13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

Nice job, nice blog, nice photos, beautiful garden - wow! Thanks for sharing all this with us. Rather inspirational to see what can be done, and so beautifully in a small space.

Thanks!
Dee

Your photos are great, your design is lovely. What a great job on the blog and garden.

ken - the link nhbabs gives to Paghat's garden explains that 'Burning Hearts' is not a species - 'its primary parents appear to be the Japanese bleeding heart D. peregrina with its intensely blue-grey foliage & the western bleeding heart D. formosa, though like 'King of Hearts' with the same well-defined white lips, it likely also has a dash of eastern bleeding heart D. eximia in its heritage.'

So the name Burning Heart Bleeding Heart pretty much describes it. But it could be written as Dicentra x 'Burning Hearts'.

All Dicentras grow like weeds for me here except 'Burning Hearts' I have had two die, so far...All of the cultivars and species that are NOT spectabilis do not go summer dormant here.

Anyone know where to obtain seed?

Jelitto of Germany has the seed; quite pricey.

If you can get them in the ground (it's not frozen) go ahead and plant them out. Your problem will be sunburn on the leaves, I suspect right now they are pale green.... plant them or place them potted in a sheltered location and cover up well with mulch. Over the next couple days pull the mulch back an inch or two and slowly expose the foliage to the sun until it begins to green up.

I also potted up a couple last winter and kept them in the garage. About two weeks ago I put them out alongside the foundation. It's been in the 40s, but whenever it drops under about 28 I cover them up with some old hay for some protection. I would plant them out in a bed but I'm waiting for more bulbs to show so I can find the empty spots!

Funny, they are not as pale green as I expected. They actually look normal looking. May be enough light gets into the garage.

I stated to put them outside during the day and then putting them back into garage at night. I figure they may be able to make do with more light.

Paul

thanks to both of you for the info. i think i am going to take the chance on these and get one or two. if the color is "right" -- towards a blue tone in the red as the photo shows, i will be very happy! if, on the other hand, it is not, i will just locate the plants in a better area, colorwise... now to find an online supplier!

Pernell Gerver is selling them. I think the price was $15 for a gallon pot but don't quote me. You might want to check his customer feedback before ordering.

Hi Rhizo, yes I am concerned about "collateral" damage with poison or bait, and have read that if a predator eats a poisoned rodent it can become poisoned too. Their infestation is very localized and the front garden isn't really visited by that many critters (including the cat) - except the dogs walking down the sidewalk that like to pee on my ornamental grasses!

Squirejohn, I just did a little search on the Hosta forum and that castor oil mixture sounds interesting. I will have to give this a try, along with perhaps some more traps.

Last year I tried an ammonia/water solution on the hostas to kill the slugs, and was amazed how well it worked. Somebody on GW recommended a 25% solution but that is pretty acrid, so I reduced the solution to 12.5% and that still worked well. It just dissolves the slugs with no apparent damage to the plants whatsover.

The coyotes in my neighborhood appeared to have done something to the rabbits. I haven't seen many of them. We still have too many squirrels.

I have stayed away from poisons if possible. My neighbors have dogs that occasionally wander into my yard.

Paul

I'm a bit skeptical of the Terra Nova blurb for "Summertime Jazz", seeing as it's supposedly rated for zones 4-9 (including the deep South, hmmm) and on the one hand is alleged to bloom "all summer long" and elsewhere is characterized as a "repeat bloomer" (which seems to indicate a hiatus between blooming periods). And with most repeat blooming perennials, it's usually the first bloom period that's really ornamental and the remaining flowers are paltry by comparison.

Very attractive photo though.

After doing some more on-line research re "Freya" I have decide to buy several of this plant this coming spring. My plan is to put it along the border alternating with the bright sunny colour of Gaillardia "Arizona Apricot". Thanks coolplantsguy for starting this thread as I might not have learned about this particular Campanula otherwise.

I LOVE Becky Towe - love the strong yellow variegation of the leaves, rather than the paler color on Nora... And the flower is a really strong vibrant color.
HOWEVER - it is not a vigorous plant, compared to other non-variegated phlox. (that's not unusual for varigated forms to be less vigorous). For me, it probably grows 2 and a half feet tall... it puts out occasional non-variegated stems, and if these are not culled, they will eventually take over the plant. It does not multiply at the speed I'd like, since I love the look. I've grown several plants, in different locations, for many years and it never seems to form a large clump...

It sounds like you plan to plant things in front of it... will you see that much of the foliage? Or would you maybe consider on non-variagated variety?

Beth - Z5 northern Michigan

I plan to plant shorter echinacea and sedum autumn joy in front. If I use nira Leigh phlox I figure I should see some of the foliage

boday wrote: Summertime Blues instead?

I have had SB for a couple of seasons. I like it as it is a long time bloomer, it doesnt spread and tolerates shade. It can flop but with some pruning this can be minimized.

There is a more recent variety known as "Summertime Jazz" that is shorter and so maybe less prone to flopping?

Kent Belle is a flopper for me - whether in full sun or part shade. I'm guessing it gets about 2 ft tall... Color is nice deep purple, and it is a healthy clumper, not picky, grows strongly, with lots and lots of stems.

I bought a very wimpy Summertime Blues maybe three years ago. It is a much paler blue. It has been a slow grower for me... It still is only a few stems - it is a clumper, and has not yet shown signs of flopping. I just wish the daggone thing would be more vigorous, rather than the slow wimpy grower it still appears to be...

Beth Z5 Northern Michigan

It ("Lost Horizons") is an outstanding, one of a kind nursery with a huge selection perennials, shrubs and trees. I am so looking forward to my first 'pilgrimage' to LH for the 2012 growing season.

I am not sure how long the BH&G "Must-Grow New Perennials for 2012" has been out but I look forward to seeing it each spring...here it is:

As you can see many of these plants have been discussed on GW...and lots in this particular thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: Better Homes and Gardens perennial list for 2012

I saw the story on the news a couple nights ago- pretty amazing.

-Kevin, LOL!

I remember seeing a story on PBS a number of years back about a palm seed being found in an ancient toumb (don't know if it was in Egypt or elsewhere). They were able to grow it and found out it was an ancient kind of palm long since gone extinct in that region. Quite interesting.
CMK

That is pretty cool. An awesome and natural "cryobank" with storage conditions that preserve a seed's viability for 30,000 years (or longer).

I store my seeds in the fridge, using mostly paper packets, and with dessicants to absort any extra moisture for insurance. Thought I was doing pretty good using basil seeds for the past 4 years that were packed for 1991! (And the viability of herb seeds is supposedly "short" lived - ha.)

Babs, I was just on the Vegetable forum yesterday and I saw them discussing presprouting peas and I was thinking what a great idea. I actually left bok choy in the garden without pulling it last summer and it reseeded into the bed and I had a carpet of baby bok choy all fall, which we enjoyed. I'm wondering if any have overwintered. That's a great idea for spinach and lettuce too. Thanks for the encouragement. :-)

Oh, and I saw a Robin this morning....maybe they know something about when spring is going to arrive? (g)

I love 'Patricia'. It is almost a magenta shade but more towards the hot pink. I bought five of these plants several years ago. Unfortunately my site is a bit too dry and too shady for them, so they are are not living up to their potential. In the right conditions they would be spectacular.

Hi Prairiegirlz :-) Yes, the pink plant is Agastache 'Desert Sunrise', good eye! That is just plain old Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' - pretty much the easiest plant ever!

Hi April Wine, that area gets more sun than most of my garden, but still only a max of 6 hours in the middle of summer, with quite a bit less during the rest of the year. The more sun, the better for all these plants :-)

I have snowdrops blooming here, but no crocuses yet. Some narcissus are poking through the soil, but they would do that anyway under the snow (if we had snow). Hardly any snow all winter this year. I'm not complaining, but I'm curious as to how it might affect the various plants and bloom times, etc.

ontnative wrote:

Hardly any snow all winter this year. I'm not complaining, but I'm curious as to how it might affect the various plants

Although we haven't had much snow this winter, in terms of overall precipitation has there not been 'offsetting' extra rain in the fall and winter?

For example last summer in my area it was very dry but the trees did not seem to suffer as we had so much rain all that previous spring which I think helped.