13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Scents are very changeable in atmospheric conditions - when the humidity and stillness are absolutely right, scent will be at its most pervasive - hence one of the virtues of a small enclosed garden. Moreover, blooms are predisposed to produce scent at specific times of day - evening, for example for those night-time pollinators such as moths, while others will be at their best in the first hours of dawn - again, it is often dependent on the required pollinators...which does lead me to think you are on to something, Pamela, since a plant has its moments of optimum fertility (as will any organism capable of sexual reproduction)...and it is entirely feasible that a plant will over-produce a lure (scent, colours, opening petals, guidelines only visible to insect eyes) at the time of peak success (for spreading the genetic load).
Finally, scent is utterly subjective specific molecules of perfume must fit into the exact receptors in our nasal passages...and, like a lock and key, this varies from individual to individual.
Two of mine definitely didn't make it. The guy at the nursery I buy plants at said that these past few winters have been more like zone 5 than 6 (which is where I am in PA). So I bought two replacements...I don't give up easily. He said that EVERYone has been complaining about butterfly bushes of late. Just another victim of climate change most likely....
I've never had much luck with them surviving for me but the one I have, Black Knight, has come back the past two winters (planted in 2013). The top growth dies back completely but it grows new from the roots. Hasn't gotten very big, probably would if it didn't die back every winter. It's planted near the house on the west side, so the foundation probably has protected it somewhat by keeping the soil there slightly warmer than out further away. Helps we've had good snow cover the past two winters, but that didn't help the growth above ground to survive.
Karen
Thanks for the info on fertilizer. I had fertilized them once this season already, but will get some of the Neptune's on your recommendation and give that a try. We grind all our oak leaves in fall, so I'll remember to save some for the Delphs in spring.
Oddly, the leaves have started to look better as of yesterday? It's all quite puzzling. That being said, there are many odd things going on in the garden this spring, especially with shrubs and trees. We had a lot of snow, but nothing we haven't had before. Lots of puzzles in my garden this year!
Thanks for the info!
Many odd things going on here this growing season, too. Feels like the usual rhythm of growth is being affected by some unknown energy beyond weather conditions. Somehow comforting to hear it's not just local to this garden! Really like the Neptune's Harvest liquid - haven't tried the other variations - and pick it up locally. Last year's 18 ounce bottle cost $15. Others seem to like it, too. You're welcome & here's a link for the reviews: http://tinyurl.com/pqxbh78
I have had mixed success with delphiniums. I have one in the small front bed I call the 'teardrop' bed (because of its shape) that was planted as a seedling in spring 2005 when that bed was created. That delphinium has come back every year since and flowers twice - once in late June- early July, and again in September. Others from the same batch of seedlings disappeared in about 5 years. The main difference that I can think of that might account for the success of this one when the others petered out is that this one is planted smack against the concrete paver brick edging, which is on top of a base of compacted limestone screenings, while the others were in the interior of beds, away from a source of lime. I've always heard that you should lime your delphiniums.... I'm not sure exactly what kind of delphinium it is. I grew both Magic Fountains and something called Crystal Springs (which I haven't seen around lately) and I'm not sure which this one is. Both those types are short ones - I didn't want to have to bother with staking!
Based on my experience, I'd suggest adding source of lime to the planting hole - e.g. some broken concrete.
There is a native central delphinium (well there are actually several of course), but I wanted to talk about D. exaltatum (Tall Larkspur), that has done quite well for several years in my zone 7 upper south garden. It's worth a try if you are willing to have just a small purple flower, the foliage is rather attractive in my opinion, and late flowering is quite welcome in the garden when blue/purple is often lacking.Mo Botanical Garden Link to Delph
Beautiful photos of beautiful blooms! Thanks Annette!
Yes, color can be tricky, between the camera and the monitor one views the photos on. That's why I asked about the color of the OP's iris, as I don't think I've ever since SI this dark blue. I'm thinking that "in real life" they are more of a purple, but either way they are gorgeous.
let's just keep trying and let each other know what conditions it needs to keep coming back. we're in 6b but it was zone 5 for a hundred years so i don't know how much i trust that. i think it's where it is. if it's protected in a corner bed and not subject to drying winds and it can reseed itself it will.
I'm in zone 7 so I can't help out as far as if it can be winter hardy to zone 5, but I will tell you during the warmer growing months it spreads quite a lot, but not undesireably so, being so pretty and easy to cut back into bounds if you want it to stay more put. I don't mind at all that it has weaved through its neighboring plants! I planted 'Homestead Purple' in front of some daylillies and it wandered all the way to the back of them. The touch of purple poking up through the strappy daylilly leaves looks very, very nice.
They spread by the lower stems which turn woody and root when they touch the ground. If a runner gets longer than you want it you can chop off the woody stem and move the rooted end and plant it somewhere else. I used to think you had to get a rooted piece to make another plant but I discovered you can also just cut off a non-rooted green stem and stick it in the ground. I found that out when I cut off a long flowering stem that was hanging way over the edge of the bed. I was going to throw it away but it was such a pretty and healthy piece I wandered if I could pinch off the lower-most 3 or 4 pairs of leaves and just stick the stem in the dirt. I made a pencil-shaped hole and plunged the stem in all the way to where the first set of leaves was at soil level. There was even a flower at the top of the stem that I didn't bother to remove which had wilted by the next day, but the stem grew new leaves in just a matter of days. Easy as pie.
Although I haven't tried it, I don't know why you couldn't overwinter your 'Homestead Purple' in the garage. Seems like it would work to me. I would sure give it a try.
MK thanks and yes it is very cold! A 30 degree drop is shocking to the body...luckily it is going to warm up soon.
# 5 is a tiger eye sumac. It's actually in a large pot. I planted two in the ground, and later found out that they sucker terribly. So I dug them up and threw them in my burn pile. A few days later I decided to pot them up and then try to overwinter in my garage. I read that they wouldn't survive....but to my surprise they did! Tough little trees.
#7 is a coreopsis Zagreb, soon to bloom.
Cat...mulch does wonders ;0)
Amen.