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C6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesdsay April 4, 2001 Homes & Gardens Longer days mean it's time to get garden tools ready JOHN SIMKINS he garden is springing into growth. The tulips, daffodils, poppies and daylilies have appeared along with a few weeds. When forecasts of snow and rain are over, a day or two of sun have arrived, and the garden and the lawn firm up, spring cleanup time is here at least in the sandy soil areas. The lawnmower may be started to make sure it is in running order and the cutting blade sharpened if necessary. Hoes, shov els, spades and sod cutters may be sharp ened by filing the edges. The lawn and garden may need raking especially if old trees overhead dropped branches during the winter or there is dead grass or leaves on the lawn. T In Your Garden Custom Designs, Custom Finishes, Top Quality Cabinetry, Competitively Priced, Free In-Home Service, Lifetime Warranty 41 5 0 South Service Rd. Burlington 632-0029 1 o > SoulhS«giceRd & c j n In i a y e . ;abinet Concepts w w w .E u n k a 4 y o u .c o m /im iq tm c a b ln e ts Forsythia branches may be cut to force for indoor flowers. Take branched stems with flower buds. Avoid the long stems from the lower part of the branches. They will provide flowers in a year or two so the old sparse flowering branches may be taken off at ground level without a notice able loss o f bloom. While raking, note if any perennials or shrubs have spread beyond their bound aries and need dividing. Early flowers to sow are Sweet Peas (Lathyrus). There are two main types, tall climbing and dwarf shrub. If you are a sweet pea enthusiast, look at the Seeds of Distinction catalogue for a selection of six unique varieties. Stokes have an entirely new type called `Explorer Mix. ' It is a 14 in. free flowering dw arf with no tendrils so mounds rather than climbs. Others are `Cupid Mix, ' a 6 in. blend o f five colours of perfumed flowers on dw arf bushy plants. Best for tubs and hanging baskets. There are 6 ft. tall improved `Cuthbert Clim bers' in seven separate colours and a mix and other vari eties. Stokes recom m end the seeds be planted indoors in Jiffy strips or pots and kept dark at 55°F soil temperatures. Dominion Seed House has many annual varieties but a mixture of red, pink and white hardy perennials were noted as these are relatively rare. There are many annual varieties of sweet peas listed with three perennial species sweet peas in Thompson and M organ's catalogue. The use o f ornamental grasses for colour and motion in the summer and as features in the winter garden is becoming quite noticeable. At one time, there were only a few around. A large area along the railway tracks from Chartwell past Morrison Road was a bright winter attraction for years. There was also one on Lakeshore Road near Appleby College. They are now in many areas and bring interest especially to the winter garden. Stokes and Dominion Seed House have listings under "Ornamental Grasses." The most spectacular are `Pampas Grass ' (cortadiria sellana); `Fountain G rass' (pennisitam ruppelianum); Bunny Tail' ( l a g u r u s ovatus) and `Blue F escue' (festuca ovina glauca). These may be started from seed or purchased as plants at garden centres. Humber Nurseries have a listing of over 100 varieties with a page of suggested uses. Many home walkways lack flower or shrub plants along their side to take away the bareness and define them as part of the garden rather than a path to the house. Planting most shrubs beside them requires considerable expense for say, boxwood and the necessity of pruning regularly to keep it neat. A shrub that avoids both these nega tive results is the spirea. Not the large cas cading branch type but the dw arf varieties based on spirea Japonica, a very hardy dw arf type. `Goldflame, ' `Goldmound, ' `Limemound, ' `Little Princess ' and 'Magic Carpet' are representative types, growing from 18 in. to 3 ft. high. Most o f these are available at garden centres. A year or two ago, Dominion Seed House listed a patented group called `Carpel Spirea.' They are dwarf, 12 in. high and wide. There are three varieties noted for the foliage colours and their vari ations during the season. `Golden C arpet' has gold foliage right through the season. `Green carpet' has green foliage turning to purple in the fall after a warm long sum mer. `Sparkling C arpet' has golden green foliage with orange new growth turning purple in the fall. The Carpet Series from Dominion Seed House are grown for their coloured foliage that lasts all season. They may be left until early spring as a snow break or pruned to the ground in fall or spring even with the lawn mower. These dw arf plants have a use in many other places in the garden and are hardy, so they're ideal container plants on patios or balconies but need half shade to colour-up. They are sold in 3 1/2 in. pots and take two years to mature. The cost o f these small plants allows a extensive edging without too much expense. Seeds for spirea japonica are listed by Thompson and Morgan. It is 3 ft. high with clouds of creamy-white flowers and is rec ommended for the front of the border, small gardens and containers. T&M note that the white flowers will show in the second year from seed. Seeds of Distinction, 416-255-3060 or w w w .S E E D S o fD IS T I N C T I O N .c o m ; H um ber N urseries, 905-794-0555 or www.humbernurseries.on.ca. Stokes Seeds 1-800-396-9238 or www.stokeseeds.com. Dominion Seed House 1-800-784-3037 or www.dominion-seed-house.com. The Oakville Horticultural Society' plant sale is on May 5th at St. Paul' s United Church, 454 Rebecca Street, just west o f the YWCA. Parking is available. The sale starts at 9 a.m. and ends about II a.m. I f you would like to donate some plants or need help dig ging, call Celia at 844-1110. For more infor mation, go to the Society website www. oakvillehorticulturalsociety. com. mum MANUFACTURERS' KEDS Women's Assorted Cosual Footwear mm WILSON A2552 1 2" Leather ' Baseball Glove m o SPORT CHEK BUYERS H A V E TR A V EILED N O R TH AMERICA TO FIND THE ABSOLUTE BEST DEALS OF THE SEASON. OUR TREMENDOUS B U YIN G POW ER DELIVERS YOU THESE UNB ELIEV AB LE DEALS! CLEARANCES ALIEN Tour Men's Blade Putter with Tutch System Chamber Technology, Available in Right Hand Only 5 0 °/. OFF ALL SIDEOUT NYLON JACKETS 99 TO 1 9 9 1 9 9 1 9 9 l a? ** SPECIAL FIREFLY 49" * » .N BUYS! 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