2016 May - The Annual Garden
* Notes from the Old Ottawa South Garden Club - By Carole Love
According to Robert Wolodarski, Manager of Perennials and Greenhouse Operations at Artistic Landscape Designs (www.artisticlandscape.on.ca), annuals are incorporated in perennial gardens for many reasons. They add colour, fill gaps in newly planted perennial gardens, and create colourful containers. Annuals flower from early in the season till practically the first frost (some resistant to about 3°C). One can experiment as every year there are new varieties and colours. If one starts from seed, they can be inexpensive. Plants grown from cuttings (F1 generation plants) will be true in colour and size for a consistent, uniform look whereas plants started from seed will exhibit some variety—part of the fun of growing plants.
Robert said, in general, when one inter-plants annuals with perennials, the annuals need more water. Annuals do not have an extensive root system and will wilt if they dry out. In containers with perennials, the annuals will need an extra shot of water. As to feeding, Robert suggested fertilizers with a high middle number such as 15-30-15 to promote flowering. Some slow-release granular fertilizers can be applied once in a season. However, Robert still likes to occasionally use water-soluble fertilizer.
Robert shared news about annuals new on the market and others plants he particularly liked. He had two trays of intriguing plants and images of vibrantly coloured plants accompanied his talk.
Robert included plants often grown as annuals in this area– though not strictly annuals. Canna ‘Cleopatra’, for example, displays eye-catching flowers in sun or semi-shade and can be used in containers. Growing up to 6 feet, it appreciates regular watering and fertilizing. The flashy flowers last throughout the summer —pinching spent flowers promotes continued bloom. Lift tubers in the autumn. Like most plants with darker foliage, Hibiscus ‘Little Zin’ grows mostly in semi-shade. It has inconspicuous maroon flowers and reaches about 1.5 feet. Rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed Susan) is a biennial with tremendous yellow flowers. One can let it go to seed and have plants in a variety of colours the following year. Robert showed a bright orange calla lily. Calla lily grows about 18” high and can take semi-shade. Blooms are long lasting, produced throughout the summer, and come in a variety of colours. Tubers can be dug after the first frost. Succulents like full sun and need minimal care; they can be used in beds as well as indoors and can be a perennial contribution to containers.Robert also talked about true annuals. Butterfly daisies have flowers in the yellow range and tolerate dry areas. Pinching spent flowers encourages more blooms; cutting back, perhaps in late July, encourages new growth and plants bloom on new growth. Robert talked about new coleus colours. Coleus ‘Campfire’ has red-coloured foliage and can take some dryness; morning sun and afternoon shade are recommended. Coleus ‘Ruffles Copper’ has multi-coloured foliage. Robert showed celosia with gorgeous yellow and orange flowers. Growing about 36” high, celosia blooms in sun and semi-shade all summer. Another celosia had a bright red odd-shaped blossom; Robert said it was actually a virus which created the shape. Robert presented an Ipomoea (morning glory) growing as a hanging basket; the plant does best in semi-shade. Helichrysum (strawflowers) may grow in a dry part of the garden. Bracteanthea Jumbo is a newer variety that looks almost like a daisy with unusual orange-pink flowers. Robert showed a stunning Amaranthus (love lies bleeding) with deep red flowers spilling over a retaining wall.
Lobelias like shade or semi-shade; for a trailing lobelia, Robert said to seek out plants with blue flowers that have a “white eye”. Dragon wing begonias, more robust than the common wax begonias, are excellent in planters or as bedding plants. For a sunny dry spot, Bergenia is excellent. Leaves take on a beautiful red or bronze colouring in the fall and flower colours range from the palest pinks to red or dark purple. A prolific bloomer, the trailing habit of petunia ‘Million Bells’ makes it great in hanging baskets, containers, or as a small-area ground cover. Portulaca gives a rock-garden look; they self-seed. While gerbera don’t last through the summer, they have bold flowers and show nicely in planters. Cathedral salvia grows tall and straight and is available with blue, deep blue and white flowers. Zinnias are disease resistant, come in many colours, and tolerate full sun and dry areas. Colourful marigolds are excellent to interplant with vegetables, as they repel slugs and aphids. Ornamental cabbage offers fall colours and combined with asters can create a beautiful display that stands a little frost; the colder the better the colour.
Robert talked about more flowers and answered questions such a beetle problem on hibiscus. (Robert uses a hanging trap with pheromones; the beetles fall into a plastic bag which is disposed of after a few weeks.) Robert’s love of plants was evident. For the last few years Robert has given regular presentations, open to the public, in the “Gingko Room" at the Artistic nursery. All left hoping to see similarly spectacular blooms in their own gardens.
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