Gardeners can grow their own bookmarks
Pansy, buttercup and heather among best choices
Dear Helen: My family and many of our friends and relatives are avid readers, and keen gardeners as well. We would like to link these two interests by growing a few plants whose leaves or flowers are easily pressed and dried for including as markers in gift books. What plants would you suggest? L.B.
The most historically traditional flower for pressing and placing in a book to mark some well-loved passage is the pansy. Derived from the French verb penser, to think, pansy stands for “thoughts.” The Elizabethans knew it as heartsease. Among the pansies and violas, the small, dark flowers retain their colouring best when dried.
Buttercup keeps its golden colour well. Individual petals of California poppy and sprigs of heather bearing their tiny flowers are good choices too.
My favourite leaves for pressing into bookmarks are those of costmary (Tanacetum balsamita, book leaf, Bible leaf). The long, oval leaves have a refreshing balsamic and minty lemon scent. The dried leaves retain their fragrance. This is not a commonly available herb. Richters Herbs (richters.com) offer the plants.
Bracken is said to press well. Choose either young, green or, later in the season, golden shoots that are perfectly flat.
Dry them between layers of newspaper with a weight on top. Sweet bay (Laurus nobilis), also fragrant, should dry well this way.
Flowers can be pressed between pages toward the end of a book, on paper towel placed on waxed paper to keep the pages clean. Cover with more paper towel and waxed paper. Close the book and stack more books on top.
Dear Helen: My hoya plant has not flowered since I moved several years ago. It’s hanging from a pot on top of a china cabinet in a room facing south, but the cabinet is against the far wall. F.J.
Garden Events
The plant needs more light — ideally four hours daily of direct sunlight, but with protection from direct, hot summer sun. Hoyas are tropical plants requiring warmth (16-21 C) and minimal watering in winter.
Consider taking cuttings in the spring for young plants to locate where they’ll be exposed to some direct sun. Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society will host its annual Spring Show on Friday, 1 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cadboro Bay United Church, 2625 Arbutus Rd. in Saanich. On display will be rock and alpine plants as well as succulent, woodland and wetland plants. This year’s showcase display is a”Sempervivum Extravaganza.” In addition to the exhibits, there will be commercial and member plant and seed sales, a silent auction and tea. Admission is by donation. The club members’ plant sale opens at 11 a.m. on Saturday. More information at virags.ca.
Rose meeting. The Mid Island Rose Society will meet on Monday, from 6 to 8 p.m., in the North Nanaimo Library on Hammond Bay Road. For more information, call 250-390-2805.
Courtenay meeting. The Comox Valley Horticultural Society will meet on Monday in the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave. in downtown Courtenay. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Master gardener, herbalist and horticultural therapist Chanchal Cabrera will speak about the Japanese art of absorbing the forest atmosphere — forest bathing. At this “Spring a Friend” meeting, guests are invited at no charge.
Hardy plant meeting. The Hardy Plant Group will meet on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Knox Presbyterian Church Hall, 2964 Richmond Rd. Rock garden creator Paul Spriggs will present “Lessons from Crete,” with suggestions on how Victoria gardeners can use tips he picked up on his recent botanical tour of the Greek island.
Volunteering at Government House
gardens. An orientation session for gardeners interested in volunteering to work in Government House gardens will be held on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Government House. For more information, call 250-744-4019. HCP workshops. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is offering the following workshops on Sunday, March 26. To register, call 250-479-6162. Further details at hcp.ca. Grow Your Own Cut Flower Garden, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Learn about choosing plants to grow, starting your own seeds, locating a site, and preparing the soil. Cost to HCP members $45, others $60. Cedar and Willow Bark Cat’s Head Basket, 9:30 to 5 p.m. This basket is shaped in the style of cat’s head baskets associated with the Shaker tradition. Cost to members $120, others $140.