YORKTON – The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society held their Fall Plant and Bulb Sale on Friday, September 26 at the Parkland Mall, Yorkton.
It was a great time to add some new plants to our gardens, because the weather is more moderate in temperature, and the plants don’t have to struggle with extreme heat as they get used to their new surroundings. There is still plenty of time for new plants to settle in before winter comes. If you see some areas in your garden that need some improvement, the fall plant sale is the perfect time to find some new plant additions. Hope you can be there! Sale goes from 9:30 AM till 1:00 PM or while supplies last.
I mention making garden notes again this week; we have to do this while we think of something, or see something, that we want to be sure to remember. I’m adding one plant to our list, and even though I have only seen it while driving by an amazing garden, I think I know what it might be, and I want to share it with you.
You’re probably familiar with amaranth “Love Lies Bleeding”, a plant with unique ropes of ‘flowers’ in a beautiful crimson color. It’s a plant that is a real stand-out in our gardens because it is so unusual. The amaranth family has many cousins in many colors and textures, but the one that I want to tell you about today is a tall plant with the most amazing ruby color to the leaves and the flower heads. What a stunning and eye-catching plant!
From searching the amaranth family, I found a plant that looks like the one in question: it is Amaranth “Red Spike”. It has the most vibrant and lovely burgundy red leaves and long, lush stems of blooms that look like brilliant burgundy floral flames. Planting this plant from seed will have the plants maturing in about 75 days. The plant will grow about four or five feet tall.
Amaranth likes well-draining soil, and at least six hours of sun a day. Though the plant is large, it does not need excessive water (which could cause root rot), and once the plant is nicely established, it can tolerate some dry spells. Sounds like a very easy-going plant!
Amaranth is a family that you might want to research if you are looking for unusual plants with non-traditional flowers. There are more than 800 species in this beautiful family, and there are plants for every color palette. Some gardeners might grow them for their beauty in the garden, but some may want to preserve them and use them in dried arrangements. A little factoid: the word ‘amarantos’ is a Greek word that means ‘unfading’.
Let’s meet some of the family: “Autumn Touch” is a bright yellow amaranth with upright blooms resembling celosia. “Emerald Tassels” has the rope-like blooms of Love Lies Blessing but in a funky and delightful light green, while “Green Tails” has rope-blooms almost three feet long. “Globe Amaranth” or gomphrena looks like little, fuchsia-colored pinecones. Is your garden pretty in pastels? You might like “Coral Fountain” with striking coral-pink tassels.
If you are interested in making your own natural plant dyes, “Hopi Red Dye” amaranth is one to research. Last year the hort society had a wonderful presentation about making dyes from plants; another fascinating thing we can learn about.
So now is the time to make notes about these things, and then if we’re out plant-shopping next spring, we will have a plan! Gardeners always look ahead!
Visit the Yorkton hort society at www.yorktonhort Thank you to our friends at YTW for their fine work each week. Don’t forget the Fall Plant Sale on the 26. Have a great week!
