IN THIS ISSUE: A Formula for Compost Top 10 Perennials
Main Street Jordan Fine Quality Spray Nozzles Readers Q & A

Summer is officially here and thankfully warm weather has also arrived. Spring in Niagara was unusual as usual - this time very wet and very cold. The near freezing temperatures we experienced around the May long weekend set back our landscape company's annual flower planting schedule. Your planting schedule was probably set back too.

Our workshop and lecture series continues to be successful. Earlier in June, we conducted the Herb Lecture / Luncheon with chef Fracchioni, herbalist Karen Michaud and our own horticulturist Emily Godfree. Together the trio delivered an exciting, informative and flavourful experience. I'm sure that our guests enjoyed lunch at Inn on the Twenty restaurant as much as the presentation itself! We have some wonderful workshops approaching, such as "Perennials - Design and Combine" with Darren and John Valleau on July 27, and a Willow ball workshop and Celtic garden tour with Bryce Weylie on August 10. You may already be aware that David Tarrant will be joining us this summer from British Columbia. David's private garden tour of select Outdoor Images' landscape projects sold out very quickly. There are tickets still available for David's lecture "Gardening in Canada" on August 25. For more details on these events, as well as our fall program please click on our 2002 Calendar page.

Last autumn, Darren filmed an episode of Kathy Renwald's HGTV show "Gardener's Journal" which recently aired on television. The featured garden (known as Lakewinds) was designed and installed by our crews at Outdoor Images. For details on this beautiful property, please read the related Ground Work story in the Fall 2001 issue of In Leaf. Kathy Renwald is scheduled to visit my backyard this August to film a short "how-to" piece on hardy plants with a tropical look. I'm looking forward to this shoot, but I'm also nervous - I can remember when Kathy filmed on location at The Copper Leaf during the summer of 1998 - it was just amazing (and a little intimidating) to see the incredible amount of equipment and production staff required for a TV show. I hope my yard is big enough for the whole crew!

Lastly, the merchants of Jordan Village will have extended store hours this summer. On Friday and Saturday evenings throughout July and August you're invited to stroll the shops of Main Street until 8:00 p.m. Browse the antique galleries, the café, the restaurant, and all the other interesting vendors - and make sure you visit The Copper Leaf! Have a great summer.

Please keep sending your comments, suggestions and questions. We love to hear from you and we're always available at gardeners@thecopperleaf.com.

Sincerely,

Michael Schmahl
Editor-In-Leaf

There are many ways to compost in the garden. From elaborately engineered manufactured bins to a pile of garden waste heaped in the corner, there are no excuses for not composting. Even apartment gardeners can compost in a red wiggler vermicomposting box. The options are as numerous as gardener imagination. At one extreme is the Cadillac of compost bins that is built as an elaborate series of large cedar boxes with hinged lids to keep out the rain. Usually these large “toy boxes” are built in threes, but there really is no limit to how many boxes can be strung together. The “low maintenance” method is to compost in a pile (the garbage bag is optional) at the edge of the garden without any cost or construction. This throw and dash method can even take place underground in a trench. All of these methods will produce compost - the difference is the time it takes to create “black gold” for the garden. Most gardeners opt for a simple structure purchased from their municipality or a “do-it-yourself” frame made from snow fence or wood pallets.

Before beginning to shovel materials into a raw compost pile, it is important to think about what makes a good recipe for compost. Composting is the decomposition of organic material where a plant product (fleshy leaves and stems) is turned into a valuable soil amendment. The idea is to mimic nature in this plant recycling process. To be successful, composting requires three ingredients: organic plant material, moisture, and air. A fourth component, soil, will speed up the composting process by seeding your pile with plant-digesting microorganisms. These microscopic decomposers are the living bacteria, fungi and protozoa that transform a compost heap into great soil. Bacteria are the ones that do most of the work, particularly at the beginning when compost piles get quite warm. In some situations compost piles may be so warm they start to steam. At lower temperatures, physical decomposers are at work. These are creatures such as mites, millipedes, sow bugs, snails, spiders, beetles, ants, flies, and most importantly the earthworms that are the champions of composting. All of these creatures feed on decaying plant material (and sometimes each other) as they aid in the process of decomposition.

Moisture is essential for the decomposition process to work and not having enough is the most common reason that composts fail. Moisture levels should be the same as a wrung out sponge. The ideal compost is slightly damp but not wet or too dry. If composts are too dry they will take forever to decompose (if they do at all). Alternatively, if composts are too wet they will start to decompose anaerobically (without air) and will have a very foul smell.

Having the right moisture level will allow for air to be present in the pile. Air is critical to the health of organisms at work in your compost pile. Keep them happy by turning your pile periodically to bring a fresh supply of air throughout the pile. Wet, whole leaves can mat together and form a barrier for good air exchange. Most gardeners turn the pile by moving it from one location to another or by using a compost aeration tool.

Another factor in achieving successful compost is to consider the size of the raw compost pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster they will decompose. Think of this as cutting up food so that even the smallest bacteria can digest materials fast. Finely ground leaves will also be easier to turn. Many gardeners don’t have easy access to leaf shredders to do this job, but there are several alternatives to renting equipment. Line/string trimmers can be used to easily shred leaves. Fill a large plastic garbage can half full with leaves, put on safety glasses and start shredding. Another method to reduce the size of leaves is to use your rotary lawn mower to repeatedly mow them into smaller pieces. Several passes over the leaves are necessary to achieve this.

Gardeners may want to consider oak leaves for an extra special compost pile. Oak leaves are one of the slowest leaves to break down because of their acidic properties and high tannin levels. Eventually these leaves will decompose and produce an excellent acidic soil amendment. It just takes considerably longer. Keeping them separate will speed up the composting process for the rest of the leaves and will allow the oak leaf compost to be used on rhododendrons or other plants that prefer an acidic soil. Pine needles can be combined with the oak leaves for this purpose.

Compost piles work best with a mix of “brown” (carbons) and “green” (nitrogen) ingredients. Fall compost piles that are just leaves do not have the ideal ratio of carbon to nitrogen. The ideal ratio is 30:1 (carbon to nitrogen). Fallen leaves fit into the brown category because they don’t have much nitrogen left in them at the end of the season. If a pile was made just of leaves they may take years to break down. To speed up the process add nitrogen (a green) that will be a good food for the hard working bacteria. Manure is the best green source to add to leaves. Manure is high in nitrogen and works well if 1 part is added to every 6 parts of leaves. If manure is not available, consider using blood meal or bone meal instead. Lightly sprinkle this powdered supplement at 30 cm intervals at the pile is being built. Raking leaves and getting them to the compost pile fast is a good practice. Whatever nitrogen they might still have will be valuable to the composting process.

Just about all the materials from the garden and kitchen are great for the compost. Avoid diseased and insect ridden plants, weed seeds, pet wastes, salad dressings, coloured inks, poisonous plants, and vegetable seeds to name a few. These products a) could be hazardous if the compost is used near edible crops, b) do not become totally inert during the composting process and can reappear at a later date, and c) destroy soil organisms.

One of the best outcomes of a fall compost pile is leaf mould. If just leaves are used, the result is a dark product similar to what is on the forest floor. Leaf mould can be made in a black plastic garbage bag, a plastic garbage can or a circle of snow fence. The method is very simple. Gather your leaves, contain them, moisten if needed and wait. Leaf mould can be used as mulch in the garden to conserve moisture or to mixed with garden soil as an amendment.

Which compost system is the best? Gardeners faced with this decision should consider that the system must enclose the materials, provide an opportunity for air exchange, possibly give access for turning, and allow for finished compost removal. Consider the sheer volume of leaves produced by trees and shrubs in the fall. Will the system be large enough to handle this volume? How fast should the finished product be ready? Can the compost structure be built or is a prefabricated model better suited? Will an on-the-spot pile or trench be sufficient? The answers to these questions will determine if a plastic garbage can, black garbage bag, “wandering” pile, one bin, three bin or homemade enclosure should be used. Most importantly of all is to compost!

Anne Marie Van Nest is a graduate of the Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture, where today she is also an instructor. Anne is a member of the Garden Writers Association of America and the garden columnist for The St. Catharines Standard. Anne has recently published a book entitled, Niagara in Bloom - The Gardens of the Niagara Parks Commission.

What follows is a list of Heritage Perennials Top 10 selections for 2002.

Editor's Note: this article (plants 6 through 10) is continued from the spring issue of In Leaf. John will be a guest speaker at The Copper Leaf on July 27, 2002 with a lecture entitled "Perennials - Design and Combine"

These plants are chosen from over 1500 varieties we grow and from the many hundreds of new varieties introduced, discovered, or sometimes rediscovered every year! Some are exciting new varieties we think will become classics in the future. Others are simply interesting or cool plants we just got excited about and want to share. Wherever you garden in North America, you should be successful with some or most of these varieties!

6. Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Beauty'
(Garden Peony) Zones 2 - 9
Without a doubt, the Peony remains among the most popular of flowering perennials for the early summer border. 'Bowl of Beauty' is a stunning Japanese-style selection with medium to soft-pink petals surrounding a showy central tuft of creamy-yellow stamens, also known as petaloids. The
flower form is simple and uncluttered, considered by many to be more attractive than the common double types. These make exceptionally good cut flowers, with a strong and pleasing fragrance.

Although the blooming season for peonies is brief, plants have sturdy and attractive foliage throughout the season. Choose a sunny spot with rich soil where the plants may remain undisturbed for ten years or more. The bushy habit contrasts well with finer-textured perennials like Threadleaf Coreopsis. For a gorgeous early summer combination try growing 'Bowl of Beauty' next to the deep-purple Siberian Iris 'Ruffled Velvet'.

7. Phlox paniculata 'David'
(Summer Phlox) Zones 3 - 9
Although the flowers of Summer Phlox are beloved for their soft and blousy appearance and wonderful fragrance, gardeners often are disappointed when their plants become marred by the appearance of a common fungal infection known as powdery mildew. 'David' is one of a small handful of newer Phlox that show excellent resistance to mildew infections.

The habit is upright and bushy, stems sometimes reaching over four feet in height, making this ideal for a border background. Flower heads are large, with petals of clear snowy white that may even attract butterflies to your garden. Like most perennials with white flowers, 'David' will effectively compliment neighbouring plants in virtually any other colour. A few to consider -- the steely blue balls of Globe Thistle (Echinops); golden-orange daisies of False Sunflower (Heliopsis); Beebalm (Monarda), with its shaggy heads in various rich jewel tones. Phlox paniculata 'David' has been selected as the 2002 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.

8. Verbascum 'Summer Sorbet'
(Hybrid Mullein) Zones 5 - 9
With its candelabra spikes that appear for weeks on end, this new Mullein deserves a prime spot in the sunny border -- or even better, as a feature plant in container combinations. Flowers are bright magenta-purple, each with a darker violet eye. Blooming begins when summer weather arrives and continues well into the fall if spent flowers are regularly removed. All Mulleins appreciate excellent drainage, adapting well to hot sunny sites.

Let the spikes tower above neighbouring plants to show them off! Silver foliaged companions like Artemisia work beautifully next to 'Summer Sorbet', as do others with chartreuse, gold or purple leaves, such as Golden Oregano or black-leaved Sweet Potato Vine. Hybrid Mulleins usually
last 2 - 3 seasons before they need to be carefully divided in spring, or increased by root cuttings.

9. Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles'
(Dwarf Spike Speedwell) Zones 2 - 9
This new compact form of the Spike Speedwell is proving to be a terrific front-of-the-border subject, giving a burst of true blue colour in early to midsummer. Plants have a mounding habit in spring, developing loads of tapering spikes filled with tiny flowers of deep blue. Growing to just
twelve inches tall, this is versatile and useful in the border, rock garden or in mixed containers.

Like most Speedwells, 'Royal Candles' is hardy and reliable over a wide range of climates. A light clipping with shears after blooming will keep plants fresh looking for the whole season, and possibly encourage some repeat flowers during late summer or fall. Other low mounding plants make great companions, especially soft-yellow Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' or another of our Top 10, Coreopsis rosea 'Sweet Dreams'. Back these with the bright silvery foliage of Artemisia 'Valerie Finnis' for a stunning contrast!

10. Vinca minor 'Illumination'
(Variegated Periwinkle) Zones 4 - 9
It's not very often that an amazing new groundcover comes along, but this is surely one that will impress. Plain green Periwinkle is an old favourite which can nearly always be relied upon to stay evergreen and to cover quickly in difficult shady areas. Other variegated selections abound, but
'Illumination' is one of the few with excellent vigour. The leaves are bright golden-yellow with contrasting deep-green edging, forming a beautiful low backdrop to a cheery display of blue flowers through the spring.

The name suggests using 'Illumination' to create a bright splash of colour in any shady corner. Plants adapt readily to growing beneath trees and shrubs, tolerating dry shade once established for a season or two. This would look superb growing with another of our Top 10, the silvery Japanese Painted Fern. The spreading habit lends itself well to dramatic effects, spilling perfectly over walls, or out of window boxes and mixed containers.

John Valleau is the Corporate Horticulturist of Valleybrook Gardens /Heritage Perennials, growers of fine quality perennials in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. John is the author of the best-selling, Perennial Gardening Guide, now in its fourth edition.

Back in the late 1980's, the north end of Jordan's Main Street was a derelict and uninviting place. The old Jordan Winery had long since closed and left behind two large, run down warehouses and an old cellar.

This point in time marked the beginning of a magnificent transformation in the street's history, spearheaded by the owner of Cave Spring Cellars and his vision to develop the area. He purchased the old buildings and renovated them to house his winery. Soon after, the winery opened Inn On-the-Twenty Restaurant and renovated spaces for several retail businesses (one of which is The Copper Leaf).

An important part of the Main Street plan was to create a beautiful village atmosphere, taking advantage of Jordan's unique rural setting and history, and to provide visitors with a pleasant and memorable experience. A raised boardwalk was built along the west building's entire frontage. New sidewalks were also constructed along both sides of the street. Even the hydro lines were buried in order to preserve site lines.

The last phase was the planting of trees, shrubs, vines and perennials. The focus of the planting design was to add life and character to the dominating hard surfaces that were newly installed. A boulevard of Red Spire Flowering Pear were planted along with Sunburst Locust, Tulip Tree, Sweet Gum, Copper Beech and Flowering Dogwood. A variety of shrubs were also used that include a few personal favorites, such as Beautyberry (Callicarpa), Diablo Ninebark and the seldom planted Viburnum cassinoides.

Finally, perennials were planted in great masses that weave everything together. The relaxed, informal feeling they create is a fresh change from the ever-abundant municipal annual plantings that typically dominate most streetscapes. Russian Sage, Day Lily, Fireglow Euphorbia and Hungarian Acanthus are but a few of the many perennials included. Companion planting with spring bulbs gives early spring color that enhances the richness of seasonal interest within this street side garden.

Editor's Note: For more information on the history of Jordan Village, please visit the Local Sites & Gardens page on thecopperleaf.com.

Darren Schmahl graduated from the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture and the John Brookes' School of Garden Design in England. He has been designing gardens for over 15 years through Outdoor Images Landscape Services, The Copper Leaf's sister company.

Watering your garden is now easier with the use of these fabulous hose attachments. Made in France, each spray head is made of zinc alloy, stainless steel and brass - finally an attachment with no plastic parts! They are lightweight and extremely durable - these may very well be the last accessory your garden hose will ever be partnered up with! The Copper Leaf has three hose attachments from which to choose, and you won't get "soaked" by their selling price of only $39.95! Each nozzle is highly specialized with unique features, as illustrated below.

This all-purpose nozzle has a four pattern spray head with locking trigger.	This watering gun has a two pattern spray head - a gentle rain or bubble faucet for heavier watering.
My favourite is this ergonomic spray nozzle with quality brass fittings and a durable vinyl hose. With a simple twist of the wrist, you'll release the water and create a steady stream.

Emily Godfree is the host of 1220 CHSC's Saturday morning garden radio show and is a staff horticulturist at The Copper Leaf. Emily has three seasons of experience with television production on HGTV.