Garden Clippings
Sirius garden light
By RUTH DAVIES
Article published on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007  |
The dog days of summer are with us. In astronomy, Sirius is the dog star, which is the second brightest star in summer besides the sun.
Its brightness coincided with the hottest period of the year, hence the term dog days.
Maybe gardeners should weed, prune and plant at night with Sirius – just to avoid the heat. While looking at stars, those who planted a white garden can enjoy the reflection from the moon on the white flowers.
Moon vine is grown for fragrance and its evening to dawn bloom. It is an annual, but provides a generous supply of seeds that can be saved for planting next spring.
Flowering tobacco, nicotiana, is an old-fashioned favorite. It has been hybridized for color and size and has lost some of its fragrance, so look for heirloom seeds.
Add to the sunny summer white garden roses, such as White Dawn or the slightly pink Lyda Rose with its dogwood-looking flower, crepe myrtle, amaryllis, artemesia, vinca or periwinkle, frangipani (plumeria), agapanthus and white crinum lily. The silver foliage plants, such as Texas sage, some rosemary has gray underneath, variegated liriope.
For the winter white garden, add petunias, sweet alyssum and impatiens. Jasmine needs to be controlled, but if grown in a large pot will add its fragrance.
Try angel trumpet in the background. Let it grow tall to be able to look up into its bells.
Of course, gardeners will have to plant their white garden by the light of Sirius to stay cool.
Ruth Davies is a Pinellas County Master Gardener. She can be reached at sunflower1368@juno.com.
|
Article published on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007
Copyright © Tampa Bay Newspapers: All rights reserved. |
