13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
IME, these are not a long lived plant. Three or four years seems about normal. They definitely prefer a limy soil. One of those plants that if you have the conditions they like, they are quite easy, but if you don't, forget about it.
That's a nice one, Woody. I really like how your 2 pics show how layered your garden is with perennials, shrubs and trees. I'm losing my bearings a little in the first photo, but is that the heptacodium behind the butterfly bush. And what is that purple leaved tree?
thyme - yes the heptacodium is behind the butterfly bush in that picture - but the camera 'flattens' the depth. The heptacodium tree is 15' or more away from the BB but you can't see that in the viewing angle of the photo. Similarly, the purple tree is the neighbour's beech tree - and that tree is probably 60' away! But it fits nicely as a 'borrowed view' for my garden :-)
Ken - I do find it very useful to print garden photos in black and white when I'm thinking about making changes to an area. Taking the distraction of color out of the pictures makes you see things differently, so it can help suggest things you might not otherwise have thought of. The link below shows how I used B&W to help sort out what I wanted to do when making the 'moat bed' back in 2009.
Here is a link that might be useful: B&W in planning 'moat bed' in 2009
Pippi-I didn't save any seeds from last season, so I don't know how the seeds do in producing plants that are true to the original. My garden center had a whole bunch of the Pow Wow Wildberry plants just last week. You may check at your garden center and see if they have any left.
I have to say - I am *very* impressed with Pow Wow White. Since I originally posted on 7/20/13, they have turned into little blooming machines! They are right in front of my picture window, and I couldn't be more pleased. The bees and insects are enjoying them, too :0)
I bet it's not a plant that looks good in a gallon pot, maybe more of a tough sell in the garden center problem than it is any comment on how good the plant is..... If that's what you were thinking...
Rouge- don't you have a couple persicarias already? Or are they all the chartreuse leaved one who's name I can't think if right now?'
I bet it's not a plant that looks good in a gallon pot, maybe more of a tough sell in the garden center problem than it is any comment on how good the plant is
For sure. Nurseries can't carry everything but I was surprised at how hard it was to come across this particular variety. From pictures I have seen I look forward to having it in my garden. I frequent so many nurseries and I have kept my eyes open for "Superba" and it was just a fluke I came across it yesterday as this particular nursery actually doesn't have that great a selection.
don't you have a couple persicarias already?
You know me too well ;). I have I have "Golden Arrows", "Painters Palette", "Dimity", "Polymorpha" and now "Superba".
Woody, she really is very strong, you mean you can tell looking at her she tends to pull? Maybe I should put that to use out in the garden, pulling a cart of compost or something? (g) I keep telling her, if she would only learn to weed, I'd be all set. ;-)
A hickory is what was removed. The other forum thought that it might be suckers, too. Will these grow into a healthy tree if I leave it?
Thanks everyone. It is so nice to be in the presence of such brilliant folks. Seriously. It never occurred to me that it might be a sucker.
Just as an interesting aside, we lost an oak out back, but just cut it to ground level. I now have an oak bush there. I sort of love it in all its weirdness. ;)
Cynthia
Mu 'Summer Sun' had a nasty case of aphids a few years ago, but knock on wood, that was the first and last time. And it doesn't look like the sunflower moth has made its way into my area as of yet.
Does 'Tuscan Sun' appear to be a spreader? 'Summer Sun' has definitely increased in size fairly significantly, plus it's a heavy seeder.
I grow impatiens balsamica every year. It doesn't look exactly like this one, but it is also called "Touch Me Not", because when the seed pods are ripe, they pop open at the slightest touch. I just let them reseed and thin them as they begin to come up. Right now, they are a mass of color around our catchment pond, in full sun, and absolutely gorgeous. I can't grow the shade-loving impatiens because we have no shade, so I was happy to get these seeds several years ago. We have them in white, pink, purple, coral, magenta and purple.
I know it as Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)...my former neighbour grew it...supposed to be invasive but the new neighbours are clueless enough to have killed it off (and every other nice plant in their yard, leaving only weeds to flourish).
I think I'd wonder why they're flopping on the ground. Are they planted where they get all-day full sun? My P. 'David' only gets half-day sun in healthy, organic sandy loam and it's totally upright, as are all my other Phlox paniculata cultivars this rainy season. I've nearly a dozen cultivars planted in various beds and all are performing beautifully this year--none are flopping altho' they have in previous seasons.
It's only a guess but I don't think they'll root if you staple them down but since I've never tried it, I can't speak from experience.
Best of luck!
My Delta Snow has been floppy this year, growing in full sun and sandy loam soil not amended. But the flower heads on it are huge this year compared to previous years (in a previous garden in a different state with different soil and sun exposure), so I think the weight of the flowers plus dew and rain weighing them down, and wind, has caused them to flop and the stems on some to even break.
Karen
I have read that Matrona is taller than what I am getting from mine. Do I have Matrona(left) here. I do not pinch it, it stays compact and never flops. I have taken pieces and planted them elsewhere with the same results. It has been a great plant for me.
I saw "Chocolate Drop" at the nursery today, and the leaves were an attractive, glossy deep color. I'm tempted but am going to wait and see if I can work it in when my new patio goes in.
I'm another who thinks "Brilliant" is the best plain green one - very nice flower color.
I have "Matrona" and love it - there's something about the pinkish white flowers against the dusky green/maroon-tinged leaves that is very appealing to me, it's an overall very attractive plant.
When the flower heads dry out enough that you are able to pull the seeds off, collect them. I scatter mine in November. I suppose you could scratch the ground up a little bit before broadcasting seeds, but I do not think it is critical. These are all started from seed as a holding area to use on other parts of the property. Total cost, zero.
terrene. I do have voles. So that could be the problem. Thanks for the suggestion to deadhead plants that I plan to transfer. If I want to divide them do I just put a shovel down the middle of the plant? I've had terrible luck with winter sowing....not much comes up. This year I think I started too late though.
Thanks for your input MulchMama.
crunchpa. I may try sprinkling a few seeds in an area and see what happens. Do you have to put the seeds in the fridge first? (stratification) If I sprinkle them in a weeded place in the back of my property will the weeds choke out the coneflowers? Are yours in a bed in this photo? I have a very large weedy area that I would love to put perennials (especially butterfly ones) in but I think the weeds would choke them out.