Dear Helen: Over a year ago you wrote about vanilla leaf, which I听have discovered in wild areas near my home. I love the smell of听the leaves as they dry and would like to have some in the garden. I don鈥檛 want to take from the wild. Where can I buy plants?
S.B.
If vanilla leaf (Achlys triphylla, deer foot, sweet-after-death) is found in wild areas nearby, chances are it will grow in gardens adjacent to these areas. That鈥檚 how I have it on my property, which is carved out of forest. Why not knock on a few doors? People are usually happy to share plants.
Otherwise, garden centres that carry native plants are possible sources. Make a few phone calls. A mail order source is Fraser鈥檚 Thimble Farms on Salt Spring Island (thimblefarms.com).
Slender white flower spikes began appearing on a bright green carpeting of vanilla leaf in a sunny corner of the garden early in the month. Though the plants are recommended for moist, shaded sites, none of my three patches are watered and two are in full sun. Plantings spread by slender underground rhizomes, and are best placed in garden corners. I鈥檝e seen vanilla leaf recommended as an underplanting for lilies in groups of rhododendrons.
The vanilla-like fragrance of the dried leaves inspired the common name. Hung in bunches indoors to dry, vanilla leaf was traditionally used to perfume homes and to repel flies and mosquitoes.
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Dear Helen: I took note of your recent directions on preparing plots for planting and on natural-source fertilizers. Two followup questions: Where can I buy kelp meal and soft rock phosphate? Under what name(s) will I find a type of lime that is all calcium, that is without the magnesium that is present in dolomite lime?
B.F.
Kelp meal and soft rock phosphate are valued as sources of many minerals and micronutrients needed for plant and human health. Soft rock phosphate supplies the major nutrient phosphorus and kelp meal is high in potassium. They can be combined with natural nitrogen sources such as seed and blood meals for a balanced fertilizer.
The three numbers on fertilizer labels indicate the 鈥渕ajor鈥� nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) contents in that order: N-P-K.
To find garden outlets with natural-source fertilizers, phone a few and specify the materials you want. I find some at my local Buckerfield鈥檚 and, this year, at one nursery nearby, because of new people in charge of ordering fertilizers who have a special interest in organic growing methods. Integrity Sales in Saanichton has organic products.
The lime issue: To avoid a magnesium overload in the soil from constant use only of dolomite lime, which has magnesium as well as calcium, it is recommended to use dolomite either alternately or mixed with an all-calcium lime. For that I use Calcium carbonate, sold also under names like 鈥渕arking lime鈥� or 鈥渉igh calcium lime.鈥� Before I听buy a bag, I always check for the 鈥淐alcium carbonate鈥� on the label, because some other 鈥渉igh calcium鈥� lime products are caustic and harmful to soil organisms. I鈥檝e bought Calcium carbonate at both Buckerfield鈥檚 and Shar-Kare.
GARDEN EVENTS
Lily meeting. The Victoria Lily Society meets tonight at 7 in the Rose Garden at听Royal听Roads, 2005 Sooke Rd. Greg Hines will听lead a tour of the garden and speak about growing roses for the Pacific Northwest.
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Floral art. The Mid Island Floral Art Club meets Thursday at 1:45听p.m. in St. Stephen鈥檚 United Church hall, 150 Village Way in Qualicum Beach. Leanne Opel, manager of the floral department in QB鈥檚 Qualicum Foods, will present Lavish Designs, a demonstration of听garden-inspired styles in vintage containers. Drop-in fee is听$6.
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Plant sales on Saturday, May 14:
鈥� Gordon Head Garden Club, 9 a.m. to听12听p.m.听in Gordon Head United Church Hall,听4201听Tyndall Ave. Perennials for sun听and听shade,听shrubs, vegetables, and听plenty听of free advice.
鈥� Ladysmith Saltair Garden Club, starting at听9听a.m. in Aggie Hall at Symonds and听1st Avenue (at the roundabout) in Ladysmith. Annuals, perennials, shrubs, herbs, vegetable transplants and houseplants, grown and raised by club members, along with experienced garden equipment and master gardeners to answer questions.
鈥� Esquimalt Garden Club, Saturday 10听a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 15, 10听a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Archie Browning Arena.
