Spring Q & A
1. What flowers will be in bloom in June that you could recommend for floral displays or as a bouquet?
This is a two part question. First, you need flowers that will provide a colourful show fairly quickly; second, they need to be able to withstand cutting. Here is a list of my favourites for just such an occasion:
– African daisy
– Bachelor’s buttom
– English marigold
– Cosmos
– Lupine
– Marguerite daisy
– Zinnia
2. How can I control prickly weeds in my flower gardens?
I use a 5cm thick layer of shredded cedar or pine bark mulch to suppress garden weeds. Make sure to keep the mulch away from the base of your plants to avoid stressing them. If you are having the same problem in your lawn, put down a 5cm thick layer of triple mix and overseed with a good quality grass seed. Eventually you will crowd out the weeds and all that will be left is a beautiful lawn.
3. Do you think the wedgewood climbing rose and the Jackmanii clematis would be a good pairing in my zone 5 sunny garden? I am looking for both to be climbers on an arbour with fun summer blooms.
Both are excellent choices for climbing an arbour. Be sure to shade the base of the clematis though while ensuring the top of the plant receives full sun.
4. I have some flower seeds from 2011, will they be good to plant this spring?
That depends on how they were stored. Have you kept them in a cool, dry place for the past 2 years? If yes, there is a good chance that the seed is still viable and will germinate. If not, your chances for germination drop rapidly. It also depends on the type of seed: some will stay viable for 5 or 6 years while others won’t make it to the 2 year mark. It can’t hurt to give them a try.
