HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-05-03, Page 17Continued from page 16some wonderful ones here, and if
you are choosing to plant perennials
you need to know if they are zone
tolerant, what kind of conditions
they do well in, what the height and
spread will be.”
In addition to flowers one can
achieve texture and structure is with
crockery, trellises, arches and
walkways.
“I use buried pots, old crockery to
add interest,” said Sue.
Though Sue is an artist, she said
that kind of creativity is not required
in achieving beautiful English
gardens. “The garden is the only
palette where you can have
florescent red with florescent
orange. You can put anything
together to create beauty in a
garden.”
Coming into a home with
established gardens such as the
Tibbses did, means having a little
patience. “You should do nothing the
first year,” said Chris, “See what’s
coming up and watch what’s going
on. Keep in mind where there are
gaps.”
By the next year, you know what
you didn’t like, what you had done
well and what needs to be removed
or split and moved elsewhere.
If the soil doesn’t suit the type ofplant, Sue suggests a quick fix. “Dig
a hole, line it with a garbage bag,
then put a bag of acidic soil, and
place the plant in that.”
“Or if the soil is no good, just stick
a huge pot in the ground.”
Another idea she has picked up is
to control the size of tall perennials
and improve their aesthetics. “By
June 21, you should have choppedthem down to half their size. Not
only does this shorten them, but you
get a fuller plant with more blooms.”
While achieving the English look
can take three or four years, the
Tibbses said once you have it
established with the right colour
combination you are looking at a
relatively low maintenance garden.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2007. PAGE 17. Use crockery and trellises to create texture
Digging in
Now retired from his career as a chartered accountant,
Chris Tibbs has absorbed his wife’s love of gardening and
enjoys helping her keep their beautifully landscaped
grounds in shape. (Bonnie Gropp photo)
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