To find the best blooms, try a colour mix and pick your fave
Dear Helen: You sometimes write about growing specific colours in a “Series” of an annual flower such as pansy or petunia. How do you go about selecting a colour or colours out of sometimes long lists under a series name in catalogues? C.D.
Sometimes I just pick out favourite colours, or colours for creating a particular combination like red and white to grow for Canada’s 150th anniversary.
If a series includes a colour mixture, I’ll try that first and pick out the best to grow again. That’s how I found out how good the White in the Picobella Series of Multiflora petunias was, from growing the blend of colours listed in the Stokes Seeds catalogue.
This year’s Picobella White planting in a patio tub is a compact circle almost completely covered with bloom. As the summer has progressed, faded flowers have simply sunk beneath the display to be covered over with fresh white blossoms.
Where there is no blend of colours in a series that interests me, I try one or two colours each year until I hit on the one(s) that stand out as easy-growing successes. That’s what I did when the Tidal Wave Series was introduced. Ever since, the award-winning Silver in that series has been my favourite. The plants are strong, long and gorgeous in bloom, surprisingly hardy, and undemanding. I’ve had them resprout in the spring after a mild winter.
Tidal Wave Silver flowers are actually silvery lavender, the intensity of colouring depending on a bloom’s age. That variation makes for an interesting display.
This summer I have two bowlshaped planters of Tidal Wave Silver on stands on the patio, next to the glass doors into the family room. They have stretched out their flower-filled stems to put on a pleasing show. Dear Helen: Where can I find the “golden bird’s foot” (Lotus corniculatus ‘Plenus’ that you wrote about in a column? It sounded like a good ground cover or lawn substitute for difficult, dryish, sunny places. The garden centre where I asked about the plant had never heard of it.
C.G. Try calling a few more local garden centres to find who has the plant or who is willing to bring it in for you.
Lotus corniculatus ‘Plenus’ is produced by Heritage Perennials (Valleybrook International Ventures), a major supplier of perennials to our local garden centres. Their website is perennials.com. They grow a series of “Jeepers Creepers” plants that, as the name suggests, are low and spreading. The label on my plant, under that series name, describes the plant as tolerant of heavy foot traffic and regular mowing, and also of poor, dry soils. (jeeperscreepers.info.) You could also click on Contact to find a likely retailer.
GARDEN EVENTS
Government House plant sales. The Government House Plant Nursery (next to the Tea Room) at Government House, 1401 Rockland Ave., will be open for public plant sales on just three more mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. — today, Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Thursday, Aug. 31. Proceeds go to the maintenance and enhancement of the Government House gardens.
Plant sale and show. The Victoria Cactus & Succulent Society will host a Summer Show and Sale on Friday and Saturday in Tillicum Centre (lower level). The event will feature a display of club members’ plants and a wide variety of cacti and other succulents for sale, including some hardy outdoor types. Cactus and succulent potting soil will be available for sale and members will be on hand to answer questions.
Arts and Music. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is presenting Arts & Music in the Gardens on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Now in its 23rd year, this popular festival offers the opportunity to explore demonstration gardens while enjoying live music, local art and food vendors. Admission $12, $10 seniors, HCP members free. hcp.ca.