Rhododendron & Azalea News

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Gardens
Tour Butchart Gardens...at the ARS Conference		Plan ahead! Come to the 2005 ARS Conference in Victoria. You'll have a once-in-a-lifetime experience to journey north to Vancouver Island and view the beautiful Butchart Gardens. There's a wonderful history lesson about this world-famous garden. It's worth sharing it with the world. The Butchart Garden story was told in the Rhododendron and Azalea News Winter 2004 issue. Please go to the back issue and reread this wonderful story. And, we'll see you there on April 29, 2005!

Milner Gardens, Vancouver, B.C.		This historic garden, Milner Gardens and Woodland, houses a collection of approximately 500 rare rhodo species and hybrids. These plants were introduced into the Garden from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s. Most of the plants were supplied by the Royston Nursery, owned and operated by Ted and Mary Greig. The Greigs operated their nursery from 1935 to 1966 on the East coast of Vancouver Island. The Greigs were well known and respected for their work in the correct identification and introduction of species rhodos into North America. In 1966 Ted and Mary were jointly awarded the ARS Gold Medal for their contributions to the understanding and availability of the genus Rhododendron in North America. The same year the Greigs sold the nursery stock of approximately 8,000 plants to the Board of Parks and Recreation, city of Vancouver. These Greig rhodos formed the basis for the species collection in the Sino-Himalayan Garden at the VanDussen Botanical Garden and the "Ted and Mary Greig Rhodo Garden" in Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C. In 1990 Mary Greig was awarded an honorary doctorate of science posthumously from the University of Victoria for her life work with rhododendrons. This award was accepted for Mary by Veronica Milner, whose private garden and home is now the Milner Gardens and Woodland. The mission of the Milner Gardens is to preserve and educate, in particular for the visiting public students, so it is critical that the rhodo collection be verified and documented. Part of the public horticulture function is the propagation of plant materials for release...but before releasing these plants it is so important to have them properly identified, recorded in the plant records system, and correctly labeled in the nursery and Garden. Many of the rhodos in the Garden may be the only surviving form of a species or hybrid from the Greig collection.

Figs as companions?...Go figure		Alec McCarter, member of the Victoria Chapter, recently died. Newsletter editors, James and Pat Fuller, in the chapter's February issue spoke lovingly of their friend and his gift for writing. They include the article below and we are sharing it with you...around the world. When I first came to Victoria in 1980, I was stunned to learn from one of the ladies at the lab, that she had a fig tree that actually produced ripe figs. She brought me a few and I thought I had never before tasted anything so good. Later, she introduced me to her preserved unripe figs, done in a spiced, sugary syrup. They were delicious. In my wanderings through the Finnerty Gardens, while walking our little dog...on a leash, of course...I found a large fig tree that had big green, ripe fruits which I sampled...in order not to let the birds peck hole in and waste them! The figs were soft and sweet with crunch bits inside. So when John Trelawny kindly offered my wife a cutting from his tree, we were only too happy to plant it immediately behind a rock wall where its roots would be confined and it would receive some warmth from the sun-heated rock. This was not long before the severe frost of November 11, 1985. A small tree, for that is what it was then, suffered damage that required hard pruning, but it survived...and the next year produced a few latent swellings to over-winter and provide fruit in the following summer. Then, we had our first fig from that small tree. What a delight! We waited until the fruit had drooped and was squishy to the touch, then shared it between the two of us. What a treat! From that time on, the fig grew into a large tree, much larger than we had anticipated, but very decorative with its large multi-lobed leaves. From their shape...and size, we could see why Adam...as well as nearly every sculptor of the male nude used the fig leaf since his time with the exception of Michelangelo's David...as a prudish shield to cover parts not normal depicted. The tree readily put up shoots, one of which we moved to the sunny side of a high wall between us and our neighbor to the north. It outgrew the space that we had allotted, and its roots threatened to break the concrete patio on its north side. Once established, the fig was determined to grow again, despite repeatedly being cut to the ground. At last, a spray of 'Roundup' completed its removal. In the meantime, a 'Brown Turkey' was acquired. It was placed close to a brick wall lining our own patio and it prospered. Not so large as the white fig, it has required only removal of dead wood that occurs through the winter. In the very severe cold weather that struck on February 1, 1989, both it and the white fig suffered the loss of some branches, but these were replaced by vigorous growth the next summer. Since then, we have had no severe frost damage.
figs are twice bearing...		The fig is twice bearing. A small first crop is produced on last year's wood from over wintering fruit fruit-buds. A second crop occurs after the first, when, as summer goes along, hundreds of new figs grow and swell. The figs we grow here do not require the fig insect to fertilize them. Over the winter, both trees carry over small nubs along a foot or so of the last year's wood. When summer comes again, these increase in size until, about the end of July to mid-August, they are fully formed and begin to droop. As mentioned before, the fruit is picked when it is soft and the skin is easily bruised. The ripe fig may even begin to burst its skin with its goodness, and wasps may find it a tasty source of sugar...for gorging themselves. Birds, too, may discover the sweetness so that the gardener should be vigilant at the time of harvest to prevent loss to other predators.
pruning is a must...		Pruning must be done to keep the size of the trees under control. Whole branches may be removed. But, it is also important to prune in a way that maximizes the chances of getting a good crop of fruit. Clearly, one should prune so as to increase the number of embryonic figs and not cut them off. The way to do this is to wait until about mid-June and cut back the tips of new growth...not so far that last year's fruit buds are removed...for that would eliminate any chance of getting the first crop...but so that the formation of more branches can occur during the remainder of the summer. An increased number of branches should ensure that more immature buds will develop to carry over until the following summer. The production of this second crop will not be much affected by pruning in this manner.
delicious bowls of figs...		Only a few dozen figs of the first crop may ripen on an individual tree in a good year. More often than not in Victoria, none of the second crop comes to ripeness before the cool weather and rains of autumn begin. It is said to be a good idea to remove these unripened fruits before they rot on the tree. It is easy to knock them off, leaving the incipient fruit buds untouched. This last fall, however, most of the summer-borne crop ripened. We had from these two trees more figs than we could manage to eat. Large bowlfuls were emptied and replaced until we could eat no more. The white fig tree had huge fruits weighing as much as 300 grams each. When cut open, their flesh is pale-green-white, and it is very sweet. The 'Brown Turkey' has brown skin and flesh is rose in color. It also is very sweet and the tiny seeds are crunch. Delicious! Of the two, I prefer the white.
green foliage accents to rhododendrons...		Now, do I think that fig trees are useful as companions for rhododendrons? Firstly, they do not become too large to be out of scale. Their green foliage is attractive as background against which the foliage and flowers of rhododendrons can be displayed...at a distance...perhaps, because their cultural requirements are different. In the autumn, the foliage of the figs blazes bright yellow...again an attractive counter-balance to the greens of the rhododendrons...and in the winter...the structures created by the leafless branches are interesting and beautiful in their own way. Of course, it is for the delicious fruits that we grown them...but, they do have these additional attributes that make them valuable in the garden.

How to plan a garden....right		David Kurshel of the Nanaimo Chapter, Vancouver Island, B.C., has a plan for you on how just to develop a garden. Gardening is a hobby that brings joy, entertainment, and a better quality of life. It is a creative activity, the result of which is...a more aesthetically appealing home.
decide on type of garden your heart's desire...		Thoughtful planning of a garden starts with the type of garden you would like to have. Deciding on a type of garden is essential before choosing which design elements to include. Will your garden be just a place to plant a bunch of flowers which will bloom only during the growing season? Would you rather have a thoughtfully-chosen herb garden? Maybe just a vegetable plot?
consider the climate...		Another issue to consider is the climate in your location. It can be surprising how little we know about the facts, figures, and statistics of the weather where we live. You may want to consult an online map to get statistical data regarding climate elements...like rainfall per month or average temperatures.
figure out the plants you want to grow...		The next step is to figure out the plants that you would like to grow in your garden. Think of plants that are suitable for the duration of the growing season in your location...that will survive the changes in temperature, typical for your location.
how much shade is needed...		One more factor to consider...how much shade is necessary for each of the plants. You need to make sure that there is enough light all over the places you plan to plant your garden.
now...start planning the plots...		When you have finished with planning...in theory...it is time to start planning the plots in your garden. Again, think for a good plan...one that brings joy...is easy to keep and at the same time efficiently uses the available space. Think about where to place plants that require a lot of sunlight. The best place for such plants is away from buildings and taller trees because these block the light at daytime. Deciding which plants to grow near the house, and which should be in the open also requires some thought. If you prefer the sunshine streaming through your windows, then you are best not to have bulky trees or bushes near the house, where they will block the sunlight. If you have decided that you will be growing herbs and vegetables, the best place for them is near the house. When they are near the house, it is more likely that you will be using them for cooking. Besides convenience, you should also think about the location of vegetables as far as their needs for sunlight are concerned. This is especially true if yours is mainly a vegetable garden.
take into consideration your personal preferences...		Last...but not least...take into account your personal preferences when designing a garden. If there are particular extras you like to have...for instance...winding pathways or gazebos, include them in the initial design of the garden. Your outdoor garden is constrained only by the limits of y our creativity, and the growing season in your location.

"P" is for Pieris...a companion plant		Want another companion plant in your garden? Colleen Forster writes in The Yak, the Fraser South Chapter, Southeastern Vancouver, B.C., of an addition you may wish to consider for Spring 2005! Try to imagine a Spring without the retina-searing banks of 'Forest Flame', or the foreboding ox-blood red displays of 'Mountain Fire''! These Lily-of-the-Valley shrubs, staples in the landscape of B.C., are useful and versatile, but many other varieties have been developed that expand the spectrum...far beyond the norm. Blooms come in white, shades of pink, and red...and the appearance of the new foliage several times during the growing season is possibly even more eye-catching. Size will range from low mounds of tiny foliage and perky blooms...to soaring trees forming a brilliant canopy over pathways below. Generally, fine-textured, dense and well-clothed with foliage, they can fill gaps in perennial gardens...or mix well in woodland gardens.
seven species...		Of the seven species known worldwide...most of our garden cultivars are hybrids or selections of P. floribunda (Zone 5), P. formosa (Zone 8); or P. japonica (Zone 6). The latter has a sub-species...P.j. yakushimana...that has caught the attention of plant breeders lately, and given rise to a flurry of dwarf, white-bloomed plants that make excellent foreground material, container subject, or even bonsai specimens. Look for names like 'Prelude', 'Sarabande', 'Cavaine', 'Debutante', 'Purity', and others.
color selections...		Colored flower selections started with 'Blush', a very soft pink, which led to 'Christmas Cheer', 'Flamingo', 'Daisen', 'Pink Delight', and 'Valley Rose'. A fantastic variety called 'Dorothy Wyckoff', has very dark green foliage that develops a dark bronze tint in winter, and prominent burgundy buds that open to pale pink and fade to white...very dramatic in its contrasts! The darkest flower color comes in 'Valley Valentine', a deep red that gets a bit lighter at the base with age.
some choice selections...		The large growing white-flowered forms combine the best in foliage and bloom...especially 'Scarlet O'Hara'...the earliest and longest blooming cultivar I've ever seen. It blossoms from March 'til May...and follows this up with shiny scarlet red new growth. For extra heavy blooms on compact plants, try 'White Cascade' or 'Snowdrift'. A fairly new hybrid with extra cold hardiness is 'Brouwer's Beauty' (Zone 5), unusual in its purplish flower buds and its refreshing lime-green new foliage which matures to a darker shade.
variegated leaf forms...		Different again are the variegated leaf forms...the first selection was P.j. 'Vaiegata', with thin white edges on smaller green leaves. 'Little Heath' is a miniature form, which rarely blooms but has red new growth. Two sports of 'Forest Flame ' have been named: 'Flaming Silver', a more vigorous form with brilliant red-pink new growth. Slower growing with bolder creamy white edges is 'Havilla'. Because of the white on the foliage, the blooms are not especially showy. All of these are quite happy in moist, well-drained acidic humus soil, in sun or part shade, and away from cold winds. Pruning is rarely needed unless the plant has been damaged, except that, as for rhodos, deadheading is esthetic and helps develop more even branching. New growth is susceptible to late frosts, but plants recover well and blooms are usually not bothered.
waiting for first pink-flowered, variegated form...		I'd love to have space to plant all the different types...but what I'm really waiting for is the first pink-flowered, variegated form...and I already have a name picked out... How about...'Raspberry Frost'? Happy planting!

Spring challenge...		A thoughtful challenge from Henry Mitchell to give you something to think about this 2005 Spring: "...it isn't how long a plan flowers that counts, but rather how much opportunity we have to enjoy it." Do take the time to plant...then take time to enjoy your plantings.