LIFESTYLES #5 g
PATRI SSE G ETHIE LAREN al
eee

A LOOK at most gardens on the North Shore in mid-
summer will reveal one common characteristic: they’re
green. Well, perhaps not entirely, but mosi are.

There may be those who spend
half the national debt on colorful
annuals and bedding out plants in
order to brighten things up.

There are also those who feel the
earth tones, such as the browns of
dehydrated plants and the itch of
bark mulch, are perfect choices for
that ‘Natural Look’.

The fact is, we live in a
temperate rain forest. Conditions
are ideal for such wonderful plants
as rhododendrons, azaleas, flower-
ing cherries, and a host of other
spring blooming plants. Once the
summer rolls around things tend to
look a little drab.

There are large numbers of
summer flowering plants:
hydrangeas, potentilla, heather,
dandelions, etc., but these have
never gained the same popularity.

We have come to rely on bed-
ding plants for summer color,
when we can afford it, and nothing
when we can’t.

There are alternatives. The
plants that are commonly grouped
in the perennial family can offer
solutions to our problems.

Because the majority of these
plants flower during the summer
months, and because they are less
expensive than buying annuals
every year, they are worth a closer
look.

Tn OER Baden 06D

Perennials are usually sold as
immature plants in small pots.

it is very difficult to get a sense
of what the plant can do when all
you have to go on are a few green

leaves sticking out of a four-inch
pot.

Some of the producers are in-
cluding picture labels and some
retailers put up informative signs,
but it is rarely enough to make you
feel at ease with your purchase. All!
too often the wrong plant is picked
for the wrong place and disappoin-
ting results lead to discourage-
ment. .

The answer is research. As with
all forms of construction, even
garden cunstruction, the creation
of a perennial bed requires plann-
ing.

Maximum size 24x36
or 60 united inches
oversize up to 32x40
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What is the color scheme? What
are the site conditions with respect
to light and soil? What time of the
year do you want them to bloom?
What are the growth charac-
teristics of the plant? Will it be
tall? Does it require room? Is it
invasive?

These are all questions that

over the

garden gate

Geoff Tobiasson

should be dealt with before your
purchases are made. It may sound
like a major undertaking but it is
not. Two or three hours at the
library can supply you with enough
information to achieve some really
outstanding results.

Now that [ have spelfed out the
rules, it is time to break theni. If
you have the money and the time,
one of the best methods of getting
to know a perennial’s habits is to
live with it.

Buy a sampling of plants that
appear as though they may do the
trick and try them out in various

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essa. ed & J RS LET IO

North Vancouver

West Vancouver a
1425 Marine Drive 1432 Marine Drive E

984-8469 922-3513 a

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13 - Friday, August ie 1988 - North Shore News

areas of the garden.

As with all companions, you
never really get to know them until
you’ve seen their dirty laundry.

Here are a few general rules that
can be used in the design of a good
perennial bed. [f you wish to grow
some of those lovely, tall varieties
that perform so well as cut
flowers, they will need support.

This can obviously be achieved
with the use of garden stakes or
you can combine the plants in such
a way as to support each other.

Let’s say you want to grow some
delphiniums.

Try planting some perennial
salvia around them to help buttress
their spikes against wind and rain.
Or surround Japanese anemones
with fall asters to accomplish the
same task.

Once you have determined
which varieties you wish to grow,
plant them in masses.

As with most plantings in the
garden, the overall effect will be
much stronger if the plants are

grouped in ways that achieve
strong statements.

As an exarsole of the last two
principles, try planting in a four-
foot-by-12-foot bed.

The back half of the bed has
three fall asters at each end, two
groups of three delphiniums just
inside the asters and a group of
three sidalcea in the middle.

The front of this bed could be
planted with three perennial
geraniums at each end and a block
of five dwarf, fall asters in the
middle.

All of the above plants should
be spaced 16 to 18 inches apart
when dealing with those of the
same species and 20 to 22 inches
apart if they are not the same.

This type of arrangement will
provide color from June to Oc-
tober each and every year.

There are thousands of other
possibilities that could be revealed
to you with a quick trip to your
local library. Good luck and have
fun.

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