Dear Helen: The Hula berries I听planted last year have formed fruit. They are white听with red seeds. How do听I听know听when they are ready to pick?
R.M.
Hula, like the Aloha white strawberries I planted last spring, will be smaller than typical red strawberries. When the first ones look promisingly plump, test them for fragrance. Ripe berries are strongly aromatic. Then, a听taste test will guide you to spotting the most fully ripe berries.
White strawberries are said to be the most flavourful and nutritious of all. For the greatest density of taste, pick strawberries on a dry, sunny afternoon.
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Dear Helen: I recently saw a long row of spectacular plants, about 150 centimetres tall, full of flowerbuds with some opened white flowers that had showy yellow stamens, much like a Romneya (Matilija poppy) except the growth habit and foliage are different. Can you identify the plants?
P.H.
Your shrubs are Cistus, possibly a听variety called 鈥楤ennet鈥檚 White,鈥� which bears white crepe-paper type flowers up to 10 cm across with bright yellow stamens, in spring and early summer. The evergreen plants grow 120 to 180 cm high and have dark green leaves, greyish underneath.
Another possibility is Cistus laurifolius. Both shrubs grow to about the same size, but Bennet鈥檚 White has dark green leaves while C. laurifolius has dark grey-green leaves. Its flowers are slightly smaller than Bennet鈥檚 White.
If the planting is a municipal one, you could inquire at the municipal offices for positive identification.
Chiltern Seeds lists C. laurifolius (laurel-leaved rock rose), which it describes as the hardiest species with flowers about 6 cm across, borne from June to August. Cistus in general has a reputation for drought tolerance once established, and this species is said to be especially adapted for tough, dry conditions.
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GARDEN EVENTS
View Royal meeting. The View Royal Garden Club will meet this evening at 7:30 in Wheeley Hall at Esquimalt United Church, 500 Admirals Rd. Brook Stark from the City of Victoria will speak about Our Urban Forest. There will be a judged mini-show and a sales table. Visitors are welcome.
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Sooke meeting. The Sooke Garden Club will meet this evening at 7 in St. Rose of Lima Church, 2191 Townsend Rd. Pam Day will discuss creating outdoor rooms. Warm welcome to newcomers.
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Plant sales. Two Garden Babies for Birthright plant sales will be held on Saturday, 9 a.m. to听1听p.m., at听St. Elizabeth Church, 10030 3rd Ave. in Sidney and at St. Patrick鈥檚 Church, 2060 Haultain in Oak Bay. The sales will听feature plans for the foreground 鈥� dwarf and low varieties, ground covers and rock garden plants 鈥� as well as perennials, flowering shrubs and more, all at irresistible prices.
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Flower show and sale. The Mill Bay Garden Club will host its 69th annual Community Flower & Garden Show: Gardening for Mind, Body and Soul on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Cobble Hill Hall, 3550 Watson Ave. The event will feature more than 70 types of flower and vegetable displays, a silent auction, sales of plants and garden aids, gardening workshops, master gardeners in attendance, and a strawberry tea. Admission is $2. Children are admitted free. millbaygardenclub.com.
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Spring plant sale. The Nanaimo Horticultural Society will hold a Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 2;30 p.m. at Nanaimo North Town Centre, 4750 Rutherford Rd. A wide selection of plants will be available, and master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. Proceeds help to support a VIU student.
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Ladysmith tour, show and sale. Ladysmith Rotary will present the 19th听annual Garden Tour, Show and Sale on Sunday, centred in Aggie Hall, 1st Ave. and Symonds St., which will be open at 8:45 a.m. with breakfast available to 10:30. From 9 a.m. to 2听p.m., there will be display booths and听sales in the hall. Advance tickets ($15) are available from local Rotarians and at Nancy鈥檚 Fashion and 49th Parallel Grocery in Ladysmith. Tickets at $20 are available in the hall on Sunday. Tickets include a garden pass, program and map to nine gardens from acreages in Yellow Point and Cedar to home gardens in Ladysmith. The tour is听open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
