IN THE GARDEN

By Doreen Trudel

I was away for most of the fall season so it was lovely to return home to see the remnants of brightly colored leaves blowing around the Point.
I was visiting England where an unseasonably warm fall found people wearing tee shirts and shorts on Halloween. Gardeners there were bemoaning spring buds opening in October. Although no one is sure how this will affect future growth of our common garden plants, experts do agree that we can no longer successfully landscape by blindly following long held gardening rules.

To be successful gardeners we will have to understand the basic botany of our plants, what they need, why they need it and when they need it. We will have to be observant and look for a plant’s response to climate change in our gardens and act accordingly. We may find that some plants now require too much care but we may also find that we are able to introduce new specimens.

The plant kingdom includes some of the most adaptable organisms on earth so I am hopeful that many of our favorite plants will thrive in the changing environment. It is even more critical that we understand and follow the concept of planting the right plant in the right place; an idea I have always tried to emphasize in this column.

It may be grey and wet outside but you can brighten a south facing window and enhance your holiday cooking by growing herbs indoors. They can be tricky and I have experienced both success and failure but for a small investment the potential reward is great.

Herbs have few requirements. They need a temperature range between 50 degrees at night and 70 degrees during the day and at least five hours a day of direct or simulated sunlight which can come from a fluorescent lamp. They do not like to be damp so water them only when the surface of the soil is drying out and make sure the pot does not stand in water. Herbs are generally healthy but if you see spider mites, whitefly or aphids spray them weekly with a mild soap and water solution until the problem is gone.

The easiest way to bring herbs indoors is to root cuttings from your outdoor plants in fall but if you have a grow lamp you can sow seeds directly indoors. Cuttings and seedlings should be planted in a well draining potting mix developed for indoor plants and lightly fed once a month. Pinch prune the growing tips to keep the plants small and full.
I have noticed that some nurseries and produce markets sell potted herbs as gift items. Most of the common cooking herbs such as basil, chives, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage and savory respond well to life indoors.

Once again we have reached the holiday gift giving season. If you need a gift for a gardening enthusiast there are several excellent books that were published in 2006.

The American Horticultural Society published an Encyclopedia of Perennials edited by Graham Rice. This is a North American edition of the Royal Horticultural Society publication. After several introductory pages the extensive list of perennials is presented alphabetically by botanical name. An index of common names will help you translate. Besides a general description the cultivation, propagation and problems are noted for each entry. Throughout the text highlighted areas provide additional information about related subjects. It is not inexpensive but it is worth the cost.

Cass Turnbull’s Guide to Pruning clearly presents specific pruning guidelines for a variety of plants. The text and illustrations are easy to follow and helpful. If you have a favorite plant and would like to grow more varieties it is helpful to have a book dedicated to just that plant.
There are specialized guides available for most plants from Acer to Zinnia. One of my favorites published this year is Peonies by Pamela McGeorge. The information presented is valuable to the average gardener not just the horticulturalist.

Every gardener needs some down time in front of a fire with a warm drink and a good novel. One of my favorite books, The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys beautifully expresses the importance and value of gardens.

If you enjoy historical settings then Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory will entice you. It is a novel based on the lives of the John Tradescants, a father and son who designed gardens for English royalty in the seventeenth century and were two of the earliest plant collectors. They introduced to English gardens exotic plants from their travels to the far corners of the globe including the American colonies. They also amassed such a variety of books, artifacts and curiosities that they opened the first public museum which later formed the Ashmolean in Oxford, England.

These are just a few of the many valuable books introduced this year to interest the discerning gardener. Most of the books mentioned are available at Village Books in Bellingham and at Albany Books in Tsawwassen.

Another source of delightful garden gifts is Charley’s Greenhouse in Mount Vernon. If you cannot make it to the store they have a website, www.charleysgreenhouse.com and catalog. Don’t be mislead by the name – you do not have to own a greenhouse to use many of the items offered.

One of the items that is tempting me is the grow your own mushroom kit. Several years ago I purchased a similar kit and grew delicious oyster mushrooms for months. Charley’s offer kits for growing white button, oyster, portabella and shiitake mushrooms. This is a great way to appease your gardening habit during the chilly months.

Although last December I wrote extensively about living Christmas trees I want to remind any new readers that the warm and dry conditions inside our homes can be very hard on living trees so the time they spend indoors should be limited. If they start to drop large numbers of needles they are telling you they need to go outside.

I wish you a joyous and safe holiday season shared with family and friends.