13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Perhaps you could cut holes in some of the bags and leave others completely sealed to see which works better. As I recall when I buy bagged bulbs/tubers they have holes in the thin bag and some kind if shavings.
One would think that wrapping in plastic wrap would have the same effect as withdrawing the air from the bag. Sounds logical, but I wouldn't chance having all my tubers rot.
Thanks everybody. Actually I got the idea of wrapping in saran wrap right here on the Garden Web and it works great...they look like the day you wrapped them up. It's impossible to wrap them as tightly as the food saver would. I think I'll leave just one that way and redo the others in saran wrap. I had a feeling it would be a little too extreme.
I have had Nora Barlow for years now. I originally bought the seeds because they were being promoted as "new". They were grown in Virginia by George and Tom in their gardens. So,hot weather is not a problem. I have found success with columbine to chill in fridge for a couple of weeks in a small amount of dampened starting mix and then spread seeds in a larger container to germinate. Late winter is a good time to do this or even now, if spring comes early where you live.
For the Foxglove fans, Digitalis grandiflora is a real gem. This one is long lived and a lovely soft yellow. I like to cut the flowering stems back since it will keep putting new flowering stems up pretty much all season. If I want them to reseed I let a couple of stems go to seed later in the season. The plants shown are quite young, first year (from pots planted the fall before) Quick growth from seed though too.
If you want international flavour this book brings together advice from some of the worlds leading designers including John Brookes, Beth Chatto, Piet Oudolf, James van Sweden and others.
The title is Gardens by Design ---by Noel Kingsbury
John Brookes Garden Design is the best selling garden design book in the world.
Then there is The Essentials of Garden Design by John Brookes
Over the years many garden related books have been on my bookshelves. I only have so much room on them so many have been given away. Looking at my bookshelves this morning most of the books left are more for reference and specific plants. Here's a few titles.
Asters... by Paul Picton (has a new one coming out in the spring).
Daffodils for Home, Garden and Show... by Don Barnes.
English Roses...by David Austin.
The Checklist of Species, Hybrids and Cultivars of the Genus Fuchsia...by Leo B. Boullemier ( have many books on fuchsias )
Canadian Garden Perennials...by A.R. Buckley (this is an oldie).
The Genus Epimedium...by William T. Stern
The Color Dictionary of Shrubs...by S.Millar Gault, George Kalmbacher and Ernest Crowson.
Then I have books on Clematis, Cliva, Begonias, Climbing Plants, the list goes on.
For light reading I have several books by Beverly Nichols, have read books by Rosemary Verey, We Made a Garden by Margery Fish and a few others. The one I'd like to read again is 'Capability Brown' the story of his time as a gardener on an english estate who grew strawberries in the dead of winter in the glasshouse. It's not a very big book, I've searched and searched for it but no luck :(.
My garden design, has come about by what I call constructive staring, and the hit and miss method, well that worked well but that bit over there has to go plan LOL.
Merry Christmas everyone and best wishes for having your best garden ever in 2015
Annette
The Echibeckia "Summerina" series supposedly flowers for 2-3 months, which sounds about average to less than average for Rudbeckias.
I have not had a disease issue with Rudbeckias, so that feature is not relevant for me. I'd be inclined to wait on this one to see what long-term hardiness is ("hardy to zone 6" sounds borderline in any case, especially as it sounds like this variety does not produce viable seed so you'd be out in the cold if it didn't overwinter).
We all know about missing the timing of things. I am trying to STOP MY CAR and pick some seeds of these Mountain Pinks before it is too late. Tomorrow , I swear .along with planting those three 5 gallon Nolina sibericas that I bought yesterday. They gave me a third off. I will , I will, I will.....
The renovation at our house was just completed a week ago. My house has more storage than I had ever imagined. I am putting things away right now including my seed boxes.
I will have to tackle the garage once the basement is in order and bring in potting soil that I purchased in the fall and begin to sow seeds a la Winter Sowing. I plan to sow some perennials and trees. I will sow annuals in April or May.
I am burying kitchen scraps in my vegetable bed. By spring, I should have a well composted veggie bed.
Life is grand. :-D
I grow this and would say that if you are keen on large airy giants such as cephalaria, crambe, macleaya...this mallow will be just the ticket. It grows in dry, poor soil, reaching over 6 feet in a season. It has a stout, upright stem...but, in a windy place, would benefit from a single discreet stake, The leaves look thin and somewhat withered - not all plumply malva like and it flowers late in the year - rarely before august, with hundreds of small pink single flowers in each leaf axil (so not up to much for cutting) - utterly charming and would look terrific with umbels and grasses.
However, like all mallows, it will seed about, and put out a sturdy root very early on so you will need to be vigilant with seedlings...but these are readily recognised and speedily dealt with. Sow the seeds at once as they benefit from a 4week cold stratifying - the first season, the plants may only reach 3-4 feet tall but will easily double that in following years.
Makes complete sense, Rouge.
In terms of highest monthly precipitation here, the average monthly precipitation increases in the order: October, July, April, June, May, August, September.
So all in all, "May showers bring June flower".
And then there's the snow meltwater to consider!
late june early july just before heat really hits. digging new cold frame came up against aruncus, despite being in place 20 years roots very rudimentary. three very hot, very, very dry summers i suppose. they had put out new growth as soon as weather cooled and there was a little water. moved them to better-i hope-place.
I am a Hardy Geranium addict here in Ireland.! One that I got within the last couple of years is GERANIUM SCHLECKTERI ; this is an amazing one flowers all Summer long, lovely soft greyish foliage which is still looking great at this time of year.
I wonder if there is a dedicated forum for Hardy Geraniums anywhere ? I was thinking of setting up a Facebook page about them.
Here is a link that might be useful: A small Irish garden
I have a pot with a white mum that has always been completely white, except this year, when some pink has appeared. The pic shows the flower way beyond its prime, but I hope you can still see the pink tinges.
I also have some very dark red mums that turns a rust color which I don't like too much but its in line with the season so I just look the other way
There's no reason to regret starting the thread, its kind of interesting to see the responses. If I was using the words 'half hardy' the sentence would most likely include the word 'here'.
example: Lantana's are only half hardy here in Oklahoma, it helps to mulch. Don't cut the hollow stems back until spring or else water will seep down and cause freeze damage killing the roots.
Another way to put it would be to say they are only 'root hardy' here but sometimes they don't make it. In conversation I usually use the words 'semi-hardy'. Hopefully that is more literarily acceptable.
This simply communicates they are able to make it most years with a bit of common sense care but there's always a bad winter looming out there that could do them in, its not a technical type of term. I can't see how that would be difficult to understand anywhere you live.
After pulling up the Webster definition finally, I am now wondering what 'half-grasses' are. Anyone know?
I actually jumped into this discussion a bit 'half-assed' since I didn't double check 'half-hardy' until floral wrote it wasn't a botanical term.
This post was edited by TexasRanger10 on Tue, Dec 9, 14 at 13:38
Emerogork2--("I wonder why the terms are not always directly associated with a zone range.")
Thankfully most plants are trialed or tested prior to being released to the market, this is how the zones where it will thrive are arrived at.
Most perennials have a set of clear cut zones assigned to them such as Zone 5 to 9, or Zone 3 to 8, or (unfortunate for us) Zone 8 to 10. They can be very successful within those zones only for any number of reasons.
Then there will be plants like Begonias.
Most are sold as bedding plants (these are usually the ones given a half-hardy or tender perennial notation) or house plants BUT there are a few species that can be perennial.
B. grandis Zone 5 (with protection) or 6 to 10
B. pedatifida Zones 7 to 10; trial in colder zones.
The info was written that way since they did not have full info yet OR because some could grow it in Zone 6 and others could not.
It is very nice intergrade at that. I love the white stems. I hope it holds it as it ages. I find that bronze fennels get more bronze as they age.