13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

dig a foundation footing , fill with a 6:1 mix of sand to cement and lay the first layer of top of the wet concrete - Pond liner (butyl rubber) will work a bit but grass will creep underneath for a surprisingly long way. You need to get down to a decent depth (30cm) as rhizomatous grasses will simply go undergroun and emerge in the light but they are relatively shallow rooted, unlike bindweed). Main downside is the permanence of such structures.

At my old house I had a common lawn with a neighbor and had to put a barrier down 18 inches to keep her grass out of my property. Al

When you trap them and more appear, do you think it's new ground hogs moving in or babies of the ones that you've trapped? If new groundhogs keep being attracted to your yard, maybe you can try to reduce hiding places for them like tall grass/weeds, brush piles, etc. that they're said to like hiding in.
Did you see the recent thread about the systemic repellant that has been newly developed? It might be another option.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread about new systemic pellets

I have a shed that they live under, also a forsythia hedge that despite my cutting it back, grows prolifically and I think it lives in there. There is also a vacant, overgrown lot next to us where I think a lot of them live. Also, bordering the back of the property, a protected woodlands. So, lots of nice places for them to live. I've resigned myself to the fact that every year there will be more but it is still frustrating. Eventually, they do venture into the trap, but it takes some time and in the meantime, they are gobbling up everything in sight. My veggie garden is fine, due to a 6 foot chain link fence. But my flower beds are not fenced. I prefer them unfenced, but I am beginning to see this is not practical. I do have several digitalis, planted just because they are poisonous and they haven't been touched. They just walk right by the digitalis and head for the delphs. I would like to get some monkshood, but haven't seen it locally or in any of the websites I usually purchase from. In past years, I've planted flowers that I know for sure they won't eat, but the list is limited and I got tired of my choices being dictated by a rodent!

I'd let it bloom. I've had mums do the same thing and I've tried to both ways. Every time I try to pinch it the plant just keeps trying to bloom until I leave it alone. The ones I have left alone will bloom and look nice and then often bloom again (although not as much) in the fall. Either way, it won't act normally until next year so I figure you might as well see what blooms you can get.

One question, two conflicting answers!! My inclination is to remove the blooms and maybe some of the stems primarily because the flowers are looking kind of shabby after a few days of rain. I have never seen Mums forced, but now I guess it must be for the Mother's Day sales. I will trim it, let it recover for a little while and then put it in the ground and see what happens. I am still waiting for my Sheffield Pink to 'awake'. Thank you both.

marquest...not even close. Here is Ruby Stella

Thank you for posting a pic. You are right it really is red.

I also got quack grass in my flower bed,my daughter clean it up alot and then she used roundup protecting my lilies after they bloom we will move the bulbs and do more spraying and hope to get rid of it., Good Luck to us both

When overlapping cardboard is utilized under mulch to keep down the weeds, how does water percolate down to the roots of the plants? WOuldn't you have to really keep the area well wetted to get the cardboard to break down enough to let water through?

My Crater Lake Blue Veronica blooms heavily, though not for a long time (like noted by the above posters). I seem to recall mine didn't bloom much the first couple years either. Now several years later this is what I get:

It is very useful in the spot I have it in, a small section wedged inbetween the rock lined pathway and an evergreen. A spot that is often stepped on by accident, lol. I could totally undersand not keeping it if space was limited and you wanted something with longer bloom time though.
CMK

Christinmk, that's beautiful! I actually have mine next to the same kind of geranium as the one in your picture (got it at the farmer's market and I don't know the name). So now at least I know that if the veronica ever blooms, it will be a good color combination. Mine also doesn't look that bushy. It's more of a trailer.

Prariemoon & wieslaw, I just read somewhere that veronicas almost never need feeding. I think I'll give it one one more year, with no more alpaca poop, and if it doesn't get better out it goes. Thanks for your input, everybody.

I really don't know what to tell you, but I appreciate your question. I am getting all kinds of ideas of what to do with my own back yard, which is quite barren except for a Chinese Pistache tree.

Thanks! I think we want to concentrate on the areas around the deck for this year and then add more next year. We definitely like the woodland/cottage feel. We already have salvia (I think) growing in two clumps approximately 20" wide each (which can be moved and divided I'd imagine) and the orange, common daylilies in the front (which I imagine can be divided). We also really like the black-eyed susans. That being said, and considering the potentilla get yellow flowers, I'd imagine we'd want other colors (no reds or pinks yet). I just don't want to block the hydrangeas and potentillas we already planted.

I have a small garden and very limited space, but I also got four more Itoh Peonies last fall - will have to get rid of some regular Peonies to squeeze Itoh. They are perfect landscaping plants.

I have Peonies blooming for more than 2 months in my garden. Tree Peonies bloom in April, herbaceous in May and early June, and Itoh fill the gap between herbaceous and TP. They also completely deer proof. Love them.

mxk3,
How old is your white one? Can't wait till mine will be that big :)

She's somewhere around 15 years old - grew her in a pot for several years, has been planted in that spot for 10 or 11 years.

I assume you are talking about Rudbeckia hirta seeds? No, it's not too late. I have winter-sown these and they are hardy seedlings and sprout fairly early. I plant them out in May and usually have blooms by mid-July or so. You will probably get blooms later in the season instead. Also, some may act like a biennial and will likely over-winter and give you a good show next year. They like good drainage, and will tolerate some drought, but since this is a bird bath garden, it's easy to give them a shot of water when you're changing the water in the bird bath.

Just a note about bird baths (I am an avid backyard birder) - if you have cats or hawks that frequent your yard, bird baths need to be out in the open, where the birds are able to keep a good eye on predators that may be soaring or crouching behind a perennial. They also need some cover nearby to dash into in case a hawk attacks - a dense shrub is good.

Yeah they are rudbeckia hirta seeds. Actually they are from last year and I dont really know how long the seeds stay good but I will give them a try. I have been hardening off the coneflower seedlings for over a week now so they should be ready to go I believe.

The birdbath is also out in the open with plenty off nearby cover. That being said, I still still see Copper's Hawks trolling my yard from time to time.

Thanks for the advice!

Tree Peonies are more shade tolerant than herbaceous Peonies. The blooming is not as prolific as on a full sun spot, but the flowers stay longer.

That being said, shade is not the main problem. Planting under trees means root competition, so lots of plants will not be able to get their full potential. Planting under black walnuts is even more restricted - black walnuts are poisonous and not many plants will tolerate this. Definitely a bad idea.

Here is an Artical about Black Walnuts.

Not necessarily a bad idea. If you are willing to water them, peonies are on the list of plants that can tolerate juglone. I don't know if peony and tree people are interchangeable in that regard. But that toxin is what one must consider when trying to grow anything near a walnut tree. There are a lot of other things to consider also, which would be factors when considering planting under any tree, such as increased shade as the tree grows larger, and whether or not you can find a place to dig where the roots don't make it impossible.