13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
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
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
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. :-)
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.
Oh yeah. In regards to the Subject Line "I want a more impressive Red Hot Poker"
I remember my first week working at the nursery. Was told to go move some plants from one house another out in the field. As I am moving the plants, some guy comes walking up to me out of nowhere and says to me: "This is the most Phallus looking plant in the nursery!!!".
I couldn't help but laugh as the guy walked away. Went about my work. At the end of the day when I was punching out, the same man was standing near the office. I had to smile as I looked at him. He then introduced himself as the Owner of the nursery
glad to hear it.
I generally don't have problems with water issues in the front of my house, though my back yard frequently gets standing water from the ground freezing part of the winter (though I can't recall losing a single plant from it).
I heard sweet laura is fragrant. Is it stick your nose in and imagine kind of fragrant or hey what is that smell as you walk in the yard kind of fragrant?
Life got interesting for a while there, and honestly isn't over itself yet, but I am itching for spring, so here I am...
one last question...how tall do your Alstroemerias get?
Thanks
Chills
I'd call Laura only moderately fragrant. None of the rest have any fragrance at all, so I guess it's something. But you do have to stick your nose right in it.
The height varies. Laura is the tallest one I've got, gets up to about 24" inches/knee high basically in the best of years. I have a pink one of unknown variety that came from the floral department at Nino Salvagio's in Rochester about 5-6 years ago that gets almost as tall. The rest vary from about 10-12 inches to about 18". Quite a few of the colors I have are dwarf ones that seemed to have been bred specifically for pot culture -- I picked up 4 or 5 different colors at Lowes about 3 years ago in the spring out in their perennials, and I got some from a vendor at the Oakland County Farmer's Market who has a pretty good range of colors.
After being told these wouldn't live indoors, I tried some cuttings. I put them under an aquarium light. They all rooted and have been blooming off and on all winter. They are now trailing out of the pot. I think those who can't over-winter them could easily grow them indoors. People use simple aquarium lights for growing all sorts of plants indoors. Every cutting I tried rooted and grew well indoors. I'm pretty sure they would grow in a bright window without the extra lighting.
To add to your "Have" and "Want" exchange page on GW first go down and click on "Member Pages". It is in the green bar at the bottom of every gardenweb page.
Click on "Edit your Exchange Lists". From there you can list all the things you have to trade or are looking for. When done hit "Submit". You can then preview it or go back and click "Edit your Exchange Lists" to make changes.
If your email is blocked a trader will not be able to contact you. To un-block your email click on "Member Pages" again. This time click on "Edit your Personal Information etc". At the very bottom there should be a section where you can select who can email you. Click on the option that allows only GW members to email you (unless you don't mind your email being shown to non-members reading the forums too).
Ps. It is always a good idea to make a copy of the list on your computer as a back up! I learned the hard way, lol!
If you have any more questions or troubles feel free to ask here or even email me directly...
Hope that helped you some.
CMK
Ooops. Didn't see your second post that stated you had figured it out on your own (hey! I have only had half a cup of coffe so far today, give me a break, lol!).
Maybe my explanation will help anyone else that is interested in knowing how to do it though... ;-)
CMK
Hey I'm with you guys I don't like the little creeps either. I just don't like spraying chemicals if possible. As far as the light clothing it has worked for other people. I was just suggesting to see who it would work for. Maybe yo had perfume or something on to attract them. As far as the lemon balm plants. Did you take a leaf ans squeeze it then rub the oil on you Skin???
I know we don't want to put toxins in the environment or around our families. I found a great site on how to get rid of mosquitoes and they have organic ways to get rid of these pest.
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