Around the Yard

Things to do this week:

* Shady opportunity. Early August is not the best time to plant, except in shady spots, where the intense summer sun is not a problem. Nurseries will have lots of plants that prefer growing in shade and tend to look their best in summer, from brunfelsias to fuchsias.

Be sure to check out some of the exciting new impatiens, such as the latest dark-leaved New Guinea kinds; those with the cream-splashed, variegated leaves; or those with the fully double flowers. You may not want to plant these in masses, but they can help break up monotonous plantings or enliven containers. Near the coast, most fancy kinds live for at least several years.

Look for the dramatic, big-leafed kinds of begonias at nurseries, such as the angel-wings, B. ricinifolia or one named ‘Freddie,’ which make enduring patio plants where hard frosts are not a problem.

* Feed one more time. Fertilize camellias and azaleas one more time and then not again until next spring. Use an acid-type fertilizer or try cottonseed meal, an old favorite still in use at Descanso Gardens in La Can~ada Flintridge.

Fertilize cymbidium orchids with a liquid that is high in nitrogen, such as a 20-10-5 product.