Flower Bed Project Grows And Grows

Every now and then, I like to just walk about in the garden and smell the flowers. However, this seemingly pleasant endeavor often ends with a few aching muscles and an empty wallet.

Consider, for instance, the perennial garden running the length of our yard at the edge. Over the years plants have come and gone; judging from the looks of the bed, not enough have gone.

The bed begins at the street with a full-grown red twig dogwood, planted by the birds. For years I’ve whacked it to the ground, only to have it come back more handsome than before.

Finally, last year I decided to keep it. I found that its 5-by-5-foot size served as an excellent backdrop for many of the flowering plants, as well as an anchor for the bed.

The bright red twigs also provide a splash of color during the gray winter months. In order to keep the plant under control and to encourage those new bright red twigs, regular pruning is necessary. Old branches take on a ruddy appearance. By removing them to the ground each spring, bright young branches develop at the base of the plant.

Next to the dogwood stands a tall ornamental grass (miscanthus sinensis). The slightest breeze sends its strappy blades swaying into a soft, rustling song. I can’t say enough good things about ornamental grasses. I only wish I had been introduced to them years ago. There are so many varieties, each adding its own charm and grace to the landscape.

Blooming next to the grass is a large, overgrown clump of bright, white summer phlox called David. This particular variety was touted as being resistant to powdery mildew. Not so.

Powdery mildew, a white powdery substance that covers the leaves, is devastating to plants. It especially attacks phlox, columbine and lupine. Though the disease doesn’t seem to have affected the blossoms of David, it has destroyed the leaves. I don’t know which is worse, leafless stems or brown leaves hanging from the stems. This plant is going to go but not just because of the mildew problem. The flowers are so white that it overpowers all the other colors in the bed. I’ll give it a home somewhere with a backdrop of forest green.

Blue Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) will take the place of the phlox. This 3-by-3-foot or larger, shrubby plant produces masses of stems that sport tubular soft-blue flowers from early July through late October.

This plant is very hardy and drought-tolerant. It doesn’t like rich soil, but it must be planted in well-drained soil. I have found that you need to be patient with it in the spring. The branches seem to appear lifeless when everything else in the garden is bursting with new growth. Don’t give up on it. Wait on the pruning until early June.

I think the sage will be stunning with its light blue flowers surrounded by pink beebalm, purple coneflower, yellow daylilies and Autumn Joy, most blooming at different times.

Moving up the fenceline, we come to a combination I found absolutely gorgeous this spring: a peony of pure white flowers mixed with tall, peach-colored bearded iris. It was delicious.

The only problem is I didn’t plan very well. The peony foliage has since overgrown the iris leaves, creating a very messy appearance. I am rectifying this problem now by transplanting the iris. Surprisingly, July and August are the best times for handling this chore.

First, lift the clumps of iris rhizomes with a spading fork. Divide the clumps by pulling them apart with your hands or cutting them apart with a sharp knife, or if you get lazy like I often do, jabbing a shovel through them.

Once they’re divided, I discard all the rhizomes that don’t have leaves. Those with leaves are scrutinized for insects or rot. The clean rhizomes are set into the soil with the top of the rhizome at ground level. Since the large fan of leaves more than likely will wilt back, I simply cut the leaves in half, leaving a sturdy plant.

As for the peony, all I do is remove the faded flowers, shape the plant by removing any wild-looking foliage and forget it. As fall approaches, the leaves will begin to turn a handsome burnt-golden-yellow. The dying branches will be held in place by the peony cage. Once they’ve died, the stems will be cut to the ground and the cage removed and stored away until spring. I never mulch peonies, as they need the freezing temperatures to bloom well.

Well, that takes care of the first 20 feet of the bed. Only 100 feet to go.

Mark your calendar

The Senior Wellness Conference will be Sept. 7 at the Spokane Community College Lair. I will be speaking on container gardening and gardening for life. Please join me for a day of excellent workshops and fun. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Please call 467-9030 for more information.