13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

there is a reason.. things that bloom this early in spring.. are called ephemerals ...

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ken

Well, I have been lazy with the liquid fence, and now my 2 beautiful blooms are gone =/ Leaves are still intact, the blooms have gone missing. Oh deer..... there's always next year!

Was wondering this myself as well... glad to hear I am not alone since I planted five of them last year I was hoping they'd return!

Same here. I planted 2 last year and still wondering if they'll show... My butterfly weed hasn't emerged yet either, so I'm still holding out hope. (Although I haven't had much luck with butterfly weed either)

I don't know where I got it in my head that it was one of those plants that shouldn't be cut back until spring, especially in colder zones. All of your input has been great - I feel a lot more confident using them "front and center" now. Thanks!

Don't feel bad Ruth, I thought the same thing lol.

Yay! Just saw a few tips of my tall one the other day.

Woohoo! That's a great feeling.

I googled it...looks like a beauty!!

I think its Burpee, just a packet of mixed colors - white, lavender, pink, maroon. They are easy to grow and nice for cutting. I don't get the pretty blue color of the perennial types, but the mixed colors are lovely..

Thanks! I saw that at Home Depot. I wish I had grabbed them when seeds were BOGO.

I have been having a monkshood moment for the last 2 years - not only is it vigorous and competent in my utterly unirrigated woodland, (this is proving a stern test for a lot of plants), it also grows easily from seed...and then obligingly seeds around, thereby fulfilling all my criteria for plant choice - none of that rare and special palaver now - I require survival, willingness to reproduce itself and dirt cheap...and monkshoods are certainly fitting the bill as well as having rather good and varied foliage (I am new to the shady foliage club - but intend to still remain hosta free). I am looking forward to a late summer blue finale (when the c.trachelium get going too)

Was overjoyed beyond reason to see that the ridiculously optimistic mertensia seedlings have returned.

I really agree about monkshoods. I've never grown one which was a disappointment.

My favourite two are 'Spark's Variety' for it's beautiful violet-blue colour and Arend's monkshood for being one of the very best fall-performing perennials here.

Also like Campanula trachelium, a very competent and reliable medium-sized garden perennial (regular and white forms).

So now they have changed Dicentra to Lamprocapnos, or at least Dicentra spectabilis? What a mouthful, and rather more difficult to remember.

Grumble, grumble . . . Learning and using scientific names for plants is clearer than common names, but now they are changing the scientific names. I know that much of it is caused by new genetic information, but even so, it's a pain. It makes finding information on a plant more difficult since some of the nurseries will use one name, some another, and some both, making it necessary to search under both names . . . grumble!

Nice photo, Dave!

Almost passed this posting by as didn't recognize the name. Still waiting for my 'Gold Heart' to appear.

I always amend my soil when planting. If I didn't, nothing would grow, as my soil is hard and rocky. I mix compost, good topsoil, dried manure and the original soil together in a blend which has worked very well for me over the years. I dig very large holes before adding in the blended soil, so the roots have a lot of good rich soil to spread out to.

lam702, I do the same thing. I like the compost where the roots are.

As Ken says, apply undiluted Roundup (or generic equivalent) to the entire outer ring of the stump IMMEDIATELY after cutting. I personally use a sopping-wet q-tip to apply the stuff to smaller stumps/cuts -- dripping it on from the "handy applicator" suggested above would be less tedious with large stumps. Uptake of herbicide through the leaves just isn't enough to kill these guys. On the other hand, even eucalyptus stumps 5 feet in diameter can be kept from re-sprouting by painting herbicide on the cambium of the stump soon after cut.

BTW .. full strength .... undiluted RU is 41 to 43% ...

dont look for 100% ...

ken

I don't think that the Dicentra will be dormant by the time the hostas get going. And the Dicentra in my yard (exemia and spectabilis) don't go dormant until the fall, so in the event that yours are similar, don't tuck them in too close to the hostas.

Thanks for your replies. H’mmm…I may have to pot up the bare roots until the hosta emerge in that area. More work, unless I can somehow keep them dormant until I am ready, like putting them down in the cool dark basement. I would expect I’d have an idea what hostas are there in a few weeks. In warmer spots, I see them emerging now, just not in that shady area.

Google Walipini and choose images, there are many ways to do this! Your post about the concrete holding heat made me think of these.

Then there's the term *passive solar* greenhouses.

I'd also love to have one of these--built onto a South facing wall of a brick structure--which continues to radiate heat after the sun goes down--I can dream! Love these too!