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I was raised by an obsessive I mean avid gardener. Unlike most moms at the time, mine had a fulltime job. She would hurry home make dinner and head outside where she would spend the rest of the daylight hours working in her gardens. She had a small veggie garden for us and borders of perennials for herself. I was not happy when spring came and the truck of compost would come in. I would try whatever I could to get out of having to help but it was useless, she blocked the door and I would find myself with shovel in hand turning the compost into her beds...sigh I swore when I grew up I would NEVER garden!

Now, 30 years later here I am. We bought an 18 acre property 5 years ago. The first year was a nightmare. I planted and planted perennials and then planted some more. I learned my lesson that you should find out about your growing conditions BEFORE you invest a fortune on perennials and shrubs. The first two years were learning years. I learned that planting some perennials in conditions that they did not like would lead to sudden death for the plants. After drowning so many plants I decided I would ammend my heavily packed clay which has poor drainage. Thus, the journey began.

I have established 5 beds since that time. Some of my favorite perennials are

Summer Phlox
Globe Thistle
Rudbeckia
Purple Coneflower
Siberian Iris
Butterfly Bush
Foxglove
Clematis Jackmanii
Asters
Ladies Mantle
Peonies
Creeping Phlox
Daylillies
Oriental Lillies (especially Stargazer)

I am just beginning to get into roses. I started a rose bed 3 years ago with

Queen Elizabeth
Chicago Peace
Mister Lincoln
Fragrant Plum
Golden Showers
Tropicana
Sovenir de la Maison
Dr Van Fleet
Chrysler Imperial
Carpet Roses
Cl Cecile Brunner

I've added to my yard

New Dawn
Abraham Darby
Mary Rose
Cl Blaze

This year I intend to add more roses. The ones I am considering are:

Knockout (a mass planting)
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Fragrant Cloud
Gertrude Jekyll
Bonica

I am starting to get interested in clematis as well. So far this year I have ordered:

Sweet Autumn
Bees Jubilee
Lady Betty Balfour
Ville de Lyon
Perle D'Azur

I live in: United States

My zone is: z5 MA

My favorite forum 1 is Perennials.

My favorite forum 2 is Garden Junk.

First registered on April 28,2003.