February 26, 1998
"Only children, tourists, and visiting horticulturists ever go to Disneyland."
- with apologies to Philip K. Dick
"Disneyland is a paradise..."
- Jean Baudrillard
It was a day like many others... the rain was making another, unwanted appearance. Although I generally look forward to sleeping in on Sunday (until 6 A.M.), the early morning raindrops meant the initiation of a scheme I&Mac226;d been plotting for weeks... a visit to Disneyland!
I believed that rainy weather would keep the hordes away and allow multiple visits to my favorite attractions. But the real reason to visit the Magic Kingdom during the spring is to enjoy Southern California&Mac226;s most spectacular display of garden color.
Catharine was an easy sell, but a phone call to friends and fellow horticulturists Karina and Doug momentarily elicited an incoherent response... followed by a "do you know that it&Mac226;s Sunday and what time it is?" Both our friends are also ardent chocolatiers, so I reminded them "the happiest place on earth" was also a culinary paradise for sweets. So expectantly, they agreed that a trip to Disneyland would be a great way to spend time together.
Although the garden designers at Disneyland are very talented, it is the gardeners (the people who actually work in a garden) who really amazed us. Although their flowers have experienced as much rain as ours, their planting beds looked perfect. Tulips, daffodils, anemones, ranunculi and hyacinths made us believe we were in Holland. The primroses, violas, snapdragons, foxgloves and Iceland poppies were picture perfect. Beautifully understated, their color landscaping is truly amazing.
Introducing color into a garden allows one to orchestrate a living work of art, highlighting select areas with striking, vivid, and sometimes surprising colors. Selecting flowers is fun, their color and fragrance help brighten a planting bed and lift flagging spirits. When you visit your local nursery, use the florist's technique of combining different flowers to create a palette. Select color combinations that accent or contrast with the color of your house, walkways and existing plantings.
But there's more to color for your garden design than simply picking colors that appeal to you. Wrong combinations or too many colors can appear busy or simply unplanned. Environmental factors like sunlight or shade, shelter or lack of and soil types should also be considered. Your favorite nurseryperson will always be willing to assist you with any questions.
There is still plenty of time to plant spring flowers. Violas (Viola tricolor hortensis) with colorful displays of blue, yellow, lavender, apricot, and red are grown just like pansies. Planted in full sun or half shade in warmer areas of Laguna, violas provide wonderful massed color for garden beds, hanging baskets, or pots.
Two primroses, Fairy (Primula malacoides) and English (Primula polyantha) thrive in well drained, rich soil and cooler areas of our town. Spectacular when massed, the brilliant colors include pink, rose, red, yellow, and white. owers. Violas (Viola tricolor hortensis) with colorful displays of blue, yellow, lavender, apricot, and red are grown just like pansies. Planted in full sun or half shade in warmer areas of Laguna, violas provide wonderful massed color for garden beds, hanging baskets, or pots. Used as a bedding plant or in containers, the primroses certainly have star quality.
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are named for their "dragon-like jaw" flower parts. Ranging from dwarfs (6-8 in.) to giants (30-36 in.), these perennials (we usually treat them as annuals) are at their peak now and into early summer. Snapdragons are an excellent accent and are available in red, mauve, apricot, yellow and white. Avoid overhead watering and keep plants moist.
How was I to know that Catharine would want to ride Space Mountain ten consecutive times? With each succeeding ride, I became queasier and my orientation less certain. After the fourth ride, I pretended to gaze intently at miniature space shuttles and stuffed animals in the gift shop... a vain attempt to slow Catharine down. Nothing doing, we went for the gold and I&Mac226;m still feeling the effects of weightlessness, which I guess is a good thing for me. See you next time.
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