I cut off the flowers on astilboides as soon as they appear - the leaves are the attraction and the flowers are too tall, floppy, and messy-looking, so 'off with their heads!'

I love hot pink, have never had luck with ANY of the variegated phloxes.
I do not keep plants which I do not like any aspect of.

Dying bulb foliage can be quite unattractive, but I can't imagine having a garden without lots of spring bulbs. I am now trying to remember to plant bulbs where early perennial foliage will hide the dying bulb foliage.

My âÂÂBecky Toweâ for instance- I adore the gold and green variegation of the foliage, but hate the color of the flowers.

As an aside CMK, I think the blue flower colour for "Shockwave" Phlox goes much better with the variegated foliage (than does pink with BT)

Here is mine from last year:

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Bloodroot - the little flowers are simply the most adorable thing one could ever hope for, but then comes the leaves - those totally alien looking things that don't look like they could have emerged from such a sweet little plant. Hate the leaves, especially when they start to get ratty. It just goes on and on and on.

Clematis - wonderful flowers, but who wants that tired old, ugly foliage come late summer?

Hosta flowers - my God those lavender things are ugly. The whites ones are OK though.

Kevin

* Stachys (betony): I really dislike the flower color. It's not so bad on it's own, but by the time it blooms in June there are lots of other things blooming including annuals, and that purplish-pink color clashes, it really gets on my nerves. I usually cut them off.

* Coralbells: I hate the flowers. These definitely get cut off.

I think the leaves of bloodroot are quite attractive - sorta like lilypads. But hey attractiveness is subjective :0)

I'm starting to not like the blooms on hostas - and actually, on several "foliage" plants - heucheras, tiarellas, lady's mantle. I mean, it's not that I dislike them - I haven't yet reached the point where I'm cutting off the bloom stalks, though I'm thinking about it, lol - but when you are growing plants for foliage, and that's the star attraction of the plant, the blooms just seem kind of unnecessary, no matter how pretty they are.

I agree with the bulb foliage. Hate, hate, hate the dying foliage, but can't imagine spring without bulbs!

Dee

I don't mind white/white-ish flowers on heucheras but do not like the coral pink colored flowers, so I always check the flower color before buying a heuchera!

At our previous house we had a large (15' x 30') concrete patio. The house also came with a couple of large clumps of none-too-exciting hostas with those pale purplish flowers. I eventually divided the hostas and had enough divisions to completely line the three sides of the patio! (The house abutted one long side.) The hostas made a very nice edging and, when they bloomed,were quite impressive. So, that taught me that some otherwise dull things can function quite differently en masse. I try to remember that when considering the options when I'm underwhelmed by something...

I kinda' like the foliage of bloodroot too. Must agree though that it would look bizzare seeing the flowers on the plant WITH the foliage. Those big-honking weirdly-shaped leaves don't match the flowers, lol.

Funny! I tend to like the pink coral bell flowers over the white/cream ;-D

-Doug, thanks for that comment. It does look better. I feel the same way about 'Nora Leigh', the flowers are so wishy-washy against that lovely foliage!
CMK

wieslaw, have you tried Phlox nora leigh? Variegated and a solid performer. No mildew whatsoever, I don't have a single other phlox because of mildew problems.

I like my double peonies when they are in bloom, but they drag on the ground when wet and the petals are so messy. I also like columbine but a lot of mine are affected by columbine worm, so I may have to yank them all out.

I've been going through this reevaluation period with Heuchera flowers. I love the old-fashioned ones with actual flowers - you know those cute little pink bells, but all the newer ones seem to have those weird kind of non-flower spikes. I think you know what I mean.

For many years I hated those and cut them off immediately, but I'm staring to see some value to them. I don't think one could describe them as pretty, but they are kind of interesting in a strange sort of way. At least they add a bit of interest to the garden until the wind blows them over. Then they're just a mess.

Kevin

I've been going through this reevaluation period with Heuchera flowers.

but all the newer ones seem to have those weird kind of non-flower spikes. I think you know what I mean.

Just like this Kevin? This is my "Venus" from last year in full "flower". I find it hard to imagine that one can find any redeeming qualities of its "bloosoms".

Those flowers don't look so odd when the heuchera is part of a larger group of plants so the flowers are feathery things dancing against the background. I can't find a picture of a green heuchera with flowers at the moment but this is a dark combination I like - picture from Sept. 2 2012:
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Yup, that's what I'm talking about. From a distance, they do have a certain architectural quality (although slim I must admit) that I'm trying my darn-est to appreciate.

(But yes, I know, they are pretty blah)

Kevin

Wieslaw, I second Phlox 'Nora Leigh', this is not only variegated, but just about the best performing phlox of all the P. paniculata cultivars I've ever bought! (Every other variegated phlox has died off and even the solid green ones get weird wilts sometimes.)

I like the flowers on the pink and red Heucheras. The pretty little flowers add a delicate spattering of color to the garden, especially in between other perennials. They make good fillers in a bouquet. Hummers love them too!

This is 'Firefly' - foliage is plain but I LOVE the pink/red flowers so far. This was started from seed, so these plants are not mature size. I just bought seed for 'Ruby Bells' which supposedly had deep red flowers.

Ligularia dentatas - love their foliage, hate their flowers. 'Britt Marie Crawford,' and 'Osiris Fantaisie' are two favorites, but the flowers get cut.

I love the "flowers" on my heucheras! Of course, they are planted with a bunch of other perennials and add a height and feathery quality to the bed.

Now, I absolutely love my Jack Frost brunnera's in the early spring, but feel like yanking them out by early to late summer when the foliage starts to turn ugly and brown. :( but never have. I am tossing around the idea of cutting them back altogether and seeing what happens but don't have the courage! lol

I LOVE orange butterfly weed and planted some seeds last year I got from a trade that said 'orange butterfly weed' . Now have two large plantings that are beginning to bloom.

One is a washed-out pink and the other white. They are OK and I will probably keep them but certainly not the striking orange I wanted!!!

Hosta is one of those plants that have less than attractive flowers, except for a few. H. plantaginia I will let bloom for it's great smelling very large trumpet shaped blooms.
Heuchera also is on that list, except for a few. How could anyone not appreciate H. Cherries Jubilee. Long lasting cherry red flowers that my hummingbirds love.

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gazania - That color red on the heuchera flowers - and leaves - I could live with but the coral red-pink I find a harsh color and difficult to coordinate with other things.

All my hosta flowers get the chop except for the Guacamole which smells heavenly, and some bluish ones that are next to something else blue. All my colorless heuchera flowers have to go, because I think they look to weedy. And there are yellow flowers on a lovely silvery artemisia, can't remember the name of it. They just don't look right to me.

I have a friend who cuts off all her Lambs Ears flowers but I love them!

no???

i love all my children for what they are ....

not some preconceived notion of what i think they should be ...

if nothing else ... they are conversation points for garden guests ... lol..

and those i truly do not like ... seem to be given to peeps who come thru the garden.. lol ...

guess i came full circle here ...

ken

ps: the boy better get his act together.. he might find himself going home in someones car after some garden tour.. lol ...

LOL Ken, I still feel like giving my boy away, and he is almost 20. :-D

Oh, I need to get that Heuchera Cherries Jubilee! Pretty flowers and I like the colorful foliage too.

And I like the flowers on all the Hostas, although the fragrant ones are the best. Even like the flowers on the most common Hostas such as Undulata Albomarginata, and the hummer does too!

But since this is a complaint thread, here goes: I love love Echinacea but they do look pretty ugly by the end of the season. Would love to deadhead them but live with the eyesore because the Goldfinches love the seedheads.

I know this is a complaint thread but I have to confess I simply can't bring myself to cut anything back only because it doesn't please me in any given season. Q: Am I aesthetically pleased with my garden beds year after year? A: Seven years after designing, planning & constructing, the answer is a rather enthusiastic yes.

My beds were designed & planted to attract pollinators as well as to please my eye. Does every plant I grow satisfy this goal? The answer would be most but not all. However, I've taken a sort of wait-and-see-what-happens-next-year attitude.

I'm glad I've taken a rather 'sit back and watch' perspective since some plants (namely dianthus) that were at best meh in years past are really stunning this year.

Ryse ryse, sorry you did not get the milkweed you expected. It sounds like you have swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata - which is a wetland plant makes pink and sometimes white flowers. I think it's very pretty also, and the Monarchs love it.

The orange milkweed is Asclepias tuberosa.

Oh Rouge I was going to post about heuchera 'Venus' too - totally weedy flowers. I've had several of these for years and always liked them but they were in a poor spot so they stayed small and didn't really bloom. This year I moved them front and center near the front door and imagine my disappointment when I realized they look so ratty.

Heuchera 'Shamrock' is similarly ugly in bloom.

I use nice-looking heuchera spikes in cut flower bouquets all the time, and I really do like the coral-colored ones a lot. I guess I need to be more thorough when shopping for heuchera from here on out.

OK, I know I said I didn't like Hosta flowers, but quite by accident I did come up with this rather stunning combo (sorry no photos).

I planted a bunch of rather boring green Hosta (Invincible), OK, they are plain green, but the leaves are kind of cool with all their puckers. Anyway, I stuck them all at the base of my large tree peony. When the tree peony is fully leafed out, you can barely see the Hosta leaves, but when the Hostas bloom, all the flower spikes come up through the peony foliage and they almost appear to be part of the tree peony and not the Hostas at the base. It looks really cool. I'll have to remember to take a photo this summer.

Kevin

'Kevin' wrote:

Hosta flowers - my God those lavender things are ugly

Here is my first year "Liberty" hosta in full bloom as of yesterday:

This post was edited by rouge21 on Sat, Jun 29, 13 at 9:42

I don't really have a plant that disappoints me in terms of flowers vs foliage, but I have a love-hate relationship with my nepeta Walkers Low. I planted it at the old house, I planted it last year at our new house. I love it's carefree blooming and sweet pale flowers. And it remained green for me right through winter in zone 8a. That was nice too.

I just hate its scent. But as long as I'm not right up close, sticking my nose in, I don't tend to notice it, so I just love it at a distance.

Love my 'Walker's Low', It's got character. Early to appear, seedlings, a little ratty later on. Tough critter.

My yowl of disappointment is every cat for miles around comes to visit and flatten it. It's a total ritual, very dainty, picking out the "just so" flower to nibble on. Then the totally shameless acts, forsaking all dignity.

It's embarrassing to all concerned - performers and spectators.

The short lived bloom of the azalea (especially with several heavy rains throughout the spring like this year) and the ugly brown color the flowers turn.

-boday, THANK YOU! I thought I was the only one on planet earth that had every neighborhood cat molest their 'Walkers Low'! Lol.
CMK

You know, a while ago I posted a question about cats and cat mints. I didn't want to risk trying them if cats would destroy them. Well, I bought Walkers Low this spring. My yard is invested with cats and no damage to the plant yet. Maybe the cats around here are really dumb or something. Fingers and toes crossed.

Kevin

Maybe the cats around here are really dumb or something. Fingers and toes crossed.
--------
If they're blooming, it's only a matter of time. It's a whole entertainment cycle. Best, late at night after a hot day.

They'll come over, sit down, pull one flower close and sniff it. Push it away and pull in another. They might change seats, finally one meets with their approval and they nibble delicately and then finally go the glutton mode.

Then comes the sensory overload, performing arts - the crazed kitten routine, flips, the horizontal circle short runs, rollovers and so on. Finally all this is over and they slink away, cat dignity in tatters. Molesting cat mint - for shame.

Boday, love your description - really made me laugh, thanks!! I found one catmint that my cats didn't pay any attention to - I believe it was Nepeta mussini, much smaller than Walker's Low but very colorful.

-boday, Yep! That is what they do here too. It makes the even the skittish cats friendly, lol!

Another plant I'm having mixed feelings about at the moment- honeysuckle. It has been so cool and wet that the darn things and shriveling from PM and are also covered in aphids. It is such a shame since I adore honeysuckles. The past few years have been real cr*p for them...I'm starting to feel mildly tempted to 'do something about them' (insert ominous music clip here, LOL).
CMK

Back to the 'plain old green hostas' & their blah lavender flowers--I divided two POGHs several years ago and planted the divisions around the base of a huge old oak tree in front of my house. Last year was the first time I actually looked at them when they bloomed and it was a surprisingly pretty sight!

Second only to attracting/nourishing bees, butterflies & hummingbirds, my garden is designed for curb appeal so I'm quite satisfied that I've achieved a look which pleases me. I now let my hostas, heucheras & several others go ahead and bloom where in years past I did cut the bloom stalks off. After I observed so many bees on them in the past couple of years, these days they stay as they are and I'm content to let them do their thing.

Yarrow seems to be my problem plant.
It comes up in the Spring all pretty and fern like, send up nice blooms in red and yellow, then bleak, lays over and looks brown and scraggly the rest of the summer.

This year I've decided to whack them off when they start that stuff, giving other more behaving perennials room to shine on.

You can see it here behind the Veronica.

Deb