13 - Friday, May 12, 1989 - North Shore News To keep laurel hedge healthy prune regularly, thoroughly AFTER OBSERVING the effects of winter on my English jaurel, I have difficulty imagining a comedic connection be-. tween laurel and hardy. . It's hard to see the joke when you’re on hands and knees picking up leaves. Fortunately, the Engiish laurel is ‘the only member of this diverse family that suffered any major damage. And even it will bounce back with amazing speed. As you can see by my contrived intro, this week’s topic is the laurel family. Specifically, those members of the prunus family we commonly call laurels. Without getting too involved in a lecture on the use of common names versus proper botanical hardy for our area, but some damage can be expected during the worst winter weather. There are many different forms of the laurel in this prunus group. The most commonly planted in our area is the English laurel used in hedges and screens. These can easily reach 20 feet in height and names, let me clarify the difference between the true laurels and those of the prunus family. . The laurels of Greek mythology and the bay laurel or sweet bay us- ed in soups is Jaurus nobilis, the true laurel. Although definitely not hardy enough for our winters, you should have good success growing them in pots. Leave them out for the summer and protect them in- doors through the winter. As English laurel, prunus Jaurocerasus, and Portuguese laurel, prunus Jusitanica, are more closely related to your cherry and plum trees than they are to the true width. The leaves are large, dark laurels, they are known as the to mid-green, and leathery. cherry laurels. They are considered Spikes of small white flowers over the garden gate Geoff Tobiasson will appear in April/May unless they have been damaged by winter weather. The flowers are followed by black, cherry-like fruits during summer. If you are growing an English laurel hedge remember to prune it regularly and thoroughly. If you do not keep this beast within bounds it will take over your garden and maybe even the house. Pruning is best done early in the spring. This has the disadvantage of removing the budding flower spikes, but is overshadowed by the need to restrict the plant’s growth at the- beginning of the growing season. Another benefit of early pruning is achieved when new growth “is encouraged to develop in spring rather than late summer or fall. This allows it to be ‘hardened-off’ and therefore reduces the risks of damage caused by early frosts. Always slope the sides of your hedge in at the top (see drawing). The faurels have a tendency to grow wider at the top and thin out at the bottom. Sloping them in will allow light tc reach the bottom branches, thereby keeping tnem dense and healthy. Try to keep the profile or thickness through the hedge nar- row. If you ailow it to get too wide you will have a more difficult time pruning the top as each year passes. A hard pruning may look as | Regis ANN IVERSARY SALE | OUR ENTIRE STOCK Come join us s and celebrate our 18th Anniversary serving Greater Vancouver. We are proud to be Western Canada’s largest picture framers. “But we are still very much a family business and we know our success is based on service, quality & value.” © Huge selection of prints & posters framed & unframed * * Ready made frames & framing accessories * “Offer applies to floor stock only Also. big discounts on all our most popular. ‘custom frames: Offer epplies to frames only. Glass & mats at our regular low prices though you have destroyed your hedge, but a few short weeks after fertilizing with a general purpose shrub food and it should fill in nicely. If you don’t prune, your laurel will rapidly outgrow its stems. This is also a very fast grower, so pruning should be maintained in the same manner. It also looks good as a broadleaved, evergreen tree. A) PLANT hedge with leafy branches at ground level. B) After planting, trim lightly. C) Hedge will look like this after first serson’s growth. D) Promote bushy, full growth by clipping off growth tips several times during the season. E) Full-fledged shearing of hedge wil be needed once or twice every year. There are a number of other usefulness in the garden. forms of the English laurel The other common ‘cherry laurel’ used as a hedge is the Por- tuguese laurel. It has smaller, darker green leaves with bright red See Laurel! Page 14 EOLDEN TOUCH | FRAMES ‘Regis PICTURES & Committed to Guaity for over 72 years INTERIORS North Vancouver 1425 Marine Drive 984-8469 _West Vancouver 1432 Marine Drive 922-3513 Downtown 1168 Robson Street 669-5721 All stores open 7 days a week - late opening Fridays Kitsilano 2857 W. Broadway Richmond Warehouse 5311 #3 Rd. Kerrisdale'37th & West Blvd. Lansdowne Mall 5300 43 Rd. Lougheed 107-4501 North Rd. “Richmond Square 6551 #8 Rd. ;