As the dreary spring wore on, many were the pundits who foretold a reward to come for our forbearance — a grand explosion of growth and colour when the weather, at last, began to give hints of turning from dismal to bright and cheery.
They were right. It seemed to happen almost overnight, probably because, for many of us, days went by without venturing into our rain-drenched gardens.
One day, around mid-month, I peered out through the gloom from the kitchen window to see broad clouds of dancing, frothy pink and white flowering cherry blossoms, the first big trusses of creamy rhododendron bloom and a huge Cynthia rhododendron showing initial traces of deep pink as the clusters began to break open.
Domes of bright yellow cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma) brightened the front garden and patches of my favourite species tulip, Lilac Wonder, were flowering, oddly enough in this late year, in their usual time, around Mother’s Day. Lewisias that had lived in the same clay pots for many years produced thick bouquets of flowers.
Some miserable days remained before more blessed sunshine and warmth arrived to bring on a grand acceleration in growth and flowering. Sunny intervals produced a happy outbreak of gardeners and lovers of all things green. Suddenly, smiling faces crowded outdoor markets where their numbers had been meagre before. Neighbours not seen all winter burst like spring flowers onto their landscapes. Garden questions ensued.
For the first time since early autumn, I noticed a couple in their garden over the back fence. Their first comment in our conversation was about the terrible winter and spring, and how good it was to be outdoors in the sunshine again.
But Sandra had a problem. Seeds for a squash and a pumpkin had somehow tipped out of their containers and intermingled. All the seeds looked alike, and she wanted to sow directly into the garden. What to do?
I suggested that she mix the seeds up thoroughly in hopes of attaining an acceptably even distribution of the two seed types, and plant. Summer’s growth will reveal the identities of the plants. By their fruits she shall know them.
A potted Genii. Another neighbour and friend had bought a hardy fuchsia called Genii for a large pot to set outside the entrance to her garden suite. The pot was still full of soil from a previous planting. Did it need emptying? What kind of soil to use as replacement?
I recommended she remove a third to half of the old soil and use it to mulch around her landlady’s plants. Fluff up the remaining soil and add fresh planting mix. Marilyn cane over to watch me put together a batch of my usual mix, enough for her pot. Then she’d know how to do it herself.
My mix is a commercial blend beefed up for staying power with bagged, sterilized, all-purpose real soil, a little vermiculite for added water retention, and perlite for aeration and drainage.
Genii grows just one metre high and has small golden leaves that retain their bright gold colour best in sun. I showed Marilyn how to pinch back tip growth above sets of double shoots if she wanted a broad, compact shrub. Such pinching is not done if a taller, less dense look is desired.
I also suggested that her large patio tub would accommodate two trailing fuchsias in front of Genii for additional colour and interest in the container planting.
GARDEN EVENTS
Herbal tinctures. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is holding a workshop on Herbal Tincture Making on Saturday, June 3, 1 to 3 p.m. Learn about different tincture types and ways to make them, with a focus on fresh wild-gathered and home garden herbs. Participants will make a tincture to take home, receive a detailed handbook, and enjoy a complimentary herbal tea and treat. HCP members $45, others $50. hcp.ca.
Cowichan tour. Cowichan Family Life hosts its annual fund-raising garden tour on Sunday, June 4, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The six gardens on the tour include Maple Bay Manor on Maple Bay Rd. Tickets at $20 available at Oak Bay and Broadmead Dig This stores; Russell Farm Market and Gardens in Chemainus; Third Addition Gifts in Mill Bay; Dinter’s Nursery, Buckerfield’s, Volume One Books, and Cowichan Family Life and Thrift Store in Duncan. cowichanfamilylife.org.