13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
^I am not angry at them because they are nice people and I know they didn't do it on purpose. I just wish they had given me a chance to cover them. I didn't think it could have done this much damage either, but it did. I am just going to tell them that it did damage and to please let me know the next time they do it so I can cover the plants. I do think that with fall fast approaching, these leaves are going to be on the ground soon enough anyway. Surprisingly, my evergreen Rhododendron has yet to show any signs of damage...tougher leaves, perhaps?
being oct and all.. arent they all close to going dormant in your zone ???
i would just leave it all ... for fear of triggering a late flush.. which would be worse than some simple leaf damage ...
in a month.. or at fall cleanup.. get rid of the leaves ...
ken
Do you have any seed heads left on the plants? Crumble those over the new site when you put the plants in, chances are you will have plenty of seedlings next Spring.
A known plantsman said in one of his lectures - Our nursery no longer ships these, we just tell them the address where they are to go and they find their way there.
Prolific self sower in my garden, and I usually pull the seedlings as the plants develop powdery mildew in my climate...they just keep coming when I haven't grown it intentionally in many years.
If your plants don't make it, look for seedlings where you had originally planted it in Spring, move those while small.
If you want some height in a perennial for part shade, you could try a variegated Solomon's Seal. The cream & green leaves look smashing next to the dark dense green of arborvitae. The vase-like arching shape of the overall look of VSS is unusual and a nice contrast as well & the dangly cream flowers are nice in early spring, but must be planted up close to be seen.
I have a combo of the Variegated Solomon's Seal, surrounded by Bergenia (Bressingham something or other), fronted by some purple heuchera and an almost totally silver pulmonaria and a painted fern in a similar spot to yours on the northeast corner of my house.
I like to tuck in a deep pink or red impatien here or there after I clean out the area in the spring for some summer color. The bergenia has lots of reddish color in both spring and fall (it gets smashed down by snow in winter in my climate, but always surprises me by popping its big leaves back up early each spring). The Variegated Solomon's Seal can take awhile to mature, but makes a very stately impressive planting in a few years.
Mine are not all planted. Probably would have been a good idea to know where they're all going before buying, but that's never really worked for me. I'm more of a collector than a landscaper/designer.
With the exception of the bamboos which will be potted up and kept in the garage overwinter, things are going right into the ground. I ordered some delospermas... don't know if they're going to make it, but I can gamble at this price.
Plants look exceptional for clearance prices. One wrong plant, but I wouldn't even consider complaining since I love their sales.
I've never had a problem with phlox surviving the winter. I've moved it later in the year than this and it came back fine. Digging up established plants and planting them elsewhere is hard on them. Removing them from a pot and giving them a permanent spot is not.
I wouldn't worry about heavy clay with phlox. The problem I have with them in the summer is keeping them watered. They like a lot of water to keep them from drooping in the heat, and clay will help with that.
Deanna
Great to know about the phlox!
For clarification, I am not adding any fertilizer this late besides the compost and the what slow release is in the miracle gro soil.
I am entertained that I have been on this forum this entire growing season and the idea that "compost must be in the beds" has been so ingrained that I did not even consider that it could act as a late fertilizer. Thank you mistascott for the explanations and the link. Very helpful.
Gallica, unfortunately I am in a residential neighborhood (and somehow still have had a groundhog and voles move in) so I have not seen any air predators but I will uncover some of the areas in which the voles seem to be hiding.
Now off to plant these phlox! Thank you everyone!
I would stop in or call Heathcote botanical gardens and ask them what they think. It's right there in Ft Pierce and they've got a few perennial beds and a ton of stuff that might be easier to grow than the coneflowers.
But I know what it's like when you get stuck on a plant that might not be the easiest thing for your garden. You might have luck growing it as a fall planted annual... if you can find started plants at that time locally.
Oh and you could also try McKee Bot gardens just up rte 1 in Vero Beach. They might also have some local advice.
Wish I had two botanical gardens within 20 minutes... even if they are small.
Here is a link that might be useful: heathcote bot gardens
I really can't think of anything I do that might be considered out of the ordinary. I might spend a little more time outside, but since I don't really care much about football or baseball what else am I going to do on a weekend afternoon?
This past mother's day the flower from preschool was given to daddy. I think he's on to me.
So I might have a bug huh? Maybe I should try and watch a little football this Saturday? I could invite a couple people over but I'm worried that as soon as things got started word would leak out the colchicums are blooming. Before you know it we'll all miss the kickoff because everyone is out back on their third beer asking what kinds I'm growing, how long they've been flowering, if I ever tried starting them from seed.... you know.
I love the way they look during winter...especially surround by grasses...and the wildlife in your area will greatly appreciate the seeds during winter. Yes, they will both reseed to a degree...but the seedlings are easily pulled up...so I always vote for leaving them standing over the winter.
Dee
Outside eating has to be the worst thing right now. Everyone wants to take advantage of the extended, beautiful weather and eat outside, but those flying, torture machines make it nearly impossible.
I got nothing done outside today. I got kind of a late start and by 9:30 am they were flying in my face and landing on my hands, so I had to go inside. By next weekend we should have highs only in the 40's and 50's, so maybe that will slow them down. I just love draining the pond when temps are in the 40's. What a treat!
Kevin
I've been stung twice this year just because they can"t watch were their flying. Also had a first this year. Hubby and I were climbing up our ravine, he made it up but I used my hands and managed to stick them into a yellow jacket nest. Screamed for a hand up. Next word was runnnnnn. Believe me there's nothin pretty about a 60 year old lady ripping off her clothes will streaking towards her house. That nest no longer exists but it hasn't made a dent in their numbers. The nerve trying to kill the gardener that feeds them. How ever I love bumbles their so peaceful.
Same "mistake" I always make - I forget to water. Or, rather - I just don't water. I HATE to water plants, so I tend not to [shrug]. I will water the potted annuals if I notice they're wilting or if I remember it's been a few days and I *should* water them. Come mid-August or so - forget it already.
Got a sprinkler system installed this past spring - money VERY WELL SPENT. The beds finally aren't a crispy mess by August and I don't even have to think about watering - except the potted plants...see above.
I haven't gotten around to planting some plants I purchased in August, and I do consider that a "mistake", although really it is a time issue rather than a mistake. I'm debating planting tomorrow, because this season everything is early, all the way from spring onward, we've even had FROST already in my area. I realize frost won't harm hardy perennials and shrubs, but I'm thinking perhaps the hard freezes and temps cold enough to affect soil temp aren't far off this year - normally I'll plant all through October, and I have planted into November in years past with great sucess, but this year does give me pause. Then again, I should just DO IT already because I do have the time tomorrow; otherwise, it just won't get done because of my schedule then I have haul everything in the garage for the winter. BAH!
as usual, I sow far too many seeds, make far too many divisions and cuttings and end up running myself ragged trying to keep them all alive in various locations around the house, garden, allotment and general neighbourhood. Every year, I swear I will be more circumspect and sometimes I am - I no longer attempt 20 different tomato or potatoe varieties (or remember which has an 'e' at the end), nor do I feel compelled to sow every seed in the packet but still....seeds are my weakness (so cheap, so varied) and I succumb to catalogue descriptions with the gullibility of an infant. The garden becomes a no-go zone with every surface littered with pots of seedlings, all floorspace used up (a complete nightmare in the dark) and any attempt at order or labelling doomed to failure. It does make me generous with passalongs and presents though.
My husband tried to remove our clematis once...I think he got tired of cutting it back every year. He tried digging the roots up, put down lots of "weed killer" of some sort. Don't you know it came back the very next year?!? Lol. My mom is supposed to come and attempt to remove the roots before it gets cold so she can plant them in her backyard(she's planning on using it as privacy for a pool), but I'm almost certain she will leave some behind and we'll never be completely rid of it. It's a pain to cut back(even make me sick last year, too much mildew or something), but so beautiful when it flowers.
You can cut all your clematis back after the first hard freeze (not just a frost or two) without problems if they are currently unkempt and messy. On the normally spring blooming ones it will delay flowering until a bit later than usual. On the ones that normally bloom later in the season on new wood, they should be pruned back every year to just a couple of sets of buds regardless of how they look since it keeps the blossoms from only happening at the top of the plant.
Next summer if you take photos that include the blossoms and leaves and keep track of the time each is blooming and post the photos and info to the clematis forum, you may well get names for some of them. Knowing the time of year each is blooming will help determine how they should be pruned.
What I have there right now is a Persicaria "Painters Palette". It did just fine in this location although I do know it is a very hardy tough plant. But given the other plants down this same side of the house it just didn't look right with its very bold colours and it was too tall. And so I was thinking that the "All Gold" would look better as there is another "All Gold" on the other side of the path....so a bit of symmetry. As Ken said it is only an experiment...no big deal. I will report back next summer!
While anemones are aggressive once established, I found that they can take a while to get established. This bunch is growing rapidly now (in a not very plant-friendly area that is dry and rather shady), but it took at least five to seven years to get that many. Also, while anemones are fairly drought tolerant, I have found that they need water especially just before and during bloom. If they dry out, the blossoms quickly show it.
UPDATE:
I see that Monrovia in the States has the exclusive rights to "Wild Swan". (As well I see it is listed as a zone 6)
Here is a link that might be useful: Monrovia's plant