|
| Do you agree? Others to add?
These were listed in a local article. I thought it was a good collection of not so common perennials. Baptisia
|
Follow-Up Postings:
|
| Yes, for the most part. Will take exception to the blue clips. Stachys Hummelo is definitely under appreciated. |
|
- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 18, 11 at 0:42
| Not sure I'd agree - I have a whole 'nother list of perennials I favor :-) Part of a compilation of what I term "green thumb plants" that will grow under a wide range of conditions and perform well for even very novice gardeners. And I wouldn't necesssarily include ferns and grasses in the mix but that's just me :-) Honestly, I think a list like this would be extremely regional in focus but a better place to start would be to draw from the Perennial Plant Association Plants of the Year listing. |
|
| I'm doubtful there is such a thing as a foolproof perennial under all possible growing conditions. I don't grow most on your list, but did buy Calamagrostis Eldorado and Overdam on clearance and the Eldorado died out within 2 years whereas the Overdam is going strong. Also my large Baptisia were almost wiped out by voles this past winter. The PPA plants aren't foolproof either. I've grown Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue' and like all other Veronica cultivars I've tried, it came back weaker every year. And Scabiosa columbaria? 3 out of 4 don't even make it over the winter here! |
|
| Foolproof for me is not a specific plant but. What has been.... Daylilies Hosta Iris Geranium any....I like sprawling, crawlers, bush Sedum |
|
| Ferns are not foolproof - if they're dry, they fry. |
|
| I think Day Lily are probably the most fool proof plants. They have never failed to come up year after year and never fail to bloom. I just planted some iris recently and notice that they are also fairly bullet proof. Paul |
|
- Posted by gardenweed_z6a 5b/6a N CT (My Page) on Sun, Jun 19, 11 at 4:34
| While those on your list are all thriving here, a lot more than 10 either reliably return, refuse to die, or else multiply in my garden every year with zero intervention on my part, i.e., not mulched, pruned, dead-headed or otherwise tended: Solomon's seal, evening primrose, gayfeather, NOID red lily, mallow, iberis, columbine, astilbe, Virginia bluebells, lady's mantle... the list goes on. I actually dug out and threw away liatris/gayfeather before learning the bees & butterflies love it. It's growing and blooming and thriving right where I tossed it a few years ago. The peonies my brother planted over a quarter century ago come up every year and bloom right along with those I planted 5 years ago. Don't get me started on Echinacea, euonymus... |
|
| As gardengal48 said, any list like that is regional. For our area, several on that list will come up for a few years and then disappear, or not bloom regularly. |
|
| The list reads more like "plants I like that do well in my garden). Around here, daylilies, hosta, Sedum "Autumn Joy", Joe-pye weed, Rudbeckia "Goldsturm" and a host of others are relatively foolproof, but would not make a can't miss list in, for example, Houston. |
|
- Posted by duluthinbloomz4 (My Page) on Sun, Jun 19, 11 at 13:31
| Yes, "regional" is something often overlooked on the forums when anxious to proffer what you (generic) like and what works for you. What works reliably for me here in Minnesota zone 4... peonies, nepetas, Oriental poppies, daylilies, sedums, platycodon, salvias, veronicas, hostas, Siberian iris, ostrich ferns, lilium tigrinum. Well, I got to 12, and there are more I'm overlooking. |
|
| Thanks folks.. Obviously the list can be regional, lol. That is what your zone and area is posted for! Of course take the foolproof with a grain of salt. I like to see what lesser known, possibly under appreciated plants that may crop up. I spotted a few that I'd like to try from gardenweed's post. Keep your suggestions coming! Ones that I enjoy... Veronica 'Purplecious' |
|
- Posted by starterdude 5aOhio (plantdude47@yahoo.com) on Sun, Jun 19, 11 at 21:46
| Trifolium rubens
Frank |
|
| Sadly, I grow almost none of the perennials on that list :) I do have Euphorbia "Bonfire" and I'd agree that it is pretty much foolproof in my garden. Needs a good haircut after blooming, but other than that, almost nothing :) I would add Dianthus to a list of foolproof perennials around here. Again, comes back reliably (many different varieties), pretty, and needs almost no care at all. |
|
- Posted by nutmeg4061 5b (My Page) on Tue, Jun 21, 11 at 5:53
| Here's a thread I was just reading from a year ago about low maintenance perennials, which fits the topic. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Low Maintenance Perennials - Perennials Forum
|
| Thanks for the link! |
|
- Posted by prairiemoon2 zone 6a/MA (My Page) on Fri, Jun 24, 11 at 9:17
| I would have to say a list of 'foolproof' plants is a starting point, but really, if you don't understand what you need and what your conditions are, it can be very hit or miss. I have had Baptisia on my list of low maintenance, dependable perennials for a long time, but last year, it was growing too close to the house and we wanted to move it. Good luck with that. Worse than all the shrubs we've dug out when we did over the garden. I gave up and left it there. Very easy and dependable plant, just make sure you want it where you plant it. The Geranium 'Biokova' has been a very easy plant, has required very little, blooms dependably every year with no pests. It looks good paired with Geranium (cranesbill) 'Karmina' too, which is a deeper lavender pink. A good low groundcover or edger. I am getting a bit bored with it after 7 years in the garden though. Fern 'Ghost' Is a real performer here and I often have dry conditions due to competition from many large Maple trees in the area. That and Japanese Painted Ferns have thrived in our garden with no attention at all, in part shade. They get bigger and prettier every year. I have bought more every chance I get. I do use the sprinkler over the summer if it gets too dry. Doesn't everyone? Polygonatum, the non-variegated form is carefree in our garden, but the variegated form was less vigorous and did not increase over time. I enjoy Hellebores very much and keep adding them. I have not had to give them any attention at all. The only difficulty for me has been purchasing young plants to find a reasonable price and then having to wait so long for them to bloom. I have been very careful with grasses because I have not wanted the job of moving them when I inevitably want to rearrange the garden. Knowing yourself, that you like to move things, is an important consideration. One that I did take a chance on, after much consideration of what was available, was Pennisetum 'Hamelin'. I have had one particular plant on the same corner of a bed for almost 10 years and not the least bit sick of it and still have no plans of moving it and have not had to divide it either. I thought long and hard about where to put it. I enjoy it so much that I dug up the few volunteers the plant produced and grew them on and added three more to another location 3 years ago and very happy with that arrangement too. What is easier than cutting the grass back in the spring and never touching it again? No pests, no disease, no fertilizing, seasonal changes, stays put. It does have a tendency for developing a bare spot in the middle after awhile, but I read a great tip on GW somewhere about cutting out the middle with a 'sawz-all' and it worked great! The middle grew back very well the next season. terrene, I also had Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue' and shovel pruned it two years ago. And I'm in zone 6 and Scabiosa have not overwintered for me either. Nepetas flop on me no matter what I do, even in full sun, but so far, they are staying. I'm just trying Euphorbia for the first time this year. I tried Weigelas based on someone's recommendations last year and like those so far. Someone mentioned Iris. I love Iris and tried them for a few years. Couldn't live with them. I shovel pruned all but two varieties last year. Some grew too quickly and had to be divided every two years and not a job I enjoyed. All of them developed foliage diseases after one summer that it rained a lot. I tried peonies, and one expensive variety developed a foliar disease the first year I planted it. That was a surprise. I also found that the bloom period was so short. One week if I was lucky and heaven help me if it rained that week. So I have crossed those off my list. But that is probably due to the size of my garden and the fact that full sun areas are at a premium. If I had all the room in the world, I imagine I'd feel differently. They are gorgeous. Perovskia or Russian Sage is a wonderful performer for me every year regardless of weather. I never do anything for it except cut it back to new growth in the spring. It is pretty when out of bloom and has a long bloom period and makes everything else around it look good. No pests, no disease, no fertilizing. Thanks for the link, it was fun to go back and read everyone's thoughts last year.
|
|
| Many of you mention Hostas as being easy. But I have long since had to give up on them. Snails leave nothing but a tattered skeleton under my conditions. The only one I have now is planted in a chimney pot 3 feet tall well away from the gastropods. But even that one gets nibbled sometimes. |
|
| I did consider my rudbeckia to be foolproof, but last summer I started having a problem w/ one dying out here, another plant there, and it has continued- wish I knew what the problem was. My spiderwort has also developed a problem, w/ some clumps turning yellowy-brown and looking so awful- they used to be foolproof too. I love my lilies- both day and Oriental and Asiatic, euphorbia has done better for me than sedum, achillea Gold Plate (some of the other varieties are weedy), herbs such as oregano and lavender, Shasta daisies, my star hibiscus, oh, and someone gave me a clump of "crazy daisies" last year- they get 5 ft tall and bloom in late summer (when most of my garden has finished blooming or is gearing up for fall). I love my chocolate mint, also, but lately the grasshoppers are destroying it. Annuals- moonflower and tithonia- love those vibrant orange flowers, and sunflowers, especially the multiheaded ones. Plants here have to cope w/ sand (water passes right through), heat, and humidity. Interesting thread... Brandy |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Perennials Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.