13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
sort of a field (small) in the city. An allotment is an allotted space for community gardening - each plot is measured in ancient rods (or poles or perches) and equals around 1/8th acre.....or 55yards x 5.5yards (10 rods). Supposedly, we are meant to be supplementing our diet (when these first started, they were for the working class and urban poor) but in reality, as long as they are used, no-one really minds what we do.....but no, they are not exactly gardens as such.
Amazingly, the single watering space( a stand-pipe) is situated right outside my shed....but this does mean my hose has sort of become communal property and has been added to so much it is over 300metres long when fully unwound (I use a cable drum) which doubles as table and pot stand).
I looked it up, says it does very good with no watering but the more exciting thing is the grey foliage although I do like those light yellow flowers too. I don't think there is a plant out there sporting grey, woops I should say SILVER foliage I won't fall head over heels for. I'm on a mad tear for adding more silvery grey this year. I think I've pulled up just about every google site on artemisia. I just fell back in love with Southernwood, the 5' tall 'tangerine' is definitely one I really need. There is a Ukrainian variety that is really nice on Richter's website but then they have dozens to choose from. I've never ordered from them but I'm feeling seriously tempted.
I may have to check into those poppies while I'm at it. I read they are good for "the Mediterranean Bed' which always translates into "neat habit' to me.
In my 50+ years of gardening, I have never seen them do any damage at all. They can spit all over the place as far as I am concerned.
Actually there is only one bug that I can think of that I try to erradicate - Japanese Beetles. Anything else that does damage seems to have predators that take care of them for me.
Woody, that looks stellar! I really like the straight lines you have going back there. It's a nice mix with your more free-flowing beds out front. And since it was a necessity for the dogs, even better! It looks like a great garden design, and not designed around the needs of your canine buddies!
Ken, I'm really sorry you lost so many evergreens this winter. You have a great attitude about it. This spring I've pretty much sworn off evergreens (unfortunately) due to winter losses each year and trying to keep up with the deer damage. I tried to have them for winter interest, but if the deer devour them, they're the only ones interested! LOL!
I thought some of you might like to see what all those straight lines look like today - I took a bunch of pictures this morning while walking around yanking tree seedlings!
From the porch, looking up the straight path that heads under the pines:
You can't tell, from this angle, that there's a path along the fence on the right. But that path is now much, much easier to walk on since we put down the crushed gravel base and widened the path a bit.
The path down the south fence:
And the center path just to the right of it - ends at 'the wet corner' bed:
The shed area from a different angle than the one showing the new path material; you can see where the path under the pines comes out to the right of the shed. One of my big winter losses was all the Jack Frost brunneras that used to make a swath of silver where the path came out from under the trees - not sure yet what I will plant in their stead....
It doesn't take long for the plants to soften all those straight lines once they get growing in spring. The straight lines then just provide views deeper into the garden and, I think, help make the space look bigger than it is.
Not a weed in everyone's book, but when I was battling Tradescantia seedlings, they absolutely LOVED self-sowing either right next to or right in the middle of Daylily clumps. The foliage blends right in and is easily missed when weeding. Of course when they bloom, the jig is up, but by then they're not all that easy to pull out.
Kevin
I found tradescantia growing near my compost pile yesterday and I don't even grow that plant. Must have been seeds in something I got as a trade or in some shared shredded leaves.
The last photo looks like celandine poppy which some people like. I found it self seeded too much and have been pulling them out before they can set seed.
There is a NOID plant that came along with a trade. Thought it was pretty so kept it. Big mistake as it is seeded into the lawn and amongst the other perennials.
I would look through the phlox to find where the roots are, and dig away from them. In my experience, the phlox grows outward along the ground so you can just move it aside and plant there, away from the roots. I hope I explained that clearly - I feel like I was as clear as mud!
Dee
Thanks everybody!
Dee, I understood what you meant! That would actually probably be better than what I was thinking. Originally I was going to dig out the middle which would actually probably be the original main root system, like Ken was talking about. If I just put the plant I want to add to the side rather in the middle it will be closer to the plant I want the new plant next to. Wow, now I feel like I am being as clear as mud! Very helpful! Thanks again!
@shadeyplace - I think you misunderstood, there used to be something like 50 boxwood/azaleas/barberis/yews and I took those out and planted the list above. i.e. the list is what is now planted. The Edgeworthia is new and growing fairly well.
When you have to start over because the previous version was too over grown it's only logical to plan it out as best you can (plus what else are you going to do over winter when nothing is growing?. Now I'm probably entering the "buy and stick" phase, and that's probably 95% of the lifespan of plantings.
Someday I may make room for roses again, my mother is quite disappointed we don't have any roses this time, but they were just so much work spraying and cleaning up in the fall.
We started over in 2004 and pulled out every shrub in the backyard. It's still a work in progress, but also understand how much work you've done. We also took out a boxwood hedge in the front yard, not nearly the size of yours and happy to be free of all the shearing on that. Although I still have a few individual boxwood around the yard.
Hope it all works out the way you want it to and will also look forward to seeing more photos!
I hope you have a nice vacation planned this summer near a pool and a hot tub after all that digging! :-)
I sometimes use a little calcium/magnesium salt or sand on the driveway and front walkway, and light use does not seem to have affected the perennials or grass at all.
Also the town put a sidewalk in 5 years ago, and they use quite a bit of salt treating it. The front gardens go right up to the side walk, with hardy rugged type perennials like Irises, daylilies, grasses, chives, daffs. These seem unaffected by the salt, but I did lose a butterfly weed this past winter (Asclepias tuberosa) that was right next to the sidewalk so maybe the salt affected it? I never considered the salt actually.
I'm a long-time fan of this perennial, too. I like to purchase them in bloom, because the flower shape and color varies greatly. Here is a photo of one of mine with a spotted throat. It spreads, but not nearly as aggressively as I would like. I am always digging up small plants and trying to establish them in other areas of the garden. Maybe I should try spreading seeds too, to help them along. :) Hope your seedling continues to come back for you.
I found that mine would walk around the garden in a clump. I mean the clump slowly moved across to a slightly sunnier spot. It didn't send out stolons here and there, but it would do it in an organized manner. It disappeared during the drought. It probably was trying to get back to the shady spot and ran out of water. This traveling behavior was commented on by John Frairy of Peckerwood Gardens, so I am not making it up.
I suspect the tiny bugs you are seeing a Thrips. Some are vectors of plant viruses.
If you had a high powered...at least 10x hand lens you could get a closer look at them.
Here is a link that might be useful: Thrips-UC IPM
For aphids I would only use water so you won't poison the ladybugs when they get there. I see earwigs, too, but they are just part of the garden. I'm surprised yours are so bad they're ruining anything, especially when you're trying to be as organic as possible.
Do you attract birds to your gardens? They eat insects and are part of keeping a healthy balance.
My Shasta Daisies aren't even budding yet, but from one seed packet, I have them all over my yard now. Shasta Daisy Alaska if that sounds good to anyone. They put on a good show!
We get boxelder bugs every year. They usually congregate on the warm side of the house. They're here in spring and then kind of fade away, doing no harm that I can see.
One time one got inside, and my cat ate it before I could stop her. Her mouth foamed up a bit, and it seemed unpleasant. So avoid eating one, lol.
My wintersown plants did well in full sun zone 5b- 6a at my old place. They LOVE consistent moisture and that is the key!! I mulched mine with straw and grass clippings (left to dry first). Can't wait to get more started for the new gardens :O
BTW Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and Joy Pye Weed (Eupatorium spp.) are from different genus/species/families and one has nothing to do with the other :)
Vera
One more follow-up on my Leucosceptrum 'Gold Angel' showing its current color and condition. Without the damage from voles it had during the winter of '12-'13, it is much more vigorous and full this season. The color is quite nice.
From early June 2014
Rouge - How did your Aralia 'Sun King' make it through this difficult winter?
I think sumac can be pretty inconsistent with the suckering thing. A very long time ago, I dug one out of a field ( just the wild type - no ID) and planted it in my garden. Only afterwards did I learn about their tendency to sucker and spread everywhere. Mine never did. Eventually the plant grew to the size of a small tree and then simply died after about 10 - 12 years. The next year I believe I found 1 sucker from the dead thing, but that was it.
Kevin
This is one of my favorite plants. I do get suckers and remove them, but it's hard to do since I want to keep them all! Last fall the color was amazing, but even just for the summer foliage it's worth it. But yes it does sucker freely for me and some of them come up several feet away from the main plant.