|
FrontRangeLiving.com -> Garden -> Garden Heirlooms
 PIONEER STAPLES: HEIRLOOMS IN THE GARDEN
By Niki Hayden
When it comes to drought-busting plants, tough native specimens and imported
new ornamentals from faraway arid climes occupy front rows at garden centers.
But there’s another group of plants that should rise to the top of our lists
when it comes to sturdy growth, longevity and sheer persistence. Heirlooms--flowers and vegetables that our
grandparents grew--have a few standouts that
have survived wet years and dry years. They’ll stand by us today during
difficult seasons and serve us as well as they served those who brought them to
Colorado over one hundred years ago.
 A YELLOW ROSE JOINS THE GOLD RUSH
At the top of that list are a few sturdy roses that pioneers loved. The
Harison’s yellow rose may be rare to find today. This is a species rose—designed
by Mother Nature rather than humans. It’s also called the Persian yellow,
which may be the same rose or a close cultivar. Both bloom briefly each spring.
Harison’s yellow probably originated in Iran, or a reasonably close area in
Central Asia. The dry climate and harsh winters are nearly identical to our own.
Since original roses in Europe came in shades of red, white and pink, this
yellow rose was hybridized with European roses to produce blossoms with an
apricot blush, a tinge of salmon or a touch of orange. When pioneers moved
west, the Harison’s yellow became a standby. The thorny canes might look
formidable year around, but come spring, the vivid yellow blooms would be
embraced with fervor.
A close cousin to the Harison’s yellow rose, a cultivar of the same
species, is the Austrian copper, which lives up to its name with a brassy orange
hue. These species roses can be found on old homesteads, surviving many of our
most frigid winters, driest summers, heavy spring snows and early frosts.
Regardless of where they originated, Colorado suits them perfectly.
 TALL BEARDED IRISES
STILL STALWARTS
Tall bearded irises are far more common to find today than the Harison’s
yellow rose. But that doesn’t mean they are popular. Many have been tossed
into the trash because they are so ordinary. What once was called Grandma’s
flags are taken for granted. Like the Harison’s yellow, bearded iris is
believed to have originated in an arid country, perhaps Syria. The tall bearded
iris can be found throughout the Mediterranean. The name is Greek and refers to
the goddess of the rainbow.
In wetter climates like the Eastern seaboard, iris lovers worry about corm
rot and other diseases that an excess of water may bring. It’s our luck that
Colorado offers everything the bearded iris adores: a cold winter, wet spring
and dry summer. Rarely does a tall bearded iris suffer from any pest or disease
in Colorado. That’s not to say that all irises are equal. This varied family
produces irises that grow in water, irises that love bogs, irises that are
dwarfed, and irises that enjoy the tropics. The tall bearded, sometimes called
the German iris, is particularly healthy in our Front Range environment. It
won’t produce as spectacularly in the mountains, but it will endure the
hardships of the plains. It only asks to be divided every four years.
Finally, old-fashioned lilacs make a stage appearance each spring. The Front
Range is blanketed with the heady scent and lavender haze of blossoms. Often a
spring snow will strip the shrubs of their blooms, but they remain hardy
regardless and will be set to bloom next year. Lilacs are dependable bloomers
providing they are not heavily shaded by trees and have not had their buds
pruned in midsummer.
 A BOUQUET OF PERFUME
Like the Harison’s yellow rose and the tall bearded iris, lilacs arrived
with pioneers. Although they are called French lilacs, that’s a confusing
association. They came from the Balkans, where winters can be harsh, summers dry
and rocky soil the norm. Our climate mimics their origins and they have survived
for over a century on the Front Range. Napoleon cultivated lilacs in his royal
gardens, so they made an entrance to America as a "French" lilac.
The old-fashioned lilac renews itself by providing a shoot from the roots.
Old, woody branches can be pruned to clear out and shape the bush. Not much else
is required. And as hardy as the French lilac may be, many of the Asian lilacs
are tough, too. They don’t fall into the heirloom status, but they are rugged
cousins much like the European lilac, although their scent is spicy and the
flowers daintier. ‘Miss Kim’ is a favorite because it will stay small, which
is ideal for limited spaces, while the French lilacs may become very tall, up to twelve feet.
All three heirlooms require minimum care. When planting, provide some
compost mixed with ordinary garden soil. Water in carefully and provide leafy
mulch. They may require careful watering the first year, but will go for long
periods without supplemental water after they take hold. Only irises will
require additional care. None of these plants cares much for fertilizer,
although they will become robust with a very weak solution of fertilizer. Avoid
too much fertilizer, as it promotes leafy growth and invites pests. These are tough
plants and they will be happy left alone. If you’d like to visit heirloom
gardens, or work from a list of heirlooms, here’s a roster that gives you a
glimpse into the majestic gardens our grandparents once tended.
Heirloom Plants for the Colorado Garden
 Heirloom Gardens to visit:
The Shakespeare Garden on the campus of the University of Colorado, Boulder,
adjacent to the Mary Rippon Theater. Cultivated during the summer when the
Shakespeare Festival opens.
The Dushanbe Tea House (www.boulderteahouse.com) in Boulder: this rose garden
has been planted with new hardy roses as well as old-fashioned heirlooms.
The Romantic, Monet and Scripture Garden at the Denver Botanic Gardens (www.botanicgardens.org).
The native garden, of course, has heirlooms, as well, although few native
American plants were popular 100 years ago.
Long’s Iris Garden (www.longsgardens.com): open to the public in June. You’ll
find heirloom iris.
Baca House in Trinidad: a late 19th century vegetable garden
behind the house: corn, beans, herbs.
Hoverhome, (www.stvrainhistoricalsociety.org)
an historic home open to the public in Longmont: aged Catalpa trees,
a formal garden, peonies and Harison’s yellow rose
Fairmount Cemetery, 430 S. Quebec St., heirloom roses planted by the
Fairmount Heritage Foundation; 303-399-0692.
A Plant List of Heirlooms—many of these will surprise you. Flowers you’ve
long recognized and loved may be very old.
Roses
The following old roses are recommended by the Denver Rose Society for Front
Range gardens. This is only a partial list. For a complete list, contact the
society through the Denver Botanic Gardens. A sub-group of the society
specializes in Old Garden Roses and hosts an exhibit each spring at the Gardens.
For more information on herbs, iris, daylilies and other heirlooms, you’ll
find a society that centers upon a single love, such as the African Violet
Society. In that society will be lovers of heirlooms as well as new hybrids.
Species and species hybrids: These are the most basic of roses, ancient
plants that have been used to hybridize newer roses. Rose to pink colors: Rosa
eglanteria, Austrian Copper, Baltimore Belle, Rosa glauca, Yellow
shades: Harison’s yellow, Persian yellow, Fruhlingsgold, Hazeldean, The
following are white: Rosa rugosa alba, Rosa rugosa rubra, Rosa
Spinosissima, Stanwell Perpetual
Old rose categories (these roses are hundreds of years old and were
cultivated in medieval gardens of Europe or later mixed with a rose from
China). I’ve chosen two from each class of old rose: Albas: Felicite
Parmentier (pink), Alba Suaveolens (white), Boubons: La Reine Victoria
(pink), Variegata de Bologna (red), Centifolias: Fantin-Latour (pink), Rose
de Meaux (white), Damask: Rose de Rescht (deep pink), Autumn Damask (pink),
Gallica: Apothecary Rose (deep pink), Desiree Parmentier (light pink),
Hybrid Perpetuals were made popular in Victorian times: American Beauty
(pink), Frau Karl Druschki (white)
Hybrid Teas (mid 19th century): Mister Lincoln (red), Peace
(white tinged with apricot), Brandy (apricot), Pristine (white)—hybrid
teas often struggle with our harsh winds and excessive temperature swings.
Floribunda: Iceberg (white tinged slightly with pink)
Miniatures often are hardy in Colorado. The bush may grow large, but the
flowers will remain tiny. Two good choices for miniature climbing roses are:
Cecile Brunner, Jeanne Lajoie (pink)
Shrubs:
Lilacs, Syringa vulgaris, French lilac or common lilac (drought
resistant); Asian lilacs also may be excellent choices like "Miss
Kim"
Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus, ‘Minerva’
Santolina Santolina neopolitana, (drought resistant)
Perennials:
Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger
Balloon flower, Platycodon grandiflorus
Lupin, Lupinus, (needs moisture)
Delphinium (needs moisture and staking from winds)
Hollyhocks, single bloom, Alcea rosea (subject to rust and needs staking)
Salvia nemorosa, 'Blue Hill' and 'Maynight Sage' (good drought
resistance)
Lavenders (Lavendula angustifolia): French 'Grosso,' English 'Hidcote,'
(smaller version with deeper color) and 'Munstead' (recommended for xeric
landscapes)
German (Bearded) Iris, Iris Germanica, (recommended for xeric
landscapes)
Lamb’s Ear, Stachys byzantina, 'Common' (recommended for xeric
landscapes)
Obedient Plant, Physostegia
Coreopsis verticillata ,'Moonbeam' and 'Grandiflora Sunray' (good drought
resistance)
Pincushion flower, Scabiosa caucasica, 'Fama' and columbaria,
'Butterfly Blue'
Sweet Williams (biennial), Dianthus barbatus, tall variety
German Statice, Limonium latifolia
Geranium sanguineum, 'Bloody Cranesbill' (magenta)
Speedwell, Veronica, 'Sunny Border Blue'
Phlox paniculata, ‘David’, unlike many phlox plants, resistant to
mildew
Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla mollis also good for a shade garden
Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida, 'Goldstrum'
Dianthus gratianopolitanus, 'Bath's Pink' (good drought resistance)
Daylily, Hemerocallis, species (the orange heirloom has some drought
resistance)
Gayfeather Liatris spicata, 'Kobold'
Aster, 'Frikartii Monch'
Foxglove, Digitalis (biennial), 'Excelsior' hybrids
Prairie Mallow, Sidalcea, 'Party Girl' (good substitute for
hollyhocks)
Peony, Paeonia lactiflora, 'Karl Rosenfeld' (red), 'Festiva Maxima'
(white) and 'Sarah Bernhardt' (pink)
Sweet Pea, this requires trenching in cool soil with moisture
Columbine, Aquilegia vulgaris
Bulbs: Most bulbs like good drainage and not too much water. That makes them
suitable for the Front Range. They will benefit from being planted a little
deeper than the package suggests because our winters can be hot one day and
freezing the next.
Allium aflatunense, flowering onion (good drought resistance)
Allium Sphaerocephalon, drumstick allium (good drought resistance)
Crocus (good drought resistance)
Grape Hyacinth Muscari neglectum (good drought resistance)
Snowdrop Galanthus elwesii
Narcissus: 'Hawera,' "Sir Winston Churchill", poeticus
'Actaea' (good drought resistance, especially species)
Dahlia, "Bishop of Llandass," red with burgundy foliage is
recommended (dahlias must be planted in the spring and dug in the fall; they
cannot survive our winters)
Tulips: Darwin varieties will last longer than other varieties but do try
the species, which are tiny, ancient and drought resistant. Squirrels may
dig them up, so place a heavy rock over the species tulips until spring.
Lilium candidum, Madonna lily
Gladiolus, plant in spring for summer bloom, bulbs must be dug each
autumn and stored, just like dahlias. They do require more water than most
bulbs.
Annuals that are drought resistant need moisture in the spring, which is when
Mother Nature provides it to the Front Range. Once established, they’ll hold
their own.
Calendula Calendula officinalis (drought resistant, self-seeding,
once used as a substitute for saffron)
Sunflower, Helianthus (drought resistant)
Snapdragon, 'Black Prince,' a deep burgundy color
Cosmos, 'Sensation' and 'Sonata' (drought resistant, self-seeding)
Larkspur (self seeding)
(biennial) Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea
Cornflower, Centaurea byanus (drought resistant, self-seeding)
Love-in-a-mist Nigella camascena
Nasturium, Tropaeolum majus (companions well with vegetable gardens)
Cleome, spider flower, 'Violet Queen'
Verbena bonarinsis
Johnny-Jump-ups, Viola (self-seeding)
Ground Covers:
Thyme: woolly thyme, thyme minus and mother-of-thyme, Thymus serpyllum
'Coccineum' (fuschia red), but many thyme varieties love Colorado weather
Veronica allionii, 'Allioni'
Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum
Alpine Strawberry, Fragaria vesca
For the Shady Garden:
Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabilis (this plant requires considerable
moisture)
Coral Bells, Heuchera sanguinea, 'Firefly'
Monkshood, Aconitum
Lungwort, Pulmonaria, 'Mrs. Moon'
Heart-leafed Bergenia, Bergenia cordifolia
Hosta, 'Golden Tiara' (moisture required)
Lamium, 'Shell Pink' and 'Pink Pewter'
Daylilies, Hemerocallis: 'Catherine Neal,' 'Ruby Throat,' 'August
Orange'
Japanese Anemone: 'Honorine Jobert'
Herbs—these all are drought-resistant with the exception of basil:
Rosemary, Rosmariunus officinalis
Chives, Allium schoenoprasum,
Basil, Ocimum basilicum
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris,
Parsley, Petroseliunum crispum
Mint, Mentha spicata
Sage, Salvia officinalis
Orchard Trees: most of these trees will not bear fruit because the Front
Range usually suffers a late frost. They are ornamental only and sometimes grown
on Siberian rootstock. There are a few old heirlooms that do bear fruit. Look
for the Lodi apple tree if you can find it. It was the best apple for applesauce
nearly 100 years ago along the Front Range.
Apple: Whitewinter Permian, also Lodi (green)
Apricot: Sungold and Manchurian
Cherry: Northstar, Montmorency sour cherry
Peach: Reliance, Siberian
Pear: K’anjou and Bartlett
Plum: Stanley and Santa Rosa
Grapes: Concord varieties grow best—concords are indigenous to North
America.
Vegetables: Crookneck Yellow squash, Chioggia (an Italian candy stripe)
and Golden beets, Rhubarb, Rainbow Chard, Early Black Egg eggplant (Asian
heirloom), Red Russian kale, Lettuces: ‘Deer tongue’, ‘Red oak leaf’,
‘Little Gem’ Romaine, Rouge d’Hiver, Melons: Moon and Stars (Amish),
parsnips (nearly every kind is heirloom), Green peas: ‘Little Marvel,’
Peppers: Chimayo (New Mexico heirloom), Hungarian Wax. Potatoes: All Blue
(Peruvian), Yellow Finn. Radishes ‘D’Avignon’ (French), Winter Squash:
Blue Hubbard (New England), Buttercup (North Dakota), Jarrahdale (Australian),
Rouge Vif d’Etampes (French), Butternut (1944, but still considered an
heirloom), Delicata. Pumpkins: Small Sugar, Sweet Dumpling. Tomatoes (these can
be tricky because they require a long season and mild weather; start off with
the miniature versions first or resort to a cold frame to extend the growing
season), Brandywine (Amish), Costoluto Genovese, Striped German, yellow pear
(small and easy to grow), Black Krim, red pear (also small, easy). If you have a
tiny garden and would like to try heirlooms, I recommend Crookneck Yellow
Squash, Red or Yellow Pear tomatoes, any of the lettuces (Red Sails and Romaine
are heirlooms), D’Avignon radishes, either of the beets and Rainbow Chard.
For more advice on heirloom vegetables, "A Celebration of Heirloom
Vegetables," by Roger Yepsen, Artisan, 1998
Photos from top to bottom:
- Old-fashioned French lilac: Syringa vulgaris
- Harison's yellow rose: Rosa foetida
- Old-fashioned French lilac hybrid: Syringa vulgaris 'Edward Andre'
- Rose of Sharon: Hibiscus syriacus 'Minerva'
Copyright Front Range Living, LLC, 2004
|
