Dear Helen: What is the difference between fall crocus and colchicum?
P.B.
Confusion between the two arises because both are commonly called 鈥渁utumn crocus,鈥� but they are actually unrelated and vary significantly in both flower and corm size. Both are for sale at garden centres now.
Large colchicum flowers begin emerging in late summer. The foliage, also large, appears for a short time in spring. 鈥楾he Giant鈥� is a goblet-shaped classic. 鈥榃aterlily鈥� is a fancy double flower.
Fall crocus corms and flowers are small, like those of spring-flowering crocus. 鈥楽ativus鈥� is the saffron crocus. 鈥楽peciosus鈥� flowers are beautifully veined in violet.
听
Dear Helen: I want to plant a hedge that听will form a solid wall, preferably 180 to 240 cm high, as a sight and sound barrier. I prefer needle-bearing to broadleaf evergreens. The plants need to be deer resistant.
D.B.
If it weren鈥檛 for the deer issue, the deservedly popular emerald cedar (Thuja occidentalis 鈥楽maragd鈥�) would be a good choice for its rich green colour and the attractive foliage pattern听of swirled bands. The plants can grow up to three metres or a bit more.
Deer will eat just about anything if they鈥檙e hungry enough, but the safest choices where the animals abound are juniper, spruce, pine and yew. Among these, many are too low or tall for your needs.
Personally, I鈥檓 very fond of yews for听their soft, dark foliage, classy look, and minimal pruning needs. but they grow slowly. There are various upright, columnar forms suitable for hedging and within your preferred height range.
One of my local nurseries came up with two interesting options. One is a selection of Japanese cedar: Cryptomeria japonica 鈥楽piralis鈥� 鈥� a dense plant with spirally twisted foliage that grows 180 to 240 cm high and wide. It is slow growing.
The other is a 鈥楪oldcress鈥� cypress (Cupressus) called 鈥榃ilma鈥� featuring chartreuse, scale-like foliage in plume-like sprays. The plants grow to your desired height and 30 to 60 cm wide. They are lightly lemon scented.
As you begin looking to see which possibilities appeal most, bear in mind that the selection will be best in the spring. And though planting is possible in spring or fall, early spring is safer, especially if we have another outrageous winter.
If you are at all open to considering a听broad-leaf hedge, have a look at some Mexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata) plants. The most beautiful hedge I鈥檝e seen was a choisya hedge. The plants have soft, glossy green, fan-shaped, fragrant foliage and beautifully scented May flowers. The plants grow 180 to 240 cm tall and wide. The hedge I听saw had a golden-leaved variation called 鈥楽undance鈥� at each end.
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Dear Helen: How do I find a source for听a decent soil and compost mix to听replace the very disappointing purchased soil in my raised beds? K.P.
Because suppliers vary throughout the Island, to be sure of a good quality soil mix in bulk locally, the very best thing you can do is to start asking among gardening friends and neighbours. If you ask enough people, one or听two prime sources will surface as suppliers of reliably high quality soil for your beds. Whenever I鈥檓 seeking satisfaction from any major purchase or a particular service, this 鈥渨ord of mouth鈥� method of information gathering has rarely failed.
听
GARDEN EVENTS
Natural lawn care. Russell Nursery, 1370 Wain Rd. In North Saanich, is offering a听free class on 鈥淟awn Care the Natural Way鈥� with John close of Lush Eco Lawns on Saturday, at 10 a.m. To reserve a space please call 250-656-0384 or visit russellnursery.com.
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The art of seeing and photographing gardens. Renowned garden photographer and听tour guide Allan Mandell will present 鈥淪oft听Light and No Wind 鈥� Seeing and Shooting Gardens鈥� at the Horticulture Centre of听the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, on听Sunday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m. Twice a year Allan leads small group tours to Kyoto, Japan, to explore his favourite gardens. With examples from North America and Japan, this lecture will offer a chance to see gardens and the art of photographing them in a new way. The talk is听one of听the Russell Nursery 25th Anniversary Speaker Series. Tickets at $25 are available at听the nursery or from their website: russellnursery.com. Space is limited. Tickets need to be purchased in听advance.