13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Given my knowledge of most wild rudbeckia's (both variability and longevity), it's all quite true and there's not much you can do about it, other than don't propagate from seed.
I'm always amazed how variable even very few (like 100) rudbeckia hirta wild occuring plants, really are. And pretty much the only survivors from year to year are those that are in biennial form and didn't flower this year.
Rudbeckia hirta/black-eyed Susan 'Cherry Brandy' is an annual, not a perennial as many believe. The link below takes you to Swallowtail Garden Seeds' website photo of 'Cherry Brandy' but they sell the seeds as annuals. It's true that R. hirta is a rampant self-seeder but the plants are actually annuals and live for a single season.
I checked Santa Rosa Gardens website and 'Cherry Brandy' is clearly noted as an annual.
Here's the link I copied and pasted: http://www.santarosagardens.com/Rudbeckia-hirta-Cherry-Brandy-p/rud-che.htm
ellenr - sorry you're disappointed with the performance/color/longevity of your Cherry Brandy rudbeckia. I've noticed & been disappointed to find there are short-lived perennials gone missing from my beds after a season or two.
Here is a link that might be useful: Swallowtail Garden Seeds
UPDATE:
ispahan wrote:
The other one is Ranunculus aconitifolius 'Flore Pleno', which is also a taller, bushier clumper, but this time with very elegant and refined white flowers. It seems almost too perfect to be real.
Because of this thread (thanks Kevin) and specifically 'ispahan's' post I did go search out this plant and did put two in the ground last July or so. Of course they did nothing last season but this spring they have shown their promise ie perfect little white flowers which from a distance seem to float in the air. (But I must confess that I weeded one from the garden earlier this spring, not believing it was "Flore Pleno"...embarrassing.)
I think I will plant another one or two this summer. They seem to not take up much room and their flowers are quite unique. So far I highly recommend this plant.
This post was edited by rouge21 on Mon, Jul 21, 14 at 8:30
One thought - - When I had a lot of foliar damage and couldn't see a culprit, going out at night, I discovered earwigs were eating the foliage on a number of plants. Their favorite being basil and echinacea. I had columbine at the time but I don't remember them eating that. I also saw more asiatic beetles at night too.
No seeds - will have to propagate from root cuttings. I had this - a bit measly, to be honest and the blue became a sort of washed out slatey colour - OK, I thought but it was not a strong plant and, only 2 years after getting 3, they are no longer with me.....whereas the little V.phoeniceums have remained, returning reliably, never misbehaving, year on year. Another highly strung, overbred diva, to my mind....but then again, my plants get a robust testing!
I'd still like to try it, we took a trip down island this morning DH was looking for a gadget for his computer, needless to say we hit every garden center on the way home :). No Blue Lagoon, in fact no-one had heard of it but they all jotted the name down.
I didn't come home empty handed tho... as we toddled our way back home I picked up another Brugmansia to add to my collection, it's the old variety 'Sunset' but it already had flower buds on it and the price was right, at least that was my reasoning LOL. 4 more are heading my way, 'Dola' 'Angels Exotic', 'Full Rosea' all pinks and 'Snowbank', another with variegated leaves, they should be in the mail on wednesday.
Picked up another Tradescantia 'Mac's Blue' to replace the one I lost, a double hollyhock (purple), a Veronica 'Eveline' and a small plant of 'Aglaia' this one I had also lost a couple of years ago.
Talking about Tradescanthia's, not everyones cup of tea but I love them. When searching the web to see what other varieties are out there I've seen pictures of mine on other websites, one in particular my picture stating it's 'Mac's Double' it's not it's one called 'Rondeau Sapphire' which I purchased from Sterling Perennials quite a few years back. It has the habit of blooming double sometimes single.
I don't mind anyone using my pictures if it is of any use to them but it would be nice if they got the name right.
I haven't hit the garden centers locally yet to see if any of them have 'Blue Lagoon', no telling what will fall off the tables and into my basket while on the hunt :).
Annette
It certainly sounds like your phobia is having a huge impact on your life. I would strongly urge you to see a therapist sooner than later. Especially given your habit of spraying pesticides to rid your surroundings of any possible flying insect. These creatures are actually critical to our survival and are in dangerous decline. So, mostly for your own good and comfort, but also for the rest of us, please find help. It would truly be such a relief for you, and you would benefit for the rest of your life.
Martha
I was in a car with a friend when a bee (or wasp, I never actually saw it) flew in the window, up the leg of his (baggy) shorts and stung him in those tender man-parts....but guess who was shrieking and hyperventilating by the side of the road? And even when his knackers swelled to grapefruit size, I was still making far more fuss.
Still, it is quite true - help is possible (although I tell ya, the therapy lark was a dismal fail for me)......gardening though...... Out of the blue, my daughter (the same bee-stung one - she still loves me) cleared up our naked, muddy puppy ridden yard one day (we had many lurchers) and, in celebration we planted a lavatera. Obviously, as all gardeners know and I had yet to find out, lavatera grows like the clappers....but still, I thought I was a tremendous success (although was, at that point, less amused with the delighted bees)....and obviously had green fingers. Next plant - a japanese anemone - again, by sheer luck (I liked the name) I picked another winner....and an obsession was born. A totally overwhelming desitre to get to know plants (I enrolled for horticulture college quicksmart - 4 years!). Now seeing bees going about their business, on our plants (where they vastly prefer to hang out rather than on our arms and legs), over the last decade, has undeniably got a whole lot easier (although I am, of course, watching at a respectable distance and making sure I have a clear exit).........and as an avid fruit grower, I certainly have a vested interest in their continued health and survival - see what I mean about cancelling each other out....because whilst I fear these creatures, I also admire and depend on them so could not countenance spraying (although I have not the slightest compunction about spraying nettles out of all existence with some lethal broadleaf killer agent orange napalm death........)
So while I never expect to get up close and personal to a bee, the sheer number of times I encounter them really does diminish that visceral anxiety because a lot of the time, I am tortured by anticipation and imagination.....actually being near but feeling safe has been the best therapy I have ever done.....so first of all, get involved in the garden.....might be what you need to break the cycle (yeah, I know all that facing one's fear blah blah......but it works if the rewards (a really great hobby and being able to be outside in the garden) are enough to make the effort.
Thanks so much, rouge21, for that plant ID. I will have to look for 'Moulin rouge". What great info on this thread. Worth bookmarking.
But I am shocked to hear that people dig up other people's plants. I have never heard of that where I live and hope never to.
The tell-tale sign the damage was done by a rabbit: the cut is at a 45ð angle. Those destructive little %$#!s have not only decimated our phlox, they have completely eaten every single stalk and leaf of our delphinium (and continues to eat any new shoot that peeks up from the root), eaten most of our coreopsis, echinacea, heliopsis, yarrow, and variegated hosta. They have eaten all the petals off my wave petunias and chewed off the tender new bottom branches of all my rose bushes. I've sprayed that vile liquid fence all over and they think it's salad dressing. I am seriously beside myself. I hate those rabbits with a passion!!!!! >:\ Grrrrr!!!!!
This post was edited by marthastoo on Sat, Jun 21, 14 at 22:23
The traditional defense to dining preferences of rabbits is one of those folding wire "rabbit" fences with legs set into the dirt, or something similar like wire mesh. They come knee-high & slightly shorter and can be used to protect a general area or just a specific plant. Useful, too, to corral floppy plants inconspicuously. More decorative permanent edging & fencing with non-squirmable spacing does the trick, with buried mesh to prevent digging underneath.
Surrounded by woodlands here, with many rabbits & other wildlings, all with tummies to fill! Find encompassing the beds with plants they don't like deters them from exploring the interior. Lavender, monarda, salvia, heuchera, dusty miller & more work as edging. While waiting for plants to originally fill in, those rabbit fences come in handy! After that, I don't clear the foliage in the Fall even on those not evergreen - perhaps the oils in the leaves & stems continue to repel them or they've decided by then those beds are not interesting?
A few of the deer, a small minority of the several herds here, find perfumed phlox irresistible as they begin to bloom (ditto roses). Those are protected by lavender, agastache, others high in essential oils, thick floppy plants & those that obscure their footing. Deer here are very careful where they step while browsing & hesitant to risk where they can't see bare ground, reluctant to even jump into such unsafe territory. Even wire fences laid on the ground in plain sight on grass exclude them (but not the rabbits!), as do upright jumpable fences if the flower or veggie bed is long & narrow without a clearly visible landing place.
While redoing a 15x20' bed off the front walk last year, potting up some plants temporarily & leaving others, wound up with tempting open areas in the process. Set empty flower pots on bare soil to keep them from advancing into the bed, on the theory of unsure footing. Sure enough, it worked!
With all critters, seems a game of wits & strategy as much as one of claiming territory by fencing...
This post was edited by vasue on Sun, Jun 22, 14 at 13:48
I had an issue with an order for roses in the spring from Pickering Nurseries. One of the bare root roses was very undersized. So I took a photo of all of them before planting, so there was a comparison. I still planned on using the plant, but I wanted documentation. Sure enough, out of all the roses I received, that was the only one that didn't make it. I emailed them the other day with a photo of the rose when it arrived and a report on how it grew and that it had died and they quickly refunded my purchase price. So having a photo of how it looked on arrival is always a good thing, even if you plan on keeping it.
This afternoon we went to the garden center where I thought I had got the Spigelia a few years ago. They didn't have any - but they did have Bowman's Root! So I got one to try... Now the question is where to put it! I'd like it to be in the front garden were it'd be seen more often but there's not too many places there that would suit its needs. I think I might try it on the north or east side of the garage where there we moved some hostas this spring. I think it'd look good with those.
It does grow very easily from seed. I Winter Sow them each January.
Can I place it in a pot until I transplant it in the fall?