cream-colored streaks along the lengths of its leaves, which help to break up the ho-hum sea of green common in many Southern shade gardens. This snappy dresser was named the Perennial Plant Association’s 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year. False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum). Although not in the same genus as true Solomon’s seals, this close cousin is a North American native with the look and grace of Polygonatum biflorum. The two are sometimes found paired in the wild, meaning it also thrives in similar growing conditions. So, what’s the difference? Instead of bell-like flowers hanging from under the stems, false Solomon’s seal shows off feathery bloom clusters on the tips of its limbs. These blossoms give way to red berries Variegated Solomon’s Seal that can ripen to a bright red, but, personally, I usually don’t see them in such a hot hue — the birds in my garden eagerly gobble up the maturing fruits! L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener Magazine. Want to ask L.A. a question about your garden? Contact him by email at lajackson1@gmail.com.
To Do in the GARDEN
Wisteria and ‘Lady Banks’ climbing rose 12
TIMELY TIP
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Early-blossoming beauties looking scruffy? Standard springtime pretties such as azaleas, spring-flowering climbing roses, camellias (Camellia japonica), forsythias, deutzias, ornamental cherries, mock oranges, spireas, dogwoods, kerrias, witch hazels, flowering quinces and weigelas can be pruned after they have finished their bloom time. For a look that will preserve the more natural flow and shape of a tree, bush or vine, use hand pruners or loppers to individually cut any overreaching branch back to a bud or limb junction. Just got a new electric hedge trimmer and prefer a landscape full of plants shaped like poodles, pyramids and platypuses? That’s what boxwoods are for.
April
• For fancier flower displays from backyard pond pretties such as water lily and lotus plants that require a steady diet of nutrients from spring into the summer, adding time-release fertilizer tablets specially formulated for potted aquatic plants to their containers should do the trick. • Cool-season vegetables that were seeded in the garden last month should now be thinned to their proper spacing requirements. • Early-bird veggie gardeners can begin planting summer vegetables such as corn, cucumbers, cantaloupes, tomatoes, pumpkins, snap beans, squash and watermelons by the middle to end of this month.
• Remember to set aside an area for the little gardeners in your family. Show them how to prepare the soil, and then help the tykes grow easy annuals like sunflowers, zinnias, pole beans or pumpkins. • If you haven’t given your dog or cat a flea and tick treatment in the last month, put any of their brushings around the bird feeder, and see how fast the fuzz gets snatched up for building nests. And while it might be tempting to also add dryer lint, don’t. It could contain residual cleaning chemicals that can be unsafe for birds.
CARY MAGAZINE 101