The Whistling Gardener

by Steve Smith

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, located at 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., and a respected local expert on all things horticultural. You can reach Steve at 425-334-2002 or by e-mail at info@sunnysidenursery.net.

I know, I promised you some plant suggestions to keep your yard interesting and I will introduce a couple this week and then a few more next issue, but I neglected to mention some chores that really need to be done this month.

Prune evergreen ferns: I just realized I hadn't cut back my evergreen ferns and it needs to be done before they start putting on their new growth for the season. Specifically, sword ferns, Alaska ferns, tassel ferns and Autumn ferns (all of which I have in my garden) need to be cut back to their crowns this month before the new growth appears. If you don't do it the ferns will be just fine, but they will look a whole lot nicer and tidier if you do.

Fatsia, Choisya and other broadleaf evergreens-My Fatsia (Japanese Aralia) which blooms in the winter always gets nipped by the frost and looks like heck unless I chop it back below the frost damage. This pruning makes it look hacked for only a very short period of time though. Fatsia grows quickly and will fill in before you know it. This is the consummate shrub for a shady area with bold foliage that is completely disease- and insect-free. Everybody needs one either on the east or north side of their house.

Choisya (Mexican Orange) is a delightful evergreen shrub with dark green leaves (the variety Sundance has golden foliage and is my preferred flavor) and white fragrant flowers in the spring. It prefers sun and some heat but I grow it just fine with filtered shade. After this last winter, mine is looking a bit bedraggled and it has also become leggy so just as soon as it finishes blooming I am going to cut it back halfway to the ground. Hopefully the Missus will be gone when I do this as it always upsets her. Of course later in the summer she comes around and is thankful for my judicious editing.

Corsican Hellebore-this is a perennial but unlike most perennials, it is evergreen and as the new growth emerges this time of year the old growth needs to be cut to the ground. If you do this now you will be cutting the flowers off as well, but to be perfectly frank, they aren't much to write home about so prune away and don't worry about it.

Weeds-somehow I failed to mention weeds in the last issue. If you can catch a sunny day this month, in just a few minutes you can take out any dandelions and clover in the lawn with a product called Weed Beater Ultra by Bonide. This herbicide works well even when it is cool and if you only spray the weeds you will minimize the amount that goes into the environment, unlike weed-and-feeds that are spread over the entire lawn. The trick to controlling other spring weeds is to catch them when they are small, before they bolt and set seed. You can do this with either an herbicide, a hoe and rake or by smothering them with mulch. Once you remove them you need to apply a weed preventer like Preen (either natural Corn Gluten or synthetic forms) and cover the soil with a one-inch layer of mulch. So much of weed control success is about timing.

Finally, some plants that are "must haves" for the northwest garden. Pulmonaria, or lungwort as it is commonly called, is a bullet-proof perennial for shade or light sun. It will bloom this month with blue or pink, salmon or white flowers when little else is in color. After it blooms cut it back to the ground and the foliage will then emerge and form a lovely rosette of spotted leaves for the rest of the season. Slugs don't bother it and it is a super companion for ferns, astilbes and hostas, to name just a few. You can find them this month and only this month in full bloom in the garden center.

Early blooming Clematis-specifically I love the "Montana" types such as "rubens" and "Freda" with their light to smoky pink flowers that sometimes actually have a faint vanilla scent. These are vigorous types that will cover an arbor in short order much like a honeysuckle will. If they get too out of control you can cut them back hard after they bloom and start over. If you want real fragrance, plant the evergreen "Armandii" variety but be prepared for some occasional winter damage when the temps drop into the teens. I had a monster for years with a 3-inch trunk that finally bit the dust two years ago in one of those "arctic blasts." But that was okay because it was an opportunity to try something new and exciting...which is why I love to garden.

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at 425-334-2002 or online at info@sunnysidenursery.net