13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
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
Are these the same pretty little plants that my Mom gave me, I wonder...they were purple/blue and the neighbour had white ones....and they took over everywhere! They grew stoloniferously and digging them up in the grass was hard work.
Very cheery in spring and scented - lovely. Dave, yours are such a delight to behold.
I remember some deep blue violets when I was a kid in Germany. They don't seem to exist here in the US. The weedy ones are everywhere and I pull them out but would love to have some of those I remember from my childhood. My grandma loved them.
I looked it up, and it does look exactly like Snowmound spirea - thank you so much! It has gotten NO care whatever for decades, and only winter rain (not much in CA lately). So, now I know it is a drought tolerant plant too - that's great.
Jackie
Jackie,
You're very welcome. At my childhood home (which was my Mom's childhood home as well), we had several big old spirea which never got any attention but thrived. Mom wasn't much of a flower gardener so they were one of the few that did thrive.
Rhonda
i dont like the media it is in ... it probably holds too much water ... and i suspect.. you over watered on top of that ...
and one thing for sure.. generally speaking.. bulbs and corms do NOT like being wet .. think of storing onions ... and you get the idea ...
put it in full shade.. where it will not get rained on.. and ignore it for a month or so ... lets see what happens ...
...oh my goodness where do I start... I love Cotinus 'Grace'.... in my last garden it grew huge and I pruned it late winter - easy to do, a pleasure to saw through or lop off... my plant was 10 foot by 8 foot and I tried to keep it that way...although you don't get all the smoky flowers with pruning...
...I like that woodland setting above there but this is my plant in this garden, against a fence and fairly exposed... it's young but it should be 8 foot or so by this summer... it's big and butchy but mine will have to be as I have clematis to support and now a climbing rose will be using it too, but it's strong enough for all that...with a good open structure....
...another plus is the long lasting autumn colour, and here I just think it's unbeatable in this country... I do hope you like it as much as I do...
junco, what a lovely setting! Good to know I can do some cutting--hopefully mine gets big enough to do that. Thank you.
Marlorena that Clematis looks great with the Cotinus! Also, the Fall color will be a welcome sight! Thanks!
I like the looks of that new growth and may have to keep it trimmed backin its new home---good to know it'll respond favorably.
I have several of the australis in my beds and another whose name I can't remember. I love the plants. They take little care and I have shared small seedlings with many folks. Once established, they are almost impossible to move so. Plan to use some foliage with cut flowers as some have suggested.
Campanula...I have a big bush of Ribes odoratum.... which I think is the same as aureum... it's just about my favourite deciduous shrub... I grew Rehmannia's years ago and really must do so again at some point...
...talking of buttercups, or Celandines I should say, what do you think of Ranunculus ficaria 'brazen hussy'...? it's self seeding all over the place here and I understand the seedlings are often inferior, so I pull them up.... I love it on one hand, but fear its seeding on the other.... this garden isn't really suitable for too much of that...
..actually...I'm going to get rid of them...
Thought I should post a photo to help put your worries to rest.
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.