The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Plant ground cover, feast eyes on lettuce, sic birds on insects
1Wears well: Plant a Spanish shawl. There is no ground cover more captivatingly beautiful than Spanish shawl (Centradenia floribunda). I first saw it in a nursery on a cart of decrepit plants that was being wheeled away. It was nothing but a clump of sad-looking foliage topped by a single, intriguing flower. I asked the person removing the plants about it and was told I could have it at no charge. Although it cost nothing, I have yet to receive a more valuable botanical treasure. Spanish shawl is a perennial with cold tolerance down to 20degrees. It shows off small, coppery-bronze leaves that are blanketed with silky magenta blooms in spring and fall. Its unopened flower buds are stunningly brilliant, pointed scarlet cones, adding to the highly ornate overall impression of this plant. It also does well in containers and will spill nicely out of hanging baskets or over block walls. You can order it from Annie’s at anniesannuals.com. A bonus is its ease of propagation from shoot-tip cuttings.
Looks good enough to eat: For an ornamental edible touch, plant a row of lettuces along the edge of a driveway, sidewalk, pathway or planter bed. Whether you stay with a single color or want to mix the various greens and bronzes of lettuce types is up to you. Lettuces come in different colors and variously shaped leaves, to say nothing of different flavors, so you could put together an exhibit in your row of lettuces that would have something for everyone. Consider planting Nevada Summer Crisp (available at highmowingseeds.com), distinguished among lettuce varieties for its ability to grow in full sun with low water. For an unusual look, plant Chinese narrow leaf romaine (available at rareseeds.com), with its fingerlike leaves. This tropical variety is known for its sweet taste and its rapid growth, being harvestable just 30days after planting.
More birds, fewer bugs: To get a handle on insect infestations this year, bring birds into your garden. A hummingbird may eat 2,000 insects in a day, while the average insectivorous bird will consume 100 times its body weight in insects in one year. Maximize the chances of avian visits with the addition of a birdbath, a birdhouse and two bird feeders — one with sugar water for hummingbirds and one with seeds to be enjoyed by other avian species. “Birdscaping” involves planting species with trumpet flowers (bignonias, brugmansias, tecomas and tecomarias) to attract hummingbirds, and fruiting ornamentals (photinias, cotoneasters, pyracanthas and toyons). If you have fruit trees, however, you may not want to attract birds unless your trees are protected with bird netting, or individual fruits are enclosed in polyester fruit protection bags.
Act now, save water later: Before many long months of rainlessness and heat arrive, you may want to consider installing a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation gets the job done with as little as 30% of the water applied by conventional sprinklers, as much is lost due to wind and run-off. Conventional sprinklers also water unevenly and do not soak the root system with the efficiency of drip irrigation. Subsurface drip lines are also an option. Emitters are protected with copper to prevent intrusion of plant roots. You can also save water by recycling it from showers and baths, bathroom sinks and washing machines by installing what is known as a gray water system. You can find contractors on the Internet who install such systems or, if you have some plumbing skills, do it yourself.
Better begonia: There is no better longblooming plant for containers in part shade than the Dragon Wing begonia, and a new variety has bronze foliage to go with its red or pink flowers. Dragon Wing is the strongest hybrid begonia with Angel Wing begonia parentage. Angel Wings are noted for their giant, often serrated leaves that appear in pairs along the stem, suggesting the dorsal appendages of celestial seraphs. The issue with most Angel Wing begonias is their need for sun protection and their inability to survive cold. Because of their sensitivity to the elements, they are usually grown as indoor plants. Dragon Wing, on the other hand, will grow right through a typical Los Angeles area winter and may even survive a hard freeze when planted in the shade of taller shrubs or small trees. Dragon Wing does demand room to roam, however, as a single specimen will reach a height of nearly 3 feet, with equal girth.