13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Doweling gram,
I think in the case of protected wildflowers you are not allowed to take the seed or any other part of the plant. In order for those flowers to survive, they need to be able to drop those seeds and reproduce. Also, the native wildlife depends on seeds from native plants for winter sustainance. I can't say I would personally object to someone collecting a few seeds at the same time they dropped some of those seeds onto some likely nearby soil. But, I think legally they should be left entirely alone.
Martha
What's weird is that they don't eat it. They rip it up and leave the dead leaves lying around. I can understand if they want to eat it, but destroying it is a little strange. They also left the poppies untouched.
I notice the squirrels like to destroy my lilies, so I have to put chicken wire around it. Just like the issue with Hepatica, they don't eat it, but just destroy it. Now my garden look more like a prison.
Paul
I thought of this post when I was watching some kind of black-type bird (maybe a starling?) in my garden this morning. He was walking around in a patch of violas simply shredding the flowers and tossing 'em up in the air. Petals were flying everywhere. I've noticed this kind of behavior from these birds before, but usually when they walk through the garden tossing up stray leaves and sticks as they look for food. They actually are quite funny to watch.
Maybe your problem is a bird looking for food?
Kevin
The only perennial plant I have managed to keep alive in a container outdoors over the winter has been ribbon grass, but it is only just sprouting now. It is a good solution for keeping the ribbon grass, which is a terrible runner, contained. I often place a pot of a nonhardy perennial in the center of the pot of ribbon grass.
I've read that you need to plant perennials in pots that are good to 2 zones colder. But my question has always been how to overwinter the pots outside. I don't want to lug pots in and out. I've thought about planting perennials in plastic inserts put into glazed pots. Anyone else with ideas for perennials in glazed pots?
I love the idea of the clematis in the ground near the pot. That yucca/clematis combo is beautiful.
My foxgloves seem to grow best in morning sun. They self-seed there, but not in full sun or full shade. Mine have grown from seedlings of the common pink/white type given me by a neighbor many years ago. I mulch fairly heavily, but they seem to find spots I've missed or where the mulch has broken down.
Mine are in pretty heavy sun -- probably 4 hours or so midday. The flower color is a little washed out from this, but the plant looks great. The Michigan Spring sun is probably soft enough that you can err a bit on the side of sun. Not sure lack of sun would kill them though -- more likely it would diminish their flowering performance.
Coreposis rosea is a pink threadleaf coreopsis so it looks sort of like a pink version of 'Moonbeam' or 'Zagreb'. There are a few selections I've run across, including 'Heaven's Gate' and 'Sweet Dreams.' It's supposed to be fine zones 5-9 and isn't super dry tolerant, but is fine with well-drained average soil.
It's probably too much water, if you have had rains like we have lately. Mine spot up the same way because of too much water. They still bloom fine, though. I wouldn't pull the leaves off, unless you think it's something else, something that spreads. Without a pic, though, I would chalk it up to too much water.
Hi all! I'm not sure if anyone here remembers me :-) I used to garden in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia but have now moved to the great city of Melbourne and, with a new house, will be starting my gardening adventures from scratch! An exciting prospect but also a LOT of work. Here's a quick shot of my new garden:
('scuse the washing on the line) so as you can see, lots of space and lots of potential. Well! I hope you are all well, I'll be back soon!!
Water is what these plants NEED. You can't see it in the picture but there's an extension pipe, attached to a nearby downspout, running under the path to deliver lots of water directly to the base of the near astilboides. The neighbour next door directs one of their downspouts at the other one. I have a couple of other astilboides elsewhere in the backyard that are pathetic puny things because they're not getting enough water. I need to move them somewhere more suitable.
These two were planted in 2007. The clumps have got bigger - produce more leaves - but they haven't really spread. Water is the limiting factor I think. They might spread a bit more at the edge of a pond perhaps but otherwise they will stay close to where it's wet. I doubt they'd ever be a serious spreading problem in normal garden conditions. They'd be a good plant to plant near any downspouts from the eaves. These ones get morning shade and some afternoon sun.
Actually Bumblebeez, the cat love of my life was a large male who was compelled to go outdoors, even if I had wished to keep him indoors. He prowled his territory for many years, it was his instinct, and he kept the gardens and house free of rodent pests for many years. No doubt he went through his 9 lives, and then died at the age of 19 on the kitchen floor with me by laying down at his side and stroking him. He was very much a beloved cat.
Although he did like to stalk the neighbor's bird feeders, I fortunately I have never lived near anyone who would intentionally trap or kill one of my cats.
Echinaceamaniac, as a property owner if you offer bird feeders, houses, or baths to the birds, you have a responsibility to make them safe from the predators, not just cats. Hawks, raccoons, dogs, squirrels, snakes, chipmunks, non-native birds such as House Sparrows, as well as cats will all prey upon birds, their nests and fledglings. Ironically, collisions with windows that are sited near bird feeders may kill more birds than cats.
I have been feeding the birds for 8 years and have 5 bird baths. Although my cat catches an occasional bird, there are still tons of birds in my yard, nesting, feeding, and enjoying the bird baths, and they can co-exist.
I don't have any problems now. I removed two cats. The birds are all happy now. I even have a white dove that comes here now. Raccoons don't come out much in the day here. They are kind of nocturnal animals. The birds aren't at the feeders at night. I have never seen a raccoon after birds here. It's always cats. I think people know I mean business now.
I planted "Polkadot Princess" last year. They weren't as tall as Excelsiors, but did put up bloom stalks throughout the summer. All bloom stalks after the initial bloom were much, much shorter.
Most plants made it though the winter, and it looks like each plant now has several new crowns around the base of last year's rosette (which is now dead). At the moment, it looks like they won't be blooming with the rest of the digitalis in the garden, but I'll have to wait until the digitalis are in bloom to be sure of "who's who."
I want to see what they do this year before I form an opinion. My guess is that they'll have a place in my garden, but it won't be the same place that the tall spires of the Excelsiors will. OTOH, I haven't found a spot in my garden where I can consistently grow the Excelsiors, so the vigor of the sterile foxgloves might count for a lot.
Don't fight flopping. Cut Alma Potschke back by half at the beginning of July.
Alma - despite it's height - has never been a terrible flopper for me. It does a little, but not enough to make me crazy. Just for the heck of it, I will pinch it in July. Thanks for the reminder.
Kevin