Slugs vs. copper, a mixed message

Q: Do copper barriers really work as slug repellents? It's been so wet this spring that the slugs are shredding up my garden.

A: The good news? Copper barriers do repel slugs, protecting the specific plant or plants they surround. The bad news, slugs aren't killed or even hurt much by the copper, so they slime off and find something else on which to dine.

Q: Is it safe to plant annuals outside yet?

A: It depends. After an Easter weekend when the wind chill rivaled most Christmases (and was actually colder than Christmas '05) we're all feeling a little wary. Basil, tomatoes and the more tropical annuals will be set back a bit if you set them out before it's consistently 50 degrees overnight. All will have less transplant shock once it warms up.

Seattle's average minimum temperature in May is 48.8 degrees, which means the mercury will often dip below that number. So wait until closer to June to move the heat lovers outdoors.

Q: You have mentioned the 'James Galway' rose recently. I have tried to find it in Seattle with no luck. I've been told by a couple of nurseries that they can find no listing for it among their rose information. Can you tell me where I could purchase one or two? It sounds lovely!

A: Rosa 'James Galway' was introduced in England in 2000, so I'm surprised it isn't more generally available. Did you try Christianson's Nursery in Mount Vernon? They carry a fine stock of healthy roses, including many of the David Austin, or English roses, like the pale pink, ruffled, supremely fragrant 'James Galway,' named for the classical flutist.

Nurseries should be able to order it for you, because it's available from David Austin Roses here in the United States (www.davidaustinroses.com/american), located in Texas.

Closer to home you can order the climbing 'James Galway' from Heirloom Roses in Oregon (www.heirloomroses.com), which has a good reputation for selling own-root roses.

Q: Which flowers are pretty and also edible? I want to use flowers and petals in salads and to garnish plates, and I'm never sure which are safe. I want to grow them in big pots on my deck, which is the only sunny part of my garden.

A: Many flowers are both nutritious and delicious, as well as pretty on the plate. For peak flavor, pick flowers early in the day, and except for daylilies, avoid unopened, faded or wilted blossoms. Rinse gently, set between damp paper towels and refrigerate until ready to use.

Never assume florist flowers are edible since they may have been sprayed with pesticides. And, of course, garden organically so that you can eat right out of your garden.

A few pretty and tasty flowers are: rose petals, borage, chives, bee balm (Mondarda), scented geraniums, nasturtiums, lavender, poppies, rosemary and pansies.

You can grow any of these in containers. I particularly like borage, because the flowers are star-shaped and intensely blue; lavender, because the flowers have so much flavor; and nasturtiums, because they grow quickly from seed and the flowers and lily-pad-like leaves add a peppery taste to salads.

To learn more, see Rosalind Creasy's complete and colorful book "The Edible Flower Garden" (Periplus Editions, 2000). Or visit the Web site http://starchefs.com/edible_flowers/html/index.shtml for recipes and tips on cooking with flowers.

Q: Do you have a short list of plants that deer won't eat? I want to plant a border outside my deer fence and need some fool-proof suggestions.

A: Wouldn't that be deer-proof suggestions? The lists all vary because deer have individual preferences, and what they are willing to eat depends on how hungry they are. With that in mind, here's a list of plants that are least attractive to deer:

Euphorbias, ferns, ornamental grasses, hellebores, phormium, epimedium, boxwood and all the aromatic herbs such as sage, rosemary and lavender. Enough good choices to plant an attractive border. The best book on the subject remains "Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest," by Russell Link, University of Washington Press, which should be available in bookstores and at all public libraries.

Valerie Easton also writes about Plant Life in Sunday's Pacific Northwest Magazine. Write to her at P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111 or e-mail planttalk@seattletimes.com with your questions. Sorry, no personal replies.