13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
On the NE side of the Avalon Peninsula, you are Canadian zone 5a or 5b which is a bit different from the same numbered zones in the US. Perhaps one of the other Canadians on the forum will do a rough translation of those into US zones so the rest of us can make some additional recommendations. All the ones I am suggesting are hardy to at least -20 F.
Some of the wetland irises may work for you such as Iris versicolor (blue flag iris). Siberian iris, though not native, won't spread wildly in my experience, so it should be OK. If you like a grassy look, there are a large number of wetland sedges (Carex spp.) and the spiral rush Texas Ranger suggested should be fine, (Juncus effusus spiralis), but I am not sure that the others will be. There are probably some local rushes that will also work for you. Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) should be hardy enough for you. It has cheerful yellow early spring flowers. If you have any shady areas Osmunda regalis (royal fern) likes wet feet. Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) and Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia) should both be fine. Joe-Pye weed (might be called Eutrochium spp. or Eupatorium spp.), Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and Rosa palustris (swamp rose) are happy with wet feet. Any of the common types of Chelone (turtlehead), Cornus sericea (red-twigged shrub dogwoods), and Helenium (Helen's flower) grow in damp areas in the wild, so will be fine. All of the ironweeds (Veronia spp.) that I am familiar with like damp feet.
One of my favorite wetland shrubs is Ilex verticillata (winterberry holly) which is deciduous and needs both male and female plants for berry production. Ilex glabra (inkberry) is evergreen, but the berries are dark and so not too ornamental IMO. Rhododendron viscosum (swamp azalea) and R. canadense (rhodora) are two rhododendrons that prefer wet feet, though most like it much drier. Both of them are deciduous. Rhododendron groenlandicum also likes wet feet and is quite short and evergreen. Most (maybe all?) willows, including some low-growing ones, are happy growing in damp to wet areas.
I'll add that Chelone obliqua not only tolerates wet feet, but can tolerate some dryness too. Hardy hibiscus (hibiscus moscheutos) is another possibility, and great for late-season color. (Chelone is even later, at least here.) I'd love to see a picture taken from further away, as it's a little hard for me to get a feel for the whole setting.
As always I love everything about your garden!!! So many beauties! I too have always admired Galega and have never seen it offered. I will keep on the lookout for Lady Wilson.
The Pearl is a favorite that I have grown for years. Just a wonderful plant!
rouge - you can message me if you like , I would be happy to share it with you.
That's OK, I've probably done the same thing a lot lately. The date info is in miniscule writing, and there's no "first unread" or similar feature. Since the forums don't change color to visited anymore, (and seems like they will never have an indication of whether or not there's something new,) I made bookmarks on the ones I visit daily & just gave up on the others. Clicking the bookmarked ones just to see if there's something new is where I've draw the line. It's frustrating when such simple tools aren't available.
Since you're also in Z5, if you have a spot against the south or west side of your house, you could get a perennial patch going. I didn't even know about piling up leaves over marginally hardy stuff back then.
If 4'o's get into a shadow late-afternoon, the flowers will open sooner, as long as there's plenty of sun for the earlier part of the day. The opposite but same strategy of putting morning glories where they will be in shadow in the morning, so the flowers stay open longer.
The longer I garden, the more fun I think part-day bloomers are fun, and good for me. Reason to go out a few times a day & look around, see the diff performances.
Worth repeating.
Trifluralin (Preen) is toxic to fish and aquatic life, as well as to earthworms and other garden helpers. According to information found on Cornell University's website "It is recommended that applicators wear full protective clothing when spraying trifluralin. This gear should include neoprene gloves, rubber workshoes, rubber apron, goggles to protect the eyes and a respirator to prevent inhalation of fumes or mists." No, thank you. Preen is also now owned by Dow Chemical, the same people that brought you Agent Orange and other killer chemical preparations.
In even more general terms: Having more than a rudimentary knowledge of Chemistry, a wider understanding of biological research methods and some knowledge of how such results can be used at the commercial level, I don't for one minute think "you can research trifluralin's toxicity rather easily ---".
In addition, the current use of trifluralin with crops, including food crops, doesn't mean such a use won't, in the future, be taken to be hazardous to human health as well as hazardous to the natural environment.
Thanks, Huckdog.
You'd be welcome to visit. I don't always feel comfortable posting pictures because they tend to emphasize what happens to be working in particular parts of the garden at a particular time. Assume we all have problem areas in our perennial gardens and we don't tend to advertise those with pictures!
Regarding possible roundup resistance, the plant with the resistance is horsetail or mares tail, ie Equisetum hyemale, not horse weed, Conyza canadensis. In fact Equisetum is resistant to pretty much any herbicide simply due to its structure. Common name confusion strikes again.
Thanks for the clarification. This is why I normally use Latin when talking plants. Too many similar common names.
Floral_UK, I was under the impression that some other weed strains have developed a resistance to round-up since GMO seeds are marketed as Roundup resistant themselves, there by encouraging farmers to use much heavier concentrations of this pesticide than they normally would.
I've never moved an entire plant, but I've divided several of mine many times and always do it in the spring. No problem. I know the earlier the better, but I have always divided mine after they show some new growth and it doesn't even faze them. I just take a spade and cut out the size plant that I want. They keep right on growing and bloom the same year.
I just realized that Blue River II is nit the shrub (which is Rose of Sharon), but is the perennial. Based on my experience, move it any time, they can't be killed!!!
A frield gave me a division a few years ago. I expected a small start, Instead he gave me a plastic shopping bag with a humongous root, with a huge plant attached and some dirt. I left it there for weeks, occasionally throwing water on it. I eventually got around to planting it, after I first hacked it into several smaller pieces (I just didn't have room for the monstrosity he gave me.)
It started blooming yesterday, as it so happens.
A long shot:
Close up:
That sounds like a nice surprise. Are there enough that you could try moving a couple now? They might grow a little better with some space. Just give them a bit of shade for two or so days after moving.
that reminds me, I have a bunch of biennial and perennial seeds I should be starting now.
The pink spectabilis are 95 % dormant now. A little foliage left in shadier locations.
Ditto Goldheart
Valentine has stopped blooming but foliage is present. Not too raggedy, but looking worse for wear in the shade after 90 degree days.
wonder what happened to its tail
thx for the pix...
ken
i would have guessed moth .. go figure...
Apparently, this is a very long lived butterfly (relatively speaking, of course), so by the end of its life, it starts looking a bit ragged. I can sympathize.
I once watched an Eastern Swallowtail do battle with a hungry praying mantis. The butterfly managed to escape but left part of its wing behind. It could have been a similar circumstance.
I've actually seen a lot of these in my garden this year, but normally, it's hard to get a decent photo.
My moth vs butterfly is based on the antennae. If they are feathery, I assume a moth.
Go ahead and plant it in the shade spot. I have grown Cimicifuga in the spot described above with just a couple hours of sun for part of the growing season, but I've also grown a green one in a spot that started mostly sunny and is now entirely shady and it did fine in both spots. I did have to dig up my Brunette once for some underground work, and it didn't have any visible issues with sitting in a plastic grocery sack (with holes) set in a box for a few weeks. Even after 2 years in the ground it had a huge bunch of fleshy roots.
Incredible twrosz!
my vote would be for filipendula camtschatica
Take a look at this link:
8 feet tall?!
I had no idea filipendula could grow so massive.
For how long has it been in bloom? Did it go in the ground last season?
(Any chance you might post a picture of your property from further up those steps? I love seeing the bigger picture)
If you look on the internet you find heights for Filipendula camtschatica ranging from 4 feet to up to 10 feet tall (this height is possible according to Ornamental Plants From Russia by efloras.org). Most nurseries that sell this plant give a height between 5 and 8 feet (1.50--2.40 meters).