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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Garden -> Pastel Spring Garden
 Spring Garden of Pastels
Delphiniums, Roses, Irises, Clematis, Peonies, Pansies
Pastels
claim a spring garden, set against a backdrop of chartreuse green. If there is
only one season for the most beleaguered garden, it will be spring--sandwiched
between a rough winter and parched summer.
Tender
green peas and lettuces surround violas and pansies. Roses send out pink buds.
Irises unfurl a lavender flag. Peonies take center stage in floral tutus.
Clematis
in blues, magentas, whites and purples crawl along chain-link fences and sweet
peas the size of tiny teacups arch from wiry stems. Pink poppies with rippled,
gauzy petals march between the delphiniums. No spring blossom is more striking
than tall spires of delphiniums standing like sentries, ranging from whites,
pinks and lavenders to deep dark blues.
Rain
arrives and brisk winds sweep through the garden, felling tall growers like
delphiniums. But if you secure delphiniums, they’ll simply sway slightly back
and forth. It’s not necessary to tie every spire. Put four stakes around your
plants. Three rounds of cord around the stakes, about one to two inches from
each, will do it. Despite the winds, they will move and cling together. Accept
them as the spectacle there are designed to be. Delphiniums don’t have a long
lifespan; they will decrease through the years.
 Delphiniums
are associated with the English cottage gardens, but they grow elsewhere too:
one from Iran and Iraq is small and prefers a dry, desert climate. Another is
red and looks stunted. But the delphiniums so beloved are the tall spires--up to
five feet high, filled with splashy, big blooms—so big that each single flower
commands attention. The "bees" or center of the blossoms are furry and
brown, black or white and truly look like fuzzy bumblebees. Tall delphiniums are
elegant, with an architecture that towers over other perennials.
A
longtime delphinium grower suggests compost for amended soil. Other than that,
these perennials don’t need much in the way of fertilizing. Save every scrap
from the garden for compost, making sure that there’s no herbicide lurking.
With water and heat, the mixture is exactly what delphiniums adore. Apply the
same soil techniques for clematis and sweet peas.
Delphiniums
can take cold, even the cold of high altitude, and won’t require mulch because
they don’t like damp crowns. While most garden centers can provide fine field
grown delphiniums, a true aficionado sows from seed that is hand-pollinated in
England. That’s how you’ll get extraordinary colors of mauve and pale blue
petals. Lavish delphiniums are hybrids and their seeds won’t duplicate the
parent plant.
To
enjoy such extravagant blooms, you’ll have to grow the seed in a cool
location. An unheated garage at just under 60 degrees with horticultural lights
works well. Plant the seeds in January using sterile potting soil; it will take
about three weeks for the seed to germinate. Store extra seeds in a refrigerator
to enhance their viability for about three years.
When
the tender shoots develop a second pair of leaves, transplant them to a larger
pot, but don’t place them in the garden until spring. That’s because slugs
love delphinium seedlings. As the delphiniums grow, lower the lights to about
two inches above the seedlings and feed fertilizer at quarter strength each
week. Once they are four to five inches high, they’ll be safe from slugs.
 Most delphiniums
need about four hours of sun. But the tall bloomers require six full hours.
After the bloom, cut down the spires and you may enjoy a shorter bloom in late
summer. The English Delphinium Society suggests that you leave only five spikes
once your plant is established. If that’s too hard to do, pinch off the side
branches, which gives a boost to the main stalks.
Delphiniums may be
too large for your cottage garden. If that’s the case, larkspur is a
substitute. These hardy annuals are grown from seed sown directly into the soil
at the end of winter. You can fling them out the door into the snow and enjoy a
bumper crop. Larkspur will self-seed regularly and, once established, will
return year after year. Like it’s larger brethren, delphinium, it is
poisonous.
Sweet Peas
 Sweet
peas bloom at about the same time, and like delphiniums, prefer cool weather.
Keep in mind that sweet peas are poisonous despite their allegiance to the pea
family.
Plant
sweet peas among garden peas. The cultivation is identical. Pinch them back
after their first two pairs of leaves, which will make a shorter and stouter
vine. Although some gardeners dig a trench that they fill in as the vines grow
to protect them from the cold, it’s not always necessary. Just watch the first
few weeks because birds or slugs will eat the tender shoots. Netting thrown over
the shoots will discourage birds. Surround the shoots with a thick blanket of
sharp pine needles to stave off slugs.
Sweet peas do have
to be tied to a trellis; their vines will not cling. They need temperatures of
about 60 to 70 degrees to germinate. And the seedlings should not be allowed to
become leggy. Fertilize them every week at half strength with an all-purpose
perennial fertilizer in the mornings or evenings when the temperatures are cool.
They are subject to thrips and leaf miners, but most gardeners overlook these
small drawbacks. Their old-fashioned perfume scents the air and chiffon petals
bob in the slightest breeze.
Clematis
 Like
delphiniums, clematis vines grow easily in cold climates. The dark shades of
clematis, if planted in bright sun, may fade, but will thrive in dappled shade
and preserve their dark colors. Pale pinks or blues run along a sunny border.
With the soaring popularity of clematis, there are several cultivars to choose
from. But most fall into one of three categories—spring flowering, repeat
flowering and late summer flowering. Some vines set their buds on new growth,
others on old growth and others on both. When in doubt, prune clematis after it
has flowered. But you may never need to prune clematis, just trim back dead
wood.
The
general rule for clematis is that they love cool feet and sunny heads. Spread
mulch over their roots and allow their tops to be exposed to full sun. It will
take about three years for clematis to bloom furiously—longer if the ground is
dry. They do need to be tied to a trellis or fence because clematis, by itself,
is not a climber. There is a set limit to the growth and, with the exception of
a few species they won’t take over to become invasive. That’s why they are
safe to crawl up trees; they’ll never damage another plant.
Roses
 Roses
belong to a remarkable family that includes apples and pears, pomegranates and
blackberries. In medieval times, rose hips supplied vitamin C to an ailing
European population. The beauty of roses is legendary and it’s hard to imagine
a garden without at least one rose. The difficulty is in choosing that one rose.
But for beginners, roses can be divided into four broad categories: species,
old-garden, hybrid teas and shrubs. Each is a study worthy of time and effort.
For
the romantics, old European roses collected and hybridized before 1867 by
amateur or court-sponsored botanists is an obvious draw. Naturalists are drawn
to species roses that are thousands of years old and designed by nature.
Traditionalists line up for modern hybrid tea roses that crossed a European and
China rose in 1867. Pragmatists will choose modern shrub roses, which bring
stalwart genes to the garden.
Keep
in mind that modern roses are the most eclectic category, including roses that
will never withstand the rigors of a cold or windy climate. But it also includes
modern roses that are hybridized to be as tough as many old standbys. ‘Golden
Wings,’ a five-petal shrub rose by the contemporary hybridizer, Roy Shepherd,
blooms endlessly, withstands most cold, even harsh climates, with a sturdy
resistance to disease.
Other
modern roses like the Canadian roses or Buck roses have joined the list of
popular roses to grow in difficult conditions. A few favorites are ‘John
Cabot’ and ‘William Baffin’ from the Canadian list and ‘Applejack’
from the Buck category. Buck roses were developed by Griffith Buck at Iowa State
University to satisfy demands for roses in mid-western winters. Canadian growers
hybridized Canadian roses to withstand frigid winters. These roses carry names
of Canadian explorers or Canadian cities. Each
has found a respectful following around the USA.
 Choose
a site location with six hours or more of sunlight and good drainage as the
first step. Mix compost into the soil, as much as you might use for vegetable
gardens. Most roses prefer a slightly acid soil; if your soil is alkaline,
compost is an equalizer and helps to neutralize any soil.
Once
you’ve decided which roses grow best in your garden, there is a world of
blooms to choose from. 'Jeanne LaJoie', as a miniature pink rose that turns into
a vigorous climber, is a top choice. 'Banshee', the fragrant antique rose is
beloved. The modern English roses hybridized by David Austin remain favorites
everywhere.
 Many
rose gardeners encourage the old-garden roses to reside alongside the newer
shrub roses. Rose trends come and go, but as rose lovers everywhere will tell
you, there’s a rose for every gardener. That waft of heady fragrance, a shade
of brilliant color or a robust bush that climbs over a trellis—each will grab
attention.
Roses:
The rose that will grow for you is determined by your climate. One helpful
source is a small booklet put out by the American Rose Society, “Handbook For
Selecting Roses.” See their address below. This is a small sampling of popular
roses as examples from each grouping.
Species: Rosa
glauca: A species rose that blooms only
once with pink flowers but offers winter interest with beautiful rose hips.
While the flowers are not typical of spectacular roses, the blue-green foliage
and bright red hips make this large shrub a popular choice today. These are the
most basic of roses. For 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, Rosa spinosissima, Stanwell Perpetual.
Old-garden:
These roses are hundreds of years old and were cultivated in the 18th
and 19th century gardens of Europe and later mixed with roses from
China. Albas: Felicite Parmentier (pink), Alba Suaveolens (white), Bourbons: 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
Tea: Each year, new selections crowd the garden centers. ‘Peace’ is an old
favorite that dates back to World War II. 'Iceberg', a floribunda German white
rose is a reliable long bloomer. Floribundas are developed from hybrid tea and
polyantha roses.
 Shrub:
A mixed collection of roses, many bred for continued blooming throughout the
summer. David Austin’s roses: 'English Garden' (pale peach), 'Abraham Darby'
(orange pink), 'Mary Rose' (medium pink), 'Othello' (medium red, almost
magenta), 'Heritage' (blush pink), 'Falstaff' (magenta with mauve cast),
'Gertrude Jekyll' (deep pink), among many others. These roses vary in how
predictably they will adapt to hot or harsh climates, many are scented and will
bloom throughout the spring and summer. Austin’s roses are reminiscent of the
old-garden cabbage-shaped blooms. 'Therese Bugnet,' hybrid rugosa,
(medium pink), a modern shrub rose with scented blooms and old-garden appeal.
Striking red canes stand out against the snow.
Climbers and
Miniatures: these will straddle all of the above classifications. 'The Fairy',
prolific bloomer, a polyantha miniature in light pink. 'New Dawn' (light pink),
'Iceberg' climber (white), 'Victorian Memory' (pink blend) Jeanne LaJoie, pale
pink miniature unscented climber and highly rated by the American Rose Society,
this delicate climber is adaptable to many climates and blooms throughout the
summer.
Irises
 Irises
once dominated Victorian gardens where the broad swords and showy blooms
commanded space and attention. They’ve fallen out of favor in recent years
because of their short blooming period, but irises offer other strong points
that should make them a valid choice in any garden.
Like
roses, there’s an iris for nearly any climate. Japanese and Siberian irises
are best in conditions with ample water and a slightly acid soil. The tall
bearded irises will withstand drought and alkaline soils out West. Under these
daunting conditions they are pest free.
For
small gardens, dwarf iris will squeeze into the tiniest space and produce
charming flowers each spring. Although the bloom of irises may be short lived,
the striking sword leaves remain an architectural form throughout the summer.
They’ll companion with roses and ornamental grasses, corn and hollyhocks. The
lovely pallida variegated irises will mix with chartreuse-leaved coral
bells and
spiderwort, columbine or bleeding heart.
Frugal
and undemanding, most require little fertilizer, just some alfalfa and compost
mixed into the soil. They have only one request: to be divided and replanted
every four years. Without this regular rejuvenation, the center will die out and
the health of the plants will decline. Dig them in mid-summer, separate the
sword clusters, untangling their roots, cut back the fronds to about four inches
and replant. They are shallow-rooted with the top of each corm slightly above
ground. The corm manufactures nutrients when exposed to light.
Few perennials
will be as easy to maintain. Irises provide a wonderful border for a vegetable
garden. They also look stunning planted in mass on a hillside, but equally
lovely as a single plant in a small garden. In a pastel garden, striking blue
and lavender irises pair with pink poppies and coral peonies.
Peonies
 Lavish and
dramatic, peonies are show-offs. Even more impressive is their longevity. Some
will live over a hundred years blooming year after year for a decade or more
without any need to be divided. That’s an important clue to peonies: choose
their place carefully because they do not like to be disturbed.
In a small garden,
peonies may take a bit too much space. Look for an awkward place that you’ll
rarely disturb: a hillside behind the garden, a corner alongside a
fence—wherever you plan not to dig or cultivate often. They won’t mix with
fruits or vegetables well. But peonies, like irises, are a bargain. They’ll
last forever, reward you with astonishing blooms, and require so little in
return.
They will need
much more water than bearded irises, but you can plant peonies in partial shade,
which will cut down on water consumption. Peonies insist on only one
requirement: they like to be planted so that the bud divisions are just one to
two inches deep in the soil, otherwise you may stifle blooms. There’s no need
for much fertilizer, just a handful of bone meal scratched into the soil, which
has been laced with compost. Single or double blooms, herbaceous or tree,
peonies can take cold temperatures in winter.
Poppies
 The
flower buds of poppies look like crumpled tissue, but each bloom opens to
perfection, straight and smooth, as delicate as a moth’s wing. Choosing a
poppy is determined by what your garden needs: bold oriental poppies for
perennial color, the drought-tolerant annual California poppy for dry
gravel-strewn driveways, the alpine Iceland poppy for high altitudes or the
pastel Shirley poppies sprinkled among pepper plants and green beans. Most
poppies adapt to ordinary soil. Perennial poppies can be divided while annual
poppies are directly seeded into the garden after the last frost date.
Pastels Plant List
Shrubs
- Spirea
bumalda
- Pink Flowering Almond, Prunus grandulosa 'Rosea plena'
- Lilacs, Syringa vulgaris and Syringa patula,
- Daphne, Daphne x burkwoodii
- Compact European Cranberry Bush, Viburnum opulus
- Mock Orange, Philadephus x virginialis
- Hydrangea
Perennials
- Balloon
flower, Platycodon grandiflorus
- Lupine,
Lupinus
- Columbine,
Aquilegia, a short-lived perennial that often self-seeds
- Virginia
bluebells, Mertensia virginica, good companion for tulips and
daffodils
- Forget-me-nots,
Myosotis, often used as a ground cover, self-seeds easily as M.
sylvatica; perennial is M. scorpioides companions with chives
- Spiderwort,
Tradescantia
- Delphinium
elatum, is the parent of
various hybrid strains, such as ‘Giant Pacific’.
- Catmint,
Nepeta faassenii, 'Six Hills Giant'
- Yarrow,
Achillea, 'Coronation Gold' and 'Anthea'
- Jupiter’s
Beard, both white and pink, Centranthus ruber (red) and alba (white)
- Salvia
nemorosa, 'Blue Hill' and 'Maynight Sage'
- Penstemons,
also called beardtongue, 'Strictus’ is the species plant, Rocky Mountain
Penstemon, P.barbatus 'Rondo'
- Siberian
Iris, Iris sibirica, needs regular watering
- German
(Bearded) Iris, Iris Germanica, good for arid climates
- Pincushion
flower, Scabiosa caucasica, 'Fama' and columbaria,
'Butterfly Blue,' widely adapted
- Sweet
Williams (biennial), Dianthus barbatus, many varieties of pinks from
this family are early bloomers in pastel colors
- Whirling
Butterflies, Gaura lindheimeri, short-lived perennial
- Geranium
sanguineum, 'Bloody
Cranesbill' (magenta) also Geranium sanguineum, 'Lancastriense' (pale
pink)
- Speedwell,
Veronica
- Lady’s
Mantle, Alchemilla mollis
- Dianthus
gratianopolitanus, D.
plumarius, edible and spicy scented. A hardy family of low-growing
heirlooms.
- Foxglove,
Digitalis purpurea, D. mertonensis, (biennial), will self-seed but
hybrid varieties will not grow true to the original plant you selected.
Poisonous.
- Prairie
Mallow, Sidalcea,
- Peony,
Paeonia lactiflora, classic spring bloomer
- Poppies,
Papaver orientale, for splashy pink and plum blooms. In high altitude
climates, try Papaver nudicaule, the Iceland poppy.
Bulbs
- Allium
aflatunense, flowering
onion
- Allium
Sphaerocephalon,
drumstick allium
- Narcissus,
daffodils
- Eremus,
hybrids, foxtail lily
- Muscari,
grape hyacinth, hardy
bulb that will spread
- Tulipa,
tulips
- Lilium, Asiatic
lily hybrids will bloom in late spring or early summer
- Crocus,
cheerful early bulbs,
best for rock gardens or under deciduous trees
Vines
- Clematis, widely
adapted, regular watering, pruning needs vary according to the variety.
Annuals
- Shirley poppies, Papaver rhoeas, also called Flanders Field
poppies, perfect for the vegetable garden.
- Bachelor’s button, Centaurea cyanus, for a self-seeder,
excellent for dry gravelly areas
- Pansies and violas, Viola, accompanies the salad garden of
greens, also an edible flower.
- Larkspur, Consolida ambigua (formerly Delphinium ajacis), easy
to grow from seed and a companion to the larger Delphinium.
- Love-in-a-mist, Nigella damascena, easy to grow from seed,
ferny foliage
- Spider flower, Cleome spinosa, a bold annual best at the back
of the garden
- Sweet Peas, Lathyrus odoratus, prefers cool and moist
gardens. Requires a netting or tellis.
Ground
Covers
- Thyme:
woolly thyme, thyme minus and mother-of-thyme, Thymus serpyllum 'Coccineum'
(fuschia red)
- Veronica
allionii, 'Allioni'
For
the Shady Garden
- Bleeding
Heart, Dicentra spectabilis, companion for columbines, roses and
peonies, delicate flowers arch over foliage.
- Coral
Bells, Heuchera sanguinea, exquisite coloring in bronze, golden and
lime green colors.
- Monkshood,
Aconitum, highly poisonous plant that is easy to grow, often a
substitute for delphiniums in shady areas. Beautiful dark blue/purple color.
- Lungwort,
Pulmonaria, Interesting foliage, will grown in deep shade
- Heart-leafed
Bergenia, Bergenia cordifolia
- Hosta, wide-leaved grown for its foliage; attractive to slugs so use a
pine needle mulch to keep them at bay
- Lamium,
heart-shaped leaves that echo many of the larger heart-shaped leaves of
hostas. Spreads rapidly.
- Japanese Anemone: 'Honorine Jobert,' very early
spring bloomer; vigorous spreader under the right conditions of shade and
water.
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