Perennials add years of pleasure

A BED of established perennials
blooming profusely in succession
through the summer, and into the
fall, provides rainbows of color to
the landscape and armloads of cut
flowers for. the home,

Such beds are virtually
maintenance-free and long-
lasting. They serve as a pantry of
food for butterflies and hum-
mingbirds, and a source of stem
cuttings and root divisions to
share with family and friends.

Perennials are surging in popu-
larity with experienced and novice
gardeners. Perennials offer some-
thing to satisfy every taste —-
from the majestic delphinium to
the stately Oriental poppy, to the
whimsical ornamental grasses,
with lots of nuances in between.

Because perennials live so long
and take several years to get es-
tablished, take care in choosing
and preparing the planting site
and selecting the right types and
proper varieties to suit your needs.

Perennials typically are planted
in the spring or fall. This is when
bare-root stock is most widely
available. Potted perennials are

usually available throughout the
summer at garden centres. Some
people prefer to buy and plant
them because the foliage, Mowers
and habit of the plant can be
studied.

But for diversity of choice and
econony, bare-root planting in
spring or autumn is the choice of
experienced gardeners.

While some gardeners prepare
their soil a season ahead, others
plant just after conditioning the
soil. You'll want to build your soil
from the ground down, amending
it by working two inches of peat
moss into the top six inches of
soil.

Because perennials are a long-
term investment in beauty, amen-
ding the soil is well worth the ef-
fort.

Amending the soil with plen-
tiful, sustainable peat moss does
double duty. Not only does it cor-
rect the pH of an alkaline soil
because of its high pH level (3.8
to 4,5), it improves the friability
as well. (Friability is a term that
refers to a soil that is loose
enough for water and air to pass

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman *

THE TIME has come to bring out the lawn and garden tools.
Spring cleaning in the yard often includes some hedge

trimming.

Ty

through freely, yet sticky enough
that individual particles bind
together.)

A fistful of moist, friable soil
forms a ball in the hand and then
crumbles and falls apart when you
release the pressure,

Fertility also is important, as
most perennials do best when the
soil is above-average in fertility or
is rich. Be sure to choose a fertil-
izer that works for your perennial,
and follow manufacturers’ in-
structions,

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