IN THE GARDEN

By Doreen Trudel

When I think of June gardens I think of June weddings. Just like a bride the garden regales us with finery, there is happy anticipation of summer parties. There are no major chores to be done, the weather is usually not hot but there are still a few satisfying tasks that beckon us into the garden.

If you have fruit trees it is time to remove some young fruit to promote fewer but larger individual mature fruit and eliminate excess weight from over-burdened branches.

Pinch back perennials such as Artemisia and Chrysanthemums to encourage more compact plants.

In the vegetable garden it is not too late to sow beets, carrots, chard, peas, lettuce, radishes, beans and summer squash.

Do you have an area in your garden that you feel is too large or inappropriate for a shrub or perennial bed but a lawn doesn’t seem right either? Why not consider one of the many alternatives to a lawn. There are low growing or clumping perennials or grasses and a shrub or two that would make excellent groundcovers.

For a sunny spot, consider Ajuga reptan (carpet bugle). It has bronze leaves, blue flowers and spreads quickly. Cerastium tomentosum (snow-in-summer) has silver gray leaves with small white flowers in summer. One of my personal favorites is Chamaemelum nobile (chamomile) it grows quickly, has tiny button-like flowers all summer long and smells wonderful. It will even take light foot traffic. Thymus praecox arcticus (creeping thyme) will also stand up to light foot traffic and form a carpet of dark green foliage. Thymus pseudolanuginosus (woolly thyme) is another thyme to consider with gray fuzzy leaves.

Most of the plants mentioned above will also tolerate light shade but for a truly shady area Pachysandra terminalis is frequently used, otherwise try Gaultheria procumbens, which is an evergreen shrub or Asarum (wild ginger) and Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) which are perennials.

Some low growing clumping grasses are Alopecurus pratensis, Carex morrowii, Festuca, Pennisetum alopecuroides or Sesleria which all grow in full sun to partial shade. Although they do not have colorful flowers the structure and color of their foliage offer four season interest.

Another interesting groundcover to consider is Fragaria (ornamental strawberry). The ornamental strawberry is a parent of the common commercial berry found in markets and is grown for its low mass of green leaves and small flowers. Because it prefers acidic, sandy or well-drained soil it is an excellent choice as a summer ground cover. Many varieties grow well in full sun in our milder climate zone. Some varieties produce runners and can be considered invasive depending upon where they are planted and their intended use.

I am letting them spread in a sunny open area but be aware that they will compete and probably win a battle for territory with other groundcovers or low growing plants. I have never done this but I am told that if you let them spread as a replacement for a lawn they can be mowed once a year to encourage new growth. I would like to know if anyone is growing Fragaria this way in Point Roberts.

Fragaria vesca (alpine strawberry), thrives here and produces white flowers followed by small but delicious berries throughout the summer. Fragaria ‘Lipstick’ is a Fragaria and Potentilla cross which does not bare fruit but it produces masses of reddish-pink flowers. Fragaria Chiloensis (beach strawberry) is a west coast native. I have this in my garden and it produces white flowers in spring followed by a few sweet fruits later on but its attraction to me is that its leaves turn a pretty mottled red color in fall and it is so hardy it returned even after being covered by a load of soil and stone.

Most gardeners have hung at least one hummingbird feeder near a patio or deck but for another vantage point consider adding some hummingbird friendly plants to your garden.

lthough the Anna’s hummingbird frequently winters in the warmer areas of the Pacific Northwest coast such as southern Vancouver Island, we usually begin to see hummingbirds in March. They are attracted by red flowers but once they find a flower bed they will feed from a variety of plants. Not only are they entertaining they also aid in pollination.
To attract hummingbirds to your garden you will need to provide a succession of blooms starting in early spring. This is most reliably done by planting native shrubs mentioned below. Mid-spring begins the parade of perennial blooms supplemented with annuals and vines providing a smorgasbord of delights until the hummingbirds depart for their winter home.

Hummingbirds are voracious eaters so it is wise to continue to provide a traditional nectar feeder. If you have forgotten the syrup recipe it is three to four parts boiling water to one part sugar. This mixture should be left to cool before filling a feeder. Experts now say not to add red food coloring to the syrup but rather provide a red feeder which will attract the hummingbirds. They prefer to drink from a moving water source such as a sprinkler or splashing fountain so you now have an excuse to add a lovely bubbling water feature to your garden.

Don’t forget the Point Roberts Garden Tour on the July 16. You can buy your tickets at Bloomer’s Nursery and I hope to see you at the next garden club meeting, Saturday, June 3 at 9:30 a.m. at the community center.

Plants in a Hummingbird Garden

Ribes sanguineum (Red-flowering currant) and Rubus spectabilis (salmonberry) are native shrubs that provide early spring flowers.
In mid-spring perennials and self sowing annuals begin a parade of blooms. Some hummingbird favorites are: Monarda (bee balm), Aquilegia (Columbine), Nepeta (catmint), Delphinium, Penstemon, Salvia splendens (sage), Phlox, Heuchera, (coral bells), Verbena canadensis, Lobelia, Agastache foeniculum (anise hyssop) (Cinquefoil (potentilla), Crocosmia, Phygelius capensis (Cape fuschsia), Lychnis.
Hummingbirds are also attracted by summer flowering shrubs and vines such as:

Buddleia davidii (butterfly bush), Chaenomeles speciosa (flowering quince), Fuchsias (both hardy and tender), Lonicera (honeysuckle), Hibiscus syriacus (rose of Sharon), Aesculus pavia (red buckeye).

Even a balcony garden can attract hummingbirds with pots of annuals such as: Red Pelargoniums, Impatiens, Nicotiana (flowering tobacco), Petunia.