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gringo_gw

our favorite newest purchase?

gringo
9 years ago

I'm curious to know what others have sown, grown, bought, traded for or even had given to them this year, that they really like. What might that be?

I'm anxious to see the results of a newly planted (this spring) oriental poppy 'Plum Pudding' that apparently is flower of the year 2014, at least from what I gather from what was printed on a pkt. of same. Likely a progeny of 'Pattys' Plum', but more intense without any hint of grey undertones ..
The other, being a new introduction also ;"Vanilla, and Strawberry Cartwheel" Gerbera daisy from seeds ordered from Jung, as Park was far too high priced by comparison...

With winter having been so awful, many seedlings I tried to get a head start with, just didn't make it.. So that's rather a bit moot to even mention any names...

.But with summer quickly approaching, what has smitten you & simply can't wait for more of, or would sow again, buy locally, or go to any lengths to obtain, including paying the ridiculous shipping (exorbitant postage) fees these days?
What's your latest, or newest absolutely had to have it perennial, you are trying out, for this year?

Comments (15)

  • User
    9 years ago

    Strobilanthes Wallichii - a late summer, tall blue flower...as a change from the interminable asters and aconitum (which, I still love). Saw it at a local botanic garden and fell in love with its softly felted pale green leaves and deep trumpet shaped blooms. Never wanted September to arrive with such enthusiasm before.

  • gardenweed_z6a
    9 years ago

    Heuchera/coral bells 'Galaxy' - a strawberry-pink color that totally pops in my part shade bed. I bought one plant on a Tuesday and went back a couple of days later for three more. I set one at each end of my 'Crabapple Corner' curved bed along with hosta, astilbe, Solomon's seal, 'Palace Purple' heuchera, columbine, Japanese sedge, turtlehead, Chinese globeflower, daylily & lady's mantle. Satisfaction quotient: 100%; regret factor: 0.00.

  • shadeyplace
    9 years ago

    illicium florida sunshine...still very small but I think I am going to love it

  • Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
    9 years ago

    I had a new picket fence installed last year and I'm bound and determined to grow delphinium and lupine. Had them at my last house, but have never been successful here. Started both from seed and also purchased a handful to get a head start. Also picked up some beautiful orange roses for the borders and have been really happy with those.

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    9 years ago

    thyme - After my success with my first and only delphinium last summer, I just couldn't wait to order more. I had delphiniums on my mind all winter long. So......

    From the Millennium Series (like the one last summer)

    Pink Punch
    Blue Lace
    Pagan Purples

    I was also very happy to see my Moonlight Blues made it through the winter and probably tripled in size.

    Kevin

  • david883
    9 years ago

    I started lupine last year (russell hybrid chatterlaine I think). They grew a few pathetic little leaves and that was that. I thought they were goners with the winter we had but now they're going at full force and one has two big buds starting on it. So I am very excited to see it bloom soon. I'm also going to get back to work on my yellow/purple garden so I'm looking forward to planting some new things (glove thistle, coreopsis, balloon flowers, etc). Also keeping my fingers crossed for some hibiscus lemon slice seeds I started inside. I started them a little late so I'm not quite sure they'll get anywhere but time will tell

  • davids10 z7a nv.
    9 years ago

    aralia cordata sun king-abelia kaleidoscope

  • green_go (Canada, Ontario, z 5a)
    9 years ago

    Gentiana scabra 'Rocky Diamond'
    Campanula 'Get Mee'
    Campanula 'White Wonder' and 'Blue Wonder'
    Heuchera 'Kassandra'

  • gringo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well, those are some nice new ideas. Except I can't ever recall seeing a single lupine, in all of Tidewater/ Chesapeake Bay area, in almost 30 years...

    thyme2dig. I highly recommend those same Delphiniums from New Zealand, as Kevin suggested . I added ''Cobalt Dreams'. Get them potted, through mail order! (Jung)

    Globe thistle; David, that's one I decided to go back to, even if the leaves can make me itch! Sowed the E. ritro ssp. ruthenicus as it has an RHS award. A boxed one came up, as a pair of the ugliest sea holly EVER (unknown variety , to me ) But do prefer the species; alpinum & order the roots of ( difficult to germinate)
    seed cultivars 'Superbum' ( from believe it or not, Michigan Bulb) or 'Blue Star' ...

    green-go; good play on the name. lol I'll have to look up those Campanula, as mostly just carpatica does well for me, here. The peachleaf sort, tend to be like an annual here...though did see 'Takion Blue' at the nearby garden center.

  • davids10 z7a nv.
    9 years ago

    eryngiums to love

  • davids10 z7a nv.
    9 years ago

    seedling of the above-bourgattii

  • Nevermore44 - 6a
    9 years ago

    I seeded Anchusa azurea 'Dropmore' last year. It grew great large bristly leaves last year which added good texture to the garden and then this year has bloomed out amazingly. The pictures don't show the just how blue the blooms really are... not the pseudo purple/blue that many "blue" perennials have.

    The other interesting part of the blooms are that they start out purple/pink and then turn the blue later, so you get a nice mix of blooms. It's about 4 feet tall now.

    I will hack it back after the bloom and hope that it sends up more basal growth and carries to next year.

    {{gwi:216254}}

    {{gwi:216257}}

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    9 years ago

    Oh my gosh. Where to begin? :)

    To name a few:
    Cinderella Miniature Roses
    Annabelle Hydrangea
    Endless Summer Hydrangea
    Shasta Daisies
    2 new types of Daylilies
    Diamantina Clematis (probably the most eager about these!)
    Henri Moss Roses
    John Davis Roses

  • flowergirl70ks
    9 years ago

    A note about the New Zealand delphs. I was thrilled to even get them to grow here in our hot dry climate. They did well for 3 years, then died. I was told I should have divided them, as they can bloom so heavy they bloom themselves to death.
    Anybody else have that happen?

  • gringo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    flowergirl, it may be the heat of summer that does the Delphs in, ifwarm nights goe well on into September , before cooling off. I think they have an eventual limit, to warm nights, even if 'tolerant' to the heat'.

    gardenat902. I've grown the crazy daisy & awaiting results of some of my own hybridization. The Henri moss rose sounds interesting, Is it actually a 'moss' rose?

    Nevermore, I had one Dropmore grow in my new garden & bought a root of Anchusa "Loddon Royalist' but appears stunted & maybe ordered a bit late, or was sent just a little too late? It is a fabulous blue, either one, no doubts....

    David, I've been enamored with most Eryngiums, ever
    since seeing one in person, thinking it had been artificially painted deep blue! (& not talking about ordinary planum, which often gets passed off, for everything else, but what it really is. I'll have to post a photo of some in flower already!

    campanula, which Aconitu (m are you growing? I really like nappelus, in violet blue (Bressigham?), but it may be notoriously diffficlut from seeds. Which one(s) are you growing?

    gardenweed, some that which you easily grow up in CT, simply get baked to death down here.