13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
"...After all it'll be a mason who lays the stone not a landscaper...."
I wouldn't rely on that assumption if I were using a landscaper. Obviously, it depends on the company you hire and any reputable landscaping company should indeed have a mason doing the work, but again, I wouldn't just assume that.
we worked as landscapers for 10 years but my partner was a time-served builder so yes, I agree, there are many 'landscapers who are either fencers, designers, slab-layers or pergola and arch installers, even just basic garden maintenance - things such as paths are basically not that difficult, but diggerdee is absolutely right, structural things such as retaining walls, steps, (and, I would argue having seen the 5 dabs of mortar method too many times) patio or hard-standing areas require someone who really knows what they are about and will offer a 5 year guarantee.
We would call these people bricklayers in the UK and many are subcontracted by reputable landscapers unless they have the skills to take this on.
Thanks Linda for the update and good for you.. My BBush is still not showing :(. And of the 6 AApricot there *might* be 2 that show some very small leaves at the base. I say "might" as this planting is part of a natural setting ie lots of weeds and grasses all around.so I might be seeing spring growth of weeds.
I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for you, rouge21. It is still early. I remember one year that a butterfly bush did not put out any new growth until late in May. I had given up hope but it came through for me. I hope to read soon that you have new leaves on both plants. Good Luck,
Linda
Ha ha! Thanks Danny. I've moved on from Preen, and now I'm stressing over putting mulch on my garden before all of the plants have poked their noses up. It takes forever for my mallow, my balloon flowers, and my speedwell to show up, and I'm afraid I'll smother them if I mulch them now. So instead I'm dumping compost on them.
I think too many people are over sensitive. I think of the forums as a conversation not as a classroom where one only gets the answer to a question without the comments individuals make from their experiences and according to their personalities. All of these make for a more interesting interaction. That said, I see nothing wrong with Ken's postings.
Preen, I've occasionally considered using it but for all the above reasons I do not. Shredded leaves are my preferred mulch because leaves are plentiful for me. After the first year it is simply a mater of adding to the mulch as needed. There are still a few weeds here and there in unmulched areas which I pull whenever I see them as I am taking my stroll amongst the flower beds and doing deadheading.
This looks to be a variety of (or the same) cut-leafed Hibiscus acetosella that's been around for a long time.
H. acetosella is a great foliage accent plant (flowers are inconspicuous and may appear too late in the season for northern growers), amenable to pruning to maintain size and shape and easily reproducible from cuttings. Give it full sun (I don't know about water culture) and it's easy to grow.
I was wondering the same about heucherella. My heuchera heave in the winter--even young plants and start off in the spring looking quite mangled. I try to reposition as best as possible.. Palace Purple does better than the caramel colored ones I have tried. I have some heuchera with fairly non descript leaves but long lasting red flowers that also grow better than the varieties with highly colored foliage. Tiarella, on the other hand, starts off looking great in early spring and goes on to provide a long spring display of the foamy white flowers which tend to look good with red tulips (tulips were eaten by deer this year though do I need to rethink that. I was wondering if the heucherella combined the clumping growth habit if Tiarella with the foliage coloration of heuchera.
Most of the hardy hibiscus I find around here gets 8-10 feet tall and has a woody stem. And the poor people at Lowes who are buying them just think they look pretty and will probably plant them six inches off the foundation of their houses. At least that's the impression I get from watching them :)
I finally found some Lunas at a farmer's market, and even the woman there who I inquired to they had no idea what I was talking about - that any hardy hibiscus could only be 2.5 ft. tall. I'm with you - I don't understand why nobody seems to know about them. I got two - a swirl and a red. They were only a dollar each, and about six inches tall but growing fast. I'm sure they will be lovely. They did get a bit chewed up when I first put them in the ground, and I had to break out a little bit of sevin, but all is well now. I haven't tried the disco belles, but so far I think the Lunas are great!
I do wish they'd figure out a Luna (or any smaller, hardy variety, in a bright yellow, though!
Well what was left of the 1 Sunrise has been eaten by voles. 2 of the 3 original Summer Sky are hanging on, but I am again dismayed at how quickly they fade out.
It is true Linlily, that these plants have done okay for a few people, and that there is a long list of other species' fancy cultivars that have failed for me too. IMO, the rate of failure of the new Echinaceas is too high to justify the expense. I don't plan on buying any more of them until (maybe) they have proven their staying power.
In the meantime, my seedlings of Echinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry, Primadonna White, and Bravado are overall doing very well. We'll see how they do - it's kind of an experiment, but a lot less expensive one than buying plants.
Buyorsell, thank you so much! Wonderful information. Also thanks for the amazon link. It never occurred to me that the same stuff they give you in packets comes in a large size.
I'm having a hard time finding the article I read but i know I'm not crazy. I expect it was likely more to do with the foliage than the flower. I'll keep looking.
I appreciate everyone's help!
I believe that I have read that when you have a very young peony, it is not good to cut the flowers, probably because you will also remove too much of the foliage, which the young plant needs to grow bigger. However, with a mature plant, or at least one that is a few years old, it should not be an issue.
In my climate, it's wonderful - evergold, happy in part shade and liking our typically moist soils.Not sure it would perform the same in all climates and may not look its best at the lower part of its range, especially after winter or a long, hot & dry summer.
Oh c'mon -- it certainly is very cheerful! Not to mention well maintained. Not what I would plant in my personal space, but I certainly can enjoy the color explosion for what it is :0)
Very colorful but not my cup of tea, color combo grates for me.