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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-05-04, Page 22Amy IRON GARDENS Lawn & Garden Outdoor Decor Spring, Summer and Fall Products for your Garden. ".7 Arbours Plant Hangers, Wall Brackets, Trellis, Granite Tables, Border Fence Also, Hanging Baskets and a line of plant boxes and floral containers 4(8.771%SA. Store RR 2 Mitchell, ON NOK 1NO 519-348-4862 Quality Built Products Made in Canada www.islandwireproducts.com Factory Outlet 105 Turnberry St. Brussels, ON NOG 1H0 1-888-838-3366 Present this ad for a 10% discount. Expires May 29 WaterFurnace is a better way. Our geothermal technology uses the earth's free and renewable energy to reduce your annual utility bill up to 60%. It's an Investment in your home with a return as high as 500%t A WaterFurnace system is the environmental equivalent of planting one me of trees or removing two cars from the road. WaterFurnace is better for you and the environment. The Nature of innovation Is making things better. Cliff's Plumbing & Heating Lucknow 528-3913 1-800-449-CLIF waterfurnace conVelloosaur I ($00) GEO-SAVE oOu(g on nozr rynwy sw. ,hs 02(,0(4 ORO pre . . BUSINESS HOURS: Mon.- Fri. 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sat. - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun. - 1 - 5 p.m. 76: .14,1 ses1 0/. 11,4 Enhance your Gardening Experience with a visit to Huron Ridge Acres. We can help make your Outdoor Living Space a place to relax & enjoy the summer Unleash your creativity when shopping in our greenhouses filled with a multitude of choices Our new lines of decorative containers will help add to your décor The perennial area displays a huge variety of plant material. Patty or Beth can help you choose which ones are best for your garden. We have a hospitality area especially for the non-gardeners traveling with you. www.huron-ridge.on.ca VISA pommi 74101 Bronson Line, dge RR#2 ZURICH (/) uron ACRES I (519) 565-2122 PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2006. Mix perennials with shrubs Continued from page 21 want your yard to look like. It is also important to consider your soil and and conditions. Some plants will not grow well unless the soil is acidic; others will not grow in acidic soil. It is a challenge to change soil from basic to acidic, although minimal changes can be made to the top few inches with the proper additives. Similarly, some plants require at least six or eight hours of sunlight (full sun), while others prefer to be mainly iii me shade, Most plants prefer some protection from the hot afternoon sun. Marshall advises a good mix of perennials, • and evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Single-variety gardens are more susceptible to harmful bugs and diseases. A good mixture of plants results in a garden with lots of interest. Leaves can be green, gold, burgundy-toned, or variegated with white, gold or pink highlights. They also come in many shapes: heart, sword, or lance, oval; and in broad range of sizes. Even evergreen needles come in a variety of shapes, textures and colours. Yucca, in a sunny and dry location, are excellent plants for this area. Their foliage requires only a little maintenance in the spring. They maintain their striking architectural shape all year, and their tall bloom stalks of fragrant white bloSsoms are worth the wait. Some shrubs, like rhododendron, look great when in bloom, but are prima donnas, and detract from the garden's appearance the rest of the year. • Most evergreens, including the - dwarf varieties, do well in this area. Some varieties of cypress are less hardy. Many evergreens can be trimmed to provide architectural shape to the garden year-round. They come in a variety of greens and golds, and their needles may change tones during the winter. In developing a plan, Marshall advises looking for shrubs that provide more than one season of interest. Siberian and yellow-twig dogwood are good examples. During the winter they provide bright splashes of red and gold, in the spring they hate small clusters of white flowers, and some varieties have variegated leaves in the summer. The burning bush is a must-have in a sunny location. Although it has insignificant flowers, and small green leaves, its crimson vibrancy is a welcome sight against the muted tones of fall. Its tiny crimson berries are outstanding against the snow. Boxwood is another good variety. It remains green throiighout the year, is hardy and can be pruned into a variety of architectural shapes with just a couple of prunings a year. Marshall advises purchasing plants with a variety of bloom times. The eastern redbud flowers along its stem with tiny mauve pea-like flowers in early May. Its large heart- shaped leaves provide heavy shade during the spring and summer, and - its grey bark is attractive in winter. Summer wine ninebark is a good shrub for this area. It has • a deep burgundy, almost black leaf colour, attractive flowers in the summer, and nice bark in the winter. Viburnum are also summer and fall bloomers. Berries not only provide winter interest, they attract birds as well. In the summer and fall viburnum are stunning with large white "flowers' and vibrant fall leaves. Hydrangea are relatively maintenance-free in , this climate, although like the butterfly bush, they bloom on new growth. It is important to prune hydrangea and butterfly bushes back in the spring. Russian sage has long-lasting delicate-looking lavender blue flowers, and is a good summer-fall transition plant. For late summer interest, rose of Sharon and hardy hibiscus are great plants. Rose of Sharon can be pruned into a tree-like shape or let grow as an urn-shaped bush. It has stunning flowers in white, pink or blue tones and combinations of these colours. The hardy hibiscus has huge. saucer-sized blooms, but is the last plant to some out of hibernation in the spring. It is also the last plant to bloom in the fall. When planting a shrub, a hole should be dug that is one and a half to twice the width of the pot, and the same depth as the pot. Marshall advises throwing a handful of bone meal in the bottom of the hole before planting. If the soil is poor, increase the width of the area that is dug and add more bone meal. If the soil is good, and you have the right plant for the location, plants should require minimal fertilizer to stay healthy. Once planted, water well, and mulch. Marshall advises using three to four inches of bark mulch on plants. This keeps down weeds, reduces watering needs arid protects the roots from freeze-thaw cycles in the winter. Leaving the soil bare is an invitation to weeds and extra work for you. Summer mornings, Marshall goes for a walk along the trail, then grabs a coffee and drifts through her garden savouring the fragrances and beauty, and marvelling in the changes_that have come that day. With wise planning you can develop a garden that brings enjoyment and peace, not drudgery. DINOSAUR IN YOUR BASEMENT. You thought dinosaurs were extinct? Actually, millions of them are alive today In the form of outdated fossil-fuel furnaces. Increasingly costly to own, these dinosaurs gobble •. up expensive natural gas, fuel oil or propane—and contribute to global warming.