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Saturday, July 05, 2008 • 06:00 am |
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June 3, 2004
June is upon us and with its arrival, chances of night frosts are minimal. So if you have neglected to fill your pots and containers with annuals, you are now in danger of becoming known as lazy or even a non-gardener (shame on you!). Fear not! We will gladly offer a helping hand by showing you some quick and easy projects that will instantaneously spruce up your deck or patio. In one of our previous columns, we suggested you should make room on your deck or patio for herbs. Fill one or more containers with your “herbes de choix”, strategically placed by the patio door (halfway between the kitchen and the barbecue). Although certain herbs – chives, oregano and mint - are hardy and can be grown directly in your garden, some caution should be exercised. Mint is very aggressive and prolific and it will gladly take over whatever flowerbed you plant it in, ruthlessly choking out all plants that stand in its way. Oregano acts in much the same way, although it is not quite as determined as mint. Chives will merrily seed themselves all over the place and pop up in spots where you least expect (or want). In general, plants such as these are better placed in a container of their own where they can grow without damaging your garden. Having said that, we should point out to you that oregano (as well as thyme) makes excellent groundcover in places where it is allowed to cover larger areas. Interspersed with stepping-stones, oregano or thyme will give your garden a lush appearance with the added benefit of releasing a subtle and delightful fragrance when walked upon. There are two golden rules you should keep in mind before you can start to create your own herb garden:
Line the bottom of a planter with pebbles, gravel or shards of broken plant pots (for drainage purposes), fill with soil, and arrange the still-potted plants in a pleasing layout (I am assuming that you will buy the plants, but you could, of course, grow them from seed as well). Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your “garden”, take the herb plants out of their pots and plant them in the soil (mixed with a little vermiculite, or whatever soil mix works best for you).
It is completely hardy in our region and adapts easily to almost any situation. Grown in full sun, the leaves tend to be somewhat smaller but the flower spikes will be larger. Grown in semi- or full shade the leaves will be larger, whereas the flowers will be smaller. Depending on the variety, Ajuga comes with green, burgundy or variegated foliage, which makes it a valuable addition to the garden even when it is not in flower. Although we always have to be cautious about planting members of the mint family, I have never encountered major problems with Ajuga. Removing its runners is relatively easy, so a quick check and possibly some “cosmetic pruning” each spring should suffice to keep the plant within its designated boundaries. A safe bet is to plant the variegated variety, as it tends to spread at a slower speed than its green and burgundy relatives. Early-flowering shrubs will develop next year’s flowers on the
new shoots they produce this season. If you wish to contain the size
of your lilacs, forsythias, bridal wreath spireas and certain early
clematis varieties, now is the time to prune them back. This will also
prevent tall shrubs that only flower at the very tops of their branches.
While you are at it, take a look at the very bottom of your lilac bushes
and cut back the suckers they tend to produce. Happy Gardening! Your feedback About René
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This
photo shows (clockwise from bottom) variegated sage, parsley, garlic
chives, red basil and coriander ringing an Osteospermum (which will
have bright purplish-pink daisy-like flowers). Although the sage and
the basil were specifically chosen to contrast with the green-leafed
herbs, it is a good idea to add a bright-coloured annual to the planter.
Alternatively, try planting a Nasturtium. Not only will its colourful
yellow-orange flowers spruce up your “herb garden”, they
are delicious in a salad (as are its leaves) and make a beautiful and
unusual (edible) plate decoration.
Here’s
another simple project. All you need is a pot, some potting soil, two
wire tomato cages and some climbing plants (for instance sweet pea or
morning glory).
Our
plant of the week is Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans). A member of the mint
family, it will rapidly form a nice thick green (or variegated) carpet
with purple-blue flowers in May and June. 
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