Garden Detective

Whew! I'm back. It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but I have good news to report: I didn't miss my spring garden show, after all. I came home to a beautifully blooming garden:

Above and Beyond, a proprietary collection from Color Blends, both inside and outside the fence in the front yard.

I really love this combination. Couldn't take enough pictures.

Pansies

Rhododendron

Azalea on the brink

Dafodil Hawera

They might be weeds, but they are pretty, aren't they?

Hosta

Pear blossoms

Budding Scotch broom, which has seen better days. It's hitting the compost pile after one final performance.

Last year's parsley is taking off.

Viburnum

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Heuchera (Coral bells), left, and Helleborus add color to shady spots.

Kathy, a reader from Little Neck, wrote, asking for plant suggestions for her shady plot. And she mentioned that hostas "don't grow well" for her.

Well, Kathy, hostas are pretty well represented in shade gardens across the New York-metropolitan area. Since you didn't say what sort of difficulty you were experiencing with them, I'll just quickly go over a few common problems.

If you're noticing round holes in the leaves, slugs are likely the culprits. If you kiss your plants goodnight in the evening and wake up to find them missing from the garden, then you can blame deer or rabbits, though I don't think that's a likely problem in Little Neck. If you're noticing mottled foliage, yellow rings or dots on the leaves, that would indicate a virus, in which case it's best to dig them up and throw them out.

Other problems can be caused by chemicals, frost damage or insufficient shade.

No matter. Since you've decided to move on, I can tell you about some beautiful and hardy shade plants that thrive here, but first I want to tell you about one plant that will not grow well - grass. If your garden is very shady, don't even bother trying to plant a lawn. Sure, nurseries sell seed mixes labeled for shade. But I don't care what the bag says: They won't produce a lush lawn.

Having said that, you'll still need a ground cover. Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese spurge) is a reliable player. It fills in nicely yet isn't invasive, remains evergreen in this area and does a tremendous job anchoring the soil. Vinca minor (periwinkle) will serve a similar purpose and flower nicely in midspring.

Ajuga

It's important to note where your shade is coming from. If it's caused by deciduous trees like dogwoods, maples or oaks, then shade is a concern for only the part of the year when the tree has leaves. You can take advantage of the sun exposure before the tree leafs out and grow some sun-loving early-season perennials there. Try tulips and daffodils to brighten up the spot.

Before beginning any garden project, you should always test your soil's pH. The results will tell you which plants are suited to the site as well as guide you in amending the soil, if necessary. Test kits are widely available online and at local nurseries, and the Cornell Cooperative Extension will test your soil and make amendment recommendations for a nominal fee. (Call 516-228-0426 in Nassau; 631-727-7850 in Suffolk) for information.

Skimmia japonica is an under-used shrub that survives in shade and loves acid soil.

If your soil is on the acidic side, consider shrubs like Pieris (Andromeda), any of the Ilex species (hollies), and Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Skimmia japonica also loves shade and acid soil, and isn't used nearly as much as it should be. Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel) would make a nice foundation planting. All of these are broadleaf evergreens.

For neutral soils, I love Hypericum 'Albury Purple' (St. Johnswort), which sports bright yellow flowers and red berries on a low-growing shrub with purple-tipped green leaves. It's indicated for sun to part shade, but I've had success with it in a mostly shady spot. I'm also fond of hydrangeas, which do very well in the shade.

Some varieties, such as the aptly named 'Endless Summer,' offer a full season of blooms. Abelia x grandiflora (glossy abelia) will serve you well, too. Boxwoods, both common and Japanese, will thrive, as will any of the yews and Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel).

If you're looking for annuals, you can't go wrong with impatiens or wax begonias. Coleus is a shade-loving foliage plant that's available in many different colors, and flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata), which tolerates partial shade well, grows up to 4 feet tall and gives off a delicious jasmine scent.

As far as perennials go, you can't go wrong with Phlox divaricata (woodland phlox). Its blue, lavender or white blooms sit atop small green leaves in late spring, and it's a generous reseeder.

Heuchera (coral bells) blooms in summer with tall spikes of tube-like flowers rising above a mound of colorful foliage. Both perform well in partial shade, as do Echinacea Purpureas (purple coneflower), Aquilegias, Digitalis (foxglove), Astilbes, Campanulas, Lobelias and many lupines. Hellebores will flower in the winter, and Ajugas and ferns both have it made in the (deep) shade.

Daniel Siebert, an amateur botanist, with Salvia divinorum. (AP Photo)

You know that beautiful Salvia plant you had growing in your garden last summer? The fragrant, purple one? It's gaining a heck of a reputation. Lawmakers in Florida and elsewhere are hip to the fact that teenagers -- among others, I'm sure -- have discovered the hallucinogenic properties of its cousin, Salvia divinorum. And you know what they say about judging a man by his friends.

I can't imagine how kids stumbled upon this, but Salvia divinorum can produce an hour-long high more potent than marijuana's when smoked, eaten or brewed into a tea. And it's currently legal, which means it can be easily obtained by anyone, unlike Sudafed or Claritin-D, for which I have to produce a driver's license and sign my name to a federal government log in order to purchase at CVS.

Online, an ounce of Salvia leaves can be had for $30; liquid extract sells for $12-$70, depending on the size of the bottle and its potency. Long-term health effects aren't clear, but its use was cited in a 17-year-old Delaware boy's suicide in 2006.

The plant, native to Mexico, has been used for centuries in indigenous healing rituals. Now, lawmakers in eight states have put restrictions on it, and Florida is considering making it illegal.

It sounds ridiculous to outlaw a plant, but the dilemma is a big one: People get the impression that whatever is legal is safe. Kids especially. And therein lies the problem: It's dangerous.

The plants in our herb and perennial gardens are guilty only by association, as there haven't been any hallucinogenic properties or abuses reported about them.

• Salvia officinalis, also known as sage, is a fixture in many suburban gardens. The perennial prefers full sun but can tolerate light shade.

• Salvia elegans, or Pineapple sage, is a tender perennial, which means it's grown as an annual here on Long Island. It, too, prefers full sun, and its pineapple-scented leaves and flowers are edible.

• Salvia officinalis 'Berggarten', Berggarten sage, is a sun-loving perennial.

• Salvia officinalis 'Nana', Dwarf sage, is a perennial that prefers full sun.

They all make an eye-catching, deliciously scented addition to the herb or perennial garden.
You can't smoke them, but why would you want to?

We don't hear very much about the heath pea these days, but back in King Charles II's time, it was a popular appetite suppressant.

Otherwise known as bitter vetch, heath pea (Lathyrus linifolius) was a necessity in Medieval times. Appetite suppressants weren't usually used for vanity's sake. Instead, they were a necessary evil, used to avoid hunger during years when crops failed. Eating the plant's tiny licorice-flavored tuber is said to have destroyed the appetite for weeks. Apparently, once potatoes took off, everyone's belly was kept full so the plant wasn't needed any more.

Charles II, however, reportedly was known for liking his women slim, even during the one time in history when full-figured women were in fashion. So he fed heath pea to his mistresses. Nice guy. I wonder what HIS waistline looked like.

Fast forward to our century, and obesity really is a problem. Today, London's Daily Mail is reporting that British researchers are studying the plant for possible use in an anti-obesity drug.

A very low-maintenance plant, the perennial can even be highly invasive in zones 7-9. It can tolerate sun or shade, and blooms with delicate purple flowers from mid-spring until late summer.

However, all parts of the plant are listed as toxic, and while they're great for naturalizing in a shady spot, I wouldn't recommend eating the tubers until more research is done. Those Medieval folks didn't live very long, did they?

Aerial view of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault | Photo courtesy Cary Fowler/Global Crop Diversity Trust

When I start seeds indoors for my vegetable garden every spring, invariably some don't grow. Last year, I sowed an entire package of carrots and didn't get one viable plant.

What if those were the only seeds I had -- and there were no grocery stores? I'd be up a creek, I'm afraid, without the proverbial paddle.

To avert such a calamity should disaster strike, Norway has created a "Doomsday Vault," and placed within it 4.5 million seed samples from around the world. At a cost of $9.1 million, the concrete vault dug into the side of a mountain was built to withstand climate change, wars, natural disasters such as earthquakes, and nuclear attacks in order to protect those seeds, and will reside deep in the permafrost of an Arctic mountain. Its steel airlock doors ensure a tight seal.

Its aim? To make it possible to re-establish crops should they be obliterated or become extinct.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault will be officially inaugurated officially tomorrow, less than a year after crews started drilling for it in Norway's Svalbard archipelago.

Photo at left (courtesy Mari Tefre/Global Crop Diversity Trust) shows the inside of the Doomsday Vault.

But this isn't the first time anyone has thought of such a thing. There are some 1,400 other seed banks in the world. Svalbard is a Plan B of sorts, in case those others don't make it. A few have already bitten the dust: Seed banks in Iraq and Afghanistan have been destroyed by war, another in the Philippines was wiped out in a 2006 typhoon.

Though Norway owns the vault, each country that 'deposits' seeds will continue to own their contributions.

Armed guards protect against polar bears, but threats such as war aren't a likelihood in the isolated region, some 600 miles from the North Pole.

The vault is expected to last at least as long as Egypt's ancient pyramids.

It's good to know my carrots will have a backup.

In honor of this week's Westminster Dog Show, it's a good time to think about the well-being of our pets, and an important part of keeping them healthy is keeping them away from harmful plants.

Cornell University photos Three toxic plants, from left, Lantana, Dogbane, Daphne.

Cornell University photo Digitalis (Foxglove)

Many houseplants, perennials and shrubs are toxic to animals, and different species are affected by different plants. (The lists below include the most common plants, and should not be considered entirely complete. In other words, please do not assume that a plant is safe just because a plant isn't listed here.)

Below are the 10 most common toxic plants, according to the Animal Poison Control Center of the ASPCA, and the symptoms associated with them.

Marijuana (Cannabis sativa): Central nervous system depression, loss of coordination, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate, seizures and coma.

Sago Palm (Cycas Revoluta): Ingestion of just one or two seeds can induce vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures and liver failure.

Lilies ( Lilium spp.): Very small amounts can lead to severe kidney damage in cats.

Tulip/Narcissus bulbs (Tulipa/Narcissus spp): Gastrointestinal irritaion, drooling, loss of appetite, central nervous system depression, convulstions, cardiac abnormalities.

Azalea/Rhododendron (Rhododenron spp.): Vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, weakness, central nervous system depression, coma, cardiac collapse, death.

Oleander (Nerium oleander): Gastrointestinal irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia, death.

Castor Bean (Ricinus communis): Severe abdominal pain, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, weakness, loss of appetite, dehydration, muscle twitching, tremors, seizures, coma, death.

Cyclamen: Significant gastrointestinal irritation, intense vomiting, death.

Kalanchoe: Gastrointestinal irritation, serious cardiac rate and rhythm abnormalities.

Yew (Taxus spp.): Central nervous system abrnormalities, trembling, loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, death.

Other plants that are harmful to pets

Houseplants and tropicals

Caladium, Colocasia , Philodendron, Umbrella Plant, Aloe Vera, Mistletoe, Lucky Bamboo