What is a Japanese garden?

Rock or stone bridge with angle or zigzag shape. Designed to slow down visitors and encourage viewing from multiple perspectives. Monochromatic color palette, dominated by greens, grays and browns. "Flowers draw attention to themselves and disturb the harmony of the whole," said Japanese gardening enthusiast Larry Cipolla.

Rocks and boulders, often moss-covered. "One type of rock should dominate," to suggest natural outcroppings said Betty Ann Addison, owner of Rice Creek Gardens.

Dry streambeds. Smaller rocks arranged to evoke flowing water.

All-season interest, often created with different shapes and textures of evergreens.

Focal points, such as a stone lantern, a rock formation or an intriguing specimen tree.

Sound, created by flowing water, wind chimes or a bell. "Be aware of all the senses, not just sight," said Scott Endres, owner of Tangletown Gardens.

Open spaces, simplicity. "The No. 1 mistake we see is adding too much," Endres said.

Water features. Natural-looking ponds or waterfalls, surrounded by rocks.

Granite basins, often with dripping water feature.

Stone pathways leading to "rooms." A Japanese garden is not visible all at once but requires gradual discovery.

Bonsai? Not necessary. The ancient Japanese art of dwarfing trees and plants is a separate art form, according to Cipolla. "If you see that in a Japanese garden, they don't know what they're doing."

Planting Tulips Helps the Fight Against Cancer...

Planting Tulips Helps the Fight Against Cancer

We all know the health benefits we derive from working in our gardens. The mail order company, Dutch Gardens, is joining the fight against breast cancer by selling 'Survivor Tulips', to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Komen Foundation is involved in all aspects of breast cancer eradication: research, education screening and treatment.

The rich pink 'Survivor Tulips' are hardy in Zones 3 - 7. Five dollars from each order of 25 tulips ($24.95) will go to the foundation. (They've made a guaranteed minimum pledge of $5,000.) Go to the Dutch Gardens website for more information or to place an order. A ribbon of pink tulips might be just the thing for your spring garden.

Larkspur is a cool-weather flower

Larkspur is an annual form of delphinium, much prized as a cut flower and used extensively in bouquets from the florist. It's a good garden variety too, in some ways better than delphinium, since it blooms more quickly and for a longer period of time and really looks more graceful. Of course, as an annual it won't come back again after blooming the first year.

It's a cool-weather flower, and must be planted in early fall to late fall, and will come into bloom early December to January-February, and will continue to bloom well until hot weather causes it to start to go to seed. For many years there weren't many different varieties. Giant Imperial and Regal strains were about all you could find, and while both were good and still are, there are some newer ones worth trying from seed.

"Earl Grey" is somewhat unique in that the flower color is sort of slate gray or blue. The flowers are double, the spikes are long, and the plant gets about three feet tall. A more appealing one in my view is a new selection out of Giant Imperial called "Sublime Mixed". It has double blooms on strong spikes in pink, blue, white, mauve and rose and a silvery blue. There is also a dwarf strain of larkspur, sometimes preferred gardeners where wind is problem.

Plant larkspur in a spot where it can be seen against a wall or fence for best results, but in full sun, in good soil. The earlier this fall you start from seed, the longer you'll have blooming plants in winter and spring. Plants need adequate water to germinate, then only when rains fail. Don't fertilize since this can cause too much foliar growth at the expense of bloom spikes. Keep the spikes cut when in bloom, since this can promote more spikes from base branching plants.


LARKSPUR FACTS

Best features: Good cut flower, unique blooms, good colors

Degree of difficulty: Easy to grow

When to plant: Early fall to December

Where to plant: Full sun

Soil specifications: Good soil

Fertilizer and water: Don't fertilize, water well to start

Happy Gardening!

Mistflower ~ favorite fall wildflower, long-lasting blooms

You can't fool the flowers. The day and night time temperatures remain those of a Southern summer but the native plants that are programmed to bloom and to set berries announce that autumn has arrived. One of the showiest that blooms in fall is the narrow-leaved swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius).

Dramatic it is, with its daisy-like golden flowers on plants that can grow to be 7-feet high. Given sun, water and room to grow, swamp sunflower will spread, making it a good choice for an area that can be left natural and require little care. When the flowering has finished, the seedpods, if left in place, will provide food for seed-eating birds.

As the autumn leaves fall from the trees, those gardeners whose yards with some natural landscaping find that clean up chores are less. Leaves can be left where they land to provide all of the nourishment that native plants need to grow and to form colonies. And wildflowers and vines that quickly spread make a thick barrier against weeds and other undesirable plants. ...read more