- Author: Janet Snyder
My waiting game has begun. Every year, when spring rolls around, I have to wonder. Will they bloom?
I'm talking about the six common lilac bushes, Syringa vulgaris 'President Grevy', in my front yard. We planted them soon after we moved in to our home 13 years ago. They were the first major planting we did after the lawn and fences went in. I wanted a nice tall row of bushes along the edge of our front yard, and my only requirement was that it had to be something that bloomed. Roses were not an option, because I didn't want to take the chance of my kid(s) falling in to them while playing on the grass. I considered the butterfly bush, Buddleia, because of it's beautiful flowers that hummingbirds and butterflies love (not to mention it's unique scent). However, the ones I had in my previous garden had a tendency to look straggly, and I didn't want that because it would be the first thing you see when arriving at my house. Anyway, the lilacs just seemed the best fit for the area. Besides, imagine how beautiful they would be covered with all of those intoxicating flowers! I knew they were just what I wanted.
Syringa vulgaris, a species of Syringa in the olive family Oleaceae, is an upright deciduous shrub, approximately 10-15 feet high. The flowers are fragrant, upright clusters, most commonly lavender or white. They grow best in full sun in a neutral or lime, well-drained soil. They do prefer a nice, cold winter, something we didn't see much of this past winter. Any pruning should be done immediately after flowering, or you run the risk of not having flowers set for the following year. Regular watering, especially during our hot summers, is a must. While I just put an occasional shovelful of compost around mine, you can give them a dose of a general purpose fertilizer before new growth. Overall, I have found my lilacs to be quite low maintenance plants.
Back to my waiting game. In the 13 years they've been here, I have had several spring blooms that were pretty, gave me some flowers to smell and place in vases in my house, and enjoyed. I have also had a few springs of virtually no flowers blooming. Twice I have had some flowering in late August, and this past December, I had two shrubs with a number of small flower clusters. So why do I bother with lilacs in our area if flowering can be such a gamble? Five years ago, my lilacs had a spring bloom that was jaw-dropping. Each shrub was absolutely covered in the most beautiful, breathtaking, fragrant flowers. They were gorgeous! I figure if it happened once, it will happen again. I just have to be patient and willing to play my waiting game.
- Author: Sharon L. Rico
Usually this time of year is cold, wet and dreary. Being indoor bound, one does not appreciate what’s happening outdoors. In years past being indoor bound, my free time was spent reading the seed and plant catalogs that arrived in the fall, and planning a spring garden. Not so this year! With most days in the 60's and a few in the 70's, the garden beckons. I am not one to begin chopping down the plants that have frost bite, there are other garden chores to enjoy instead. Plants that are bulging out of their containers can be transplanted to larger pots. Thinning the clumps of callas and wild wood violets is an ongoing project. Moving statuary and garden art to enhance plans for staging the garden this year is another sunny day project. Spending this time outdoors has brought awareness of the surrounding colors. Everything seems to be blooming more abundantly (for February). The bright white calla spathes are unfolding, as I write. The daphne (Thymelaeaceae), with its tiny clustered pink bells, perfumes our shade garden. Camellias (Theaceae), are either in full bloom or covered with swollen buds. One camellia, named ‘Pink Perfection’, is covered in light pink blooms from top to bottom. Azaleas bloom along the shady walkway and in containers. The hardenbergias purple sweet pea-looking blooms, cascade over the wine barrel that has been its home for 20 years. Bright yellow primroses (Primulaceae), bloom at the base of the Rose of Sharon tree (Hibiscus syriacus), and yellow daffodils are opening up in containers and along the driveway. The Lisbon lemon tree has bright yellow lemons glowing from its lower branches, resembling a lopsided Christmas tree. The yellow oxalis flowers are poking up through the celery and among the sweet peas. Native to our garden, I suspect the oxalis has been growing here since 1930. Hanging baskets of red, white and pink cyclamen (Primulaceae) brighten the front porch and side yard. Blue wood violets show up everywhere, including in the middle of the lawn. In the next month or so, the tulips will bloom, followed by roses, sweet peas and iris, adding additional color to the garden. Winter’s sunshine is the time to enjoy being outdoors this year and we’re doing it!
- Author: Karen Metz
I love looking out my sliding glass door to the Cymbidium orchids blooming on my patio. I look forward to bloom time each year. The bloom spikes are amazing, each blossom perfect, intricate, and exotic. I love that the flowers are so long lived whether you leave them on the plant or bring them inside.
It took me a while to find the right place for them. At first, I had them in full sun and they fried during our hot summers. Nest I tried placing them under my Podocarpus gracilus (Fernpine trees) but they got too much shade there, ending up with rich dark green foliage, but no flowers. Finally after we got our lathed patio cover, I put them there and they seem to be doing much better. n They would probably do even better if I would remember to fertilize them on a more regular basis. The books say every 10 -14 days; mine are lucky if they get any once a month.
I'm just impressed that I can leave them outside during the winter. I do cover them with a sheet when frosts are predicted. I also have learned to inspect them frequently for snails and slugs that love to munch on the blossoms. Of course our reactions to plants are often colored by our past experiences. Being a Master Gardener often allows us to talk to gardeners that have come from other places. One couple from Michigan looked ecstatic when they found out they could grow orchids outside, while another gardener from the San Diego area was very disappointed that she would only be able to grow one kind of orchid outside.
- Author: Karen Metz
I may be the Queen of potted plants, but even I will eventually throw in the towel with pots. I'd had a Salvia mexicana 'Limelight' for several years in a pot. It just never did much. I think one year I actually had one blossom. Before I threw it away, I decided to plant it in one of my lavender beds figuring it would die. The plant took off growing and hasn't stopped. With the blossoms, it's over four feet tall.
They take full sun and average to low water. They are hardy to the mid twenties. Some plants just seem to do better in the ground. So before you throw anything out , give it one last chance and plunk it in the ground. It might surprise you.
- Author: Sharon L. Rico
October is the month to plant sweet pea seeds and I can hardly wait to get mine in the ground! In 1817, poet John Keats wrote “Here are sweet peas, on tip toe for a flight; With wings of gentle flush o’er delicate white, And taper fingers catching at all things, To bind them all about with tiny rings.”
Sweet peas, which have the descriptive Latin name Lathyrus odoratus, are incredibly gorgeous and powerfully perfumed. Often we smell them before we see the blossoms and the perfume invites us to find them, lifting our spirits and making us smile. Having a passion for sweet peas, I’ve been growing them annually for nearly 50 years.
It’s ideal to plant the seeds in an area where they can climb and be supported. Cement wire against a fence or wire between two poles in an open area will work well. The soil needs to be amended with compost and manure.
These tiny, round, hard seeds need to be soaked in water overnight. Soaking them softens the hard seed shell and encourages them to sprout. My grandmother placed her seeds on wet paper napkins on a tray in the basement and left them for several days until they were swollen and ready to “pop.” I use the same technique, using paper towels and an old cookie sheet. I carry that into the garden and place each seed individually 3 inches apart and ½ inch deep, thinning to 6 inches apart as they grow.
As soon as the plants emerge, grab some snail bait, as slugs and snails will feast on these seedlings! As the vines grow, they may need to be wound between the wire support until the tendrils grab hold. At this point, there’s not much to do until mid-April when the vines will vigorously grow and the incredible flowers appear. Sweet peas need to be picked daily for continuous blooming. The flowers will scent your home and are welcome gifts for friends and neighbors. As the vines turn brown and dry in June, there will be pods you can collect seeds for the following October. I’ve found that everyone loves sweet peas! Now, I’ve got to get busy!