The final week of April is the week to let your spring fever run wild with a go to to a park or public backyard. In our space we’re blessed with the present of many public gardens. Visitors are welcomed at Powellswood in Federal Way, The Bellevue Botanical Gardens and Soos Creek Botanical Gardens close to Kent. My selection this month could be the Rhododendron Species Garden on the Weyerhaeuser campus in Federal Way. At a go to to this spectacular backyard you’ll not simply get pleasure from flowering rhodies but in addition uncover the most effective shade tolerant groundcovers, bushes, shrubs and perennials that thrive in our local weather. There is also a present store, giant greenhouse, and the bonsai assortment to admire. Q. I would love some plant solutions for a hedge that may bloom in the summertime. We don’t care what the hedge seems like within the winter however want some privateness and colour through the summer time months once we are outside having fun with our lake entrance property. — L.T., Bonney Lake A. I vote for hydrangeas as the most effective flowering hedge with summer time blooms. But transcend your grandmother’s hydrangeas with the massive blue blooms. The new hydrangeas similar to “Tuff Stuff” Hydrangea serrata (brief and durable crops) or the Hydrangea arborescens “Invincibelle Mini Mauvette” will supply the panorama bushels of pink or white summer-long blooms and these new hydrangeas won’t be as floppy or develop as tall as conventional hydrangeas. As a chilly climate bonus, these new hydrangeas flower on outdated and new wooden so even a late-spring freeze or pruning session gained’t cease the flowers from showing each summer time. Hydrangeas will do finest with water throughout summer time dry spells so if you happen to insist on a extra drought-resistant flowering shrub, the higher choice could be a brand new spiraea “Double Play Doozie,” a repeat bloomer with clusters of brilliant pink blooms. Tip: You could have the ability to order the variety of crops you want for a hedge by contacting your native nursery and putting a customized order to decide up as soon as the crops arrive. Most hedging crops ought to be positioned 3 to 5 toes aside, relying on the variability. Q. I’m making a fragrance backyard and am on the lookout for one thing tall to use behind my flower mattress. Will Jacob’s Ladder Polemonium develop right here in Western Washington? I heard it was a aromatic perennial with blue blooms. — B.S., Tacoma A. What a scent-sational selection! The “Heaven Scent” Polemonium (widespread title Jacob’s Ladder) not solely has delicate, ferny foliage however it’s topped with aromatic blue flowers and grows to 2 toes tall. Add much more top and lengthen the fragrance season with summer-flowering candy peas on tepees constructed from bamboo poles. You can complement the fragrance with low growers similar to white petunias and alyssum. Be certain to get pleasure from your fragrance backyard at evening when flower scents might be most intense. Marianne Binetti has a level in horticulture from Washington State University and is the creator of a number of books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.
