IN THE GARDEN

By Doreen Trudel

March is such a busy month in the garden it is difficult to choose a topic to write about because it means I must eliminate so many worthy ideas and necessary tasks from the discussion. By now you should have taken advantage of the few sunny days we have enjoyed to begin preparing garden beds for spring. The three most important tasks as the garden awakes from winter sleep is to clean up debris, weed and apply a layer of compost and or manure followed by a covering of mulch.

Even if you are not going to plant until fall this is a good way to prepare the area insuring the soil will be fed and hydrated throughout the summer and ready for new plants later in the year.

Last year I wrote about the Great Plant Picks program from the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden Trust in Seattle. They have announced this year’s additions to the list which is too extensive to include in total but there are a few plants which I think are under utilized and are worthy of consideration. All of these plants are water wise, hardy in our area and adaptable to a variety of soil and fertility conditions.

The perennial category includes Erodium chrysanthum (heronsbill), Ipheion uniflorum ‘Wisley Blue’ (spring starflower) and Panicum virgatum ‘Rotstrahlbusch’ and ‘Shenandoah’ (switch grass). My personal favorites in the shrubs and vines category are Eleutherococcus sieboldianus ‘Variegatus’ (variegated five-leaf aralia), Hydrangea intergrifolia (evergreen climbing hydrangea), Lonicera nitida ‘Baggesen’s Gold’ (golden boxleaf honeysuckle) and Sambucus nigra f. laciniata (cutleaf black elder). From the broadleaf trees, bamboos and conifers category they suggest Cryptomeria japonica ‘Black Dragon’ (Japanese cedar), Magnolia wilsonii (Wilson’s magnolia), Quercus garryana (Garry oak) and clumping black bamboo Phyllostachys nigra. This year they also included my favorite rose, Rosa ‘De Rescht.’ This is a compact, repeat blooming dark pink to reddish Portland rose with deep green leaves and a wonderful perfume. Detailed images and information for all of the Great Plant Picks can be found on the website www.greatplantpicks.org.

If you have ever thought about adding a topiary feature to your garden spring is an excellent time to begin making your own. There are a variety of shrubs from which to choose and the soft new growth is easy to manipulate. If you have ever been to Disneyland, Green Animals Garden in Newport, Rhode Island or Salzburg, Austria you have seen the intricate and creative possibilities of topiary but simple and easily accomplished shapes are just as effective in the home garden.

The easiest topiary project is the lollipop shrub. You start with a shrub at least 3 to 4 feet tall with a single strong, straight trunk. A bay tree is perfect but a Buxus (box) or Ilex (holly) will work well also or look for something unusual maybe even smaller like a Rosmarinus (rosemary) as long as it has a single trunk. Decide where you want the lollipop to begin and remove all of the side shoots below the lollipop. Cut back the side shoots to just outside the collar where they join the trunk. When you remove the side shoots you may find that you have gaps in the leafy growth of the lollipop, don’t worry, the ball will fill in with new growth.
Once the trunk is bare step back and check the proportions of the topiary thinking about the shape of the lollipop. Now using two-handed long-blade shears begin to trim the leafy stems into a ball, cutting small amounts at a time evenly around the shape. I watched an English gardener do this and he held the shears upside down allowing him to use the built-in curve of the shears. Depending upon the shrub you choose it might be best to pot the topiary allowing you to move it to a protected site in winter.

You can also tie a plant to a wire frame to create a topiary. The easiest shapes are a ring or a ball. Wire shapes are available at most garden centers. Rosmarinus (rosemary) and Lavandula (lavender) and other bushy herbs work well. Choose a large plant with pliable stems and plant it into its decorative pot. Next cut out the growth in the center of the plant to make a place for the wire shape. Gently place the wire shape in the center of the plant anchoring it into the potting medium or onto the center stem of the plant. Finally tie the stems to the wire form just tightly enough to hold the stems in place. Green twine is inconspicuous and if you turn the knots to the center the ties will almost be invisible. Depending upon the size of your chosen plant the form will probably be covered within a year.

Follow the care instructions for your chosen plant and shape each spring after the fear of frost damage has passed, trim as needed during summer. If you choose a frost hardy shrub the topiary will add interest to the winter garden.

The next Point Roberts Garden Club meeting is March 3 at 9:30 a.m. at the community center on Gulf Road. They have some interesting projects in the works and everyone is welcome.
If you have any questions, comments or ideas send them to me at gardening@allpointbulletin.com. I look forward to hearing from you.