Winnipeg Free Press Newspaper Archives Jun 20 2015, Page 137

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 20, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE G14 G 14 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015 HOMES winnipegfreepress. com Don’t mind butterflies sipping on a bit of nectar but nervous about caterpillars feeding on leaves? Any damage is usually temporary. For Liebzeit it’s a badge of honour. In addition to her garden being certified by Fort Whyte Alive and the North American Butterfly Association, it has also been certified and registered by MonarchWatch. org as an official monarch waystation. Marilyn Latta is a St. Vital gardener whose perennial garden has been designed with the distinct goal of getting the most out of the growing season. She gardens for all seasons, selecting plants for a changing palette of colour and blooms. In this way something is happening all the time, she says, but also, pollinators can find lots to feed on even in April and May. Latta keeps an inventory of all of her plants and records their bloom periods. She also assesses the changing light patterns. This has proven to be an important tool in planning her garden, resulting in pleasing combinations as well as colour echoes and repetition throughout for a cohesive effect. Latta mulches her beds with wood chips to conserve moisture and uses a water soluble fertilizer although does not fertilize some of her native plants such as baptisia. She takes an organized approach to garden chores; for example, one day she might fertilize her collection of primroses, and another day all of her bulb plants. If native plants bore you, a walk through Latta’s garden would have you scrambling to find some for your garden. I am ready to toss every coral bells variety I’ve tried and failed to grow for Brandon pinks coral bells which in Latta’s garden grow to the size of small shrubs, every leaf sheer perfection. Latta has grown hers for 25 years. While Latta’s garden is home to some familiar perennials such as iris, fern leaf peony, columbine, martagon lilies, clematis, forget- me- nots, hens and chicks, Solomon seal, ligularia, and native asters, she also grows numerous varieties that are less common. Blue Dreams nepeta, for example, is a zone 4 catmint with glossy green leaves. Hepatica and bloodroot, two of the earliest bloomers, marsh marigold, dwarf trollius, bellwort, a Pink Diamond hydrangea that grows to 152 cm, and an exquisite grouping of Jack- in- the- Pulpit plants along with white- flowered trillium are just a few of the interesting plants that can be discovered in Latta’s garden. Dave Hanson, owner of Sage Garden Herbs, says that getting to the heart of what you want planted in your perennial bed involves some practical considerations such as size and placement. Including a focus on pollinators encompasses a broad range of plant material, says Hanson. “ Most plants that are vividly coloured and flowering will attract pollinators,” says Hanson who acknowledges that while agastache anisehyssop is a phenomenal plant in the summer, attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, its nondescript appearance at the garden centre in May can cause it to be passed over. I asked Hanson why daisies, coneflowers and rudbeckia, such magnificent bloomers, don’t always come back the following spring. Hanson suggests that many new introductions are not truly zone 3 hardy. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting the latest and greatest double- flowering varieties which may not be suited to our unique climate conditions. Hanson stresses the importance of good drainage since these plant types are sensitive to wet feet. When he decided to grow some of the more exotic varieties of echinacea that he carries such as hot papaya and pink poodle in wooden raised beds, their performance was dramatically different. The loamy soil that had been added to the raised beds provide excellent drainage and the plants bloom brilliantly, returning each spring. Hanson says it is important to provide different height variations in a perennial bed but to also ensure there are structural points in the landscape such as trees and shrubs for interest during winter and early spring. Latta’s landscape, for example, includes a wide spreading Ohio Buckeye tree. Liebzeit grows numerous lilacs and trees such as Autumn Blaze Maple. The success of a perennial begins at the time it is removed from its nursery container. “ It’s common for nursery plants to have their roots tightly bound,” says Hanson who recommends crunching open a newly purchased plant’s dense root system so roots can spread nicely. Hanson adds bone meal to the planting hole. A great source of phosphorus, bone meal promotes strong root growth. He also adds water to the planting hole before adding the plant and backfilling. While this process can get a little sloppy, it’s also beneficial, says Hanson, because the entire root space of the plant becomes adequately hydrated. Pouring from the top after planting can result in water draining away from the root space. To ensure good root establishment, key to winter survival, water deeply once a week throughout the summer months, ensuring that moisture is directed to the root zone. colleenizacharias@ gmail. com DANNY DeLEEUW 204- 989- 5000 ROYAL LePAGE Dynamic RE Always getting the best rate. Apply online www. cambrian. mb. ca 11branches serving Winnipeg and Selkirk ( 204) 925- 2600 5 YEAR MORTGAGE ( APR*) 2.64 % † * Annual Percentage Rate † OAC. Subject to change. Perennials Continued from G 13 Your Source for Greener, Better Living! www. GreenActionCentre. ca Dripping with pollen, this eager bee visits one of spring’s earliest bloomers, the crocus. Pollination is critical in a plant’s life but also allows bees to obtain food. At right, Joe Pye Weed might not seem glamourous enough to some gardeners who desire the latest and greatest plant introductions, however it’s as sexy as it comes to pollinators who are searching for plentiful sources of nectar. Below, why do some zone 3 varieties of echinacea ( coneflower) fail to come back the following spring after putting on a beautiful show in your garden the previous season? The problem can be sticky clay and wet feet. Try planting temperamental plants in raised beds with the addition of a loamy soil mix. DAVE HANSON FOR SAGE GARDEN HERBS SHIRLEY FROEHLICH BRENDA NEWTON At top, falling for the yearly temptations of new introductions does not always result in a satisfying perennial experience. Brandon Pinks, an unheralded coral bells variety simply because it is new, outperforms most new introductions. Shown accompanied by another reliable standby, iris. Above, flowering plants attract human visitors as well as pollinators. This thoughtfully planned St. Vital garden takes into account bloom periods, changing light patterns, and colour echoes through the use of a variety of plant material. MARILYN LATTA LYNN LATOZKE Interest rates this week As of June 18, 2015 Credit Union Access 2.85 2.65 2.85 2.99 Assiniboine 2.85 2.49 2.64 2.74 Belgian- Alliance 3.00 2.64 2.84 2.89 Cambrian 2.75 2.44 2.54 2.64 Carpathia* 3.25 2.64 2.84 2.94 Casera 2.85 2.50 2.65 2.75 Crosstown Civic 2.85 2.44 2.54 2.64 Entegra 3.10 2.49 2.69 2.79 Niverville 3.60 2.55 2.65 2.75 North Winnipeg* 3.50 2.69 2.89 2.99 Noventis 3.10 2.75 2.90 3.00 Oak Bank 3.25 2.59 2.74 2.89 Steinbach 2.85 2.45 2.55 2.65 Sunova 2.85 2.59 2.74 2.84 Swan Valley 3.35 2.90 3.40 2.79 Prime 1 Yr. 3 Yr. 5 Yr. MORTGAGES * Denotes closed- bond ( limited membership) credit union Bank rate 0.75% Mortgages 1– yr 3– yr 5– yr Royal Bank CIBC Bank of Montreal Bank of Nova Scotia TD Canada Trust National Bank Laurentian Bank HSBC Canada Interest rates this week at some Canadian banks and trust companies As of June 18, 2015 SOURCE: CANNEX THE CANADIAN PRESS 4.74 4.64 4.79 4.49 4.64 4.74 4.74 4.74 2.89 3.14 2.89 3.29 2.89 2.89 2.89 3.14 3.39 3.65 3.55 3.39 3.39 3.39 3.39 3.54 G_ 14_ Jun- 20- 15_ FH_ 01. indd G14 6/ 18/ 15 9: 48: 32 PM