13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
California is the land of micro climates. When living in Watsonville with the marine weather influence it grew like a weed. Although we had lots of foggy summers it thrived in what little heat we had. Here in Calistoga away from the marine influence, we get just enough frost to keep us from growing it. I will bet that in Atherton with the right exposure it will grow fine. Al
FWIW there's a hardier hybrid in Europe called B. X spectroglabra that is probably fully hardy in reasonably sunny, warm parts of zn 9* but it's unclear whether it has ever been imported into the US or recreated here. These are the ones seen around the Italian Lakes region and in gardens along the Atlantic coast of France. (I already spend too much time trying to find the whereabouts of rare plants that could possibly grow for me, and shouldn't stuff my brain cells with information on ones that one that couldn't...but oh well...it is what it is)
* - I think it they could cover shop windows in London, they'd already be doing so
Thanks NHBabs! I am just wondering in your case if it could be a PH issue as well as the wet. My soil is slightly acidic which is fine but I see many references that they prefer an alkaline soil. In spring mine look like the pic you showed here.
I totally agree kfless and floral I have never seen a Lavender that blue!
Years ago I planted seedlings of a hybrid form of Lythrum salicaria in the garden. They self-seeded very scantily. Unfortunately the Japanese beetles loved them. There may be a remaining solitary plant remaining in an out-of-the way spot.
Liatris is often mentioned as a good substitute for Lythrum, but it really can't match its ornamental performance in my opinion. Long-flowering Salvia hybrids are a better bet.
"Self-seeded very scantily" that's precisely what I've seen, Rusty.
I wonder whether supposedly infertile garden purple loosetrife cultivars need to be within pollinator range of free-seeding wild plants to occasionally lose their self-incompatibility.
I haven't planted any purple loosestrife for years. However, it always annoys me when people imply that there are equally attractive garden substitutes here for horticultural purple loosestrife. I agree with you, for instance, about Liatris.
At the same time, Liatris is a great garden perennial. I've used a lot of 'Kobold', which I find a particularly attractive Liatris cultivar. I also do agree that one may well get more and longer (with dead-heading) colour from a number of long-lived perennial Salvia cultivars (species or hybrids).
Shaytala, the seeds are larger than petunia seeds, at least a 1/16" across.
Here is a shot that shows one pod that is opened up on the end. Notice that there are buds that haven't flowered yet, on the same cluster as the ripe seedpod.
The second shot, I have dumped the pod out, and the seeds are lying next to it.
If you are not finding any seeds when you hold the ripe seedpods upside and shake, it's possible that the seeds have already fallen out.
Hope this helps!
Bonnie
v1rtu0s1ty(5a) I am new to gardening and have just deadheaded my sweet william plants. I think I managed to get some teeny tiny powedry brown seed like things similar to the ones shown in your wet paper towel next to big black seeds. They are not seeds..right? Should I have waited more before cutting brown dry flowers?
I don't know what the latest name is but maybe it's some type of Dwarf Knotweed? (I think that's a clickable link)
Yes, that's it. Thank you!! It's a shame...I didn't realize it was such an invasive. It is a little aggressive, but my 10-year-old patch at my old house was only about 4 feet by 4 feet, and it was a lovely filler with lots of bright colors. Sounds like I should probably dig it up at the new house?
.... moved the rest of my Brugmansias out of the greenhouse, not out in the open yet but into my garden room, (fiberglas roof, latticed walls). I've had a sacrificial lamb out there for over a week, it's doing fine so the job of emptying the greenhouse and trucking the more tender things up to the garden room has begun.
I need the space for seeding a few perennials and potting on the tomatoes until safe to plant outside (May) plus I'm experimenting with some Oca and Crosne tubers and hopefully a couple of Yacon tubers if I'm lucky. These will be growing in tubs so if needed they can go back in the greenhouse in the fall to finish off. Tomorrow even if it's still raining it's time to get all my water barrels cleaned up and filled it looks like we might be heading for a very dry summer and very strict watering restrictions, hardly any snow pack in the mountains this year. On one hand mild winters are a treat but then the consequences :(.
Annette
I just cleaned up my snowdrop bed, figured I should get it done now since there's snow on the way tomorrow and I want to be able to enjoy things as the snow melts back again lol. Snowdrops and hellebore sprouts make spring seem closer even if it did drop to 18F again last night!
I disagree with ken. I would cut the plant all of the way back and see if the new growth comes in healthy. Be sure to get it planted properly in a suitable location. The terrible condition of the plant is due to chronically poor cultural conditions.
These plants respond just fine to drastic renovation pruning and now is the time to do it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
It's pretty grey outside at the moment, I moved them from my basement which was cooler into my kitchen last night gave them a good watering and then this morning as I've come down to asset them they have popped quite a bit. I'm doing everything i can to keep them alive..
My rule of thumb when in doubt if even a bit,, ask, ask. :D Those are the largest so really just babies.
I hope you don't mind some advice from a woman who has planted and ripped out more spirea than I can count. Spireas benefit greatly from decisive haircuts every year. If you don't prune out about 1/3 (or more) of the biggest branches - at the ground level- every year you end up with a twiggy mess that really detracts from the flowers.
I found it too much to deal with for a plant that has for me one season of interest. I suppose the highly touted Ogon has good foliage in the fall, but its form is not particularly attractive, to
my eyes.
If you do some heavy pruning this spring, and I suggest you do, and after you've disposed of
a mighty pile of brush you might consider the many many other flowering shrubs that have multiple seasons of interest and far less upkeep to look good.
Marie
I have been feeding them for years, not on purpose. This winter I built an enclosed garden, 8 foot wire fence, for the deer's favorite food, intense browsing last two years was killing my roses. From now on only those plants the deer will only eat in case of eminent starvation will be planted where they can get them. All my roses that were likely to stand the move, were dug and replanted, so far so good. Al
Congratulations on getting your agapanthus to bloom, Linda. We tend to take them for granted in SoCal where they can remain in the ground year-round.
As a side story about their toughness, I have a little tale. I was repotting a variegated agapanthus (large-leafed type) and had removed all of the potting mix. But then I realized that I didn't have any more bags of potting mix. So I placed the bare-rooted agapanthus in the pot and... eventually... experimented with how tough it was by not potting it for 7 months. Ocasionally I would sprinkle the roots with water. The dang thing never even wilted! TOUGH plant.
I wonder if they could be dug up and carried over bare-root style in cold climates where they need to be brought in.
Yes, Ken, that was a positive comment--you're starting to grow on me--no pun intended!
Nina, you're a hoot!
AM, that's darling!
Tex!!! You've been a stranger, glad to see you and learn from your wealth of knowledge on grasses.
I use a pic for my hair....hmmmm....Thanks everyone
definitely a stachys
Yep, Stachys (aka Betony)