Page 8 The Ogden Valley News Volume I, Issue IX June 1999 Thriving In The Hot Zone by Sandra Jenkins Flower Farmer for Gardens of Eden Just about every yard has a hot spot where it’s difficult to water or the sun just bakes whatever you put there. Luckily, there are shrubs and flowers that thrive in hot dry areas and, with minimal care, will do fine. Make sure you add organic matter to the soil every year in spring or fall, such as composted manure, leaves, or compost. This helps make any spot an easier place for a plant to get growing. Organic matter helps retain moisture so that the soil dries out slower. Mulching also helps with water retention and reduces weed growth. Choosing the right plant for the spot also makes a big difference. Here are some of the toughest shrubs and flowers that are easy to grow and require little upkeep. Siberian Pea Shrub is one of the toughest shrubs you can find. It’s a zone 2 shrub, which means it can withstand winter temperatures below minus 40 degrees F. Once it has been established, it can survive with only normal rainfall and needs no additional watering, but will be fuller with some supplemental watering. It grows to a mature height of 15 feet by about 10 feet wide. Yellow blossoms appear in May. Pruning should be done just after flowering. I’ve seen a nice windbreak or hedge of these lining a driveway in Eden. Peking Cotoneaster is another shrub that will do just fine with only occasional watering once it has become established. This is a zone 3 shrub that grows eight feet high and six feet wide. It produces some berries that remain on the shrub and are not a problem. I like the added interest they provide. In fall, the leaves turn a striking orangered. .I have five Peking Cotoneasters in my yard, and it’s one of my favorites—especially in the fall. A wide variety of junipers abound and it’s hard to find anything tougher than a juniper. These come in all sorts of shapes from upright to spreading. One of the best behaved is Buffalo Juniper. It grows one foot high and spreads in width to eight feet. I would plant these sparingly—they are often overused, but in the right spot they’re great. Pay attention to the mature size they will reach and don’t over plant. The main problem that junipers have is getting over-watered. Some perennial flowers are amazingly hardy and strikingly beautiful. Bearded Iris flowers in early summer and comes in such a variety of sizes and colors that I could take the whole newspaper talking about them. There are gardening iris societies devoted to these flowers. They are quite carefree except for needing division every two or three years to prevent overcrowding. Yarrow (Achillea) is also very drought tolerant and hardy. There are several varieties ranging in height from six inches to more than three feet. Blossoms appear in midsummer in white, yellow, or red. The flowers of the yellow variety are easy to dry and hold that bright golden color for a long time. Oriental poppies make a dazzling display every June of brilliant orange or scarlet. They readily reseed themselves which can be a concern, but they make a lovely naturalized setting. After the seed pods dry on the plant, you can cut them to add to dried flower arrangements. Hen and Chicks is a succulent that does well in a dry, and even rocky spot. It can help hold onto soil in a rock wall that gets full sun, where it is often difficult for anything else to get established. They also provide an interesting texture to the garden, a texture that is found mostly in the succulent family. So don’t give up on those troublesome spots in your yard and just put in lava rock. Try some of these hardy survivors that are so easy to get along with. Rainbow Trail Officially Opens By Shanna Francis The Rainbow Trail that rises up to the historic Indian Trail was officially dedicated in a ribbon cutting ceremony held June 5 in conjunction with National Trails Day celebrations held locally at the mouth of Ogden Canyon. Ogden City Mayor Glen Mecham was given the honor of cutting the ribbon on the, somewhat, cloudy and wet morning. The weather didn’t seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the trails enthusiasts, the days events drawing close to 400 participants. The Rainbow Trail was created in partnership with Rainbow Gardens, the King family and the Ogden Trails Network. The pathway is the newest segment of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail system, and completes the historic Indian Trail that continues up Ogden Canyon. The trail also provides a link from the Bonneville Shoreline trail to the Ogden River Parkway. The trail meanders through stands of native oak and maple, and includes access to a unique geological phenomena known as a sink hole, where the trail spirals down to the bottom of the natural cone shaped depression. Those who have walked the trail believe it to be one of the most beautiful parts of the Ogden’s Trail Network. In recognition of the contributions made by Rainbow Gardens and the King family, they were awarded The Mayor’s Spirit of Ogden Award, which states in part, “ . . . The trail extension provides for a connection of the Ogden River Parkway and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, and provides a wonderful resource to the community and the region.” The trail is accessed behind Rainbow Gardens on the southwest side of the business. A visible archway above the trail marks its beginning. Catholic Community Services Accepting Items for Kosovo Refugees Catholic Community Services is accepting personal and household supplies to support 19 Kosovo refugees who arrived in Salt Lake City in May. Another 200 refugees are also expected to arrive shortly. Even with recent cease fire agreements within the refugees’ homelands, and ensuing peace talks, basic daily necessities for the ethnic Albanians are still needed. These people, who have traveled so far under such dire circumstances, have, relatively, nothing in the way of physical possessions. If peace talks prove successful, they still will have nothing to return home to, if they so choose to return. Catholic Community Services, which is sponsoring the refugees, provides initial housing for the exiles. They also arrange and provide for health screenings, mentors from the community, and English as a Second Language (ESL) training for the refugees. Needed items that are being collected include: Toilet paper Personal hygiene items Mattresses and pillows Towels, linens and other bedding Kitchen items; dishes, silverware, etc. Tables and chairs Please note that no clothing is being accepted. Items can be brought to St. Florence’s Catholic Church located at 6461 Hwy. 39 in Huntsville on Saturdays from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Sundays between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The church is located across from Anderson’s Cove. Catholic Community Services provides sponsorship and support to over 400 refugees that come into the state annually. For more information, contact Christina Ferrario at 745-5673.