13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

Wow, never seen that before. Like a Clematis but with better leaves. Really pretty!

There are also several doubles, both in white and pink and even green. All very expensive here.

In my opinion 'non-flopping' is not debatable or open for interpretation. It means that it is taken into account that there is rain and wind in nature and they also can come at the same time. Non-flopping means that the plant can remain standing position after rain and wind in 'average version', nobody would demand from a plant to remain standing in the tornado or a flood. If a plant can't stand on its own it's called 'may need staking' or 'requires staking'.

What makes me wonder while I'm reading English/American catalogues what do they exactly mean when they write the words 'sturdy stems'. When I translate it with google it makes no sense. What can I use 'sturdy stems' for in a peony that is laying on the ground after the first rain?

When I use the term non-flopping I mean non-flopping.
(does not assume permanent laying position)

pbl_ge, I also purchased the Snowbanks from Bluestone last year (when they still sold them in sets of 3). I bought two sets of 3. I pinched maybe 3-4 times before July 4th and by the fall the plants were beautiful, about 4 feet tall, very full and impressive. I also particularly like the foliage on the plant as it grows. The plant is airy and "branchy" (if that is even a word) and with the light blue/green color definitely sticks out in the perennial bed. And in terms of flopping, mine only flopped after we got hit with Hurricane Irene (and that was more from the wind then the rain), but they even recovered from that. I think growing them close together helps them support each other as someone else mentioned above.

What I would be careful of though is your placement. Man does this plant spread rapidly. This spring I had to divide up both my Boltonia and my Woods Blue Aster I also bought from Bluestone last year.

6 Boltonia plants last year -> ~easily 30+ multi stem plants this year (all doing great after the move). I had to move them all over the yard, even made a long hedge since I was out of space. I am guessing next year I will be begging people to take some of them from my yard.

Same thing with my Woods Blue. 3 plants last year -> 27 plants this year. Again all doing well and filling in nicely.

Good luck!

I'm wondering if perhaps the "trailing carnations" description from Allwoods might simply be a marketing term. I have grown several dianthus varieties and a couple of them can be described as "trailing" simply because they have a tendency to flop and sprawl in a bed. There are others that have a more upright growth habit.

One variety I'm growing that trails is a pink Dianthus superbus. It's a very frilly flower that has a wonderful scent to it. I purchased the seeds from eBay and they germinated right away for me.

thanks I will try that.

It is my understanding that "Wildside" is more vigorous ie less likely to go dormant than other blue flowering Corydalis.

elata appears to be slightly paler blue and blooms a little later than 'Wildside' in my garden. (However, I only have 'Wildside' for a couple of years.)

Or you can replace it with Salvia Caradonna. It never flops for me. If something does not flop for me, it should not flop for anybody(I'm close to the North Sea coast).

I shovel pruned due to the flopping. I don't have hot, sunny, infertile, fast draining soil though which I believe it prefers.

Passion vine. Ugh. It's horribly invasive, and I never even saw a flower. I dug it up but too late... new shoots keep popping up, far away from where I originally planted the thing. The roots are under my whole garden.

I didn't buy it, it's old and was here when we bought the Cottage, but Japanese Quince. UGH, it spreads EVERYWHERE within like 10 feet, includng my flower beds. I'm cutting suckers weekly and barely keep up with it. And to top it off, it has thorns. Sure, it's pretty in the spring, but it needs landscape curbing or something to contain the darn thing.

I'm also not so in love with the wild rose that we inherited, it's messy and isn't a rebloomer. But it was already here, so I'm trying to work with it. At least it's not as thorny as my Rugosa!

I am wondering why I brought home the Anenomes, they get completely lost in the garden because they are so small-you have to be right up to it to really see them.

I probably shouldn't have gotten the pee gee hydrangea either, since it really doesn't fit in where it is and I don't have anywhere else to put it (although this particular plant was a freebie so at least I didn't waste plant $$ on it).

I also could probably knock off adding more columbines...and I'm not completely sold on the peonies (they didn't bloom thsi year though so I'll reserve my thoughts on them until after next year).

I am happy with my knockout rose, I needed some color in that bed. I wish my Queen O The Lakes would bloom like it!

What about Honeysuckles? The lady at the nursery was trying to steer me maybe towards those. She said they should stay contained to the trellis. She warned me against trumpet vine though.
So was she right about honeysuckle? I can't have anything that will vine on the ground and takeover the Ajuga I'm trying to establish. I just want to cover that wall section in the back which is about 6ft wide and 6 ft tall.
If I could go with honeysuckle, which variety is best for what I want to do?

I've been thinking about this for days now.
If it was my place, I'd seal and paint or stain the sides of those steps a neutral color or match the siding of the house.
Then I'd plant a big old evergreen shrub there. You won't even see/notice the sides of the steps and will only have to prune or shape the shrub once or maybe twice a year.

Not being familiar with your area I have no shrub recommendations. Perhaps someone else might?

did the sale go away? I don't see it up on their website.

Yes, the sale was for several days only.

a2zmomm, glad 'Obsidian' did well for you! I like the bold dark color. Will look fantastic with chartreuse and golden Heucheras.

It's the delphinium worm. You can check the plants and squash any worms that you find (my daughter used to call them jelly worms). It will set back the flowering a bit, but the plants eventually recover.

Thanks for this advice and info. I'm hoping for the best. I wonder if diatomaceous earth would help.

Aesculus pavia?
CMK

well, on the trees forum as well as here, everyone has said aesculus pavia so it must be that. whoopee!(the winter moth has DEVOURED my 2 others the last few yrs so i need back up.)
thx much,
mindy

Thanks! I agree that's what it is.

That baby's coming out to be replaced by a Heucherea Midnight Rose that's eagerly awaiting its new home.

Wow, what is that heuchera? What a gorgeous color!

Dee

Oh yeah, the weed, lol - I don't know what it is, but I've got it everywhere!

Hi carpathia, I am in Pittsburgh also and doing a hillside. I know the conditions you are dealing with and you will probably not have to terrace it to have plants survive and have a beautiful area.

I did throw all my fall leaves up there every Fall and it made the soil rich and that really helped to make the soil retain even more moisture.

I am using a lot of bushes. I will fill in as I go with some other plants but a large hillside I felt like it needed something more substantial than a bunch of little plants. I am using vinca as the ground cover.

I have so far....
Buddleia
Caryopteris
Cornus Arctic Fire
Hydrangea (hopeful with this because the deer love it)
Physocarpus Coppertina
Sambucus Black Lace
Sambucus Sutherland Gold
Weigela My Monet
Rose of Sharon

Check out Lowes Clearance rack in the back of the store. They have some awesome sales. I picked up a lot of bushes for 3.00 last fall for the hillside.

Hi Marquest, Thank you for the suggestions!! Where did you find the Sambucus Sutherland Gold? That one looks great. My only concern is if it will grow too tall. I may have to stay on top of pruning that one. I did pick up an azalea bush in clearance at Home Depot the other day for 3.50 and put it on the sunnier side of the hillside. Once I put it in, I was also thinking a few more shrubs would look nice. Which Lowes has the clearance in the back? I was at the one in Bridgeville the other day and didn't see it. Also, if you buy the bushes in the Fall do you put them right into the ground or keep them inside until the spring?

I gave up on it here in rain and clay soil, it flopped and smothered every spring. I think it behaves much better with more sun and better drainage and less fertile soil.

Some will always flop no matter what you do, it's their nature. You can investigate before buying if you get a flopper or not.

i grow 3 diff cimicifuga and have never had any bad smells from them in 25 yrs.
best,
mindy

I grow "Brunette," I love the scent - it's what they call "white floral" in the perfume industry - and I wouldn't call it overwhelmingly strong.

I have seen Immacule mentioned as non-flopping another place. Duchesse de Nemours is always mentioned as flopping.

Flame was the first peony ever that I tossed into the garbage bin and slammed the lid down. The whole clump was blooming for 2 days (two, in case you think it was a typo), losing the petals to a slight breeze and 3 drops of rain. Whoever released it on the market should be ashamed and put into the pillory for public view.

I guess it also depends on what you consider "too floppy". I think most peonies will bend somewhat without staking, but I don't mind that at all. I've learned to live with it because I really don't like the look of caged peonies. Yes, those that bend all the way over to the ground are difficult to live with, but a little bending isn't bad.

'Better Times' (on the left) has been a good one for me.

Kevin