HERBS ARE A MUST-HAVE

So many gardeners who are successful flower gardeners seem reluctant to test their skills at growing herbs. I believe strongly that every garden needs a herb section, even if it is a few containers in a sunny courtyard.

Mediterranean herbs are some of the most rewarding plants you can grow. Their leaves flavour everything from meats, soups, and stews to pizza and spaghetti. And the plants add beauty to kitchen gardens — many are evergreen in temperate climates. Most tolerate drought and less than perfect soil (though they prefer excellent drainage).

My own herb garden contains some old favourites such as rosemary, parsley, sage and thyme, as well as newer introductions, such as conehead thyme (whose flavour is similar to winter savoury) and Italian oregano thyme (which ― true to its name ― is a thyme with oregano overtones).

Most herbs are tough, wild plants that have changed remarkably little despite centuries of cultivation. Almost all of them do best in sunny locations and fertile, well-drained soil, but some will survive in partial shade and poor soil.

Herbs can occupy their own part of the garden or they can be grown with other plants. Herb gardens are often arranged in intricate patterns to accentuate the contrasting colours and textures of their foliage.

To avoid confusion when sprouts come up, label each bed carefully. Better still, draw a precise map of your planting pattern. Plan the beds so that the taller plants do not cast shade on the low-growing ones.

I am currently working on plant profiles for a whole range of popular herbs that I will be adding to my website. In the meantime I will, this weekend, add a Herb Growing Basics feature to the site. Go to http://gardeningisezee.com/?cat=10

ARUM LILIES — Plant some!

While you are planning what you are going to change for your summer garden this year, give some thought to including Arum Lilies

The familiar Arum Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica), with its opulent and sophisticated pure white spathes which brighten up watercourses and wetlands throughout the region in spring and summer, belong to an indigenous genus which is restricted to the African continent. Seven species are recognised: Zantedeschia aethiopica, Z. albomaculata, Z. elliottiana, Z. jucunda, Z. odoratum, Z. pentlandii (Golden Arum) and Z. rehmannii (Pink Arum). The common arum is found from the Western Cape through the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and into Limpopo Province. It is evergreen or deciduous depending on the habitat and rainfall regime. In the Western Cape it is dormant in summer and in the summer rainfall areas it is dormant in winter. It will remain evergreen in both areas if growing in marshy conditions which remain wet all year around.

The white arum forms large colonies in marshy areas ranging from the coast to an altitude of 2,250m. Thus one will find them contending with humid, salt laden air at the coast and freezing, misty mountain grasslands at high altitudes. They are very versatile in the garden as a result.

For a much more in-depth look at Arums visit http://gardeningisezee.com/?p=150

CHARMING PHLOX

Although it is only mid-June I am busy developing the planting scheme for my summer annuals.  

I realised that I have not planted phlox (phlox drummondii) for the past two years. As I am looking for a brightly coloured display of profusely blooming flowers in a sunny area that has arisen because I had to remove an old tree, I am going to go crazy with phlox.

This is an old fashioned annual that deserves more recognition than it gets. The large clusters of flowers are very showy on compact plants. Compact is an understatement, as these plants grow only 15-45 cm tall. The most common Phlox is annual. There are also perennial varieties.

Phlox are great in containers or window boxes. A native of North America, the jewel-like flowers grow in clusters at the top of the stems. These bright coloured blossoms include shades of red, purple, scarlet, yellow, and white. Many new hybrids include striped petals.

Phlox are easily grown from seeds. Phlox seeds can be directly seeded into your flower garden or seeded under cover for transplanting later. For spring blooms, start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. Young seedlings will transplant well into their permanent home.

A more comprehensive profile of Phlox  can be found in the Annuals category of my website. Check it out at http://gardeningisezee.com. 

TODAY’S FEATURED HERB

Basil (Sweet Basil) (ocimum basilicum)

I am just crazy about sweet basil. I use it all the time in soups, pasta and salads and enjoy using basil pesto. I grow my basil in big, round, fairly shallow containers in a sheltered, sunny courtyard. I also grow parsley, rocket and mint in similar containers.

Basil germinates easily from seeds and these can be sown in trays in August and kept protected until all danger of frost is past. Once the seedlings reach the four‑leaf stage they can be transplanted easily into well-drained fairly rich soil. Place them 50 cm apart and keep them shaded for a day or two. If planted in situ, sow seeds in early summer when the danger of frost is past. Newly planted out seedlings do well with a little extra compost to keep the roots cool. They also need to be watered regularly to ensure lush succu­lent growth. Basil makes an easy pot‑plant for a sunny window‑sill in winter.

A full profile of sweet basil can be found in the herb category of my website. Check it out at http://gardeningisezee.com. Let me know what you think.

Colourful Zinnias

For brilliant colour in the hottest, sunniest part of the garden, zinnias are ideal.

Zinnias are available in almost every shade except the blues, and in a range of sizes from tiny dwarf plants with charming miniature flowers to large plants with ruffled and curly petals (yes, the hybridists have been very busy, much to the advantage of this popular flower).

Zinnias are best used in massed garden displays. Dwarf forms grow to 20cm in height while large forms can reach 70cm or more. They prefer full sun with protection from very strong wind. They are best grown in warm or tropical areas but may not do well at the coast as they are prone to mildew in humid or damp environments.

For sowing and growing tips visit my website http://gardeningisezee.com. Check out the Annuals category for a whole lot of information about zinnias.

 

Annuals and the Flower Garden

Many Southern Hemisphere gardeners are fortunate as the mild climate allows them to have both summer and winter gardens. 

Annuals give life and sparkle to the garden, providing a change of scene from season to season and tear to year. It pays handsomely to take pencil to paper and plan the summer and winter bedding schemes before the sowing seasons. Use foliage plants such as euphorbia marginata, ornamental basil and grey leaved plants to tone down and blend bright colours.

For bright contrasting colours annual plants have no match. They can be used in massed beds, for filling in gaps between perennials and shrubs, and for an attractive show of flowers in tubs and hanging baskets. In most cases they are economical plants and need only a little time and attention from a gardener before producing results. Find a lot more about the flower garden on my website http://gardeningisezee.com. 

Shrub gardens need planning

Whether your garden is a tiny subur­ban plot or several thousand square metres in extent, you can have year‑round interest and beauty by growing shrubs. But do the planning!

There are so many new housing estates, exclusive clusters and so on being developed around all our cities. What an opportunity for new home owners to lay out a great garden from the get go. Sadly, I have seen so many new gardens where the intrepid owner has laid out some flower beds, planted lawn, placed a few containers near the new pool and then . . .  stuck a few shrubs almost randomly around the garden without any thought to spatial relationship, height, texture, colour or anything else. 

Planted in good soil, shrubs require little or no fer­tiliser, very little pruning and seldom any spraying against pests or diseases. They will reward you in many different ways — by providing colour in the garden each month of the year and sprays of leaves, flowers or berries for indoor arrangements; by sheltering your home from wind; by creating a screen to ensure privacy; by introduc­ing variety in form and foliage texture, and a perpendicular line or mass; and by hiding an ugly view or framing a good one.

You do not have to be a highly skilled gardener to make a charming shrub garden. You need to know something about the kind of cli­mate they prefer, their height and spread, the season of the year when they are at their best, any special characteristics of their foliage, whether they are deciduous or evergreen, what soil they like, and what situation they prefer — sun or shade.

Every garden needs a master plan that will guide the long-term development of the garden, especially where trees and shrubs are concerned. Plan care­fully before planting because, once planted, shrubs should not be moved. Transplanting at a later date may not kill them if it is carefully done, but it entails a good deal of unnecessary work and may slow down the growth of the shrubs for a time.

I have just written a post for my website on planning a shrub garden. The article also deals with soil preparation so please check it out. Feel free to post your comments at the foot of the website page.