Dear Helen: In a garden I visited recently, I saw an unusual plant听identified for me as a Podophyllum known as 鈥楽potty Dotty.鈥� It听was growing in a pot, which made it easier to see the drooping, oxblood-red flowers tucked under the听leaves. Do you know this plant?
K.H.
I saw a Spotty Dotty plant a听few years ago in a garden on the Cowichan Family Life tour (June 4 this year). It鈥檚 a perennial that draws notice with its showy foliage.
Spotty Dotty is a hybrid podophyllum with large, umbrella-shaped, mottled leaves. It鈥檚 an impressive foliage woodland plant for moist shade or part shade, and a good companion perennial for hostas and ferns. It is related to mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), a听native plant of eastern North America.
The podophyllums are considered rare and unusual, and are sometimes found in specialty nurseries.
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Dear Helen: Many years ago, I听rescued some wild trilliums from a lot being cleared near my听home. Every year, they have flowered well. This year, around mid-April, the patch of trilliums produced a double bloom. Can you听explain?
H.K.
A double flower arising among regular trilliums is most likely a mutation 鈥� a spontaneous genetic change, or听鈥渟port.鈥� A change in flower colour, or听a shoot bearing variegated foliage appearing on a plain-leaved plant, are commonly seen examples of mutations, which can be triggered by factors such as temperature extremes or weedkiller use. It鈥檚 a lovely bloom 鈥� a good sport maybe?
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Dear Helen: I am looking for sources, preferably Canadian, for heirloom seeds. Can you help?
L.S.
Here are some I鈥檓 familiar with, and听use regularly as seed sources:
鈥� Salt Spring Seeds grows all听its own heritage seeds 鈥� vegetables, herbs, flowers. saltspringseeds.com. Dan Jason is especially proud of his high protein seeds 鈥� dry beans and peas, soybeans, lentils, quinoa, amaranth and more.
鈥� Florabunda Seeds, Indian River, Ontario. (florabundaseeds.com.) Seeds for heirloom annuals, perennials, vines, herbs, vegetables.
鈥� The Cottage Gardener, Newtonville, Ontario. (cottagegardener.com.) Historic perennials, old-fashioned annuals, traditional herbs, heirloom vegetables.
鈥� Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. (seedsavers.org.) Not Canadian, but a wonderful source for unusual vegetable and flower varieties. Gorgeous colour catalogue with many listings not available elsewhere.
鈥� West Coast Seeds, William Dam Seeds and T&T Seeds don鈥檛 specialize in heirlooms, but point out heritage varieties with an icon.
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Weekend column. I鈥檒l be taking a break from writing the Saturday column for the upcoming Victoria day weekend. I鈥檓 off to plant, trim and weed. I wish you all happy times tending your gardens.
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GARDEN EVENTS
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Tomato day. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is hosting Tomato Day on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Organically grown tomato and vegetable transplants.
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Plant sale. Friends of the Abkhazi Garden Society will hold a Plant-
a-Holics sale on Sunday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the garden, 1964 Fairfield Rd. Pacific Coast irises, woodlanders, ferns, grasses, succulents, geraniums, fuchsias. Cash or cheque only.
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Orchid meeting. The Victoria Orchid Society will meet on Monday at 7 p.m. in Gordon Head United Church Hall, 4201 Tyndall Ave. Glen Decker of Piping Rock Orchids will speak about his specialty, slipper orchids. He will be selling plants that are not commonly available.
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Rose meeting. The Mid Island Rose Society will meet on Tuesday, 6 to 8 p.m. in the North Nanaimo Library on Hammond Bay Rd.
Workshops at HCP. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific is offering the following workshops. Register at 250-479-6162. hcp.ca
鈥� Plant Identification and Culture. The next session in this ongoing, monthly course (can be joined at any time) will be on Saturday, May 27,
1 to 4 p.m. In each session Diane Pierce introduces 25 new plants, with descriptions, preferred growing conditions, landscape uses and maintenance. Cost to HCP members per session is $35, others $45. Cost for 12 sessions: members $350, others $450.
鈥� Driftwood and Succulents. Saturday, May 27, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Create a display to take home. Materials provided. Members $25, others $35.
鈥� Introduction to Garden Design. Mondays 6:30 to 9 p.m. on May 29, June 5, 12, 19, 26, July 10, 17. Saturday field trips 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on June 25 and July 9. Design a residential landscape plan as you learn about garden styles, site analysis, landscape materials. Members $250, others $295.s