Mountain Laurel… with beautiful pink ice buds that open in spring. Photo: Jackie Warburton
Mountain Laurel brings delicate pink spring flowers to the garden and is a tough evergreen well suited to Canberra’s cold climate, says gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a special little plant not often seen in Canberra gardens.
Jackie Warburton.
Its beautiful pink buds open in spring, creating a display that will stop you in your tracks. This evergreen survives our cold climate with no problems at all.
Mountain Laurel is often grown as a small shrub, although it can become larger over time. A member of the Ericaceae family, it is a tough plant once established, but it is the flowers for which it is grown.
It likes similar conditions to rhododendrons and azaleas, with morning sun and protection from hot afternoon sun and winds. It is slow growing, so does not need harsh pruning.
Kalmia angustifolia has delicate deep-pink flowers, while K. latifolia has blush-pink blooms. If you cannot decide between them, there is always room for two!
ANOTHER plant worth trying is Meadow Rue (Thalictrum). It is not considered invasive and has pretty, dainty pink flowers held above fern-like foliage, making it a lovely plant for a shady position. It likes a little sun but needs moisture during dry periods.
An old-fashioned plant, it is generally available at plant sales, fairs or stalls.
Meadow Rue benefits from a light prune in autumn before re-shooting in spring. I have had great difficulty growing these plants, but this year I am determined to put another one in.
NOW the soils are warm, seeds can be sown in seed-raising mix, kept moist and placed in the shade until they germinate. Germination time will depend on the seeds being sown.
IT’S also the time to plant Mediterranean herbs around outdoor living spaces to deter mosquitoes. Choose plants with a pungent aroma, such as lavender, catmint, rosemary and sage. As a bonus, their flowers will benefit other insects.
APPLE trees can be netted after they have finished flowering. Fine mesh netting will help prevent codling moths from attacking the fruit. Codling moths become abundant once temperatures reach about 15C. They burrow into the fruit, spoiling the apple and making it inedible.
Netting is one of the easiest and most environmentally friendly ways of keeping codling moths at bay. If a tree is difficult to net, kaolin clay can be used and will also combat woolly aphids on apple trees.
Kaolin clay is an organic, natural mineral powder mixed with water and sprayed over the entire tree to help prevent insects and fungal diseases from damaging it.
THIS is an important time in the orchard, with fruit beginning to develop after flowering. Consistent watering, the addition of potash and good mulch through the summer months will help fruiting through summer and into autumn.
GROWING vegetables in the backyard can be one of the most satisfying projects for anyone, at any age. For tips and tricks on growing backyard vegetables, visit the Canberra Organic Growers Society open days being held throughout spring.
The first is at Kaleen Community Garden, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary, on October 10 from 9.30am to 12.30pm. There will be garden tours, talks, a plant clinic, seedlings for sale, morning tea and a raffle.
Kambah COGS garden in Springbett Street, Kambah, will open on November 7 with festivities and a talk from me on propagation: How to make free plants.
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