13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Hi ishaphan,
I just started with them, my favorit nursery had them in their catalogue. I used some in my own garden as edging plants, planting last fall, did a small perennial border for a private client using Rebecca Moss as ground cover (with G album Apfelbluete, a light pink on) last fall plus did another private garden, planted this April, using it for a large area as groundcover, dotted with single tall fern and Helleborus foetidus (native here and thriving on heavy soil).
So now I am curious and slightly anxious how they perform, as I test drive them in someone else`s garden...
I didn`t know that they divide easily, that`s a great plus.
My garden is somewhat organized without being hoovered-clean-no-hair-out-of place, so they should fit in well.
And I also did not know that there are so many varieties, I had a hard time getting hold of Rebecca Moss when ordering from a different nursery for the larger project.
And I relocated a "Rosenlicht" from that last project in order to monitor it closely in my garden. It is a clear, strong pink, by a German breeder, Klose, who died some years ago and bred some Hostas as well, Fulda is his, if I remember correctly.
So, let`s see how they do.
Do you happen to have pics of more mature plants like 3 years olds? that would be so great.
Have a nice week end (mine hopefully includes some editing of perennial borders and Dahlia planting)
bye, Lin
Shadeyplace, your pond in the shade, gives it an air of mystery. It is a magical place.
Gry, The branch over the pond and the old tree stump are brilliant touches. Great photo.
Thank-you Kevin, Lilyfinch and Gary. I am lucky that I don't have anything as bad as racoons. Just herons, cats and polecats!
Daisy
In March, I decided I'd had enough! There was a pre-fab pond in my backyard that my brother had installed some years ago for my mom. The problem? It was in FULL SUN--so fighting algae was like a full-time job. I don't use or allow any chemicals on the property because of all the wildlife, including peafowl, that visits, so fighting algae wasn't fun. My mom's gone now, and it's my property now, and I debated whether to remove the pond because I knew she really liked it...but in the end, out it went. I had its hole filled in with potting soil, and I now have several gardenia bushes and a ton of perennials growing there. I'm very happy with my decision.
Thank you Rouge, Betty and Babera!
So a status update for my two TS: one of them did survive and now has good new growth (~ 2 inches tall). Another one right next to it still has nothing showing up. So after knowing your experience, I will keep my fingers crossed and hope it may still be alive (and be patient...)
Vivian
So pretty and such a welcome sight after the long, cold, snowy winter that seemed to last a full 6 months. The only things blooming for me at the moment are lungwort 'Raspberry Splash,' fern-leaf bleeding heart, Virginia bluebells, 'Jack Frost' brunnera and a NOID azalea my folks planted 20-30 years ago. Still, any color other than white is welcome & a sight for winter-weary eyes.
Kevin, I have an obsession with anemonella. Absolutely love it and pick up more varieties whenever I can. I'll get my butt outside tomorrow for some pics to add to yours. Just picked another one up this past weekend.
So many obsessions, so little money....LOL!
Oh,yes, I know none of these are Bowles Mauve - was using that as an example of sterility in wallflowers. Mine are still cheerfully flowering but have not set seed pods yet so I expect you are quite correct.
Mmmm, Desirai - there are some interesting hybrids around, so why not have a go yourself?. Some of them have quite odd colouring. I have one unfortunate specimen - a pasty affair with bland flowers which mutate from an apricot colour to a rather pallid purple.....and to cap it all, it has variegated leaves so has a feeble nature. This one will be leaving the garden this year. Love the orange though.
This post was edited by campanula on Thu, May 15, 14 at 18:20
you will love your Allium 'Millenium'. It is a beautiful, very low maintenance and extremely easy to please garden plant. And yes, the flowers do not form seed but produce huge amounts of nectar that bees and butterflies will flock to.
With this glowing first hand endorsement I made the always hard decision to remove 2 perennials. Specifically Blue Cushion lavender. They did make it through this difficult winter but there was lots of winter kill on each plant and their performance during the growing season was never outstanding. Anyways in place I planted two Millenium. (And now that I think of it these are the first two perennial plantings for me in 2014).
I cut lilacs about when they show color and are within two days of opening. I want to enjoy the fragrance as soon as the first blossom opens. I don't have experience with viburnum. Though, I have now planted three of them, so may cut them in the future. I'll be interested what others say.
Martha
they are geranium himalayense pink. I took the pic to show them the condition per email. I'm glad I did and I'm not the only one who thinks they look bad.
I will take your advice and may give hallson gardens a try next season if I can find room for more plants. I found out about garden watchdog just recently. I'm very new to gardening and I am definatelly learning alot.
Thanks again.
I am also a fan of bark mulch. On all of my perennials. About 1-2" thick. Scratch the surface if the ground with a hand rake before you apply it. You will be amazed at how the soil "eats" the mulch by the end of the season. If you buy a good quality mulch it is fantastic for amending the quality of the soil...particularly here where the soil is naturally a very dense clay. Also my worms love mulch. I think the take it as a personal challenge to eat it all up by the time winter is here.
I usually mulch before Memorial Day. I find that it's best to get a jump on the weeds. My perennials pop up right through the mulch. I have never bothered to mark them. If you use cardboard though it's probably a good idea.
they are going to reseed where they want. You need to just pull the weeds you do not want and pull the larkspur you do not want>>only way without using chemicals. A long hoe?
Thank you, Martha and Shadyplace. You actually re-seed in late summer? I am not good with seeds, and sort of accidentally started the larkspurs. I need to be more vigilant in the summer, and try to seed them at that time. I did not know that I should plant the seeds in the summer.
Sammy