Snaps and more

Elisabeth — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:55:00 GMT

There is a plant family with a disgusting sounding name--Scrophulariaceae. "Scrofula" is a word derived from the Latin, used to describe a disease that causes swelling in the neck. "Scrofulous" can also mean "having a diseased appearance". Fortunately members of the Scrophulariaceae family, including snapdragons, flax, and penstemon, look anything but diseased. The name probably comes from the fact that the petals, especially those of snapdragons, tend to be fused into a swollen, pouch-like shape. The ends of the petals often form prominent 'lips".

The family contains many very useful garden plants. Annual snapdragons are stalwarts of the cottage garden that are available in a rainbow of colors (just about any color except true blue), can also stand tall in more formal settings. Penstemon, a North American native, is a perennial, and as tough as nails. It comes in shades of pink, white, blue, purple or red. Flax, another winsome annual, is more delicate than many of its relatives. I especially like the blue-purple variety, which combines nicely with yellow-flowered plants like Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'.

Most of the Scrophulariaceae family members prefer sunlight, but can make do with almost any kind of soil. Snapdragons self seed when they are happy and penstemons multiply. All are ridiculously easy to grow.

If you are looking for a good garden investment, these pretty plants with the awful family name will provide excellent returns.

Cottage Gardens

Elisabeth — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:53:00 GMT

My garden is a cottage garden. What does that mean? It means that it has an informal layout with a large assortment of annuals, perennials, potted plants, shrubs and small trees. Single specimen plants are featured in some places, while drifts of one type of plant dominate other beds. Sometimes the low-growing plants in the fronts of the borders push their way outward onto the paths. The tall plants are sometimes staked or otherwise corralled, but some may be allowed to flop over. Self-seeders,like California poppy and larkspur, are allowed to follow their natural inclinations.

Cottage gardens may be informal, but that doesn't mean they don't require upkeep. The idea is to allow each plant or plant group to shine without overshadowing its neighbors. For example, my front garden is home to a beautiful hybrid musk rose and an impressive mature tree peony. They grow side by side and bloom one after the other. The white-flowered rose is a rampant grower that could easily swamp the tree peony and block out its light. To keep the tree peony healthy, I prune the rosebush once in very early spring and again after it completes each bloom cycle. Both the rose and the tree peony are thriving.

The edges of paths can be softened by allowing plants to grow over them, but the paths should always be passable. The white-flowered salvia along my front walkway tend to lap over the edges of the concrete. If the salvia extends its prostrate stems more than a few inches into the path, I cut them back. After all, I don't want the mailman attacked by the salvia.

Cottage gardens also need regular weeding to keep complete chaos at bay. Weeds crop up at my place, even though I use lots of mulch and grow many ground-covering species. I usually take my garden knife and an empty plant pot with me when I do my daily tour of the garden. Plucking out a few weeds every day saves having to spend all of your weekend hours weeding. I also use the knife to grub out some of those self-sown seedlings that pop up where they aren't wanted. I never feel guilty about that kind of editing because there are always plenty more seedlings.

Some amount of deadheading also helps keep cottage gardens looking their best. I am not slavish about deadheading, but I find that it is easier to appreciate the plants that are currently blooming if you don't have to look at the remains of those that bloomed two weeks ago.

In short, behind every garden that makes people say, "It looks so natural," is a gardener who is willing to give nature a helping hand.

Growing Wise : cottage gardens

Snaps and more

Cottage Gardens