Finding the Perennial Treasure

There was a time when gardens were tended with love on the property that is now Willow Springs Creative Centre. The perennials flourished until the gardener could no longer weed and water the plants into blossom. Daylilies and peonies faded into the long grass. Daffodils languished.

One of the tasks this summer was to locate and mark as many of the perennials as possible. It was like hunting for treasure in the overgrown flower beds. Holly, a Grounds Committee member, used flagged stakes with labels to mark the existing plants.

The established perennials include white and fushcia peonies, yellow daylilies, baby's breath, white malva, phlox, scarlet lychnis or Maltese cross, and many delphiniums. We are fortunate to have so many "heritage plants" with which to build our future gardens.

Over the summer, our plant inventory grew through the donation of several perennials. We put these plants in a holding garden and they are doing well. We received rose campion, monarda, echinacea, lamb's ears, heuchera or coral bells, euphorbia, artemesia, iris and cranesbill. We plan to mulch these plants carefully to help them through the winter. And we are most grateful to the people who donated them.

Plant donations will continue to be important to the garden project. For now, we hope you will look after the plants for us until next year. But if you have plants to share, we will take them and add them to our holding garden as long as these mild days last.