wildlife

The Winter Garden – a berry bounty

Nov 27, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 6 Comments Tags: berries, birds, container design, design, foliage, grasses, perennials, shrubs, wildlife, winter

Big fat clusters of berries adorn the branches of Parney cotoneaster - a favorite February treat for robins

A winter garden doesn’t just ‘happen’, it takes planning. Most of us visit nurseries earlier in the year when we are seduced into buying ephemeral spring beauties, colorful summer perennials and fall foliage. It takes serious restraint to look beyond those and seek plants that offer great bark, interesting silhouettes, winter flowers and bright berries.

As I strolled around our garden recently on a bright but chilly day I was pleasantly surprised to discover I had in fact put into practice what I encourage others to do! In every part of the garden from the woodland to wilder open spaces there were interesting vignettes with clusters of juicy berries adding seasonal decoration.

Come and walk around the garden with me and I’ll show you a few which are adding jewel like color to our winter garden.

Parney cotoneaster can become a large shrub - give it room to spread

Parney cotoneaster (Cotoneaster lacteus) is a fabulous evergreen shrub for full sun or partial shade. (It will need partial shade in hotter climates). Its long arching branches are dripping with clusters of vivid red fruit- although they would be a little more heavily laden if the deer hadn’t nibbled some of the spring flowers… Come February they will attract flocks of robins to feast on the bounty. The foliage itself is dark green with felted, silvery undersides which catches the light when branches are brushed by a breeze. Give this room to spread to 10’ tall and 8’ wide to enjoy its full beauty although it can be pruned to keep smaller. Zones 6-10b

A PNW native, red chokeberry makes a dazzling fall and winter display with vibrant foliage and red berries

Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia). When we purchased this property in late October 2009 this 6’ tall native shrub was displaying its fiery crimson foliage, almost hiding the red berries. It is planted in partial shade where it is happily spreading by suckers to form a thicket arching over the stream. At this time of year when seen from the house it is framed by an archway of golden foliage from the pear trees. Chokeberry gets its name from the observation that birds avoid this bitter fruit, which suits me fine as I get to enjoy the winter color! Plant it in constantly moist or wet soil in sun or partial shade where it has room to spread, although it is not difficult to remove unwanted canes. It does have somewhat of an unkempt habit so I would recommend this as a background shrub or in a transitional space between the garden and wilder lands beyond – but be sure to site it where you can see it during the winter.

'Eichholz' cotoneaster has stiff woody stems and evergreen foliage - masses of berries are a bonus

Eichholz cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri ‘Eichholz’). Our stream is fed by three seasonal water sources – a natural aquifer which bubbles up from the stream bed, a neighboring seasonal pond and a pipe which drains water from an area of our garden. This pipe is at the bottom of a 4’ deep French drain so that as much water as possible percolates down and leaches into the surrounding soil – what reaches the pipe is in excess of that saturation point. I needed something to hide the pipe at the head of the stream and chose this evergreen shrub whose stiff woody branches will spread laterally to form an 8’ wide weed suppressing groundcover. At this time of year it is a mass of scarlet berries which add another layer of interest. This likes moisture retentive but well-drained soil in full sun and is hardy in zones 5-8

Chartreuse foliage of this snowberry is eye catching from spring to late fall and makes a great contrast to the hot pink berries

I can never resist something new especially if it has fabulous foliage, which is why ‘Blade of Sun’ snowberry (Symphoricarpos chenaultii ‘Blade of Sun’) leapt into my arms on a summer visit to a nursery! Low spreading branches of chartreuse foliage have been a wonderful addition to our woodland garden and it has been remarkably tolerant of abuse. Although the stream bank where I planted it does not completely dry out, I only watered it two or three times between July and October and it has been fine. It promises to have lots of pink/purple berries in winter and although there are only a scattered few this year I’m optimistic that next year will be more abundant. This is a deciduous shrub yet the foliage is still persisting even after several frosts. It prefers dappled shade where it will grow to 12-18” tall and 2’ wide. Zones 4-9

As leaves fall from barberries the twiggy structure and elongated berries are revealed

There are several other berry bearing perennials and shrubs in our garden – ‘Red Beauty’ holly (Ilex x ‘Rutzan’), honeysuckle, Pernettya (Pernettya mucronata), barberries (Berberis cv), wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’), and ‘Coral Beauty ‘ cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri) – enough for both the wildlife and ourselves to enjoy. The latter three are fabulous additions to container gardens also.

Others shrubs you might enjoy;

Beautyberry (Callicarpa sp) – purple

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos sp.) – white or pink

Other hollies (Ilex sp) – red, orange or yellow

Firethorn (Pyracantha sp.) – red, orange or yellow

Viburnum species – red, black or blue

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)

Fragrant Fall Favorites

Oct 14, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 4 Comments Tags: birds, climbers, fall, fragrance, perennials, shrubs, wildlife

The fragrant white flowers of glossy abelia have bright pink sepals in fall and winter. Photo credit; Taken at Wisley Gardens by thehardyperennial.com

Many of you enjoyed last week’s post on the katsura tree, loving its caramel apple scent as much as I do. Did you know that there are also several shrubs and perennials which spice up the fall garden with their fragrance too?

Glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora) is a somewhat sprawling shrub with tubular white pink flowers along its arching stems all summer and fall. It is evergreen in many areas, but does lose a proportion of its glossy green leaves here in the colder parts of Seattle, although not before they gain a wonderful rosy glow. Adored by hummingbirds, I like to use this as an informal hedge or screen. For the tidier minded gardener abelia can be sheared for size and shape, but I can’t help feeling that if God had intended it to have a poodle or pompom cut He would have created it that way. Just saying. Plant it in full sun or light shade – and put the shears away so it can spread to 5’ tall and wide. Hardy in zones 6-9.

Dianthus 'Firewitch' may be small in size but BIG in fragrance. Photo credit; Missouri Botanical Garden

Cheddar pinks (Dianthus sp.) –how can something so small smell so powerful? While there are many different Dianthus available, it is the low growing rockery group which readily come to mind when I think about reliable fall flowers and fragrance. In fact ‘Firewitch’ seems to have flowers for at least 7 months of the year in my garden! While each hot pink flower may be petite there is nothing subtle about its spicy perfume. Use it in containers or at the front of a garden border in full sun and well-drained soil. Hardy in zones 3-9.

Sweet autumn clematis may be a thug, but it is a beautiful and fragrant thug at least. Photo credit; Wikimedia Commons

Sweet autumn clematis (Clematis ternifolia) – love it or hate it, the sweet autumn clematis lives up to its name. Whether you consider it vigorous or invasive, there’s no denying that this delightful vine has considerable potential to swallow an arbor but if you’re up for the challenge then you will be rewarded with weeks of starry white flowers exuding a sweet vanilla scent. Plant on a sturdy structure in full sun and well-drained soil – then get out of the way! Hardy in zones 4-10 it will grow 20’ in a single season.

A contemporary white, yellow and black scheme with daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' as the star. It is partnered with 'Delta Dawn' coral bells, black mondo grass and white 'bud bloomer' heather which echoes the color of the daphne's flowers

Daphne ‘Eternal Fragrance’ (Daphne transatlantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’)– When someone mentions ‘daphne’ I immediately think of winter daphne (Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’) with its 3” long elliptical green leaves edged in creamy yellow and an intoxicating perfume that fills the February air. This week I was looking for the perfect fragrant plant for a container and came across ‘Eternal Fragrance’ daphne. It has smaller green leaves than the winter daphne and although its main flowering period is in spring it blooms reliably through fall. Certainly the one I found was a mass of buds – the promise of many heady weeks to come! Try it as a centerpiece in a container which receives afternoon shade and place it near a door or window to enjoy the fall fragrance. Hardy in zones 6-9 but may be deciduous below 0’F.

The unassuming fragrant olive has an unforgettable perfume. Photo credit; Monrovia

Fragrant tea tree, Fragrant olive or Tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans) – my blogging friend Deb Elliott wrote recently about this large evergreen shrub and its apricot-like fragrance. Take a side trip to Deb’s Garden and see what she enjoys most about this fall beauty and how it can be incorporated into your own garden.

At this time of year those of us who live in colder climates begin our gardening hibernation – enjoying our garden through the windows rather than from the patio. I challenge you to pull out a sweater and take a sensory walk around your garden. Do you still have herbs and vegetables to taste? Are there wispy grasses to run your fingers through? Are the birds flitting in and out of your bushes enjoying the berry and seed head buffet? Stand still, close your eyes and breathe deeply. What scents drift across the autumnal air to tease you? If there is little to note then consider the katsura tree I introduced you to last week or select one of the plants featured here.

Whether you have acreage or just a container garden there is always room for fragrance in fall.

Great Bulbs for Fall Containers

Sep 23, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 4 Comments Tags: bulbs, container design, deer, design, fall, foliage, spring, wildlife

Photo credit; tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com

It’s a bittersweet moment when you have to brace yourself to pull out all that lush summer growth, knowing that the replacements will inevitably look puny by comparison. I’ve just grappled with yards of overly – exuberant sweet potato vine, cutting back its long chartreuse tendrils of heart shaped leaves, digging deep in the containers to find the funky purple tubers. Some leaves were scorched by unseasonably late hot sun, others were limp from chilly nights. They would look reasonable for another week or so but my own schedule dictated that today was The Day for changing out the pots.

Ironically containers planted for fall and winter have to provide us with almost 8 months of color (late September to mid- May) as opposed to summer pots which strut their stuff from May until Mid-September (or late October if you’re a procrastinator). So how can we get a serious color punch without our favorite summer annuals?

Spring bulbs are the answer. By tucking them into containers as you are planting pots this fall you are burying treasure which will be revealed in a few months’ time.

Shade containers

Although most bulbs need 6 or more hours of direct sun to bloom well there are a few that will perform satisfactorily in shadier spots.

Snowdrops are one of the earliest bulbs to bloom. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

Snowdrops are perfect for adding a little sparkle. There are a couple of different species typically available but I usually select Galanthus elwesii which is taller at 12” than the 6” common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis). Plant at least five clustered together.

Winter aconite is as pretty in a container as it is in the garden. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is a fabulous deer resistant bulb that can be used to naturalize in sunny or partially shaded gardens. Its bright buttercup-like flowers add a lovely splash of color at the edge of a shady container but at just 3” tall be sure that the adjacent plants will not hide these dainty beauties.

Jeanne d'Arc crocus is pure white with rich orange stamens.

Crocus prefer lots of sun but if your containers get full morning sun they should still bloom nicely. Typically available in shades of purple, yellow and white it’s easy to find something to work with your color scheme. Look for the larger flowered varieties such as Jeanne d’Arc (white), Pickwick (lilac and white stripes) or Flower Record (deep purple).

Sun containers

I usually look for dwarf varieties of sun loving bulbs.

Tete a Tete dwarf daffodils repeat the yellow colors of the grass and pansy

Daffodils (Narcissus)– the petite Tete a Tete are well known and are great value since each bulb has multiple flower stalks. The slightly taller February Gold and Jetfire with its orange trumpet are also great candidates since their flower size won’t overpower the other container plants.

Fragrant Erlicheer Narcissus. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

For a white color scheme the fragrant Thalia is a good choice or Erlicheer which has double white flowers with a hint of buttery yellow and also smells wonderful.

Juan tulip. Photo credit; The Plant Expert

Tulips – there are many shorter varieties of tulips with attractive leaves – an important consideration for container garden design. Many of these also have multiple flowers per bulb so you get a lot of color from a small amount of space. Red Riding Hood (red flowers with purple striped leaves). Calypso (orange-red flowers edged with yellow and a black base with purple striated foliage) and Juan (orange with a yellow base and purple mottled leaves) are three of my favorites.

Princess Irene are always on my shopping list for fall containers

Where greater height is needed Princess Irene is my #1 choice. Rich reddish-orange flowers with a purple flare are set off by the blue-green foliage. This partners well with dark foliage or lime green accents.

Gorgeous ruffled peony type flowers of the tulip Foxtrot. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

For a softer color scheme Foxtrot is stunning with double peony type blooms in varying shades of rose or New Design has pretty pink flowers and green leaves with white margins. Don’t be afraid to cut off a few leaves if they spoil the look of the overall container design.

The richly hued Woodstock hyacinth. Photo credit; Bissett Nursery corp

Hyacinths – a single hyacinth can perfume a room so imagine what a few in a container can do! With colors from white, pink, blue to purple and peach there’s bound to be one that is just right. Woodstock has long been a personal favorite with its rich burgundy color, closely followed by the hot pink Jan Bos.

JS Dijt iris seems almost velvety. Photo credit; Central Texas Gardener blog

Dwarf iris (Iris reticulata) are a less common choice yet at 6” tall they are perfect for containers. I especially like the midnight blue JS Dijt with a central yellow flash when paired with golden foliage or even yellow pansies. Pixie is similar but a little lighter.

Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are also a welcome change, their strappy foliage having a grass like appearance at the edge of a container while the clusters of grape-like flowers in shades of blue or white are pretty.

Design considerations

Purple crocus have grown up through a layer of pansies to add a fresh spring look

Match the color of your bulbs to the overall color scheme of your container design for a designer look.
Height – keep shorter bulbs to the front of your containers
Tuck bulbs in between permanent plants or even underneath finely rooted plants such as pansies. The spring shoots will squeeze through and to the side of these easily.
Plant bulbs under seasonal color spots such as chrysanthemums or asters to give a second tier of color. Ideally remove these perennials when they have died down and gently backfill the hole with a little extra soil to cover the exposed bulbs, although this is not essential.

Tulips and grape hyacinths keep purple coral bells company in this design. Credit; Fine Gardening magazine

Planting tips

Add organic fertilizer under the bulbs when planting to promote root growth.If your garden is popular with squirrels you may want to consider adding chicken mesh or a special bulb cage to protect the bulbs.What about a container with tiers of bulbs that will bloom sequentially in spring? Try the lasagna planting method.

My favorite bulb growers – not only do they have excellent quality and size bulbs they are wonderful people. Can’t do better than that.

Brent and Becky’s Bulbs

Priceless parsnips

Jul 23, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 22 Comments Tags: climbers, deer, design, edible, wildlife

Fit for the Prince of parsnips - our new vegetable garden

“there are perfectly good stores where you can buy parsnips you know”…………

…….so commented a dear friend who couldn’t quite wrap her head around why we were spending many months and more than a few dollars to construct the Taj Mahal of vegetable gardens.

If you’ve been following this blog for a while you may recall my War of the Parsnips in which I vowed to thwart the Duvall vole population from decimating my treasured vegetable – a family favorite for Thanksgiving dinner. I then made the mistake (according to my long suffering husband) of going on a garden tour and seeing the perfect design for a wildlife proof vegetable enclave.

Somehow it all begins with big machinery!

It began with a bobcat – the sort that churns up the grass big time, not the wild animal variety which would have created less of a mess. Trenches were dug to lay drainage pipe (we have ‘water issues’) and hardware cloth – that sturdy, fine metal mesh which keeps out burrowing critters, which was sunk about 3’ deep around the perimeter.

A steel mesh was buried underground to thwart the voles then pinned onto the insides of the lower boards

The two fences are spaced 5' apart which allows for various bed/path widths

Next was the fence itself – the ‘boing-boing’ fence as it has been nicknamed. You see we’re in deer country and deer easily ‘boing’ over anything less than an 8’ fence to munch on the other side. However the vegetable garden was already almost equal in square footage to our modest home so the last thing we wanted was a really tall enclosure which would dwarf the house in height too. So we have two 5’ fences, 5’ apart, the principle being that deer won’t jump when they’re not sure they have clearance on the other side. In otherwise they can’t ‘boing-boing’ in or over a 5’ span.

As for fencing material we chose hog wire galvanized panels that have smaller holes at the bottom and bigger holes at the top. Rabbits can’t get through the small holes and deer can’t get their muzzles through the bigger ones. A solid 12” base stops moles getting in at ground level. Actually numerous mole hills around the perimeter suggest that several have tried and got a serious headache.

Since the gate at each end is only 'single', the pergola adds the necessary additional height to prevent the deer jumping

The gates match the fence panels but have a pergola overhead – again keeping deer out but also giving me somewhere to add honeysuckle and of course looking great.

Inside the enclosure the raised beds are 12” high and 18” or 3’ deep depending upon their intended use. Each panel is screwed together so if one board rots it can easily be replaced without taking the whole box apart. Raspberry beds are 3’ wide for example but 18” is plenty for leeks and onions. The main pathways are a comfortable wheelbarrow width of 4’ with 2’ for smaller paths.

All the main beds are 3' wide - easy to reach from either side.

The only thing that isn’t working well? The vegetables! I hesitated to post this blog since I can’t show you a flourishing kitchen garden. Rather most beds are empty (we’ve only just finished construction) and the few veggies look pretty pathetic compared to other years thanks in part to our terrible spring. However it does mean you can see the structure which is perhaps more helpful.

One great benefit of the design is that I have plenty of sturdy fencing on which to espalier apples, train sweet peas or grow beans without additional frames.

Each panel frames a view - here our meadow. The sturdy panels make training vines easy.

The only thing left to do is add some gravel around the perimeter to keep the grass back and maintain a tidy edge. A bigger budget might allow for bricks or steel.

So while farmers markets and organic produce sections in the stores might offer parsnips for sale, nicely scrubbed and ready to cook, our parsnips are just minutes from garden to table and you’ll have to believe me when I tell you their flavor is superior to any I’ve bought.

Thanks to the talents of my amazing husband the voles can go hungry this year.

A New Look for Cape Fuchsias

Jun 10, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 7 Comments Tags: container design, perennials, shrubs, wildlife

CandyDrops red Cape Fuchsia will add a vibrant splash of color to the garden

I love presents, especially when they are plants (or wine, or chocolate). So I was thrilled when Skagit Gardens in Washington State offered to send me some plants to try out. Now please understand that Skagit does not pay me for my time nor bribe me to write nice things about them or their plants. They simply send me these treasures to grow myself in the hopes that I will love them and share the love!

Not every plant from every grower makes the cut believe me, and like you I have very high expectations from plants. However I am really excited so far with two Cape Fuchsias which Skagit Gardens sent to me; Phygelius CandyDrops Tangerine and Phygelius CandyDrops red. These are the latest in the CandyDrops series which has been bred specifically for containers.

The CandyDrops series is perfect for containers

Cape Fuchsias (Phygelius sp.) are woody perennials, which bear long tubular flowers down the length of their upright stems, having some resemblance to the Gartenmeister fuchsias in that regard. Older varieties of Cape Fuchsias can become rather gangly and may grow as much as 5’ tall and wide! The CandyDrops series consists of compact plants in the 12-18” range. They start blooming in early summer and will repeat bloom if the flowering spikes are cut down as they fade. Mine have been in bloom for four weeks so far and are still pushing out new buds despite monsoon proportion rains and neglect on my part (sorry Skagit!)

Perhaps the best thing about these plants is the fact that hummingbirds love them. I had a real feeding frenzy going on earlier today with these tiny birds dive bombing the plants and each other like veteran war pilots.

CandyDrops tangerine is an easy-on-the-eye shade of orange

CandyDrops Tangerine is a light orange shade which could easily be toned down to apricot. Add in soft buttery yellows and a little white and you’ll have quite the floral sherbet. CandyDrops Red is a blue-red making it an easy companion in mixed containers or at the front of a garden border. It would also make a terrific centerpiece in a patriotic red-white-blue themed container garden for July 4^th.

Cape Fuchsias thrive in full sun or partial shade and prefer moist but well drained soil. Most varieties are hardy to zone 7 – the CandyDrops series are reportedly hardy to zone 8. Since I haven’t had mine through a winter yet I can’t tell you how they fare here in Seattle (zone 7-ish. Sometimes very –ish). With annuals often costing the same as perennials, don’t let the question of hardiness put you off experimenting in a container garden this season.

Try something new – the hummingbirds will thank you!

All photos courtesy of Skagit Gardens

Top 5 deer-resistant annuals (I hope)

May 20, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 13 Comments Tags: annuals, combinations, cut flowers, deer, design, drought tolerant, wildlife

Love in a Mist (Nigella) seeds can be sprinkled directly onto the soil. Photo credit; Ian Sutton

I need more plants.

One of the joys and frustrations of starting a new garden is watching it grow. For once I’m trying to be restrained and allow room for the trees, shrubs and perennials to expand to their natural shape and size without jostling neighbors yet that means I can see bare soil -definitely not my usual garden design style.

The main problem exists in a large island border where all plants have to thrive in full sun, be reliably drought tolerant and deer resistant. I also need BIG plants that make an impact due to the scale of the border as well as its setting within our 5 acre property. No wimpy pansies here! Even though the deer have so far ignored the trees and shrubs I’ve planted they still seem to think that it is acceptable to walk through my new border rather than go around. (It seems my dog was easier to train in that regard).

So to eliminate the deer-freeway, reduce visible bare ground and to fill the gaps between immature plants I have decided to use annuals in a few spots. For budget reasons I have grown these from seed but most can easily be purchased as plugs from the nurseries.

'Fireworks' is an apt name for this sizzling annual (Globe amaranth)!

‘Fireworks’ Globe amaranth (Gomphrena) – This one is new to me ; a good enough reason to include it! It quickly grows to form a full, dense, landscape sized specimen, eventually reaching 3-4′ tall and 1-2′ wide which equates to a lot of plants for a $3 packet of seeds. Tons of strong, tall stems are topped with exploding bursts of full, large 1″ blooms in hot pink tipped with bright yellow. A showstopper in the garden and conversation piece when cut for a mixed bouquet. Should be gorgeous.

At a glance you could easily mistake this 'Mahogany splendor' hibiscus as a Japanese maple. Photo credit; canadaplants.ca

Hibiscus ‘Mahogany splendor’ – A beautiful foliage plant, this attractive variety has shiny, maple shaped leaves in deep, dark burgundy giving the appearance of a choice Japanese maple at a fraction of the cost. Every part of this plant is dark, making it a good choice for contrast with silver foliaged plants such as wormwood (Artemisia). Grows 3-5 feet.

Love-in-the-mist isn't nearly so delicate as it looks. Photo credit; moremoth.blogspot.com

Love-in-the-mist (Nigella) – I have a love/hate relationship with this pretty annual. It self-seeds which means free plants next year BUT they will undoubtedly re-seed where I don’t want them! Thankfully the extras are easy to identify and pull out. Dainty, multi-faceted blossoms are followed by striped fairy lantern seedpods over delicate feathery foliage. Blue is the usual color but I have selected white and simply scattered the seeds amongst ‘Walker’s low’ catmint (Nepeta). This soft color scheme will break up areas of bolder colors and is anchored by my favorite narrow conifer; false cypress ‘Wissels’ saguaro’ (Chamaecyparis l. ‘Wissel’s saguaro’).

'Violet queen' spider flower will gain plenty of attention from friends but thankfully not from deer. Photo credit; dragonfliesandchickens.blogspot.com

‘Violet queen’ spider flower (Cleome) usually comes in shades of rose or white but this variety has unusual purple flowers which intrigued me. What really got my attention though was its promise of heat and drought tolerance and ability to survive neglect! It is also a butterfly and hummingbird magnet – my kind of plant. At 4’ tall and with a succession of blooms all summer long this may become a ‘regular’ even after the garden has filled out.

Castor bean plant makes a strong architectural statement in the summer garden. Photo credit; ppdl.purdue.edu

‘Carmencita’ castor bean (Ricin communis ‘Carmencita’) –The deep red maple like leaves make quite a statement on stems that can reach 5’ tall. Flowers resemble red pompoms held high on bamboo like stalks. All parts of these plants are extremely poisonous so do not include in the garden if you have small children or pets who are likely to eat fallen seeds or leaves. I’m planting a large mass of these near some Canna ‘Tropicana’ which I saved from last year, with the burnt orange ‘Flasher’ daylilies in front and a wave of feathery blue star (Amsonia) to one side which will turn bright yellow in fall.

You don’t need to have deer in your garden to choose these plants! If you are looking for an inexpensive way to fill a large sunny space with color that doesn’t need deadheading and is remarkably drought tolerant then these top 5 picks could be perfect for you too.

Other sunloving, drought tolerant, deer resistant annuals you light like include;

snapdragons, poppies, helichrysum (great for foliage), sage varieties, zinnia, ageratum

Spirea – the poor man’s shrub no more.

Apr 29, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 16 Comments Tags: combinations, design, foliage, shrubs, spring, wildlife

Fabulous airy texture and bright foliage are just two outstanding traits of spirea 'Ogon'. Photo credit; 66squarefeet.blogspot.com

One thing’s for sure – there’s no room for snobbery when it comes to gardening.

Before moving to this house 2 ½ years ago I used to smile politely when clients mentioned they had a deer problem and gave my all-knowing benevolent nod while saying “Ah yes, deer will eat anything if they are hungry enough you know…..”. I swear if anyone says that to me any more I’ll scream! Yes I do know – and I apologize to all those whom I have insulted with this inane platitude in the past. I still say the only reliable thing about deer is that they read the price tags, but I now have a much better appreciation of the problems they cause and a vested interest in researching plants which have been proven, at least here in the Pacific Northwest as ‘seldom damaged’ by deer.

Any shrubs ignored by deer are worthy of a second look by me

One group of shrubs which I never really appreciated before were spirea. In England the old variety ‘Anthony Waterer’ (Spiraea x bumalda ‘Anthony Waterer’) was so overused that I lost interest in it. Yet moving here I noticed three huge, well established bushes thriving in my deer prone garden; reason enough to take a fresh look at the options. Here are a few of my favorites which are all reliably deer resistant, take full sun or partial shade and are ridiculously easy care.

Romantic sprays of white flowers on the Renaissance spirea.

Renaissance spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei ‘Renaissance’). This graceful, deciduous shrub features a massive display of pure white flowers and colorful orange-red fall color and offers improved disease resistance over older varieties. 5-6’ tall and wide, this is a flower arrangers favorite. Water regularly. Zones 3-7

Think ahead to later seasons - spirea 'Ogon' promises a colorful display. Photo credit; gardenforeplay.avantgardensne.com

For fabulous foliage my favorite has to be ‘Mellow yellow’ spirea, also known as ‘Ogon’(S. thunbergii ‘Ogon’). The feathery foliage is reminiscent of the finely dissected bluebeard (Caryopteris) leaf except this is a bright shade of yellow-gold. Even if it didn’t bloom I would love it but the white flowers which dot its arching stems in April and May add an appealing freshness. Left to their own devices these shrubs become soft billowing bushes 5’ tall and wide. I have planted the dark leaved ‘Midnight wine’ Weigela in front for contrast, with a swathe of evergreen Rhododendrons off to one side. I am already thinking of other parts of the garden to add a cluster to. Hardy in zones 5-8.

I love the vibrant color of the new growth on 'Double Play Big Bang' spirea

Double Play® Big Bang Spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Tracy’) –I have a group of these planted near my paperbark maple (Acer griseum) where the peeling cinnamon tree bark plays off the warm sunset tones of the spirea. The spirea foliage opens golden with orange overtones and shows rosy new growth before turning a fresh shade of summer green which acts as a foil to the tufty pink flowers. This variety offers the largest flowers of all and should be a butterfly magnet this summer. 2-3’ tall and wide and is hardy in zones 4-9.

For those who insist on a chartreuse variety of every plant then I suggest spirea ‘Limemound’. (Spiraea x bumalda ‘Monhub’). The foliage opens yellow and softens to lime green before turning orange in fall. A good filler shrub for the mixed border where a compact 3’ dome is needed. Zones 3-9

My garden should have wheels according to my husband, who invariably has the task of heaving huge trees, shrubs and pots “just a few inches to the left”. On one such recent occasion, after hauling a 4’ “heap of twigs” from one side of the path to the other, I discovered several rooted cuttings left behind. I dug them up and planted them in an area of nasty, clay soil by the stream – and the cuttings have taken! (My husband is hoping they can live happily there as he’ll have to don waders if they need moving again). As far as I can tell this “heap of twigs” is just Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica) with no particular claim to royal heritage. I include it simply to make the point that although of humble birth and lacking the jazzy colors or supersized flowers of others mentioned here, this really is a first class shrub.

Spirea – tolerant of most soil conditions, dozens of named cultivars and varieties all of which are ignored by deer and rabbits, easily propagated (i.e. free plants if you want them), foliage in shades of green, lime, orange, and dusky purple, flowers in white or pink, beloved by bees, butterflies and even hummingbirds and ranging in height from 1’ to 6’ tall – I’m sure you have room for a few. No garden snobs here!

Planting for Butterflies

Apr 22, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 8 Comments Tags: books, design, perennials, shrubs, wildlife

Welcome butterflies into your garden. Photo credit and thanks; www.thesagebutterfly.blogspot.com

Is our garden something we really own or a piece of this earth which has been entrusted to us? Are we caretakers rather than landowners who by association have the responsibility – and honor – of nurturing all that grows in and on it?

I’m no philosopher and this is not intended to be a post about environmental awareness although that is something which I personally take very seriously. I simply want to remind us all not to take our gardens, fragile ecosystems and their natural beauty for granted.

I watched a film while I was in England recently which discussed the decline of the British hedgerows and the negative impact that had on agriculture as habitat for beneficial insects had been removed. Mass crop spraying then became common which only exacerbated the situation by killing off not only the ‘bad bugs’ but also the dwindling bee population together with other beneficials who given time could have preyed on the insects causing crop damage. All in the effort to make fields larger so the big machinery could harvest more efficiently. How often do our ‘good ideas’ turn out to be not quite so good after all?

Photo credit; animalsw.com

I hope I never become complacent about butterflies. They bring magic and movement to the summer garden as nothing else can, flitting daintily from one flower to another as though dancing on tip toes. From the tiny spring azure with its periwinkle wings to the dramatic yellow and black Western swallowtail, I love them all. How can we not be in awe of such beauty?

Yet there are far fewer butterflies today than there used to be as a result of pesticide misuse and removal of natural habitat for both larvae and adults. By simply planting a few flowering trees, shrubs and perennials to provide food for these creatures we can do our own small part to redress the balance and be rewarded tenfold by their presence.

I love the silvery foliage of the 'Lochinch' butterfly bush as much as the delicate flowers

Butterfly bush (Buddleia sp.) is considered the caviar on the butterfly buffet table and is a favorite of the swallowtail butterflies. I particularly like ‘Lochinch’ with its clusters of fragrant, lavender flowers each dotted with an orange eye on a beautiful felted silvery bush 8-10’ tall and wide. I grew mine in a container before transplanting it to the garden where it can now stretch out. Since hummingbirds also love it I have planted a mass of the scarlet Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ to one side to provide a veritable feast for these visitors. Now I just need a comfy bench (and my camera) to enjoy the show!

‘Ice chip’ is a new, compact variety which at 2’ tall can even be grown as a groundcover. Although covered in short white floral spikes all summer this variety has proven sterile – good news for those who live in areas where the species Buddleia davidii is on the noxious weed list.

‘Miss Molly’ takes the color spectrum to new heights with its vibrant magenta blooms creating a 5’ siren for all butterflies and hummingbirds. Other sterile varieties include ‘Asian moon’, the ‘Flutterby’ series (Ball Horticultural), ‘Lo and behold’ (Proven Winners).

'Sutherland gold' elderberry will shine like a beacon in the garden

Elderberries (Sambucus sp) grow wild in many areas of North America and England. I recall gathering the berries with my Granddad as a child which he then sold at the local greengrocer’s. I don’t think I was ever told, however, that they were being sold to make wine! The clusters of flowers are a valuable food source for butterflies and other wildlife in the forest but there are some truly outstanding ornamental cultivars which deserve a place in our gardens. ‘Sutherland gold’ is one which will light up the border in sun or part shade. Conical clusters of creamy yellow flowers in mid spring are followed by glossy, bright red fruits while deeply cut, bronze juvenile leaves turn a bright golden yellow as the season progresses.

Two darker leaved varieties are ‘Black beauty’ and ‘Black lace’, the latter having more finely dissected foliage but both equally dramatic. The sprays of fragrant, frothy pink flowers draw butterflies and bees like magnets. The really good news is that the deer don’t like them! How many more excuses do you need to pick one up from the nursery? Elderberries can be left to grow into large shrubs or cut down (coppiced) to keep smaller as desired.

Coneflowers attract many butterflies including the Monarch. Photo credit; Wickipedia

Coneflowers (Echinacea) bloom in mid-late summer and are a favorite of the red admiral butterflies. These old fashioned perennials are easy to grow, drought tolerant and deer resistant. They provide cut flowers for the home, nectar for the butterflies and seed heads or the birds. That’s great value from one $5 plant. In shades from pastels to flashy neon you’ll certainly find one to suit your color scheme.

Which is more colorful - the 'Dallas red' lantana or the butterfly? Photo credit; Great Stems.com

Depending upon where you live, Lantana may be available for the garden as a hardy bush or a summer annual. In appearance they resemble Verbena (they belong to the same Family) with numerous heads of clustered, vividly colored flowers. I use them a lot in hanging baskets and especially like the variety ‘Dallas Red’ which has bi-colored blooms in red and yellow. Lantana thrive in hot, arid conditions.

It may be stating the obvious, but if you want butterflies you have to accept the presence of a few caterpillars. That in turn may mean lowering your housekeeping standards and accepting a few nibbled leaves. For the life cycle to be complete these beautiful butterflies need to lay eggs on a host plant which will then provide food for the larvae. Not just any old leaf will do, however, as butterfly larvae are very host specific. For example the larvae of the Western tiger swallowtail prefer big-leaf maple, willow, poplar and cottonwood while painted lady butterflies prefer thistle but will also eat nettles, hollyhock and sunflowers.

Our 5 acre garden transitions into meadow and forest on the perimeters. There are large stands of native Pacific willow, alders and cottonwoods all of which support the lifecycle of various butterflies. We are fortunate to have such a large butterfly larvae pantry but it is also a reminder that we all need a little ‘wild side’ in our garden to enjoy its true potential.

We have been given a precious gift, whether our garden is an expansive acreage or a modest patio container. That gift affords us an opportunity to enjoy Nature up close with all its rich scents and vibrant colors and to encourage the fleeting beauty of butterflies by simply including a special plant or two.

Recommended books;

Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest by Russell Link 1999 (University of Washington Press) – an excellent book with information on natural habitat maintenance and enhancement as well as ideas for encouraging wildlife into the garden. I find myself referring to this often.

Useful links with extensive plant lists

http://butterflywebsite.com/butterflygardening.cfm

http://www.almanac.com/content/plants-attract-butterflies

http://www.gardenswithwings.com/what-is-a-butterfly-garden/host-plants.html

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1842418/list?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u88&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery8