It's too soon THIS Is “ileded at those of you “who are about to give in to ‘temptation. Yes, if you are about to purchase a few bedding ~, plants which are now appearing in the retail centres, you're famous! They « even ‘named a day after you. Apiil fools! We had’ wet: snow, falling: on the * Upper. Levels Highway ‘last weck \and®.some_ of. you are thinking ‘about planting geraniums; ridicu-. Tous. sk ay Most of ihe: summer annuals are rown: in: nice, warm! greenhouses the | pansies ‘(now relax Mr. This is a‘ perfect time to ack with regularity. But, don’ tlet is: hold: ‘you: back,.. the: rewards group is the viola x Wittrockiana., It.is from this mob that we get the (overly) papular Swiss Giants or the ‘faced’ garden pansy. The . Clear Eyes strain may not have the. size or the ostentatious show of the Swiss Giants, but they are better ’ performers: | have begun to look towards the hardier, longer-lasting violas rather than the garden pansy. V. cornuta or the ‘tufted’ pansy has smaller flowers, but makes up for this with profusion and longev- ity. . Recent ., work ‘on hybridizing these plants has expanded the color range beyond the previously ex- clusive purple. Strains like the Crystals have given us. bluc,, violet,’ red, orange, yellow, ‘apricot, “and white. .Even ‘the ‘lowly ‘Johnny-Jump- _ Up’ (v. tricelor) has its place. A sunny ‘rockery with. a prob- tematic sand/gravel .soil will. pro- “vide a happy home for these little ,, invaders. California Poppies (eschscholzia : Try mixing” in . some californica — try’ saying that with a mouth full of Saltines)” for a dramatic, © sself- perpetuating ‘display. On _Last but not” eas ‘on my list is _want - drained soil, this'is # problem. Be careful when adding. manures bs “19 - Friday, April Ut, 1983 - North Shore News for bedding plants — Spreading by self-rooting run- "ners, {hey can create # large clump in just a few short years. The tiny, thumbnail-sized flowers that ap- use bonemcal enriched compost as a source of organic additives to your soil. Even though | the violas like goad over the garden gate: pear in early spring will fill. the air ” with fragrance on warm days. All of the violas like full ‘sun here on the North Shore if you summer display. IF you°are plan- ting them for mid to late-summer. color, give the pansies some partial ‘shadc., & The