13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
If you have a lawn of some size, this could get very expensive! Mondo grass is very popular here, and you could plant tiny spring bulbs in it. Glechoma is taking over my yard, as is lamiastrum and vinca major. Sedums would be nice, but all but the mondo look bad in winter. Weed control could be a headache. Check out the Stepables website. Nothing will be drought tolerant while getting established. I can't grow thyme or lavender to save my soul.
Hi,
Ageratum might be a good fit for you, especially the dwarf varieties. It flowers, is a perennial in zones 3 through 11 (most of them), never grows taller than 12", is very adaptable to various soils; it has average water needs and enjoys full sun. You can mix these too to have various foliage and blossom colors.
Most people grow this as an annual and as a filler in pots, but I think you'll find it will work for you as a perennial.
Here is a link that might be useful: Ageratum
It varies with them. I am within easy driving distance of Plant Delights, they are one of my fav perennial sources b/c of the uniqueness of plants that you find there and their quality is superb. Last year I got a Amarcrinum from them in a 3.5 inch pot. It was defin ready to come out of that pot, but not unhealthy by any stretch. I prefer for them to be this way, so that I don't have to pay a 2 gal price for a 1 gal plant (so to speak). Rather it be ready to come out when I get it, but still healthy.
I also got two different lycoris from them last year. Those had plenty of room still when I got them in the spring. It's not unusual to see both ways there with their 3.5 inch pots. Some are bursting their pots (but still very healthy plants) and others have some room to grow still. Either way, I've never had any complaint with anything from them. Just my experience.
This post was edited by funnthsun on Fri, Mar 7, 14 at 8:47
I haven't stopped by here in a while. I just can't put to words my impatience (did someone say impatiens?) waiting on spring to come. I feel this urge to post things here - I miss it - but I have nothing to say... at least I don't think I do. The only thing I know I have to say is complaints towards this never ending winter we're having, the subzero temps, my concern for what plants may be dying out there (hard to voice that concern when people have water manes breaking but...). They just said on the news we're warming up for the weekend: above freezing!
Do I sound like I'm complaining? This is why I haven't posted anything. I'm such a Debbie Downer right now. I just want to go outside and grow grow grow. But for now I'll oogle at everyone's pictures :)
Oh good! More posts & pics ;-)
-hoovb, O.M.G. That is an absolutely amazing transformation. I'm in love with your front design. So many textures. I'm surprised your garden isn't on the cover of a magazine ;-) Ps. much improved taking those bulky blue shutters off your house!
-kato, I think the color of the Picea might be difficult. I've long debated whether a blue (even a "mild" blue) might end up looking odd because I tend to go more for gold or green evergreens. Although I have decided to take a 'Gold Coast' Juniper out in that area (you can kinda see it in the Main Garden 2008 pic). It is old and getting too big. Plus it makes me itch whenever I brush up against it, lol.
I tend to really like the look of weeping evergreens and trees in general. I thought it would look pretty good there, but am open to suggestions if you have any. ;-)
Ha ha. Funny your SO doesn't like the weeping look. Until I started working at the nursery I didn't realized how polarized opinions of weepers are. People either love or hate them. One customer even said they were "depressing" looking. LOL.
Ps. is that an Arundo donax at the end of your bed?? What did you end up ripping out in that area and what annuals do you plan as replacements?
CMK
Over the last years I have slowly replaced many perennials with shrubs and small trees. Just lessening the amount of cutting back in season and at the end of the season has made a considerable difference. I've also increased the groundcovers in some areas and use bulbs in them where they allow it--leadwort, for example (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides). And leadwort can be mowed with the mower at the end of the season. I also long ago eliminated perennials that need regular division or beating back every few years.
How about more power tools? I use my hedge trimmers to trim all the old perennials into about six inch lengths, rake it out into the lawn and then run over with the lawnmower to bag it up. I've been known to just run over the perennial beds with the mower on mulch mode when I'm really short on time.
There are always little bits and pieces in the lawn and beds, but in a week or two you'll never notice, so don't kill yourself picking up every last leaf.
Like Laceyvail mentioned, groundcovers are great. Thicker ones such as pachysandra can give a nice green cover and absorb most of the fall leaves that blow in or onto them.
And did I mention power tools?
I would love to grow red currants here - but they are an alternate host for White Pine Blister Rust and are not recommended for planting within 300' of white pines. I don't want to endanger our pines so don't plant currants - a neighbour up the street has them and lets us harvest theirs.
It occurred to me that this spring I should send DH with his camera up onto the (limestone) Niagara Escarpment to see what's flowering up there. Those things would likely have a good chance of doing well here, although I think our soil is probably closer to neutral - I did some Googling and found a report that says most home garden soils in the area influenced by the Escarpment have a pH 6.5-7.3 so we probably fall into that range.
Campanula - perhaps you'd be interested in the information in the attached link. Maybe some of those might grow for you and give you something new to try :-) I'm going to go through it for ideas for here....
Here is a link that might be useful: Niagara Escarpment wildflowers
Compost seems to kill cornus, and to a lesser degree, gaultheria. In the wild, both seem to grow on granite with a very thin layer of peat moss.
When I grow them in pots, I am very careful about the amount of compost I use in my soil mix, mixing instead, large amounts of peat.
Another snowdrop lover here, I have 5 different varieties but only know what one is for sure 'ikariae'. One double, one very tall, one not quite so tall and the little common one make up the rest of what I have. One day I'll sit down and peruse Judy's Snowdrops and see if I can sort them out. I'd love to see a picture of yours, growing in drifts must be a glorious sight.
The drifts of English Bluebell you have over there are so very beautiful, I've finally managed to get them going, just a pitiful 5 or 6 but it's a start. Spanish Bluebells grow like weeds here, in fact they are hard to get rid of once you've got them, but those elusive little English Bluebells I can only wish.
Annette
Great story and great find. I bet subduing the brambles or at least making an attempt at it will go far in making your woods more snowdrop friendly. Before you know it you'll be shooing away early spring snowdrop tours!
I'd love to see pictures too :)
Hi,
I have a friend who grows leafy spurge and it seems to thrive...with competition and with very little care. (I live in zone 7) I wish I had a place to plant it! There are annual varieties, but I'm talking about the perennial type that is a perennial in zones 4 to 9. It's hard to decide if the blossoms or the fall color is more beautiful to see.
Here is a link that might be useful: Leafy perennial spurge
You've received good information from the above posters. FWIW, my own Buddleia/butterfly bushes were grown from seed via winter sowing. Seed germination appeared to be nearly 100% so the seeds on the cultivar B. davidii. 'Black Knight' at least are viable.
My winter sown plants are growing in full sun as well as part sun and have, since 2010, achieved a height of not more than 7 ft. each season. I prune them in March every year, cutting the stems down to 10 inches or less. The spread of each is not more than 5 ft.
A named cultivar will seldom have blooms of more than one color which would suggest some computer-enhanced view of the buddleia in your photo. Since my own plants were grown from seed, the blooms are all consistently, uniformly lavender but no less attractive to pollinators from what I've observed.
More important in my view & experience is that Buddleia is not bothered by any pests and needs no supplemental nutrients or moisture in order to thrive in my garden beds. I especially appreciate "plant it, enjoy it, forget it" perennials.
"I've had good germination of numerous types of Rudbeckias through routine planting in sterile grow-mix - no need for baggies, filters etc." ... indeed, just surface sow these upon a good quality starting mixture and keep covered to maintain moisture until seedlings are up and running ... they're sooo easy!
Terrance
Beautiful pics, Gardenweed. Would enjoy seeing a pic, Bugbite/Bob, tho I know yours are still young and just starting to bloom. Exciting that you got so many from seed.
My neighbor has a large, old one near the property line with me. I never knew that it came from a native plant originally - thank you, Bob!
Interesting entry on Guara lindheimeri at the Lady Bird Wildflower Center - looks like the native plant grows as far south as the TX/Mex border. For info on Lindheimer himself see last para. above pics âÂÂFrom the Image Gallery."
Here is a link that might be useful: Lady Bird Johnson Ctr, Guara lindheimeri
Gardenweed, Great pictures..beautiful! Thanks
River_C, Thanks for the link. I found a similar link that is for Florida plants; it lists the guara all the way down to Zone 10. I read the history of Lindheimeri before, very interesting.
I will post pictures of these Sparkle plants when they bloom, but I have others that I am really excited about..
1. About 8 guara plants for cuttings I took from an 8 footer I had last year, all looking good.
2. Three really amazing new ones that volunteered this year. They are the biggest, most full guara plants I have ever seen. They are spectacular young plants. Can't wait to see how they turn out.
Bob