13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Very good info here. Does anyone have special techniques for mulching roses? In terms of mulching materials, the consensus seems to be for shredded leaves or straw. Is this mainly due to the convenience/availability of these things, or is there some other advantage to using them? I have 3 new David austin rose bushes (Mayflower - own root with the bud union buried) to help survive their first winter, and was planning to bury the bases and canes in 3 to 4 inches of shredded wood. I'd thought about caging them as well, and filling up the cages with leaves to protect the canes, but since they're very close and visible from a pedestrian sidewalk I wasn't going to bother with that. However, I will if it's truly necessary.
We use shredded pine bark mulch on the beds and under the outlying plants anyway, so I don't add more mulch of any kind. I would think the chicken wire circles, with some bamboo or plastic stakes threaded through them and filled with shredded leaves would work really well for plants you were afraid might not make it through the winter - zone pushing ones especially.
I had heard on radio gardening shows that you should mulch for winter protection only after the plant has gone dormant - as Ken mentioned above.
I am still of the opinion that butterfly bushes should be severely cut back in the spring only. I prune back the height on Dubonnet only because it is always so tall and leggy that I'm afraid heavy winds or severe ice storms might up root it. So far, it hasn't minded the light pruning and has returned every spring.
Linda
Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing pics. I gave up on delphiniums early on and didn't bother with Joe Pye either but my tall phlox, hardy hibiscus and balloon flowers are really putting on a show this year that's just more amazing with the waving wands of gaura to add texture. I planted pink, white and purple balloon flowers in front of the hardy hibiscus and now I know why.
Hi Mindy, I have two experiences with lonicera.
I have lonicera heckrottii Gold Flame on a stone wall, and it is very bushy. It sends out long tendrils which if given assistance would love to climb up something. It grows well on the shaded side of the wall, too though it is not so vigorous.
I trained Major Wheeler (I don't know if that is a heckrottii) up a heptacodium, which unfortunately grown into a tall, multiple stemmed bushy tree. It took nearly 3 years to get established. It got south sun for several hours a day. I did not find it very effective, but it really didn't have a chance to get lush before I took down the ugly tree and it along with it.
I got the idea from a garden tour where the owner had limbed up tall heptacodiums (I bet they were 20-25 feet) and trained Major Wheeler honeysuckles up the trunks. I thought it was a very clever reference to the tree's 'flowers' that would bloom in a month or so. They were not lush, but it was an idea that worked. It was a pretty open location.
By 'shady side' if you mean dark shade then your bloom will be
sparse. But lonicera will take some shade, for sure. And it wouldn't mind the dry-ish soil shared with your hydrangea p.
SRG has been my mail order perennial source for over 5 years. One look at their fantastic packing was all it took. I've got Hellebore/Lenten rose, Heuchera/coral bells, Dianthus/carnation + plenty more from them that are currently thriving in my garden beds. What's not to like?
I don't have corydalis but several of my other spring blooming plants never bloomed this year including doronicum, Jack Frost brunnera and bergenia. I wonder if the buds were killed off by our particularly cold winter. The foliage on all look healthy and robust enough.
No problem with Corydalis lutea here.
Most of it gets pulled out.
As usual we just leave it in a few out-of-the-way places and that remainder gets pulled out later.
We too had a late spring and C. lutea likes moisture.
Have never seen it not flower.
Am assuming most, if not all, of our yearly C. lutea is from previous years' seeding.
Lots of good advice. But note that 'big box' stores tend to change their plants in stock based on the season, so now you will likely find things that will bloom now or very soon. You will want to get some earlier bloomers as well, so plan to shop again in the spring and again in the early summer, or visit a good independent garden center that may still have some early blooming plants in stock.
Beth z5, northern Michigan
pitimpinai, I just wanted to remark on how lovely your gardens are! Absolutely lovely!
Smokey, congratulations on your retirement. Phlox is my favorite perennial, but I'm not sure how well suited it is to southern climes. (I'm in northern New England and it does well here.) Be sure to post photos when your plants begin to flower. Best of luck!
I also use a lot of different lengths of rebar, with a length of wire wrapped around the rebar leaving two arms with hooked ends to encircle my taller perennials, the whole thing is amazingly hidden in the foliage, as the perennials get taller just slide the wire up. Use a lot of conduit too, for pole beans mainly, stick a cork( if you don't have anything else) in the top, hammer a nail in and then run jute lines and anchor in the dirt.
Annette
I have Heliopsis *summer Sun* the leaves look similar too the ones in your photo, but mine are closer together and the flower head isn't that far above the foliage. The flower on mine is double pedal, 3-4 times more pedals than the one you showed.
Mine also gets 4-5 ft tall but has been blooming for over a month and will continue to do so until I cut it down in the fall. . . I hope yours gets id, Id love to know what it is and if I can grow it, I like the flower. Good luck.
could it be helianthus microcephalus? I've grown this and it does get tall - about 5 feet. The centers on yours look more yellow, but thougt I'd offer this suggestion anyway, just in case....
Dee
Here is a link that might be useful: microcephalus
I have researched these having 2 myself (overwintered them). I needed to repot mine as they did not do well last year. They like humus/manure I found out, and like to be root bound.
If you are ok with the pot they are in then just leave them. If not then just carefully repot without disturbing the roots.
Mine have really taken off with the new soil and are now starting to bloom :)
Love this plant!!!
Well, when i got mine they came in 2 1/2" pots and was instructed to move them into a slightly larger pot , 4". I did so, and they were doing nicely, but it seemed that they will wilt rather quickly, so i moved them up to what is there recent 5"-6" hanging pots. They have blooms, but they do not seem to make any new growth. They are getting 5-6 hours of sun and I only water when they show stress out ( wilt )....so now with the Summer coming to an end, and they will be brought in to a south window here in the northeast, when, and if at all can I expect new growth?. I doubt if they would make them indoors.
Interesting; I wonder how long it maintains its chartreuse foliage? I'm a real sucker for that colour that lights up the shade. There is an Astilbe "Colour Flash " that comes in burgundy and lime varieties that I have been considering. I also love burgundy foliage.
gardengirl-geum tend to be slow starters. Mrs. Bradshaw and Lady Stratheden are available to buy as seeds. From what I've read, though, volunteer seedlings from hybrid versions are pretty rare. They do multiply though and will look best if divided every three to four years. I LOVE the colors you can get in these!
Here is a link that might be useful: Some pretty geums
I found the following advice on the website of one of our local nurseries specializing in prairie restoration. See link below.
It looks like getting the weeds under control is not an easy task, but it is possible if you have the time and determination.
Kevin
Here is a link that might be useful: weeds
Thanks for your replies. I see that I misspelled "large" in the subject and I can't change it--aack! RyseRyse, I feel for you. I'm glad I don't have a steep slope to deal with. Maybe hire someone to spray the weeds and add more mulch? Aachenelf, that's an excellent article from Prairie Moon. Lots of good ideas to ponder: cover crops, smothering, weed-whacking, mowing, burning, herbicide application techniques. Also good points about timing and techniques for sowing seeds.