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C8 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday March 7, 2001 Homes & Gardens An Oakville Beaver Feature To reach this section call 845-3824 Fax:337-5567 Sow pepper seeds soon for early crop A small clump of Galanthus flowered at the north side of the house last week, 'first one' this spring. As the snow melted, the shasta daisies showed some new growth. The English ivy and Japanese splurge used as ground cover under the pine tree looked fresh and perky. Some allium is up near a south facing wooden wall. Carston Burkardt reported from Germany on the almost blooming of peony Broteri two weeks ago on Mallorca where the almond trees were in bloom. This reporting is In Your Garden part of a project to map the _________________ flowering dates of peonies throughout the world to study the relationship between the peony, its location and bloom time. As I walked through the grocery store I noted that peppers are expensive, with yellows at $6.99 a pound. They may be sown in the summer but seeds sown by March 15th indoors will supply an early crop. A cool bright area is needed to grow short stocky plants as they are not planted out until after June 5th when the soil and weather are warm. After May, in warm weather, the plants may be put out on the patio and brought in for the night. If we have a warm summer, peppers are a good crop but cool wet weather will slow them down. An alternative to seeding indoors is to buy plants in May especially if you only need a few. Tomatoes should be seeded with the same reser vations. They need warm weather and soil to grow well. Setting out tall, weak plants in May will not Landscaping both an art and a science Ed. note: The Oakville Beaver is pleased to introduce a new regular fea ture on landscaping and horticulture that is certain to be of interest and value to our readers. The author, Brian Burton, is a well-known writer on the topic whose work in this area has been published in many of Canada's leading speciality pub lications. Burton is also active in Communities in Bloom, a nationwide non-profit volun teer organization that promotes commu nity involvement in environmental efforts, heritage preservation and civic beautification. Your comments or suggestions are welcome - send to Landscaping Forum c/o the Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd. Oakville, Ont. L6K 3S4 or fax: 337-5567. JOHN SIMK1NS BURTON Landscaping Forum struction of a park in Montreal and Central Park in New York described landscaping as being similar to paint ing. However instead of colour your medium is materials, like plants, flow ers, stone and many other components that appeal to our sense of sight, sound and smell. When combined with gar dening and horticulture, it is by far the most popular outdoor activity in Canada. It is also a recognized professional specialty. The instinct and practice by cultures to "alter their landscape" also appears to be built into our soul or "hardwiring" if you will. As an activity and hobby it is healthy, restorative, and rewarding. The earliest references to landscap ing I have been able to establish were unearthed by archeologists in the famous remains of the walled City of Jericho. These discoveries included the remains of a massive stone wall 3 m. wide and 4 m. high which was 700 m. (See 'Settlements' page C7) B R IA N (See `March' page C7) Landscaping is both an art and a science that helps enhance the envi ronment on a human scale. Welcome to landscaping forum. The column is a response to the rapidly growing popularity of landscaping and horticulture. Our mission is to keep you informed and updated about one of Canada's favorite outdoor pastimes. The reasons for writing about the subject are obvious. The baby boom generation, and that includes me, is slowing down and we increasingly value and protect our time at home. Landscaping and horticulture is by far the most popular at outdoor activity in Canada and is both healthy and reward ing. It's also a good investment, some thing it shares with gardening. Landscaping is both an art and the science. In fact one of the most famous landscape architects, who was responsible for the design and con- Burlington's best kept secret... For a lasting investment, come in and compare Y See our Large Selection of Ready to Finish Pine, Oak, & Birch Furniture Don' t miss out on Affordable Luxury! W indow Coverings LEVOLOR* NOW 55% OFF `Let's Face It, When Was The Last Time Anyone Regretted Buying Quality?" 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