Ephemerals

Spring…

What is spring—the end of cold and snow and the beginning of rain, snowdrops giving way to tulips and daffodils, and the robin’s return?

Spring is also an awakening and a fresh start, and it is hard to imagine the season  without its ephemerals. Like mystical woodland creatures of wisp and wonder, they appear without fanfare and often disappear before we know it, heralding the transition into the next season.

Spring ephemerals are plants that need to manifest pretty much an entire year’s life cycle in a very short period (usually 6-8 weeks).  Many are woodland plants that sprout, flower and go to seed before the woody canopy leafs out and cuts off their needed sunlight.  At the end of this cycle the plants die back beneath the soil into their storage roots and wait to start the whole short process again next year.

These are just a few of the more desirable woodland ephemerals:

• Anemone
• Anemonella
• Arisaema
• Corydalis
• Dicentra
• Erythronium
• Hepatica
• Sanguinaria
• Trillium

Anemonella thalictroides 'Oscar Schoaff'
WOOD ANEMONE– Dainty woodland plant that resembles a miniature Thalictrum in form, this stunning selection has fully double lavender-pink flowers from early spring into summer. A very showy addition to the woodland garden and also does exceptionally well as a container specimen.  Prefers a gritty well-drained soil in partial shade; will go dormant in high summer.  ‘Oscar Schoaff’ grows to about 20cm high by 30cm wide and is very hardy (Zone:  4).

Many forms can be found with a little searching—these include:  ‘Alba Plena’, ‘Betty Blake’, ‘Cameo’, ‘Diamant’, ‘Jade Feather’, ‘Tairin’ and others.

Arisaema sikokianum “Silver Feathers”
COBRA LILY– An exotic and easy to grow woodland bulb from Japan that makes a dramatic impact in any garden.  “Silver Feathers” is a selection of A. sikokianum with dramatic silver feather-like patterns in the centres of the leaves.  The flower is a purple-black pitcher with white stripes and a greenish inner throat; the spadix is large, white and mushroom-like.  Arisaema prefer a deep rich soil with good drainage in partial shade. They also do very well in containers and should be kept dry and protected once they go dormant.  Plants can reach 40-60cm in height and rarely form clumps, so if you require a small cluster you will need several plants.  These bulbs are tough and can tolerate very cold winters (Zone: 4), even surviving such bitter climes as Alberta!


Erythronium spp.
FAWN LILY– Charming, lily-like woodland plants with lance-shaped leaves, often attractively mottled.  These woodlanders bloom in early spring with nodding, star-shaped flowers with reflexed petals.  Flower colour can be white, pink, purple or yellow, depending on species and variety.  Great plants for naturalizing as they eventually form small clumps if left to their own.  Erythronium do best in shade or partial shade on well drained humus-rich soil.  Plants are not large growing, ranging from 15-30cm in height, and can eventually spread to 30cm or more with time.  All available species are hardy in BC.

Hepatica spp.
LIVERLEAF– Low-growing perennials in the buttercup family with lobed green leaves often marbled and spotted with colour.   They bloom in early spring with flowers that can be shades of white, pink, purple, blue or red.  There is a plethora of species to select from, with the most unusual Hepatica hailing from Japan. These have a wickedly addictive selection of flower forms and colours, some so vivid they are electric.  Hepaticas make a wonderful groundcover for a slightly shaded garden site; they are not too fussy about soil type but do require excellent drainage.  They are superb potted plants as well.  Hepaticas are relatively short, reaching only 20cm or so with flowers, and can form clumps up to 30cm wide.  All available species will be hardy to BC.

Trillium spp.
WAKE-ROBIN– Much loved woodland perennial with its signature three-lobed flowers.  Flowers appear on tall stalks in early spring and depending upon species can be different in form and colour.  Many species also have attractively mottled foliage. which adds interest long after the flowers have faded.  Trilliums are woodland plants and do best under the shade of deciduous trees, with a deep, rich, well-drained soil.  Some can reach almost 60cm in height and slowly spread to form clumps 30cm or more wide.  Trilliums are hardy and do very well on the West Coast.

Hopefully this has given you a taste of these enchanting woodland flowers that surprise and delight us with their striking and sometimes bizarre forms.

Many of these plants and others from Harkaway Botanicals are available in limited quantities at Arts Nursery. Please call ahead to special order or confirm availability of specific varieties.

Written By

Lyle Courtice A.H.
Lyle is a certified Horticultural Technician (Niagara College), Landscape Designer, Nurseryman and the proprietor of HarkAway Botanicals.
Since 1980 Lyle has worked in both the retail and wholesale sectors of the horticultural trade; he operates his own wholesale nursery, which focuses on an eclectic mix of rare and choice plant material from Asia, Europe and North America.
Lyle has appeared on The Canadian Gardener and is a contributing author to A Grower’s Choice (Raincoast books 2001). His horticultural expertise makes him sought after as a consultant, lecturer, photographer, instructor and writer. An industry veteran, Lyle is esteemed within the horticultural community for his passionate and often humorous enthusiasm for plants.

March In your Garden - 2011

March is one of the busiest months for the gardener.  Let’s get this party started!!

Lawns:

Lime if you haven’t already and while you’re liming that lawn sprinkle a bit under your clematis if you have acidic soil…which most of us do (about ¼ cup under the dripline of an average size clematis) and a cup or so under the dripline of a medium sized apple tree .

Remember not to tromp on soggy ground, you will compact your soil and only end up making more work for yourself.  Aerate if you need to, if your ground is compacted or full of thatch once the ground has dried up a bit…for those who have great drainage, like most of Brookswood, you can do it in between rain showers.

For those of us who don’t have great drainage you may have to wait a full day or more with no rain…that day should come sometime in August (kidding, I hope).  If you have a patchy lawn or wish to rejuvenate your lawn you can topdress and overseed towards the end of the month and into April.

 Trees and Shrubs: 

You can tidy up and finish off any pruning so long as the plant is dormant.  If you have Birch trees and Maple trees it’s too late.  You can instead do some very light summer pruning at the end of July, beginning of August.

You can still move many trees and shrubs at this time if you need to.  You can cut some plum branches or forsythia or even flowering cherry to put in a vase to have some lovely blooms inside.  It will take a few days but the warmth of the house will cause the blossoms to open up.

 It’s a lovely time to plant…for the trees and shrubs.  They’ll have a better chance at getting established before the heat.  If you’re looking for fruit trees, they are usually in bareroot at this time of year.  You can fertilize your evergreens towards mid-month.

Garden Beds:

Continue to weed and tidy the garden beds.  Watch for overwintering ladybugs and mason bees.  Do not overwork the soil at this time!  Working in waterlogged soil will cause compaction, destroying the light fertile crumb structure you have worked so hard to build.  You can add a topdressing of manures or compost about 2 inches deep, less around smaller plants and never more than 3 to 4 inches around trees and shrubs.  You can still move and divide many perennials at this time and tweak any areas that need it.

Veggie beds and Seeds: 

Sow your early outdoor seeds such as sweet peas if you haven’t done so already and continue to start seeds indoors according to the packages.  Do your research.  Some seeds prefer to be started outdoors in place and some can easily be transplanted.  Tidy and get ready in the veggie patch when it is dry.

Pots and Containers:

Check for winter damage.  Check drainage, topdress pots with perennials, trees and shrubs and change the soil to prepare for you annuals.  Primulas are in and can brighten up your pots.  Do some research now to design you annual pots or hanging baskets if you are making them yourself.  Thumb through all of your old garden magazines  for interesting plant combinations.  Try something new!!  Primulas are in if you need to brighten up that pot in this in-between container season.

Bulbs: 

Enjoy your spring bulbs.  Remember, don’t cut or tie the leaves when the bloom is over.  Those leaves are building up energy for next years bloom.  Now is the time to get the best selection for summer flowering bulbs. Dahlia’s are in as are some of the amazing packs of Trillium, hosta  and my fave Bletilla striata.

 Remember be kind to yourself and your garden and don’t forget to make yourself a big mug tea…or coffee and just sit and observe.

The mason bees (also in-stock now) and some of our other great pollinators are starting to wake up and they are very cool to watch.

This Post Was Written By:

Laurelle O.

New Plant: Whirlaway Periwinkle

Introducing the new whimsical Whirlaway Periwinkle. (Vinca minor 'vinsid1')

This attractive groundcover vine features beautiful yellow variegation on deep green leaves and huge violet-blue profuse flowers.

Flowers bloom for a long time from summer and intermittently through to frost. Bushy grown habit.

This and many other periwinkles are now available at Art's Nursery.

This Post Was Written By:

Art's Nursery Staff

How to Grow Garlic

One of the most rewarding food-stuffs you can grow is garlic. Yes, the same one that makes pasta taste good and the one that keeps both friends and vampires away.

Garlic is a root vegetable that is part of Alliaceae family of plants and a member of genus Allium. This is the same genus as Onions. It is also a perennial grown for its strongly scented bulbs.

It has been grown since the days of the Egyption pharoahs and for centuries in China and India. To this day it is highly prized throughout the world for both its culinary and medicinal properties.

It is well known that garlic has powerful antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Garlic has also been proven to reduce cholesterol and the chance of having a heart attack. It is a core component of the legendary Mediterranean diet and is well combined with ample amounts of peppers, tomatoes, onions and olive oil
Garlic when used as a regular part of the diet has also been shown to reduce the incidence of certain types of cancers.

In fact, herbalists even believe that rubbing garlic on the soles of the feet will cure the common cold. We're not sure about this claim, but we do recommend you try this experiment when you are home alone, otherwise you will get some pretty odd looks from those around you.


Growing Garlic

Garlic is grown from segments of its bulb called cloves. These can either be purchased or saved from a previous crop. Cloves can be planted in late fall or early spring. For best growth, garlic requires a cool, dormant period 4-8 weeks in length. For this reason, fall planting is preferred, though it is not a necessity.

Plant garlic in an area that receives full sun. A light, but well drained soil is recommended. Excess rainfall or moisture can reduce the chances of successful harvest. An application of spring mulch and general fertilizer is beneficial. Do not plant garlic in the same area as peas and beans or where onions have been grown in previous years.

When planting, dig a hole about 1-2 inches deep and place the clove vertically with the flat part (the base plate), facing down. Ensure at least one inch of soil covers the clove when done. Planting deep can increase the yield in good soils.

It takes approximately nine months from time of planting to grow garlic.  September plantings will be ready for harvesting from May and onwards the following year. 

It kind of makes you wonder how garlic can be grown offshore for 9 months, shipped and then sold in a grocery store for $0.99 / 3 pack. It really does put into question the quality of the entire food supply chain. Personally, I would recommend growing your own or purchasing it from local farmers.

That aside, the amount of leaf growth gives an indication of how big a mature bulbs is. When the leaves begin to turn yellow, it is time to harvest. Dig out the bulbs carefully and allow them to dry in the sun.

Garlic is extrememly hardy and can be grown in any area of B.C. zone 3 and warmer.

Art's Nursery carries several varieties of garlic including white, red and elephant garlic. These are generally available in fall between September and November, and once again in early spring. Plant them now and harvest the rewards in a few months!

This Post Was Written By:

Art's Nursery Staff

Art's Nursery Beach Garden - A Thing To See at the Garden Show!

The Art's Nursery beach garden was nominated as one of the the Top 10 things to see at the 2011 B.C. Home and Garden Show! A pat on the back and kudos to our staff and garden designers. Well done! A special thank you to those who came out and visisted this years garden show. It was very well attended and a good time was had by all.

Read more at the Vancouver Sun Friday Gardening Section

This Post Was Written By:

Art's Nursery