13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
That's intriguing. Why the secret?
BTW it is invasive in France too.
Here is a link that might be useful: Parrot feather in France
I understood what Flora meant when she gave all that info. She thought I seemed interested, therefore she wanted me to understand about the plant's invasive tendancies. She was just sharing her knowledge with others who may want/need to learn what she has already learned.
There are waaayyyy too many invasive species being propogated (if that's the right term) due to people not understanding that they can be harmful to the environment, not to mention it's a nightmare trying to get rid of them once you've figured out you made a terrible mistake. Been there, done THAT....lol.
Bonnie
I plant to get my newly constructed cold frame out in the garden this weekend, but not to put any tender plants/tropicals in it until at least around April 10-15 (three weeks or so before the average last frost).
I suspect it is way too early to put dahlias outdoors in Utah.
Your iris look like Siberians to me. At this time of year, my clumps that had been trimmed back in the fall look exactly like yours.
While Siberians, as well as Japanese Iris can stand to live in wet conditions, they also make fine bedding plants in the perennial garden. I have several Siberians-Steve, Big Blue, Caesar's Brother, Butter and Sugar, Silver Edge, Sparkling Rose and Sky Wings. Mine are mulched and get the same general care as my other perennials. We water all the plants in the summer if we don't get adequate rainfall. Other than that, they don't get any special care. Full sun helps with blooming as well as a feeding with a fertilizer with a high middle number, such as Miracle Grow - 15-30-15, once in a while.
You can divide them and replant after blooming or in the fall.
Linda
I have had many different Siberians , and my observation is: some will just not like you no matter what you do. I got rid of several last year , they were growing well but never bloomed. Generally older varieties have fewer buds per stem(usually only two), and some newer are just better both in bud count(I have 2 with up to 5 buds pr stem), and foliage is standing upright for the whole season. The truth is : the old varieties are passé. The clump turns into a complete mess right after blooming. They cannot compete with modern ones.
Some good doers with me: Mabel Coday, Coronation anthem(3 buds but repeats often), Big Blue, Illini Dame(up to 5 buds), Over to Gloryland, Blaumacher, Viel Schnee, Percheron
Cheery Lynn.
the ones who hated to bloom: Golden Edge, Waterloo, Ewen, Night Breeze, Blue Reverie(pity, extremely beautiful)
One died for no apparent reason: Regency Buck(extremely beautiful)
I haven't had a chance to read this thread in depth, but the general recommendation is not to plant new perennials until after your last frost date. The reasons are: (1) soil is harder to work when it is still cold; (2) potential for freeze damage if you plant too soon; (3) cold temperatures stress a newly planted perennial; it is best to minimize stress on new plantings.
I would be interested to know whether most perennials that die back at the first fall frost experience damage when their new shoots emerge in early Spring and are exposed to a late freeze? In other words, do plants die back in fall because the freezes kill them back or does the freeze simply signal the plant that it is time to shut down for the winter? I know some early-emerging perennials, like Bletilla, are susceptible to Spring freeze damage.
This post was edited by mistascott on Thu, Mar 28, 13 at 16:07
I just checked mine and don't see anything yet. Not surprising since we had 4 inches of snow/sleet/freezing rain/ rain over the last couple of days. Most of it has melted away today in spite of the below average temperatures and NO sun for weeks. And my Toad Lilies are on the cold side of the house that does not get much if any sun this time of the year.
The local Pittsburgh weather forecaster said that we've had 5 days of 60 degree or above temps in the period from January 1st until now, and our average is 20 days. That is how bad our winter has been. I looked at the 7 day forecast and only two of the seven days are at or above our average temperature for this time of the year.
I was just outside looking around a few of the beds and my crocuses are up and look about to bloom - really late this year. And I saw that my Naked Ladies are coming up as well.
Linda
If everyone knows it is too early to plant tender plants, shouldn't the grower.? Me, I'd call them immediately and give them your current weather particulars, and ask how to handle the premature shipment. Follow up with an email to document your call.
They do grow well here, provided one offers them the right conditions.Unfortunately, PNW winters tend to be far wetter than these guys like, so a spotted or nasty looking foliage at this time of year is pretty much par for the course. I would also hestiate to cut them back completely - evergreen foliage is usually evergreen for a good reason and too severe a haircut presents the potential for problems.
We have a number of excellent local growers and suppliers, so no shortage of sources but again, these are not plants that will have a widespread appeal throughout much of this country, simply because they are are not hardy much below a zone 7. I don't hang out in the rose forum so I have no idea what the relevance would be of discussing dierama there....honestly I'm not surprised it hasn't been much of a topic :-))
Mmmm, can quite see what you mean, Gardengal - but we do wander off on tangents a lot on the antique rose forum and many perennials are discussed. Anyway, have put out a specific query to my rosey pals - am just interested in cultural trends, I guess....and right now, we are all crazy for wildflowers, umbellifers and veggies (in the UK) while daylilies and hosta (while they are not without fans) have never been as popular as they are in the US. Horses for courses and I guess dieramas might be yesterdays faves (along with conifers and gladioli).
I left both my lantana and fuschia in their planters to overwinter outside. Lantanas were very dead. Inspected them well. The non hardy annual trailing fuschia have little green sprouts all over them. I am very surprised because they were frozen solid in their baskets for several weeks. Who would have thought. The PNW must be a different sort of 8b.
It is snowing here today :( Kinda neat seeing green in the snow though. I have not put them back yet, still doing fine in the bucket. Probably going to wait for the blooms to be spent, then seperate.
flora uk - I learned the same thing about messing with daffodil leaves, that even the stem that supports the flower has a similar function as the leaves and not to cut that either if you can help it. It's the main reason why i'm going to try and partner them with something to hide the leaves when they are about to go dormant. Not that i think it would kill the plant if i did tie up or cut the leaves, but is said to reduce the following years vigor.
I know the OP has got her answer, but just wanted to add my experience. Some of my daffys are up. Saturday it was in low 50' and I was working in my garden in a sweatshirt. Yesterday, I'm laying in bed watching the birds eat millet on my porch rail while they avoid the rain. And then I notice it's no longer raining -- it's SNOWING !! Nothing major because I'm near the coast. Around here, snow is rare. So it was gone by this AM. But my point is -- daffys are still just as perky as before the snow....lol.
However, I was surprised but glad to learn about NOT tying the foliage up (or braiding it). Maybe THAT is why I never get as many blooms as everyone else??? That, or as my neighbor told me....maybe I planted them too shallow?
Whatever the case, THIS year I won't be tying them in neat little knots.....lol.
Thanks,
Bonnie
I had to check this out. I wondered where our feathered friend had landed. He moved out back in '04 - it appears he did not appreciate the many wind chimes we had placed around the outside of the house. Oh, they (the wind chimes, silly) are lovely with many different tones but not overwhelming.
My favorite garden series ever was Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn. I found a teaser, it also looks like part of another episode from the series is at the same link.
Here is a link that might be useful: Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn - Formal Gardens
Experiencing garden withdrawal today. The temperature was warmer but it's also been very, very windy --- which made it too cold to be in the garden. So instead I revisited this thread to look for more garden shows.
Scrolling through, I realized that I also used to watch Erica Glasener on "A Gardener's Diary". Thanks, TJ! When I clicked on her blog, there she was --- still wearing that brimmed hat. She said that her shows are owned by HGTV, but that they can be watched on Hulu. Don't know about Hulu, but there is a link to her page.
Molie
Here is a link that might be useful: Erica Glasener
Foul weather here too. Cold, wet, windy. Walking to work today it could have been January except for the chilled looking daffodils and other spring flowers. Looks like around 40 f for the rest of the week. I am fed up with it and desperately need some sun.
jujujojo - you have to put a name into the search box and you will get the invasive species.
BTW - if you want a plant identified it is always helpful to say where and when it was seen - that can make a lot of difference. I also assumed this was from your own garden.
No need to be professional- if were all here because it's our hobby anyway :-)
If you type in "Viola" in the search box in the upper left hand corner of the link I provided in the previous post you should come up with a list them- scroll down a little ways.
I looked a little more and found other possible candidates. Assuming your violet was growing wild and was not found in the States, or North America for that matter, it may be:
Viola
canina- found in Europe
hirta- found in Europe and Asia
Similar ones to yours found in North America: V. adunca, langsdorfii, & missouriensis.
If none of these fit the bill you may ask this question again over on the GardenWeb Violet Forum
CMK
Helenium and Heliopsis: Going to take the opportunity to say what great plants the helenium cultivars are.
Should add though that, in my experience, heleniums, are higher maintenance than any of my Heliopsis helianthoides. That goes for cultivars from the size of 'Sonnenwunder' to the size of 'Rubinswerg'.
Below: my most recently acquired Helenium: H 'Red Jewel'.
I am in southern Iowa. I decided not to buy any new plants until I see what survived last year's drought. Toward the end of the season, I wasn't sure if plants had actually died or just gone dormant. Once things start popping up, I'll have a better idea if there are bare areas where I need to replace plants (either with the same type or something different). Hopefully the recent snows are a good forecast of rains to come and we will have a better growing season this year.
Of course, this decision hasn't stopped me from perusing the catalogs and dreaming about the new plants I would like to order. LOL
I couldn't stay inside yesterday when it got so warm so got many things cut down and this evening it is snowing. Only thing looking green are the Iberis. I am ready to pull away mulch etc. from around mums, trycirtis, etc., but better not. Spring is coming some day, just not yet.