13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
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.
I actually just ordered one from Bluestone. I ordered Monarch's Velvet, which is a dark red. I have heard that the yellow can be invasive, but opinions seem to be all over the place on that. I have toyed with getting a lot of those, but thought I would try this one first to see how it does for me. Didn't think of using it as an underplant, though.
Well, you'll never guess what I found on my visit to my local nursery today. Corydalis Blue Heron! Looked high and low on the internet and everyone was sold out and my local place has it! It wasn't there 4 days ago! Astronomically priced at $20, but they did have 25% off perennials today. Hardly makes it worth that, even, though. Wasn't even a big one, but I dragged it home anyway. So, now I'll put the Canary Feathers in the shade bed that I will be working on soon. It will look better there anyway. We'll see how the Blue Heron does.
Also, got an awesome deal on a Ninebark Coppertina today! Same place, it was in a 1 gal pot, but it's HUGE and already blooming for $15!!! Almost made up for the outrageous corydalis--almost.
At the start of the week they were forecasting a Saturday a.m. (5/25) low of 47 - cooler than it's been for the past couple weeks, but no big deal. Then the forecast low started dropping - 45...42...38. I dragged about a third of my potted plants back in, then decided the heck with it, even though the last forecast Friday night called for "patchy frost". I could have scrambled around putting frost cloth over all the tender vegetation and hauling all the potted plants in, but it was every plant for itself last night.
So this morning's low bottomed out near 40.
I still have a bunch of plants to bring back out, but nowhere near as bad as if I'd gone into full panic mode.
boday, zone 4 might be tricky for having coreopsis return consistently but give "Cosmic Eye" a try. If you can plant it closer to your home's foundation, giving it extra mulch in the fall may help it return next spring. For sure let us know how it goes it you do decide on CE.
This post was edited by rouge21 on Sat, May 25, 13 at 11:10
We have cardinal flower growing wild on the floodplain of the river behind our house where it gets sun all day except for the very earliest and latest part of the day when the trees further up the bank provide a bit of shade, so they have a long day of sun. However, I have seen plants growing and blooming along a stream in full all-day shade. I was so surprised at the flash of bright red I had to go investigate, but since it was right across from my house at the time, I do know that it was full shade, so it might be worth trying in your spot, with the realization that they might not be happy.
I have lobelia cardinalis (the red one) that seeded itself in the stream down the hill from my house. It's in the middle of the stream and on the edge of the stream, and it's in full shade all day.
Across the road where the stream continues in half day sun, it's growing at the edge of the stream, about 10 plants. I think the common factor is the stream! Shade or sun, they like it wet.
Lacy I will trade you deers. My deer have not met a plant that they were not interested. They even eat Daffodils. That is usually a plant that no animal has much interest.
A hungry deer will eat what is available.... desirable or not.
Thank you kimka. I will try and have tried everything. Right now I am using Vicks vapor rub on strips of fabric around the plants and the yard that seems to be working.
Our mild winters have produced a over run of critters. The country is thinking of opening up to bow and arrow hunting to cut the herds down.
Last year was our first selling it at the nursery, so it is good to get feedback here on it.
One thing to keep in mind...it does take awhile for the product to start working (THINK it may be a month) so you will certainly need to use something until it takes effect. Also...one customer came in and said it didn't work- likely because he used it so close to the plant going into dormancy that it didn't have time to get into the system of the plant.
It also doesn't protect against deer rubbing antlers on it either ;-)
The thing is, it is REALLY $$. We retail a bottle of 50 tabs for around $20. Not bad until you consider you almost always need multiple tablets per shrub.
CMK
I've never ordered from the sale list, but am wondering if the sale plants are the same size and quality as the regular priced ones? The order I placed last winter and received a few weeks ago was by far the best I've ever received from Bluestone. The plants were absolutely perfect.
Kevin
I received my 50% off plants Tuesday and they were some of the biggest I have ever received from Bluestone. The hydrangeas were especially large for Bluestone plants.
I was quite pleased to say the least.
Still hate the coir pots, though.
If we're supposed to bury them you'd think the tops wouldn't rise an inch above the soil level.
I have black spots all over one BES. This article came up that was written in 2011 which states it is not a fungus but a beetle. I included the link. I am going to do what she says and use an insecticide for beetles and cut off the black spotted leaves.
Here is a link that might be useful: Beetle
Hard to say. You need to go out at night and check the plants. There are lots and lots of critters that do their damage after the sun goes down and then disappear during the day. I had this problem with a goldenrod. The poor thing was almost stripped of foliage, but I could never see any insect. Then I checked really, really early one morning and found the plant covered in crawlers.
Kevin
They could be, they were chomping on my heleniums earlier in the year. It is just as likely that it is something else, though, like slugs and the rolie polies are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I keep a spray bottle of the rose and flower insect spray handy (I think it's by Bayer) and just spray down a plant when I see it being munched on. It works for a few weeks, but if you just keep an eye out for munching, then spray it, the plant is usually fine after that. Good luck!
Well, one of my Echinaceas did survive - Milkshake - so I guess I should be grateful. All in all though, I'm done with these plants. No more.
The other loss I really do feel bad about is my Veronica Georgia Blue. I posted a pic of this one earlier and thought it might survive, but it is very, very dead. I might replace that one because I really liked it.
Kevin
In the island bed out front, extensive damage to the large area of Geranium Biocovo was caused by, I suspect, voles or tunneling moles. There is a twisting and turning dead trail throughout the planting. It seemed to be filling in somewhat as the growing season progressed.
Then about 2 weeks ago we had a hard freeze which caused dieback of the new tender growth and the death of most of the forming bloom. Biokovo is an evergreen perennial, but that tender growth couldn't take the 27 degrees that Mom Nature dumped on it. There will be very little if any flowers this year. I just hope that It can recover from the damage by those &*%$#@^*&^% critters. And how am I going get rid of them?!
Peonies are long-lived perennials & experience the same vagaries of weather as the rest of us--they have good years and bad years. My brother planted a row of them in a garden he started here 25+ years ago. All six are thriving but in my experience they have both good and not-so-good years. What they appear to need more than anything else is room to grow, good soil and patience while they mature.
I've planted many more peonies since I moved here and year after year they appear to be thriving. I just enjoy them no matter how they perform.
Your photo tells me you have three peonies planted close together but doesn't tell me they're the same cultivar which begs the question, does the middle plant have the same characteristics as those on either side? I'll grant you my own plants have far more real estate than yours but that isn't necessarily a peony-specific requirement.
While the middle plant doesn't appear as robust as those either side of it, perhaps it's not as well established for whatever reason and needs more time to settle in to its location. I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless it shows signs of disease or insect infestation. Perhaps all it needs is a chance to 'grow up' to reach its full potential.
Thank you so much for the opinions. If memory serves they are all the same cultivar. Yes, this is a new house but I was here to see them bloom last year. Last year they all did well- and thrived about the same. This year the middle one is suffering for some reason.
Even from center, they are about a foot apart, maximum.
I'll let item go this season and see what happens. It will be a little experiment.
Hmm, Bluestone used to have both, but I don't see them on their site today. Maybe they are out of stock and will have more in the fall... although I'm guessing you don't want to wait that long. :)
Dee
Apparently, the entire species is clump-forming, not just 'Pierre.' Hard to tell the difference between cultivars, honestly. Chrysogonum australe is stoloniferous.