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HELEN LANG: Get those bulbs in the soil

The trees planted in the divider between north and south bound lanes on Fifth Street are absolutely glorious

The trees planted in the divider between north and south bound lanes on Fifth Street  are absolutely glorious.

Their fall colouring starts with their usual green, but now includes leaves ranging in colour from pale yellow, through glowing amber, red, to a warm brown.

These colours make fall almost as lovely as the brilliant shades in summer flowers. I hope the leaves will hang on for a few weeks, but we know perfectly well that we’ll have a wild wind storm (just to remind us that it’s now fall) and those trees will be left shamefully bare, clutching their branches around their trunks to cover their nakedness.

This morning I saw beautiful vivid colouring on the leaves of  a large hydrangea and beside the path, a clump of shy, small fall dandelions which almost cheered me up — but I came home to face an increasingly un-interesting balcony.

Yesterday I did get the last of the spring flowering bulbs planted, which is a relief. Now it’s the winter pansies that require attention.

I simply have to get them into the soil, they look so pathetic just sitting there, waiting for some attention and it is another nice day, so why am I sitting in front of this computer instead of doing something practical?

Maybe its because it is rather cool outside, and it’s cozy in here and I haven’t had lunch yet and the phone might ring.

Or someone might ring the door bell, or ... or.

Surely I can think of a good excuse to put it off for one more day.

There was a nice phone call from Alice D. this past week saying she has a lot of bulbs and plants, far more than she can cope with.If you would like some and have room for them please give her a call at 250-652-1511, and, between you, a meeting can be arranged. These are free and very little in life is, so now is your opportunity, thanks to Alice!

I recently went to North Pender Island for the holiday week-end, which was a happy change — a turkey and all the trimmings done by a daughter. I wanted to go to one of the grocery stores and get her some gladiolas, which are spectacular right now.

Maybe I should go now before someone else has the same idea!

•   •   •   •

Janet at 250-652-4625 is spearheading a drive to pick fruit that would otherwise go to waste.

If you have an apple tree, or a pear or any other edible fruit that needs to be picked, please contact her.

The fruit is divided between the local food banks (one-third), community services (one-third) and the home owner.

Janet says the home owners often give their share to the food banks, so none of it goes to waste.

 

Helen Lang has been the Peninsula News Review’s garden columnist for more than 30 years.