Gardens Galore by Karen Brewka

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Plant Jobs

 Now that this crazy spring is over, we've got some time to sit back and enjoy our yards and gardens. It's a great time to take stock of our trees and shrubs and see what they are doing for us. Apart from having interesting forms or great flowers or fruit or colour at different times of the year, our woody plants have jobs.
One of the functions they perform is screening. We all want a sense of enclosure, of protection from the wind, a feeling of safety and security. Our perimeter trees and shrubs help us to create “harbor quality”, the ability of a space to invite use. Windbreaks planted around a farmstead are classic examples of screening. A trellis with a vine twining up and around is another, much smaller example.

Figuring out where you might need some screening is easy. Look out your windows. Sit on the patio or deck with a glass of wine. Where are the good views? What would you rather not look at? Where does the wind scream through?

Screening plants are usually tall and dense with branches growing close together. Spruce trees are the best screens but they need 12' to 15' of ground space. There are some new spruce varieties that only grow to 3' or 4' wide and are worth a try in a small yard. Some pines make good screens and wind catchers. Upright junipers make good screens for smaller spaces. With evergreens, you get screening all year round.
Swedish Columnar Aspen are used in small yards. Planted close together, they form a tall, dense screen. The caragana called “Sutherland” is a shorter  tree that can be planted close to form a good screen. Most tall shrubs take up lots of ground space. Many are pruned and used as hedges, creating a living fence. When allowed to grow singly and without pruning, caragana, cotoneaster and lilac make good screens with a dense branching habit.

Woody vines make great screens and fit into a smaller yard, creating vertical elements in the landscape.

Whatever screening plants you chose, make sure that they have room to grow to their mature height and spread. Trees are like parrots. They're going to live a long time and might have many owners. Make sure yours have the room to do the job they've been assigned.

The Valley Neighbours Garden Club welcomes new members. For information call Bea at 403–933–7131.

The Horticultural Club meets every second Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm. For information call Sheila at 403–931–3989.