13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

But if he is here under a new user name, why hasn't he replied to the post or my previous one ?

Not sure, I may have him mixed up with another member. Wish more of us would allow messaging! We could do some fun mail-trading!

Thanks for the ID on the grass. I've only seen it in pots at the nursery, where its potential obviously does not show. I like the arcing form.

I've only been to England once but that was in March. I knew I had missed a lot but this confirms it. I need to go back. I will have to see if I can find a garden tour.

linnea... that will be something for you to look forward to... I do hope you manage the trip at some point..

Campanula... I have the 'Tatra Gold' Deschampsia, and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it... but I find it has a fault which spoils it somewhat.... it gets flattened in rain and takes time to recover... it's not a pretty sight at such times...
Festuca's and Stipa's seem more resilient and quickly spring back...

..I'd like some of those too... nice range of colours going on there... I like that..

Really pretty gumneck!

Rereading your first post, een13. Under the eaves isn't the best place for them unless you are watering as you are doing. I only recently learned that astilbe are sun tolerant if adequately watered. But there's full sun in New England and full sun i n Arizona!

If your Amethyst seem to be shrinking or are smaller next spring that would suggest to me they are not happy under the eaves.

Another plus of several varieties is the repetition of the form through out the garden but with variation in the color and texture of the leaves.

Thanks, Marie! I'm happy to put in the effort of dividing them... once I learn how, that is!

I realize the placement isn't ideal. Unfortunately, we have a long walkway under that 10' eave I mentioned where we just need some green. We've tried garden ornaments and even fake flowers (gasp!), but nothing compares to real living plants. So I'm willing to water them regularly for the joy of seeing something growing there. The leaves are thriving... if those keep up and the blooms don't, I'll still be a happy camper!

Just lovely, Daisy! Lots of reds with blues--one of my newer fave combos! Thanks for sharing!

Beautiful.

Looks like lemon balm to me. My advice - pull it out immedately and deposit in the garbage. It will re-seed like crazy and spread all over your garden - in dry soil, wet soil, sunny spots, shady spots - EVERYWHERE. And it puts down deep roots so it is not easy to pull up. I am still struggling to eradicate this pest after 10 years!

I've had a clump of it for years by the garage door. It does reseed everywhere, but not overwhelmingly so and I pull up the babies where I don't want them. I like the smell and rub the leaves on my arms and legs to discourage mosquitoes (it does seem to work). So it's worth keeping for me, but to each their own.

I planted double delight pink last year. It was OK, but short. This year it's back, taller and a blooming machine, just nuts. Same with milkshake and one that was supposed to be red, but it looks like cantaloupe.

I have tried several times with the more exotic cultivars. Whether the doubles or the orangey colors, never has a single one made it through the winter. My standard, old style pink one is over 15 years old. It must depend on your zone. If I buy any more, they must be cheap and I will call them annuals.

bigI think I can be more encouraging, but first let's look at the term "shear" which implies using blades. If you have loads of plants you might shear back after blooming.

But I believe the term you want is "pinching back" and I think you can do it now, particularly those two plants.

They will both send up new stems from the leaf nodes below the point you pinched back to. The blooms may be somewhat smaller, but more plentiful.

Just pinch off the stem about a third of the way down (I often go half way). Try not to leave a big stem or nub sticking up; that doesn't enhance the appearance of the plant.

I'm surprised your Joe Pye weed is about to bloom. usually it is much later. I think you can cut that one back by half, if you are growing the one that gets 6 feet tall.

Some plants will not rebloom or just send up one or two stems. You want to read a bit before letting yourself out side with either pruning shears or itchy fingers.

Here a book that I know will be helpful:

The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiStabo-Aust. everything you want to know about deadheading, pinching, shearing, shaping perennials

as to the future .. a lot of us would get rid of a plant that is too large ...why set yourself up for this work.. year.. after year.. after year ...

you cant have to much of a love affair.. with a plant that you dont like its natural height ...

if you have more than one... just do whatever to one of them ... experiment ... its the best way to learn ...

and never forget ... move it to a better location if need be ...

ken

I fell for it as well. Mine is the Mona lavender variety but I think you're right they're similar. I'm planning to give it the coleus treatment where I keep a few cuttings in water on the windowsill for a few months until potting them up in march. I've done other plectranthus this way and they've been even easier than the coleus.

Do you have any idea when blooms might be expected? Mine looks like it might have a few developing but I'm not positive yet. The foliage is nice enough though.

I bring in about 5 types of Plectranthus for winter, as potted plants. Mona usually goes semi-dormant, losing foliage. Looks great again now after being back outside for a while, blooming the past 2 months, not expected to stop until brought inside. Yours will probably fare a lot less dramatically in a GH than mine in my laundry room.

Although I keep Coleus in water on windowsill for winter, have been for years, never tried any other Plectranthus that way. Glad to read Katob's testimonial. That windowsill space might as well be used for something, I'll make sure no Plectranthus stems are neglected in my save attempts this fall!

What sort of soil are they planted in? Are these the straight species E. purpurea, or are they one of the fancy cultivars?

Do you mean dying in the period after they're planted or over the winter? Just want to be clear because some varieties have real problems overwintering.

As others point out, They are prairie natives and do fine, once established, with little water. If they are newly planted....even if not.....I'd be wondering about overwatering as well as underwatering.

Have you dug one up and looked at the roots.? Curiosity and post-mortem examinations are helpful garden habits that help us grow as gardeners.

Ken - here are pictures from DH's camera - they certainly look a lot like yours, so you're probably right on the ID. It'll be interesting if the lady replies with a different name....

:-) the personal tour was rather unexpected for me! Both DH and I had, for separate reasons, been talking last week to someone in the office that is, among other issues, responsible for such things. I think the invitation resulted from that contact. I think they were also interested in getting feedback on the accessibility improvements - the lady giving the tour asked me for my opinion several times (I greatly approved, but pointed out another area - the lilac dell - that needs improvement in the path surfacing!) She also commented that I was the first disabled visitor to go through the renovated rock garden. Whatever the reason for the tour, we greatly appreciated and enjoyed it!

Ken - the lady from the tour got back to me - but only with the common name that she said was on the nursery label - 'White Silver Fir'. She said that the person who could tell her the botanical name is away at a conference and then going on vacation. I don't think she'll follow up any further so I'll have to wait until the plants have been properly labelled and the garden is open again! Next spring.... or maybe this fall if they run some public tours in the fall - that is apparently a possibility. I Googled the common name she gave but didn't get any useful results.