Notebook


Edmonton Hort Tour July 19-20


ety garden tour. The tour shows off the creativity


O


and energy of Edmonton’s gardeners, brimming with great ideas that you can apply in your own yard. One of the gardens this year will


whisk you away to a mountain retreat without ever having to leave the city. It has a campfire on a lake where you can watch the waterfowl. Edibles play a big part in many


gardens this year so get ready with your questions about how things grow and what pests you have to contend with. Some of the gardens incorporate art by the artists garden- ers. Others have unique hardscaping features. Be sure to order your tickets early;


the tour often sells out. Tickets are only $18 a person (kids under 12 are free). You can order your tickets on line at http://edmontonhort.com/ garden-tour/tour-dates-ticket-sales/ or pick them up at many of Edmonton’s fine garden centres and nurseries.


Solenostemon, Coleus. ne of the highlights of the


summer in northern Alberta, is the Edmonton Hort Soci-


larioides. The leaves are a wonderful rain-


I


bow, coming in a vast array of colours, including greens, reds, golds, bronz- es, pinks, maroons, limes, mauves, burgundies, and often with several of these colours on a single leaf. They also vary greatly in leaf size,


shape and texture. Some are rounded, some pointed with serrated edges, some with ruffled edges and some even with very deeply lobed edges. Some leaves are quilted, some almost smooth, some small and some very large. Pinch back growing tips to keep


them bushy and to prevent them from going to seed. Coleus


roots have been used as


an anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti- inflammatory medicine in India; the chemical Forskolin,


a Solenostemon Kingswood Torch. cell receptor


sensitizer, is thought to be responsible for these medical qualities. Coleus grow best


in partial shade


which intensifies their colours, but there are hybrids today that will toler- ate much more sunlight. Moist, well- drained soil is best and coleus will benefit from a monthly feeding of a balanced fertilizer. Sunlover and Solar series. These coleus do well


in bright sunlight


and don’t wilt in the hottest days of summer. Ducksfoot series. The leaves are


flattened. The plant is smaller than the sun lover and solar series – no more than 18 inches tall and the leaves are smaller. Giant Exhibition Complete Mix.


The leaves in this series can be six to seven inches long and four inches wide, but the plants are compact and perfect for containers. They grow 30 to 40 CM (12 to 16 inches) tall and come in black, bronze,


chartreuse,


medium green, red and yellow. Coleus canina. This is the common


name for a plectranthus that is said to be despised by cats. Plant


some


to discourage kitty from using you garden as a bathroom.


4 • Summer 2014 www.localgardener.net


f ever a plant didn’t need flowers to make humans fall instantly in love, it’s coleus, Solenostemon scutel-


Crazy for coleus


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40