden and today are
making something of a comeback.
They have lush green, bronze or
variegated foliage and flowers that
grow in tight spikes of yellow,
orange, red or pink. The dwarf
varieties range in height from 50
centimetres to nearly one metre
(approximately 18 to 36 inches).

One advantage of planting
bulbs in pots is that you can then
place side by side varieties that ac-
tually need different conditions.

For instance, Galtonia does best

in dry soil but Zantedeschia
prefers a moist environment. En-
cased in their separate pots, they
can both do well in your garden
while receiving the special treat-
ment they need from you.

For fragrance, try the gladiolus’
cousin Acidanthera bicolor which
bears sweet-smelling, creamy
white flowers with a dark lilac
heart. Polianthes tuberosa is also
a treat for the nose as well as the
eye.

True lilies are an indispensable
feature of the summer garden.
They come in many colors and
forms — and scents.

For fragrance, choose primarily
species lilies, such as L. auratum
(gotd-banded lily), L. candidum
(Madonna lily}, L. hansonii, L.
henryi, L. japonicum, L.
Jongifforum (Easter lily), L.
speciosum (rubrum, album, etc.)
and L. regale (Regal lily).

There are lilies that bloom from
mid-spring through late fall; lilies
that prefer shade and others that
thrive in the sun; however, they
all generally prefer to have cool
feet which makes them perfect for
inter-planting with low-growing
ground covers and annuals.

Many Canadian gardeners in-
clude begonias as a matter of
course. That’s easy to do because
there are so many flower shapes
and colors — literally, something
for everyone.

Galiano Island hosts special event

FROM ALL over southern
Vancouver Island, the
Fraser Valley, Sunshine
Coast, Lower Mainland and
from as far east as Ontario,
gardeners will converge on
tiny Galiano Island for a
fascinating event to be held
in their honor on June 20
and 21.

The Galiano Gardening
Weekend, aptly subtitled
“Gardens within a Garden,” will
feature a host of activities in-
cluding a tour of eight island
gardens, many in challenging,
spectacular locatioas.

At a Saturday night dinner lec-
ture, well-known author, journal-
ist and lecturer Ann Lovejoy,
keynote speaker, will address

Design
awards
presented

THE LIUTENANT Governor of
British Colunibia Medals in Ar-
chitecture, the design awards pro-
gram of the Architectural {In-
stitute. was established in 1982 to
acknowledge the contributions
made by B.C. architects to the
quality of Canadian design and to
recognize B.C. design excellence.
This year’s awards will be pres-
ented at a reception and awards
ceremony on Friday, April 10 at
the Vancouver Art Gallery. The
winners were selected from over
60 entries from across Be. by a
istinguished jury consisting 0:
rertice Erikson, Raymond
Moriyama of Moriyama &
Teshima Architects, and Allan
Temko, author and architecture
critic for the San Francisco
Chronicle. al winners, neent
f merit and two honor-
awararemtions will be announced.
To reserve a Space,

call 683-8588.

“Planning and Planting the Mixed
Border."” Ms. Lovejoy wii! be
present to autograph her books at
a “Country Festival of Garden-
ing,’ which will also feature
Totating seminars on water
gardening, shade plants, rhodo
propagation, herb culture and
cuisine, wild flowers and much
more.

Also at the event will be
demonstrations of dried flora! art,
garden pottery and ornaments,
and twig furniture making.

Garden painting, photography,

books and crafts will be sold, |

toge:her with a selection of hard-
to-find plants, and a panel of
master gardeners will be available
to discuss your horticultural
dilemmas.

The ambitious fundraising event
for the Galiano Island Forest

997 West Ist St, North:Van

Trust is a contribution to the pur-
chase of endangered Bodega
Ridge, a spectacular trail walk
along the spine of the island
where visitors can join knowl-
edgeable local guides for a ramble
through wild flowers and man-
zanita overlooking breathtaking
island vistas.

A relaxing way to capture

,another view of the spectacular

scenery is to take one of the 46
catamarans continuously cruising
to either the cormorant nesting
grounds on the Ballingall Islets or
the new Wallace Island Marine
Park.

**Come for the day — or spend
the weekend away,’’ invites the
literature.

Details from Galiano Garden
Club, c/o $S22, C6, RR #l,
Galiano, B.C. VON 1P0.

»

ritaae ¢
98

There are begonias that look
like roses, carnations, camellias
and peonies, and there are trailing
begonias as well, with showers of
smaller blooms in clusters.

All of them flourish in sun or in
partial shade, giving a lively look
to practically any spot in the
garden.

The other two traditional
favorites among summer-flower-
ing bulbs are dahlias and
gladiolus.

There are few other garden
plants which provide as long a
show as dahlias: blooming may
begin as early as July and con-
tinue until frost.

There are low-growing dahlias
that stand just 30 cm (12 in.) tall
or less, as well as taller ones that
readily reach beyond two metres
(approximately 6.5 feet) — and a

host of them in between. Some of
the flower forms are cactus, ball,
decorative, mignon, anemone-
flowered, topmix, collerette, and
pompon.

The gladiolus also puts on a
long summer show, generally from
early July until September, These
lovely, long-lasting cut flowers
bloom in a variety of pastel and
bright colors, including such
unusual ones as bright green, at-
tractive alone or in mixed ar-
rangements.

Some are so heavily ruffled they
appear almost double. Gladioli,
like dahlias, like the sun and heat,
and both should be staked to keep
the flower stalk upright.

Make your selection soon and
enjoy a flower-filled summer
garden this year.

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