13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Smilacina racemosa(unbeatable in all respects), Cimicifuga(all of them), Actea , Trilliums, Primula elatior, Geranium phaeum album, Podophyllum, Lilium martagon, Anemone nemorosa, Kirengeshoma palmata and koreana, Rodgersia, Brunnera,Uvularia, Disporum flavens, Gentiana asclepiada, Veratrum album and nigrum, Clematis macropetala, Clematis alpina, Meconopsis cambrica, Asiatic lilies(but fewer flowers), Oriental lilies.
Combination of all these plants will provide flowers through the whole season in heavy shade.
All the above plus Anemones will give you blooms in the fall, too. I have mostly Honorine Joubert, but there are lots from which to choose.
Astilbe really like moisture or they fry, even in shade. The ones near my bird baths do best because I dump the water every day when I put in clean. Hosta are addictive and I think I will never have enough.
I am quoting from a different post here on Garden Web...
"Some users of insecticides feel the need to observe the instant results of their efforts in order to be convinced of the effectiveness of what they are using. The application of neem derivatives does not provide this immediate gratification. There is virtually no knockdown (instant death) factor associated with its use. Insects ingesting or contacting neem usually take about 3 - 14 days to die. Its greatest benefit; however, is in preventing the occurrence of future generations. It is also interesting to note that in studies it was found that when doses were given, purposefully insufficient to cause death or complete disruption of the metamorphic cycle, up to 30 surviving generations showed virtually no resistance/ immunity to normal lethal doses, so it appears that insects build no �resistance� to azadiractin. "
In addition to cutting my yarrows back before bloom, I *always* cut them back after they bloomed, and generally got a second flush of flowers out of them.
BTW, They're yarrows, the "thyme" of the flowering perennial bed. Don't worry about abusing them. They can take it, pretty much, whatever "it" is. I suspect your could probably mow those puppies and they'd still come back and look good.
The circular grow-through rings are either tomato cages or peony rings (probably the latter :)).
I too started with only a couple of plants a few years ago. Do not deadhead if you want more plants. Also, deadheading doesn't help because they will bloom en masse and each plant will bloom once only. Later in the summer, you might get the odd flower popping up.
My experience has also been that the plants will gradually disappear over the summer. At first I thought that the plants had died, but they returned in greater numbers the following year. However, I don't know what cultivar I have and maybe not all cultivars behave this way.
If you want to move the plants together, I think you should do so right after they finish blooming.
All cultivars of Campanula glomerata have a running habit, and they are impossible to remove once they are inside a clump of another plant. You'll have to dig it up and wash all the roots , pulling even the smallest roots of the campanula out. Otherwise it will come back. In my opinion it should be forbidden or should be sold with a warning.
I would recommend David if your site gets plenty of sun. I have on in a mostly sunny location, it started bloominbg in Mid June (Zone 5a, IL) and still goes strong now at end of July. But I have two more in a morning shade and afternoon sun location, one developed serious mildew last year and 2nd one started mildew this year. It still flowers, but leaves are very bad so I pulled them out.
Another reliable and long blooming option is Shasta daisies. I have the Alaska (up to 2-3 tall) and Snow Lady (~ 12-18 in), both of them bloom from Mid June to early August.
Phlox David has proved to be a very aggressive plant with me, devouring everything in its path. And it does get mildew. I would suggest Veronicastrum virginicum album, which is a polite plant(not the whole summer though). Also Thalictrum polygamum(creamish white)
It's useful to hear of everyone's different experiences, especially from those in the colder zones. Since it seems positive overall, I will give it a try and wait the recommended time. Hopefully we will have rain sometime soon to aid application, it's terribly dry here now.
The devour the same plants that Regina mentions, and leave most of the rest alone.
Hollyhocks MUST go, they are the honeymoon hotel for JBs and can never look good.
So wondered if the problem could be a fungus, so sprayed with a fungicide.
===>>> sounds a bit premature to go the chemical route..
you know you are in drouhgt..
and that plants wills sacrifice older leaves in such..
and watering after tissue damage will not restore those leaves ...
and yes.. it can happen to one plant in a bunch ...
i think you wasted the chems...
insure all your plants get the same water.. IMHO ...
ken
Shasta daisy can get fungus. It can even die because of it. It applies to other plants from Compositae(Asteraceae) like Helenium , Aster novi-anliae and others. But dying stalks can also be caused by something gnawing the roots. Several times I dug up such a plant and there was a big fat larva of something under the wilting part of the plant)
I have mixed feelings about this plant, because it is native and the birds LOVE the berries. It attracts all sorts of interesting birds, such as Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings, Thrashers, Catbirds, Cardinals, Robins.
On the other hand, when I had Norway Maples removed, zillions of Pokeweeds sprouted under one of them. A few would be delightful, a thousand is not so delightful. I'm still trying to get them under control. They're better than Oriental bittersweet though.
I had never heard of nepeta until last year.
A person on cottage gardening plants it with their roses.
I have now plant some.
See the first pic. in the link.
Here is a link that might be useful: nepeta and roses
Looks like a catmint to me :0)
I've not had mine spread rambunctiously but the plant itself does tend to sprawl outward - easily remedied by whacking back with the added bonus of whacking being another round of bloom. Of course it increases in size each year, but again very easily remedied by dividing - after which it doesn't miss a beat so go ahead and whack and divide all you want, this plant couldn't care less.
I get a whiff of something when I disturb the foliage - not minty to my nose, though. Whatever it is, I don't particularly care for it but it's not off-putting per se.
Solidago Fireworks has a running habit. But it was advertised as a clumper when I bought it.
Try cutting it back in early summer to get blooms at shorter height.