13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

a couple of the geum rivale are flowering well, as are Totally Tangerine but most of the chiloenese and intermedia are only just starting to make buds.

Wondering what sort of hellebores you are referring to? If it is the tricky H.Niger, you are not alone in struggling with this picky hellebore. The Europeans (H.lividus, H.argutifolius) can also be fussy (although H.sternii, a corsican hybrid is hardier). The indestructible H.orientalis, on the other hand or the common H.foetidus are easier, as are (surprisingly), some of the Ericsmithii and Thibetanus types (although, noting your zone (belatedly), I probably wouldn't chance it on anything other than the reliable lenten roses, orientalis and near relatives.
I generally remove the old leaves before flowering (to get rid of the unsightly leaf blotch and they do rather prefer an alkaline, reasonably well drained soil - winter wet is a bit of a killer.

If you are referring to the Christmas Rose (H.Niger), put yourself out of misery and get a tougher, hardier species. Life is too short to fuss with plant divas.

Well, my goodness, I can't remember when I've received so much in the way of thoughtful, detailed, and helpful comments to a post on the Gardenweb. I've copied the entire thread to a document I can and will refer to often. Thank you all.

(Meanwhile I've noticed a whole forum devoted to the hellebore, which I will check out in due course).

I think I now have what I need to go into Round Three: buying new plants, replacing some soil, mounding in some cases, eliminating the soggy shredded leaves but keeping the marsh hay (which is wonderful stuff: very light, porous, and forgiving—often a life-saver in MN winters without sufficient snow cover, such as the one we just endured; the hellebores weren't the only victims.

Again, thank you.

Gary

I pretty much ignore them! They are in mostly bright? shade, some sun midday. Remember, that clump has been there 15 years, so slow to multiply for me. The clump is growing in Lamium (dead nettle) and disappears by July. It is up and blooming every spring without fail. Nice to hear everyone like it!

Sherry

Sherrygirl, that is gorgeous! I have the double and the single, but I think this one might be Tennessee form, which I just recently stumbled across and ordered. After seeing your picture, I'm so glad I did! Thanks for sharing. Beautiful clump you have there.

The great majority of my Echinaceas (close to 50 plants) were grown from seed (including "Cheyenne Spirit" and "Prairie Splendor" and almost all of them have reappeared this spring (late March/beginning of April is when the first leaves emerge here). By contrast, the few potted named varieties I've bought (on sale, thankfully) either have lasted a season or two or never came back up the year after I planted them (I do have 3 healthy "Pow Wow Wild Berry" that I bought for $5 or less each last September and which sprouted healthy clumps this spring).

My take thus far is that there are hardiness issues with at least some of the pricey named varieties.

In northern Idaho, you may still have a bit of time before they make an appearance.

So in English now......can I or should I deadhead my salvia......the old stalks are fading....and new ones are growing....is it necessary to cut down the old stalks...and if so....in what manner

Karen

In plain English :) Cut off the heads that are done blooming or are almost done blooming down to the next set of leaves.

A pic from yesterday of the new leaves of Cimicifuga 'James Compton':

'Pink Spike' probably has that name for commercial reasons. I've seen it in a friend's garden and does not differ that much from other dark leaved cultivars. Not a bad plant but if you read the words 'pink spike' you expect to get a plant with pink and not white spikes ;)

I really love the scent of Cimicifuga (still refuse to call them Actaea). Wish I could bottle it!

Glad to know the ultimate size of the species racemosa. I will have to rearrange my plans….better now than later. When I am planting a bareroot sometimes it’s hard to visualize. They are due on Tuesday.

The far end of the beds have the most room for spread. I just moved two standard goatbeards there, from the center where they were too tall. I think I’ll put 2 of the racemosa next to them, and center the third where I take out the old James Compton. I’ll move the latter to a sunnier spot, maybe it will do something.

Good idea, Linnea.

Just got 'Silver Heart' at Terra Nurseries:

$19.99 (with a 20% discount that covers the HST and a very little more)! Patented: tissue cultured from a naturally occurring chimeral mutation in a non-patented Brunnera.

A couple of others I forgot previously:

My Siberian iris is at least 35 years old. It was already growing at a house I rented for a while, and I divided it and spread it around, and then took some divisions with me through another house and now to this garden. I don't know how long it had been growing at the original house, but it was built in the late 40's or early 50's I think.

My Ville de Lyon Clematis is probably well over a dozen years old and shows no sign of slowing down. It has somehow managed to avoid being completely eaten by the voles.

How lovely, josephine!! I enjoyed the story that went with it as well. Thank you for the detail on how to transplant. I will try your method.

I moved more plants than furniture. There was still a lot for the new owner. A great many of the neighbors helped themselves in the interim. Neighbors left plenty for the new owner who was clueless about plants. New owner was not a gardener but he was not a rapper outer either. I drive by and it still looks like my garden, just needs some weeding. The neighbors will be over to do the thinning.

Arlene, just wanted to say that the quality of your photos is lovely! I would love to hear what kind of equipment and any special techniques you use, though obviously your skill with your camera contributes the largest part to the beauty of your shots.

Thanks, NHBabs! I can't take much credit as the camera seems to do most of the work. I have a Canon Powershot A590 that I got about 5 years ago. It takes great macro photos and it's held up really well.

do you plan on building more new beds???

if so.. i would use this space as a nursery bed.. to grow out quite a number of plants.. that i would move to the new beds in fall ... just kinda jam them in there ...

there arent many 18 inch roses... so i dont understand that limitation ... and if you google up some images.. . you will see that your rose.. has the potential to fill that whole spot ...

link

and i am wondering why you planted it so deep.. that the bud union is below grade .... there are at least 3 rose forums.. if you wish to learn from those peeps ...

if that is your native soil.. i am jealous ....

ken

The white fence is from when I tried to make the area a larger bed but never took it down.The area in front of the bed is prone to spring flooding so I had to make it the smaller but raised bed.I have more soil and I plan to seed the area surround the area with grass to improve the entire area. I planted the rose according to the care card instructions so the bud union is about 1" to 2" below the surface.The poppy is going to be exchanged today b/c I have a Shorthair that like to eat grass so I don't want him high on opiates ;) Thanks for all the tips

Thanks everyone for the tips. I guess I should stop being impatient and wait and see what happens. If they do not come back I will not lose any sleep. Always something else to replace them with ;)

Well now I feel silly.The Shasta/Montauk Daisy's I thought were not coming up are actually the Hollyhock "Fiesta Time' I planted in the same garden next to each other and forgot which was which,DOH. I really hate biennials. BTW,the Shasta/Montauk Daisy's are coming up really nice but still no sign of the Rudbeckia Hirta "Gloriosa Daisy Prairie Sun" yet ;)

growlove It will be hardy for you. Good generally to Zone 2 or 3.

I planted Gold heart last year. I had also heard that it was less hardy. I had actually forgot I bought until it showed up! It looks just as vigorous as the regular spectabilis I planted at the same time.

"My friend lost the windshield infant of our house"

Umm...huh?

Spell check; sheesh. IN FRONT

Wrongly assuming legumes always grew well in alkaline soil, I was mortified to find that lupins simply turned up their toes at the slightest whiff of alkalinity. Preferring a soil ph of 6.5, they gradually grew feeble and chlorotic and faded away. Along with the (failed) trillium, this was one of my first lessons in the importance of soil ph.

My lupines tend to biennial. I am not sure if it's the particular seed strain I have or if it's the vole problem, that by year 2 there is a large nutritious root for them to nosh on during the winter.