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TULIPS, and many other spring-flowering bulbs, bring vibrant color to the garden at the beginning of the season. To bring these bulb flowers into bloom they should be planted in the autumn before the first hard frost of winter.

VanDusen Gardens holds planning session

CHANGES ARE planned at VanDusen Gardens for its development and long- term operations.

Everyone is invited to meet with the consultants undertaking a Strategic plan on Monday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Floral Hall, $251 Oak St., corner of 37th Avenue and Oak Street.

The consulting firm of Tourbier and Walmsley of New York will make a presentation on the op- tions being considered.

Interested participants will then be welcome to ask questions and make comments on WanDusen’s role in the community.

The Vancouver Parks Board and the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association in support of the garden have jointly embarked

on a strategic planning process to guide the future of VanDusen

Gardens.

This 55-acre garden is a major facility in the Vancouver park system. It is now considered one of the premier gardens in the world and is held in high esteem for its beautiful design and com- prehensive ornamental plant col- lection.

Mail order seed catalogues great for new varieties

NOW that you have simost finished with this year’s gardening chores, I can get you started on next year’s,

Now is the time to start order- ing your mail-order seed cata- logues.

A good read of the latest and greatest offerings from the seed companies is just what Dr. Deciduous ordered for the damp and dreary days ahead.

Their pages are not only full of new and interesting plants, but also wild, wacky and sometimes very useful gardening accessories.

As | have said many times be- fore, off-the-rack is one thing but only the mail-order companies can offer you a good suppiy of the newest in award-winning varieties.

1 thought I might get in a little pre-emptive strike and tell you about the Ail America Award Winners for 1993.

In the flower category, we have two fine examples of creative hybridization: Nierembergia ““Mont Blanc’? and Verbena speciosa ‘‘Imagination,’”’

N. Mont Blanc is the first white-flowered nierembergia to be developed from growing from seed.

This plant has a mounding habit, spreading 12 inches and reaching only four to five inches in height.

The overall look is neat and tidy due to its derse, finely cut foliage.

The flowers may appear sporadically at first, but by mid- summer the pure white, star- shaped flowers will be almost completely covering the plants.

They will continue flowering through until the appearance of the first frost.

This plant is exceptional when used as a massed border in front of taller, less uniform plants such

Geof Tebiasson

OVER THE GARDEN GATE

as bright pink geraniums or dark blue petunias.

The low, spreading nature makes this a great candidate for the rock garden.

Nierembergias prefer hot, sunny locations and are quite drought- tolerant (where were they when we needed them?) and can also en- dure surprising amounts of cold, wet weather.

The one thing to avoid is poor draining soil; they hate wet feet. Me too!

For best and earliest results sow

See Young page 18

Manufacturers of CAST ALUMINUM filigree work

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a COTTAGE - CASTINGS 3 eC

234 McKay Rd., NY. (behind Cap Mall) gree

1-985- 636646) ae