Q. I am living here with my son and his family and miss my garden in England. Is it possible to get bluebells here?
Anne Wilkinson, Maple Ridge
A. Yes, it is possible. The bulbs are offered in some fall catalogues (print and online). Garden Import offered bulbs of Scilla non-scripta (the name for English bluebells) last fall.
But the bluebell usually sold here are the Spanish bluebells, which are sturdier and have bell-flowers all the way around the stem. These are more flamboyant than the English ones.
Both types are listed as being the same height, but the true English bluebells I’ve seen are somewhat shorter and have flowers on one side of the stem only.
When correctly labeled (unfortunately not always), the Spanish bluebell is sold under the names: Scilla campanulata, Hyacinthoides hispanica or Endymion hispanicus. To further muddy the waters, both kinds can interbreed.
True English bluebell seed is offered by chilternseeds.co.uk. The company makes a special point this is the true English bluebell seed.
Both kinds are quite lovely and very easy to establish. But because they spread so readily and are so hard to dig up, many gardeners consider them invasive.
Q. Earlier this year, my strawberry plants were coming up green-leaved, but now most of the outer leaves have turned brown. Is it worth clipping off those brown leaves and leaving the green inner ones, or should I start over with new plants again?
K., Coquitlam
A. The leaves would have turned brown because the weather was so cold. As soon as the temperature goes up, the inner green leaves will grow nicely. Strawberries are very hardy and even in pots it’s unlikely the cold would kill their roots.
As long as the strawberries you have are basically OK, it’s better to keep going with these. New strawberry plants will grow slowly at first. That’s why in their first year they won’t fruit as enthusiastically as established plants.
If your strawberries are the small-fruited alpine type, they can keep growing and fruiting for years.
If they’re the large-fruited kind, it’s best to renew them after every third-year crop. Since the large-fruited ones make runners each year, you can just select the strongest runners and start over.
Q. I have a small northwest-facing balcony partly shaded by a tree. I’d love to grow some greens, veggies or herbs. Any suggestions on what may survive?
Julie Chapple, Vancouver
A. Leafy crops should survive well in your situation for most of the year. These would include sorrel, arugula, corn salad, lettuce, the mustards and many of the oriental vegetables such as Pak Choi and Jade Spring. Green onions should also do well.
Herbs that would thrive even in the shadier part of the year include mint, parsley and chives.
It would be worth trying the regular range of vegetables such as beans, beets and carrots during the summer months. Generally vegetables need a minimum of four hours sun (and ideally six or seven) to do well.
Much of your success will depend on whether your shading tree is on the north or the west side of your balcony.
But the very best way to discover what will survive in your situation is trial and error.
Anne Marrison is happy to answer garden questions. Send them to her via [email protected]. It helps if you add the name of your city or region.
