Daylight time brings joy to the hearts of gardeners
Tomorrow, daylight time begins. Time to “spring ahead” as clocks are advanced by one hour. For gardeners, it’s a change that brings the gift of extra useable outdoor time in the evening.
That time will be so very welcome this year, after a winter that froze the ground and covered it with snow. I’m hopeful that the time change will usher in at least a hint of warmth for more joyfully comfortable gardening. The almanac. It wasn’t until last month that I finally laid hands on a copy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. I was keen to see whether it had predicted the cold 2016-2017 winter and what projections it gave for the spring and summer.
The winter was accurately predicted as being colder and snowier than usual. If the publication proves equally true for future months, April and May will be warmer and drier than usual, the summer warmer and rainier, September and October colder than normal.
Real warmth in April and May suggests the possibility of earlier than usual plantings of heat lovers such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, basil, marigolds and zinnias. Big Ideas for Small Spaces: Creative Ideas and 30 Projects for Balconies, Roof Gardens, Windowsills and Terraces, by Kay Maguire and Tony Woods (Firefly Books, 176 pages, paperback, $24.95).
Few people these days enjoy a vast expanse of ground to develop into a garden. Spaces to grow in, especially in urban areas, are shrinking. Here is help, in a lively book of illustrated ideas for creating a soothing oasis of greenery and bloom in whatever space is available, be it a patio, narrow passageway, or raised bed.
There are guidelines on assessing a site, for instance, for exposure to sun or wind, and corresponding lists of plants suited for different conditions. Listed are drought-tolerant plants, and trees, shrubs, climbers and edibles for small spaces. In “Design tricks” are tips on creating a feeling of expanded space with features like focal points, seating, and boundaries.
The heart of the book is the section with 30 projects. Each one shows the finished product along with a set of photos illustrating each step taken to complete it and a list of plants and tools needed.
The first project turns a recycled wood pallet into a walled garden with flowers, herbs and vegetables. Another turns guttering into planters to house small plants like sedum, Spanish daisy (Erigeron) and cut-and-come-again greens. Wood crates and boxes are transformed into food gardens. A group of colourful tin cans overflow with “salad bar” edibles. A mirror against a fence or wall expands the sense of light, colour and space in a confined area.
Published in association with the Royal Horticultural Society, Big Ideas for Small Spaces is rich in detail and generous with illustrations, leaving nothing to guesswork.
GARDEN EVENTS
Hellebore Sunday. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, hosts its annual Hellebore Sunday tomorrow from 12 to 3 p.m. A variety of hellebores and their companion plants will be available for purchase. Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions about any hellebores you adopt. hcp.ca. Peninsula meeting. The Peninsula Garden Club will meet on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney. A presentation by Russell Nursery on Hobby Greenhouses will include how to use and enjoy a greenhouse through all four seasons. Everyone is welcome. Drop-in fee for non-members is $5. The evening will include a parlour show, plant stall and refreshments. VIRAGS meeting. The Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society will meet on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Gordon Head United Church, 4201 Tyndall Ave. Ken Marr, botany curator of the Royal British Columbia Museum, will speak about “New Plant Discoveries from Northern B.C. Alpine.” Visitors are welcome. Bee talk. Lori Weidenhammer, author of Victory Gardens for Bees, will present Creating a Buzz: Attracting and Feeding Bumblebees in Your Garden on Sunday, March 26, 1:30 p.m. at Kildara Farms, in Deep Cove. kildarafarms.webs.com. The talk is one of the Russell Nursery 25th Anniversary Speaker Series. Tickets at $18 are available at the nursery, 1379 Wain Rd. in North Saanich, or on their website: russellnursery.com. Space is limited. Tickets must be purchased in advance.