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conniemcghee

Will you please post garden pictures?

conniemcghee
14 years ago

So I'm going to be doing a new perennial bed this fall. I've been collecting perennials and holding them all year. I think I have some good ones!

I've been trying to work out the design in Illustrator for a couple of months now. I'm on version 15 currently. :P I think working with little circles of color is not really getting me anywhere.

I have seen some awesome pics of your gardens here. Would you mind posting some pics for inspiration? :) This bed will be mostly flowers, but I have recently been considering that it might not be a bad idea to add some plants just for foilage.

I'd love to see your planting combos!

Comments (57)

  • gldno1
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You have a good collection of perennials. I think they will look good no matter how you place them.

    I would begin by grouping them by height and width first, then color. I do like some taller ones up front and middle just for added interest from the normal stair step approach.

    v. bonariensis can go anywhere because the flower stalk is tall and airy and the leaves are down pretty low.

    Also keep in mind the soil and water requirements and keep like needs together. I think most of yours are pretty much the same requirements so that shouldn't be an issue.

    Be aware that the physostegia may spread rampantly no matter what it is called.

    I do cottage/country style so my pictures might not be of any help.....very little planning was involved!

    Good luck, you really can't do anything wrong so just enjoy.

  • franeli
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    {{gwi:254968}}

    {{gwi:254969}}

    Some of the late July blooms along my driveway are:
    Echinacea'white swan', blue horizon ageratum, Shasta 'becky'
    daylilies:'suzy wong'and 'happy returns

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    dd, I have been hanging out on the daylily forum too! LOL All those beautiful pictures really gave me the bug! One of my problems, I think, is that I have never done a bed this big, and all at once. It's about, oh, 25' x 10'. Which is not enormous, but for me it's big.

    Our house has a sidewalk going the length of the house, about 4-6' from the house. So in that strip I've done a foundation planting. This bed is on the other side of the sidewalk, extending into the yard. It is in full sun. Our house faces directly south, so for the first time I have an opportunity to have flowers close to the door where I can look out and see them! :)

    Flora, that's good advice, to keep the shape and texture in mind...because that's how they will look most of the time! I love your garden shots! I think you're right, I'm probably going to end up moving a lot of this no matter what. LOL! At first I was deluding myself that I could plan it all on the computer and get it right the first time, but the more "plans" I go through I'm starting to realize that's probably not going to happen. :P

    Aw, thanks Gidno! I like your idea of tall ones towards the front here and there for interest. :D I did that with the v. bonariensis! I've already got that in place, along with the v. homestead...it's the one thing I'm sure about in this bed. In 15 versions of the plan, the verbenas haven't changed. LOL!

    Miss Manners is *supposed* to mind her manners and not be as invasive, or so they say...I've never had obedient plant before, so I won't have anything to compare it to.

    Franell, all I can say is: WOW! Is your house on your city's garden tours? Because it should be. I would love to end up with this kind of look.

    I did leave something out (knew I would): Also getting Shasta daisies. I would also like an agastache. High Country Gardens has one I'm drooling over.

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the space:

    This is the bed, ready to go. You can see the verbenas are already in there :) I've got some purple daylilies that will go along the back of that area, towards the sidewalk. That is literally all I know at this point!
    {{gwi:254970}}

    Here is the narrow strip between sidewalk and house. There are foundation plantings in there now, but they're small. This area has become a holding bed for the perennials until I decide where they're going. It's such a narrow little area, I think extending it on the other side of the sidewalk with plantings will help it look more in scale with the house. 4-6' is just not a lot of space!
    {{gwi:254971}}

    Here is a plant combination that ended up together (literally, I have just been sticking things wherever there is space). From top: Daylily Radiant Simplicity, Daylily Mini Pearl, Ech. Sundown, and Achillea Apricot Delight.
    {{gwi:254972}}

    Here's a bed on the side of the house that I did earlier this year. Didn't have as hard a time with it, and I feel pretty happy with it (once it matures I think it will be nice). It's a "white" garden...everything will bloom in white. I think I have most of the season covered for this one. Some things I have are white creeping phlox, lamb's ear, artemesia silver mound, vanhouette spirea, white shrub roses, white rose of sharon, white butterfly bush, white irises, David phlox. I'm going to add some white daylilies this fall.
    {{gwi:254973}}

  • mxk3 z5b_MI
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gorgeous pics, everyone!

    Franeli - I love that ageratum, it plays off the white coneflower beautifully.

  • daylily_dreamer
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love the new bed! I like how you've rounded out the end. After seeing your white bed, I know you will have no problem sorting out the new one! Great job!

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks dd! Well, doing all one color made it pretty easy...I just had to make sure the tall stuff was in back and short stuff in the front :P I think I'm having a hard time with my color composition and the new bed. I'm not sure if I should put contrasting colors together, or plant all like colors together. I just can't decide!

  • treelover
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lots of beautiful gardens pictured here!

    Connie: If you haven't seen them yet and have the time, do a search here at Gardenweb for "gottagarden photo". Her gardens are really spectacular.

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow! Cameron, I just spent a while looking at your gardening blog. Amazing! I love it. I really enjoyed reading your explanations of the plantings and thoughts on combinations. "Too many flowers?" What??? How crazy! :D Your garden plan you drew in 2006 reminded me of what I'm trying to do now. I've always had big dogs (have two retrievers now), so backyard has always sort of been "dog land" for me. It wouldn't take them long to trample any flowers, so I am sticking to ornamental grasses and flowering shrubs back there.

    Flora, I also watched your slideshows. So cool! I love how you showed the garden in different stages and seasons. That's something else I'm trying to be mindful of...planting for interest year-round.

    Treelover, thanks for the tip about gottagarden photo. I will do a search for that later!

  • DYH
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Connie -- glad the blog is helpful to you. I have to garden under extreme circumstances of harsh 10 hours of sun, deer, rabbits and sometimes drought.

    Cameron

  • leslie197
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My zone is so much colder than yours that it is difficult for me to give you any specific advice. However, I thought perhaps that some general comments and questions based on my experience and a progression line from my season might help you some.

    In my gardens with my short growing season I try to have bloom from March until October. Of course not every bed has bloom in every season, but most do.

    On your list the peony is the only plant that would bloom for me in the spring. It would probably bloom around Memorial Day. Do you have other shrubs, trees, perennials, or bulbs blooming in your early and late spring season? I have almost 3 months of color before the peonies start here, using combinations of all of these types of plantings. Just about every plant on your list is underplanted or overplanted with bulbs, spring ephemerals, or colorful foliage plantings.

    In my garden the peony would be followed by the Catmint and Veronica in mid June, followed by the Echinaceas, Achillea, Rozanne geranium and then my Moonbeam Coreopsis.
    The daylilies (I have about 100 of them) begin blooming for me in late June and run well into August, overlapping some of the others.

    My daylilies are found in my mixed shrub/grass/tree borders as well as in the more "cottage" like gardens nearer my house and patio. I often use catmint, veronicas, and achilleas around my daylilies. The Moonbeam also works well, especially around the deep purples of things like Bela Lugosi or near the pretty blues of the catmints.

    Rozanne is my latest perennial geranium to bloom, starting in early July but blooming steadily until October, unless we have an early hard freeze. Rozanne is a "weaver" in the garden liking to crawl up and round shrubs and bushes and can tolerate more shade (maybe a lot more shade in your warmer climate) than the rest of your selections.

    Phlox David has just started blooming for me in the last week or so and is not yet in full bloom. My Miss Manners (always well-behaved for me in zone 5 - this will be her fourth season) will bloom in mid-August and should be joined around then by some rebloom on the Catmints (I have 8 of these).

    In addition to the catmints I also use Lamb's Ear and Firewitch Dianthus throughout all my garden beds as these are about the only grey and blue foliaged plants that can tolerate my wet clay soil. These along with Lady's Mantle in the shadier shrub areas act as repetitive unifying plants. Perhaps repeating the same plant or small combo or adding some small edger plantings would work to unify your bed.

    My two torch lilies, Kniphofia Bressingham Comet,(I wasn't sure what plant you are referring to), while listed as early summer on my plant record, bloom in late August in my gravel bed, followed lastly by the Asters and mums of fall. My KBRs looks wonderful with blues. I use mine with Russian Sage, but they would work well with the catmint too. A single aster may not be quite enough for your fall display. Perhaps your torch lilies bloom late enough, or you could add more asters (or wait a season or two and split the one you have). Other possibilities would be a small grass ( think waving seedheads) or some long and late blooming sedums could be added to the display.

    Your two verbenas and the B&B salvia are annuals here. Black & Blue blooms for me in August/September when started in late May from small online purchased plants and are usually patio plants. All kinds of annual verbenas are available here and can be put potted or put in the ground around Memorial Day, lasting until hard frost. Do they keep blooming for you late in the season as they do for me? BTW, B&B looks smashing with black foliaged plants, especially with Black Magic Elephant Ears and very dark coleus, maybe underplanted with something blue or even yellow like the Moonbeam.

    In place of Bonariensis (an excellent see-through plant) I use Knautia macedonica and Allium sphaerocephalon (more vibrant deep burgangy color blooms) but with somewhat the same see-through, flower on long stem effect, in my mixed perennial/small daylily bed near the patio.

    Here are some pixs. You can also click on the Posted by line in this posting to see some general pictures of the garden.

    Daylilies, achillea, and an early mum (really early)
    {{gwi:254976}}

    More achillea - either Terra Cotta or Fireland

    {{gwi:254977}}

    Mass planting between shrubs

    {{gwi:254978}}

    With one of the newer echinaceas (this one died - Sundown still going strong in the same bed)

    {{gwi:194154}}

    I like to match other perennials to the color of various daylily eye colors. Here is Jacob Kline monarda with Rumble Seat Romance.

    {{gwi:254979}}

    Purple and peaches, Allium sph. with Siloam Double Classic & other peachy pinks.

    {{gwi:254980}}

    I prefer my reds against green.

    {{gwi:254981}}

    Lilies work well tucked in among other plants big enough to hide their stems after bloom.

    {{gwi:254982}}

    A problem you won't have for awhile - LOL - As the shrubs continue to grow all my perennials are getting squeezed. Picture is from 07, but problem is worse today with more shade, less water & space for perennials.

    {{gwi:254984}}

  • buyorsell888
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    There are some outstanding gardens in this thread. WOW!

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful, Leslie, just beautiful!!

    :)
    Dee

  • ostrich
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is my flower bed that is predominantly a combination of paniculata hydrangeas (Limelight, Quick Fire and Pinky Winky) and perennials:

    {{gwi:254986}}

    The big shrub in the foreground is Limelight Hydrangea that only has buds now. The white flowering shrub next to it is the Quick Fire hydrangea.

    The daylilies in front of the Limelight are Rosy Returns daylilies - these guys just bloom like crazy! Then the ones between Limelight and Quick Fire are Cherry Cheeks daylilies. The bubble gum pink flowers between the 2 hydrangeas are the blooms of the Pink Double Knockout roses. Of course the golden yellow perennials in the front are coreopsis zagreb, which I love!

    Further back, I have a Little Spires Russian Sage, Shirley Temple peonies, My Monet Weigela, Veronica Speedwell, American Dreams coreopsis, Barbara Mitchell Daylilies, some irises, coneflowers, rudbeckia Goldsturm and wormwood.

    The tree in the middle is a small, Sugar Tyme crabapple, and the big shrub in the back is a Sambucus Blacklace... in between all of these things, I have some low everygreen shrubs just to give some winter interest there. These include some golden thread cypress, Blue junipers etc.

    OK, maybe I am packing too many things in there!!! But then I could not bear empty spots so I just need to keep yanking things out if they overgrow in future then! :-)

  • spazzycat_1
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You may want to consider mixing in some small evergreen shrubs, otherwise, this whole area is going to look very barren during the winter when all the perennials die down.

    Here's a pic of my sidewalk garden (my sidewalk configuration is very similar to yours approaching almost parallel to the house with a narrow strip between the sidewalk and house).

    {{gwi:254989}}

  • jeannettemae77
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is my first year having a real garden since my fiance and I bought our hour in January so I have learned by trial and error. I have quite the overgrown cottage look going this year but will definitely be refining it more next year.

    Full frontal of my house showing all the main gardens:
    {{gwi:254990}}From MidSummers Night Dream

    Gaillardia Arizona Sun Blanketflower Perennail
    {{gwi:254991}}From MidSummers Night Dream

    Side of the House. Salvia, Petunia and Showy Evening Primrose
    {{gwi:254992}}From MidSummers Night Dream

    Lily Garden: (Perennial) Pink & Red Asaiac Lilies, Zagreb Coreopsis, Cala Lilies, Forever Ground Cover, (Annual) Purple Queen, (Perennial) Peony, (Annual) Dahlia Hybrid, Balsam Impatiens & Little Red Riding Hood
    {{gwi:254993}}From MidSummers Night Dream
    {{gwi:254994}}Spring Time Gardens
    {{gwi:254995}}Beginning of Summer Gardens
    {{gwi:254996}}MidSummers Night Dream

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    WOW! I haven't checked back in a while - more awesome inspiration for me!! YAY!

    I will take these one at a time:

    Leslie: Your photos are BEAUTIFUL! I love the pairings and combos you came up with. All your tips are much appreciated, too! I thank you so much for taking the time to write all that!

    Oh, I didn't mention above, but I have other areas that take care of spring, hopefully up until this bed starts blooming. The plan is (for now!): I have a big stand of daffodils under an oak tree that bloomed for about two months this spring. I hope they do that again! So, that's early early. I also have a small area near the front door (in the sidewalk bed) where I will do tulips, then an annual when those are gone. So that's early. I have several varieties of iris that are going to be tucked here and there in the foundation, which will pick up after the tulips. So that's late-early.

    By then, hopefully this garden will be coming into bloom.

    But you know, the best-laid plans and how that goes ;) I've never done it like this, in blooming "zones" before, so it may be just awful. I guess I won't know until I live with it for a year.

    I do think you're dead-on in that I'm going to have some "holes" in the fall. But, v. bonariensis is supposed to carry on for a long time. I think Homestead might too, but not sure.

    Anyway - thank you so much! I enjoyed reading all your "reviews" of the plants! Very helpful to hear from someone who has lived with them for a while. A lot of these are new to me.

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ostrich:

    LOVE that bed! I enjoyed your tour of it, too. Thanks for all the plant names! I came so close to getting Rosy Returns this year. Your coreopsis is very pretty! I just think it's an awesome bed...the balance and scale is so good!

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    spazzycat:

    You have some beautiful, beautiful evergreens! What's the one with the yellow tips? Arborvitae? False Cypress?

    Your setup sure is very similar to mine! It is very cool to see what you've done with yours. When you mentioned having some evergreens, I don't know if you were talking about in the strip between sidewalk and house, or the outer strip:

    I have all evergreen foundation plantings, in front of which will be smaller herbs, and a few irises mixed in here and there. But all the bushes/shrubs are evergreen.

    So all the flowers that are there now are moving to the outer bed. Does that make sense?

    But...you may have meant that I need some evergreen anchors in the outer bed as well. My husband is thinking along those lines. I can't decide...if I put evergreens in the outer bed, it's going to take up some real estate and I really wanted heavy blooming going on there. BUT, I also don't want it to look naked in the winter. I'm not sure it will...we have sort of an optical illusion going with that bed.

    Right now, there's nothing in that bed at all. But viewed from the street, it doesn't really look like a big blank expanse of mulch. I think because our yard is SO, so flat, it makes the depth of field more shallow. Do you know what I mean?

    I'm still torn about whether I need to do that though! You really hit on one of the biggest issues I have been grappling with lately!

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jeanette:

    Are you kidding me?? This is the first year on your garden? Whoa - it looks REALLY great! I really like the cottage look...it's always so welcoming and homey. You have done an awesome, awesome job with everything!

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    spazzycat: Is that an owl sitting on the railing of your front porch??

  • jeannettemae77
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you Connie :) Yeah, we closed on it the end of January and there was no grass and just the bushes garden wise. The grass and all of the gardens are brand new :) I've learned a lot this year though so hopefully next year will be even better & better laid out LOL

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    spazzycat, I would love to know the name of the evergreen with the yellow tips near your porch too. :-)

  • spazzycat_1
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Connietn: When I look closer at your photo, I do see the evergreens against the foundation. Sorry, I missed them before and mistook them for perennials. I don't necessarily think you need more evergreens on the opposite side of the walk, but I think more structure is in order. Think of the way you want it to look in the winter when all the perennials are gone. You can incorporate structure with small evergreens (Ilex crenata or boxwood if you like a formal look), small flowering deciduous shrubs (many spireas would do well), or even some of the smaller ornamental grasses (Pennisetem 'Hameln') would provide winter interest and look great mixed in with the perennials.

    Is that an owl sitting on the railing of your front porch??LOL! This picture is several years old, and I forgot about the owl. Yes, it's a plastic owl whose head pivots round and round. We had to use him for a couple of years to ward off a deranged mockingbird who would sit on the back of the front porch swing and hurl himself against the windows. I got tired of cleaning bird crap off the porch. We had to keep moving the owl around different areas of the porch so the bird would not get wise.

    What's the one [evergreen] with the yellow tips? Arborvitae? False Cypress? The conical evergreen at the end of the sidewalk is a variegated foster holly--Ilex attenuata 'Sunny'. As the weather turns to Fall, the berries turn red against the chartruese variegation. It looks quite festive during the X-Mas season.

  • a2zmom_Z6_NJ
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just uploaded these photos this weekend, so I hope some of this helps. These beds are definitely still a work in progress!

    beds, july 1-15

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Spazzycat, I LOVE your Holly! I wonder did you have to have a male and female to produce berries? It is reported to get 10-20ft wide which is a little larger than I could use, but I am figuring it must be slow growing? Easy to prune. You have it in full sun there? I don't see that type of Holly around here much. I suppose you bought yours local to you? Thanks

  • spazzycat_1
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    prairiemoon2: Because this is a hybrid between I. cassine and I. opaca, I think this type of holly is pollinated by our native hollies, so no need to plant a pollinator (at least here, where we have plenty of wild American hollies growing in the woods). It is a relatively rapid grower, but easy to prune. In fact, every three years or so, we have to top it, select a new leader, and trim it all over to keep it in scale with the other foundation plantings. It is definitely a full sun plant and the yellow variegation is only on new wood, so trimming it now and then actually spurs the growth of the yellow foliage. We did buy ours locally through a local nursery man. They are uncommon. I see that Forestfarm carries it. Here's a link.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ilex 'Sunny Foster'

  • whaas_5a
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a fantastic thread...photos are really tough to come by in my opinion.

    Here you get good resolution and "true" pics.

    Now, I just need to figure out how to post pics on here!

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    spazzycat, I thought you just might not have seen the evergreens. They are very small and easy to miss!

    Guess what! I have Hameln! LOL! His position was going to be sort of near the front door, in front of the Black Dragon Cryptomeria. Maybe he needs to be moved out into the bed? I see where you're going, though.

    I have never seen a holly like that! Really gorgeous!

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    a2zmom, I love love love all your photos! You have so many things I've considered (and some I have, too).

    That's interesting about your snapdragons reseeding. I have some I bought as annuals this year, and I think I'm just going to leave them alone and see what happens. Maybe I will get a happy surprise too!

    I may have to get some Jupiter's Beard. I really like that. :D

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A2zmom, don't you ever look out at that yard across the street from you and wish you could garden in it, lol?! I have a house near me that is similar, with no landscaping and a big swath of grass, just waiting to be planted....

    :)
    Dee

  • paulan70
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago
  • a2zmom_Z6_NJ
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Connie, I'm glad you enjoyed. Here's some combos from years past that might also inspire:

    Veronica spicata "Royal Candles", Lavender "Blue Cushion", andula, Scabiosa "Butterfly Blue"
    {{gwi:255022}}

    Monarda "Raspberry Wine" and Echinacea "Magnus". This combo is blooming right now and is a personal favorite.
    {{gwi:225111}}

    Acillea "Summer Wine"{{gwi:223731}}

    small garden in front of my house
    {{gwi:217705}}

    Geranium "Johnson's Blue" and Dianthus "Rose de Mai"
    {{gwi:227148}}

    the "anything goes" garden - completely different every year!
    {{gwi:227149}}

    I love Jupiter's beard. It's very carefree and blooms all summer. The only problem I ever had was one year a crazy chipmunk dug it up and killed it!

    Dee, my whole neighborhood is the land of the "meatball" shrub and a few anemic marigolds around the mailbox. Around the corner from me is one older woman who gardens. I visited her lovely gardens the other day - she knew who I was since I am the only person with extensive flowers growing.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Spazzycat, thanks for that link. I would really love to find a place in my garden for one of those. Not sure I want to wait for it to grow from a stick from Forest Farm. [g] I will go looking or someone who can order me a large one from somewhere.

    Lots of pretty pictures. :-)

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    paulan, your gardens are wonderful! So colorful! What are all the flowers in the same bed but of different colors - zinnias? I just tried zinnias for the first time this year. Really like them!

    a2z, more gorgeous combos! Thank you! I agree completely, the monarda and echinacea look fantastic together! I also like the achillea with the purple emperor.

  • gazania_gw
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow, some wonderful gardens and ideas in all those posts for you. Great combinations and such neat and cared for gardens. Although I love the color and diversity of of plants in bloom, I am also drawn to the color and texture of the foliage when the blooming is done.

    Various sedums, cushion spurge, coneflowers, golden rod, dianthus, aisiatic lilies and ladies mantle fill this small bed.
    {{gwi:255027}}

    A close view of the varigated sedum and cushion spurge in the above bed. Love how the colors mesh on these two.
    {{gwi:222401}}

    A front border. I guess some garden gurus would say it looks tacky...nothing is planted in 3's, but I love the variety of daylilies, sedum, coral bells, hostas barberry, etc in the two next views of this area.
    {{gwi:255029}}

    Later in the season
    {{gwi:255030}}

    The front island bed in spring/early simmer has a lot of blooming plants, but later relies on foliage mostly for color.
    {{gwi:255031}}

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gazania, how nice! What kind of sedum and euphorbia are in your second photo? I love that combo!

    Gee, everyone's beds look so neat, well-mulched, nicely-edged - I'm almost glad I don't have pictures of MY gardens to show, lol! Mine are nowhere near as neat, and definitely not as well-planned!

    :)
    Dee

  • gazania_gw
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dee, the sedum is Frosty Morn and the Euphorbia is Polychroma which has the most brilliant chartruse 'flowers' in May. When the color fades completely, I cut it back by about half. The new growth then gives these lovely shades of blue/green and yellow for the rest of the summer, and turn reddish in the fall.

    I am not a planner...if I see something I like, I buy it and then try to find a place to put it. The one bed I did plan ahead on has turned out to be a disappointment.

  • paulan70
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yes that round bed with the lilac is in fact zinnia. I think there was like 20 different names of zinnias in that bed.

    Paula

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gazania, now you have some really outstanding beds! I love how you combine textures and foilage. It truly does look like a garden that will look good all year, with or without blooms!

    I'm so glad you posted Frosty Morn. I've been looking at that one. It's nice to see it in an actual garden setting! Does it bloom in pure white, or is it kind of pinkish? I'm thinking about it for the white garden...

  • a2zmom_Z6_NJ
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gazania, your sedum and euphorbia combo is outstanding. And your front bed is a beauty, whether or not it's planted in threes.

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "...the sedum is Frosty Morn and the Euphorbia is Polychroma..."

    Well, I'll be! I have both of those plants, lol! Not placed together in the garden, but I do have them. But my Frosty Morn is MUCH more white and green, whereas yours, Gazania, looks more yellowish and green, at least on my monitor.

    I'm going to have to go out and look again. Both of these poor plants are in my neglected garden, the one garden I haven't touched in two years. It's kind of a crazy jungle, but pretty when most things are in bloom. Maybe I need to do a little moving around as well as weeding!

    :)
    Dee

  • gazania_gw
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dee, your right, my Frosty Morn is quite yellow looking. I will have to go look at it when it gets light enough this morning. I remember it as more white when I planted the original about 10 years ago. The one in my pic is a start from a cutting.

    If anyone considers planting it, note that it is a rather weak sedum in comparison with most of the other tall sedums. It benifits greatly from pinching or cutting back by half or more when it gets to about a foot tall in the growing season. Also, it tends to want to return itself to all green, so you will want to remove the all green shoots that appear now and then.

    Connieth, The bloom is white with a very, very, little hint of pink. I think it would be fine in a white garden.

  • pitimpinai
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful. All the gardens are absolutely beautiful.
    Leslie, you garden always take my breath away. Gorgeous as always.

    Connie, my garden is very stuffed because I cannot stand any bare soil.
    Here's a link to my photos that I posted on another forum:

    My garden this June

  • buyorsell888
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    pitimpinai, your garden is fantastic! C. 'Durandii' annoys me too. I just dug it up and potted it and need to decide what to do with it. The stems are too stiff to let it just flop like I do many of my other integrifolias.

  • pitimpinai
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, buyorsell888. I love Clems. I have at least 32 in my tiny garden.
    I like the viticella best, though. Most bloom reliably and my 'Betty Corning' and 'Venusa Violacea' bloom all season long.

  • conniemcghee
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    pitmpinal, oh my GOSH! Wow! That is truly awesome! I would love to have every square inch planted like that! What a showstopper from the street your house is. Something to shoot for someday... :)

  • pitimpinai
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, Connie.
    Happy gardening.
    :-D

  • a2zmom_Z6_NJ
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    pitimpinai, that overstuffed look is exactly the kind of garden I love. Your clematis makes me determined to find a place to grow some. I loved your Rubbeckia and Monarda combo - very pretty.

    Does feverfew seed aggressively? I've heard mixed things but yours is so very pretty. What varieties are you growing? I'm in driving distance of Well Sweep Herb Farma and they sell 10 different varieties of Tanacetum and specifically 3 different cultivars of feverfew. (Not that surprising considering they carry 72 different creeping thyme!)

  • pitimpinai
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, a2zmom. There should be a Clem or two in every garden, :-)
    I have at least 32 in my tiny garden. lol

    The only named Feverfew I have is 'Tetra White':
    {{gwi:255032}}
    All the others are pass along plants from neighbors, so I don't know the name.
    I would try as many as I can.
    They do reseed but not terribly and the seedlings are easily pulled. I actually scatter the seeeds all over the garden myself. Some small ones rebloom very well. I love them all.

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