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 Over Autumn and Winter, I kept track of sales notices at Bluestone Perennials, and ordered anything on-sale that would work in the garden here. That resulted to six different orders, totaling 110 plants (about 10 were regular price "must-haves"). I went against the "plant in threes" advice because 1) I wanted as much variety as possible, 2) many of the things I got will spread, anyway, 3) my planting space isn't actually big enough to warrant huge swaths of the same things, and 4) I also have packets of self-seeding annuals waiting to be started which will provide extra filler to "connect the dots". So, in those boxes are one of each of the following: Achillea 'Heidi' Brunnera 'King's Ransom' Campanula 'Bavarian Blue' Delosperma 'John Proffitt' Echinacea 'Hope' Geranium 'Dilys' Hemerocallis 'Chorus Line' Iberis 'Absolutely Amethyst' Lamiastrum 'Herman's Pride' Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King' Nepeta 'Dropmore Hybrid' Penstemon 'Dark Towers' Salvia 'Adora Blue' Thymus praecox 'Elfin' Verbena bonariensis 'Buenos Aires' Looking at that, you're probably wondering how they'll all work together. Well, they're not all going together. Besides the "rose area" in the back, I have: 1) a damp, bright-shade border that gets direct sun only for about two hours just before sunset. This is where the hostas, ferns (except the Ostrich fern, which will go on the side of my garage where it can spread to its heart's content), Lamium, and other shade-lovers will go. Where the shady bed meets my porch (and gets a bit more sun), the roof gutter drains -- perfect spot for the Ligularia which likes it damp all the time. At its feet, near the edge of the bed, will go the crested Iris. 2) a "hot and dry" strip alongside my neighbor's house (we share the yard, and they gave me the green-light), where the Penstemon, Achillea, Coreopsis, Salvia, Hemerocallis, etc. will be going. I'm also going to be doing something along my hell-strip, so I needed a few things that can tolerate that area. 3) my tiny front yard, which has a few roses but otherwise will have mostly lower-growing things. Lots of Dianthus and Sedum, right? The Dianthus I wanted to plant at the front of the log edging in the back yard, and a couple in the front yard. Even when not blooming, the blue-green grassy foliage will look nice there. The sprawling Sedums and the Anacyclus that grow only a few inches tall I need as a sort of groundcover to spill onto the broken-up edge of the pavement. When I first started clearing the area of leaf-debris from who knows how many years, I realized that I wasn't hitting pavement at the edge. So, rather than see it as something needing repair, I'm just going to plant sprawling things that like it hot and dry and let them fill in the gaps. Other sprawling Sedums (and the Delosperma and Sempervivums) will be planted between the logs of the edging, hopefully growing the way I see them in photos of rock walls. The taller Sedums will be dotted around for foliage contrast, and to provide late-season blooms. There are two areas within the main rose beds which needed to be kept clear for occasionally-used walking areas (one small spot against the garage by the window, another longer brick-bordered path winding to the side of the house). This is where Thyme will go -- I have one from Bluestone but another four coming from another nursery. I'm not one for drawing out planting plans. Inevitably, something unanticipated happens (something is unavailable, or I encounter an obstacle to actually planting, etc.) between planning and plants arriving. So I work best ordering the basic "pieces" I need and moving things around in situ. And in the likely case that I ordered more than I need, I have a friend from work who said he'll buy anything "left over" for what I paid for it. :-) ~Christopher |
This post was edited by AquaEyes on Mon, Apr 14, 14 at 12:38
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Looks like a lot of fun to me! I'm particularly fond of Aquilegia chrysantha, having grown it for years. If it grows there like it does here, you will never be short of yellow columbines. I've found it a particularly long blooming, robust species (can be 4'+ tall in bloom in good situations) that spreads itself around with abandon and is tolerant of drought. I have one in bloom now that is intertwined with Nastarana and has flowers nearly to the top of the rose, making quite a picture of yellow and white. |
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- Posted by poorbutroserich none (My Page) on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 12:09
| Christopher btw us we could recreate the Garden of Eden. I thought I ordered a bunch! Come fall we need to do a swap. I have similar plants but different varieties. Can wait to see your combinations! Susan |
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| Having seen what you've accomplished so far with your roses, I can't wait to see these additions to your garden in situ. I hope they all bloom immediately so we can see pictures very soon (or even the plants without blooms, just to see how you've placed them). Ingrid |
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- Posted by annececilia z5a/N.Michigan (My Page) on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 12:19
| Oh, it's like Christmas morning! What fun - and what a lot of planting you have ahead of you, but I can tell from your writing that you'll be doing it with a smile on your face. Good for you for combining purchasing with thrift. Of course, we'll all be waiting to see photos. :-) Anne |
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- Posted by sandandsun 9a FL (My Page) on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 12:51
| Vita (VSW) would be very pleased about the verbena and the bees and butterflies are sure to be. All those choices starting with "V" look good to me. In two to three years, I hope that you will love the New England asters as I do - to me they are an autumn essential. Were they mine, I'd keep everything out of the Hell Strip the first year except the daylilies and coreopsis - unless I decided to put the echinacea there too; the other plants aren't guaranteed to take stress well their first year. Campanulas!!! Joan Elliot is a stunner once established. And phlox - there can NEVER be too much phlox (that of course ISN'T true, but you understand, I'm sure). A couple of those salvias are show stealers in their glory as well. I agree that dianthus foliage is lovely. Ferns too of course. Congratulations. You have gotten some dependable elements of beautiful gardens. |
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- Posted by PortlandMysteryRose 8 (My Page) on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 14:56
| Christopher, I love coming home to nursery boxes on my porch! Although, I don't think I've ever seen that many at once. What a glorious sight. Wish I could help you with the tedious unveiling of 110 babies, each one with a ring of plastic around the husky biodegradable pot. (On each of my Bluestone babies, I also tore the pots and messed with the roots a bit.) What a wonderful batch of plants. Instant Eden! Your ideas sound spot on. I usually sketch out plans these days. I couldn't hold all that info you've stored in your head for more than 5 minutes. A side effect of parenting a three-year-old. You and I share some loves: viola, veronica, verbena, thyme, salvia, poleminum, phlox, (wish I could grow penstemon well), lamium, iris, hemerocallis, geranium, fern, clematis, campanula, brunnera, aquilegia and achillea. I can hardly wait to hear how your Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' and painted ferns grow. Just FYI, I've found Veronica 'Waterperry Blue' to be a little less vigorous than 'Georgia Blue.' Mine needed a bit more pampering in its intial stages. I'm going to Google your Verbena bonariensis. I grow the straight stuff, which has thrown itself around over the years, but am unfamiliar with 'Buenos Aires.' Anyhoo, a long-winded and excited reply to your post, so I'll give the floor to someone else now. Sharing your fun--Carol |
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| Woo hoo! You got quite a haul there! Wishing you tons of fun planting your new gardens! |
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| Congrats! What a glorious list of plants, I admire your taste and creativity in gardening. I have Phlox envy. and to think I was thrilled as much as a shaking lap dog yesterday because after seeing a single package on the porch from a nursery; I knew a re-blooming philadelphus Mock Orange called 'white sensation' was inside. Lux
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- Posted by desertgarden561 9a/SZ11 -NV (My Page) on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 20:20
| Christopher, I must admit needing to print a list and look-up many of the perennials you selected; and I will:) I have read and become familiar with a lot of roses you have, so I suspect there's many beauties etc. on your porch. On a side note, I have been receiving roses since December, actually at least 40+ ( I stopped counting). My DH truly believes that I will "NEVER" stop buying roses, BUT, if he saw on our porch what you have on yours, my healthy DH would likely have a heart attack, as he believes I spread myself to thinly now due to obligations and the gardening bug. I would be over-joyed, not due to the heart attack, but the plants… OH MY!!!! Lynn |
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| Well, I managed to unpack and soak everything (those peat pots will be great for planting, but they sure do dry out fast en route). Then I had to head to work for a meeting, but got home again around 3:30. I tackled the "small job" first -- the shady border against my house. Here's a pic from a year and a half ago before I did anything.
This is from last Autumn, after I put down the mulch.
I didn't take any pictures today, but this is what went there: Astilbe 'Ostrich Plume' Brunnera 'King's Ransom' Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' Dryopteris erythrosora 'Autumn Brilliance' Hosta 'Cameo' Lamiastrum 'Herman's Pride' Phlox divaricata 'Blue Moon' Viola odorata 'Queen Charlotte' Today's planting extended a little into the front yard, to the front edge of the porch, where the sun gradually became "dappled". This pic is from last Autumn after the mulch went down to give you an idea.
I just realized that I didn't locate my Iris cristata 'Powder Blue Giant' among the order. That was supposed to also go where the "side" becomes the "front" with dappled sun. Hmmm...I'll have to check the invoice. Maybe I just glanced at it and thought it was one of the Hemerocallis and set it aside rather than bring it to plant with the others.... In terms of planting, I tried to evenly spread the larger Hostas in the "back row" against the house, with 'Stained Glass' in the dappled sun area. Two Hostas, however, stay small, so they went in the "front row" closer to the pavement. The Ligularia was planted about 12" from where the gutter spout drains, and the blue woodland Phlox about a foot and a half away from that. I used all the ferns except the Ostrich fern (that gets too big and spreads too much for there, but I wanted it for the area between my garage and fence). There are a few other things I want to plant there and "bleeding" into the front (mostly the Viola) which haven't arrived yet: Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana (Joy Creek Nursery) THEN....in the back yard....well, very little got planted, but about half were "placed" where they'll likely get planted -- unless I decide to move them again. I kept going until it got too dark to see, so I'll wake up early tomorrow and place the rest before I go to work in the afternoon. I won't be planting the back yet, though -- I want to wait until the Joy Creek Nursery order comes in a few days. Everything is soaked now, and tomorrow I'll just gently "heel them in" to keep them from drying out. Other stuff from Joy Creek Nursery coming on Wednesday for the front of my house, the back yard, and side of the neighbor's house are: Amsonia ciliata 'Halfway to Arkansas' I didn't plant anything in the front yard or in the strip against the neighbor's house yet, but I did set aside what I think I want to use there. [Actually, I take that back. I planted the Clematis 'Sweet Summer Love' at the base of the tree to climb it, using 'Jaune Desprez' as its "trellis". You can see 'Jaune Desprez' climbing the tree from last year in the last pic in this post.] I was afraid I got way too much, but as I started laying plants out, I think I have enough, or just slightly more than I need. However, this is not counting the packets of seeds I have sitting in the fridge. Most of that is "filler" and what can be sown directly won't happen until everything is planted. If that turns out to be too late for any that need chilling, I'll hold off until Autumn, or try Winter-sowing them. And now, I'm tired....but it's the "good" kind of tired. :-) ~Christopher |
This post was edited by AquaEyes on Mon, Apr 14, 14 at 12:43
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| Catspa -- that's why I got just one of that Aquilegia, and no other varieties. I figured if it's isolated in the back, it will "breed true" and I can just shake the seed-heads where I want more to grow the following year. And it's one of the few plants I had "planned" to plant somewhere specific. I want to put it between 'Cardinal de Richelieu' and 'Louis Philippe', with "Darlow's Enigma" behind it, and 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' and 'Prospero' in front of it. I was planning to let it self-seed in the "Gallica Beds", thinking that seedlings could find little spaces between the rampant spreaders. That's also how I want to plant some yellow Digitalis seed (D. grandiflora 'Carillon' and D. purpurea 'Gelbe Lanze' aka 'Yellow Spear'). However, I am interested in getting an Aquilegia fragrans. I know Annie's Annuals carries it, but I promised myself "no more plants" until what I already ordered gets planted. I'm saving a spot for this in the front yard where (I hope) it can remain isolated from the Aquilegia chrysantha in the back, and each can continue to "breed true." I want more asters! At first, I was leery because of their propensity to spread, and skipped ordering some that were on-sale earlier. Then I decided to just try a few, first, and think about more for another time. I definitely want more Autumn color, though I already have a lot of Sedums for that. Like I said, I promised myself to hold-off on ordering more things until what I already ordered is planted. I need to see things at least placed in the garden (if not planted) to figure out if I have the balance I want. Good point about the hell strip. I haven't even prepared that area for planting yet, so I was already thinking that anything I wanted to put there would have to be potted-up until Autumn, anyway. What I'll likely do is use divisions from elsewhere to go there over time. I like Phlox, too, but was familiar only with the tall ones. For this garden, I decided to try a few of several different species. This way, rather than one huge Phlox season, I can enjoy a few here and there for longer. I was intending to use the Salvias along the side of the neighbor's house -- it's in full-sun virtually all day. I figured that'd be perfect for them, as well as the Penstemon, Achillea, Agastache, Coreopsis, Hemerocallis, etc. It's harder to water there, though there is "irrigation" from a leaking gutter overhead. The soil here is heavy clay, but I mulched heavily enough to have made raised beds, then amended the mulch with composted manure and various organic granular fertilizers. The roses like more water, so they were planted deep. Perennials that like it drier will be planted more shallowly. All Winter I kept studying the plants I ordered, and any others I added, via google searches -- reviews and pictures. I made mental notes about things and would walk through the yard and think about where specific needs could be met. By now, when I look at the plant tag, all that stuff comes right back to my mind. I actually ordered both those Veronicas -- 'Georgia Blue' and 'Waterperry Blue'. I also remember differences in vigor -- but I think it had more to do with drainage. The 'Buenos Aires' cultivar of Verbena bonairensis is sold by Bluestone Perennials (they also sell the straight species). They claim that this cultivar is a bit shorter, and the flowerheads are a bit larger. I definitely wanted the species, but figured I'd try the cultivar. In any case, both will self-seed, so I'll have more next year (another reason for not getting more than one). From what I understand, it breeds true. And if it doesn't, I like the straight species as well, so it's all good. I hear you -- I was there last year, when all my roses came. If I was to get this garden going at a "normal" pace (according to non-garden people), it'd take a decade or more. ~Christopher |
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- Posted by PortlandMysteryRose 8 (My Page) on Sun, Apr 13, 14 at 0:09
| Christopher, completing the bulk of the prepping and planting prior to grad school is oh so very wise. Wish I'd been as brilliant. Joy Creek--here in Scapoose, OR? I LOVE that place! I've got a couple of JC's variegated jasmine plants in pots in the drive. They await planting against a sunny fence. I'm going to espalier a Bayse's Purple rose with them. A total experiment, but Bayse's LOOKS like it could be pursuaded to become a contortionist. You've done so much work. Your beds look great! I can hardly wait to see them planted. Flood lights are great for after hours gardening. :-). Carol |
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| Never mind the floodlights - get a headlight (Petzl do good ones) - I am known as the mad midnight waterer. Ho, someone is going to be doing that plant arranging dance. Place pot, stand back, place pot again, change mind, try this, try that. Know those steps so well! Hot baths and warm virtuous thoughts coming your way. |
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- Posted by annececilia z5a/N.Michigan (My Page) on Sun, Apr 13, 14 at 6:57
| Holy cow, you've been so busy already! Me too, looking up some of the plants you got in your Bluestone shipment, like the clem 'Sweet Summer Love' with which I was unfamiliar. That got me going through their sale list and darn it, even though I swore I wouldn't order more plants before I got the rest of the roses moved, I somehow have an order coming mid-May now. It's all your fault. (Thanks!) ;^) Anne |
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- Posted by sandandsun 9a FL (My Page) on Sun, Apr 13, 14 at 17:38
| Well, I had to look up luxrosa's mock orange. Is the one below the one? If so, I look forward to the rebloom report. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Snow White Sensation
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- Posted by zeffyrose_pa6b7 6b7 (My Page) on Mon, Apr 14, 14 at 0:08
| Can't wait to see the pictures------Florence |
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| Oh my goodness. I am really going to have to do a lot of work to see what these are. You have such an assortment! I have ordered my roses online forever, but not other plants. Thanks for such a wonderful thread. Roses are so beautiful, but I need to be careful that my beds look like a garden rather than just a list of roses. You have provided me with such a good start, and with plants that i can probably grow in Oklahoma, too. I hope you keep the photos coming. Sammy |
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| My back aches just looking at that order! |
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- Posted by farmerduck (My Page) on Mon, Apr 14, 14 at 13:21
| Christopher -- I detected a case of severe gardening addition. Do you want me to stage an intervention and rid of some of those plants for you? It is no trouble at all as I am only an hour's drive away... :) Happy planting! |
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- Posted by mauvegirl8 Texas (My Page) on Mon, Apr 14, 14 at 17:11
| Christopher, very admirable! If you move (since you are renting & in grad school), would you take your favorite roses? I often ask myself that. I think I would. |
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| I'm so jealous!!!!!!! I can't wait for you to share pics of everything in bloom!!! |
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| MauveGirl8 -- I plan to stay here for a few years. I haven't even yet applied to school, and the program I'm intending to complete is 5-6 years. My next move will be way south -- Florida. As such, there are a lot of things I have that won't work there, so I wouldn't take them with me. And in any case, I'm not going to dig anything out. If I want to "bring any with me" it will be via rooted cuttings. And before I go, I intend to share some other rooted cuttings with friends -- and my landlord. He and his wife will be building a new home on empty land in the near future, and I said I'd be happy to share anything he'd like for his new yard. Certainly I'll be bringing along my "pot pet collection", and cuttings of anything appropriate for Florida that I got from Vintage Gardens that isn't available elsewhere. And by that time, I'll also make an announcement here for anyone interested in "hard to find" things I nabbed for this garden. For example, the Hybrid China 'Nouveau Monde' from VG doesn't seem to be available anywhere else. I'm using it as a climber against a raised back deck railing. The few flowers it had when it arrived were very fragrant. I posted two pics of it on HelpMeFind from when I first repotted it. Since then, it has grown quite vigorously -- one cane trained horizontally against the railing is easily 10' long from the ground. :-) ~Christopher |
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- Posted by mendocino_rose z8 N CA. (My Page) on Tue, Apr 15, 14 at 9:13
| How exciting Christopher. Have a wonderful time. |
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