13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

So pretty. It isn't grown in my area of the country, unfortunately or fortunately.

It CAN'T grow in my area of the country.

WOW! Thank you to all for the fantastic ideas! I definitely will start looking into some of these options.

Another question: should these be planted this fall, or should I wait until next spring?

Spring and fall are generally considered the best times to plant as opposed to June/July/August when temperatures are highest. Although I will plant in Spring, I prefer fall planting because the plants will gradually go dormant with cooling temperatures which allows their root systems to mature rather than hot summer months when they must strive to support top growth and/or blooming.

Some plants will overwinter in pots but it can be risky so rather than lose them to a deep freeze, it's best to set them in the ground, even if you only dig a trench and set the pots in it for the winter until your garden bed is ready for you to plant them.

Do I have plants in pots that overwinter? Yes, lots of them on my east/west facing breezeway, some up against the house foundation, some not. It's sort of a game of Russian roulette however: I'm always surprised when some come through the winter as if they were hardy to Z3 and others don't.

-greenthumb, I think it might green out a good deal in that little of sun. Mine always gets lime-y in the summer, when all the other plants around it have grown up around it and shade it more.
CMK

UPDATE:

On a whim, I picked up an Aurea just yesterday. And now I read this thread. (Sometimes still the cart before the horse).

I am just wondering how much shade it can take.

That is so true about the butterflies in this area. The coneflower were loaded with bees, though seeing honey bees is rare. When I visit family in the Carolinas and Virginia though, it is not the case. Lots of butterflies. More swallowtails than anything. I read clear cutting forest in Central America has had a big effect. I will get a photo of the coneflower beds. One is 15 x 10 as I was looking at it today. The other is probably 6 x 30. There are a few Russian Sage in there also,another plant that easily is multiplied. There is enough seed from Karens echs to fill that bed. Once they get some size you can move them around for better spacing. If you cut the seed heads off before they dry out, you are able to keep your area of echs in check. They are shallow rooted and easy to manage anyway though. A friend of mine is building a house with a very long driveway. We are going to do some epic coneflower patches I think. I have the seed to do it. Its something to do with large spaces that doesnt need to be permanent , Easy to go back to square one. Initially there is some weeding to do before the echs get large enough. 3 year process.

Gorgeous blooms and photos of them!!!!

To be honest, I don't think yarrow is afraid of anything. Go ahead and whack it back: chances are it'll just keep on truckin'.

I had a patch of it one year and the lawn boy I hired didn't know it was a plant and mowed right over it. . . to the ground. . . when it came back it was prettiest it had ever been. . . you can trim it all season in my opinion. . .

This post was edited by babera on Thu, Jul 31, 14 at 21:57

It also depends what you mean by Black Eyed Susan, the common 'rudbeckia hirta', is a biennial and will likely die very soon after the seeds mature.

If you mean 'rudbeckia fulgida' like 'Goldstrum', they produce offsets for next year each year, and will be amenable to being dug, divided, and replanted.

i would do it in september.. when days are cooling.. and nights are cooler ...

though it can be done anytime.. in most of the country august is not the prime time .. especially if you friend is a newb to the garden ...

otherwise... tell her to NEVER let it dry out in august.. but dont drown it ..

the alternative.. would be to pot them.. and tell her to put the pot in shade.. and plant it in sept or so ...

again... its not that it cant be done.. its about making it foolproof ...

and.. if i did it in august.. i would expect it to look like carp the rest of the year ... i would be gifting a future ... not instant gratification ... so dont expect it to look pretty.. but be pleasantly surprised if it does ... thats called lower expectations.. .lol ...

ken

Missouri Botanical Gardens website lists Sky Pencil Holly as hardy to Z6 (see link).

Here is a link that might be useful: Sky Pencil Holly

We have virginia creeper here at our house from the previous owners and its awful. It's spread all over the property and is growing in my garden beds now. I am not sure where she originally had it planted anymore. It gives me a rash similar to poison ivy so I have to make sure I don't brush up against it or pull it up without gloves.

I normally keep opinions to myself on plants because to each their own, but I really wish the PO hadn't planted that at our house. It's just awful. Potting it may help but if it spreads out of that pot you may have some problems.

For the roses I would wait until next spring! My experience last year was that my roses I planted in July survived but they had a ton of dieback. I think it'd be worth it to wait and not have to deal with that and have healthier plants next year!

I think planting dayliles now would be okay. They should come back next year.

Good luck!

I mulch, but I've never done all the adding and removing that mnwsgal described. I put mulch on when I have time (most often early spring or fall after the major cleanup is done) and have material available, and the mulch stays and improves the soil fertility as it decomposes. I don't cover the plants with it, but mulch between them unless it's a tough plant like daylilies which I mulch in the fall or early spring and cover the whole bed. The daylilies come up through 3 or 4 inches of mulch without problems.

Mulch helps prevent freeze-thaw cycles in winter and helps maintain more even moisture during the growing season. I don't cover ornamental plants other than the mulch over the bed, but I often cover a few veggie and herb plants during the early and late season to protect them from frost and extend the season for harvesting fresh produce from the garden.

ditto what nhbabs said re mulch, for me - I mulch in the fall with shredded leaves, both as a soil addition and to help protect against soil heave as well. I actually have to add MORE mulch in spring, as most of it has degraded and enriched the soil by then. I keep bags of shredded leaves in the garage and hope when I am reaching into said bags in spring that I don't bring up a mouse or two! :)

IMO, planting a single shrub or tree in a "mound" is different than planting in raised beds. I'm a big fan of raised beds, but maybe because I start all my beds with the lasagna method. Haven't "dug" a bed in years.

Dee

Also called resurrection lilies, naked ladies. They get the energy to grow quickly and bloom from the leaves which emerge in the spring and then die back so when you decide where to plant be sure to mark the area so you don't forget they are there and dig into the bulbs because you think the spot is bare. I plant a lower growing perennial in front of them to hide the bare spot.

The blooms last 1-2 weeks depending on how hot the weather is during that time. I trim off the faded blossoms as they wilt.

You might want to just buy more (readily available), vs disturb them. They tend to sulk for a couple years and not bloom after disturbance. If you have plenty, by all means dig some...otherwise digging them will mean no blooms for a few years.

If you do dig...right after flowering is probably the best time, though you're unlikely to kill them at any time you if you dig and immediately replant.

I was going to say catmint too. I've had both and the Snow in Summer lost a lot of it's foliage after winter here and looked so scraggly that I took it out.

Well so far it is the Snow in Summer ! I was going to let them mingle together but remembered the catmint dies out in winter while the snow in summer does not. So that would not look very good. But the snow in summer is winning out over the catmint. Amazing!

if you wanted to level it.. you should have added fresh soil to the shallow end .. and raked that ...

but i want to suggest.. you go a bit more zen on your contemplation ...

i have visited... a lot of gardens ... and the ones that are UNIQUE... are the ones that are different ... and i like to see how the gardener dealt with whatever ... you are really limiting yourself in garden contemplation.. if all you look at is the plants ...

your premise seems to be.. I WANT TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE ... i say pshaw on that ...

there is no standard ... it is what it is ... and work with it.. to make it your own ...

when i moved from flat graded to suburbia... my 5 acres ... i got has hills [maybe undulations int eh meadow is a better term ] ... it was a challenge to incorporate the 6 foot hills ... but it never came to my mind.. to bulldoze them all flat... to be like everyone else ...

soooo ... just think along the lines.. of how to use your change of grade.. to your best advantage ... why not ...

one easy way ... if you insist on a flat look ... would be to plant taller stuff in the lower ground.. and make it APPEAR ... that the result is even.. to the eye ... and then as the garden tour is winding up.. ask your guest.. did you notice how i did that ...

you are in a box of wanting flat earth ... that went out in the 1600's or so ...

i say you have an opportunity to show off ... go for it ...

ken

Keep in mind that you want a slight slope so that rain water runs away from the foundation.

Nice ideas. Funny thing is that I replanted 2 TS this summer after lost 2 to rabbits earlier this year.

Looking at your garden and the tall T. Splendide (so beautiful) and Bobo, how about a couple neat looking ornamental grass that have some purple color to complement the mostly green color and the texure of the tall green conifer ?

I recently planted a switchgrass Cheyenne Sky. It is the most drwaf and compact form (2 ft tall, plus 1 foot very airy tiny flower). The mix of dark purple/silver blue foliage, with a breeze, makes me stop and look at it everytime I walk by the garden. I planted 3 Heuchera Frost Violet next to the grass. Will try to take a picture tomorrow.

Roses are another option as well if you choose the kind that is drawf and carefree as mentioned by Karin. I have double knockout, pink and red in different places and they bloom for the entire May-October. But they are tall for your purpose. But drift roses would be good alternatives.

Vivian

UPDATE

Not the best picture but here is my rejigged border of BOBOS (put in last fall). There are 6 BOBOs (5 of the 6 are blooming profusely) and between each pair there is either an "Azure Rush" hardy geranium or "Havana Blues" hardy geranium. These geraniums have not done much flowering this season :(.