What is Irish and Comes Out in Spring?… Paddy O Furniture!
How strange it feels, from the comfort of your home, to turn on the TV and be able to watch the horrid events in the Middle East unfold. Now it’s being reported by any journalist that commanders of the US armed forces have told their troops that Trump was anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon to mark his return to earth. No conceit could even match such a claim and only shows the dangers Trump has instilled in people who should have some brains.
March weather in like a lamb out like a lion. No one can figure out what one might wake up to. A nasty wind storm on a Sunday night lead to 3 inches of snow on the Monday morning. The pattern is likely to repeat itself throughout the coming week. As moisture is needed we certainly can’t complain and it does look pretty from inside the house. Fortunately the temperatures will remain quite warm both day and night.
Now is the time for dreaming and planning the yard and garden. First an inventory of the areas where one would like to expand. You should be looking at the light this area gets, watering constraints, soil type, each area whether dry or wet, acid or alkaline, rocky, sandy, or heavy clay can be adapted and planted to grow beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers.
Shady areas can be planted with Astilbe, some Lilies, Lily of the Valley, Blue Bells, Hosta and Ferns, Helleborus, Goats Beard and many other perennials.
Sunnier areas will support Roses, Phlox, Catmint, most annuals like geranium, marigold, Gladiolus and some lilies.
If you have an area that seems to get picked on by deer you can try plants like Cone Flower, Feather grasses, Salvia, Geranium and Marigold. This area should also be heavily planted with Snap Dragons as they are very good as deterring deer.
To attract Butterflies and Bees try Peony, Bee Balm, Phlox, Alstromeria, Latris, Columbine, Butterfly Tower and Butterfly Bush.
Drier areas can be planted with Wall Flowers, Snap Dragon, Thyme, Alyssum, Lavender, Rosemary, Euphorbia, Scotch and Globe Thistle and Sedum.
Wetter areas of your yard can be beautifully enhanced with Cyprus, Willows, Dogwood, Irises, Marsh Marigold, Rudbeckia, some Asters and Daisies, Lythrum and Lysimachia although these can be come very invasive.
Plan your areas and plantings with a thought to the height of plant starting back to front with the tallest then medium to lowest plants. Give your perennials lots of room to grow into their spots filling in with annuals to give a burst of colour and a sense of fullness.
The garden area itself should also be preplanned with crop rotation kept foremost in your mind. Soil amendments will be discussed in next weeks article as this is very important and all planting will benefit from what you prep the ground with.
Yes it is the time to dream!
Happy Gardening!
Samantha Nason
BS Ranch & Greenhouses
250 547 6567
sam1nason@gmail.com
