Oh those are super gorgeous!
My white Caladiums are doing well this summer too. I love yours against the ivy on the walls. Fantastic for a backdrop. Never thought about growing daylilies in containers. I might give that a try. I'm having better luck with container plantings in this heat and drought as the plants can get more of the water I give them every day. Thanks for the idea!
I especially love that Thalictrum "Koreana". I've never heard of it or seen it before. Where did you get that gorgeous plant? I want it! Since you live in NY, I am sure it will do fine here in OK too. Very similar weather.
It looks like a tall plant. How tall does it get and what can you tell me about it?
Love that Jacob's Ladder too. Lovely, lovely.
I would never have guessed you live in an apartment by looking at your pics. "You done good girl - you done good." :)

~Annie

*flings arms around Annie* Thank you for your cheery comments. :)
I grow about 40 -50 daylilies (and a million seedlings) in containers lol, since all but 10 by 10 feet of the space is concrete.
I built a 3 by 5 foot raised bed on concrete also.
It works very well except I have to remember to tip the pots sideways in winter so they don't collect icewater and rot.
The thalictrum was actually from Roots and Rhizomes and I love it, even though I don't order much from them specifically.
I have one growing in half shade and one in mostly sun and they're both happy.
Mine are 6 feet tall, but you can trim it shorter and it will bloom from side shoots.
The leaf stems grow in whorls along the main stem and is pretty when not in bloom, also. The purple flowers last about 2 -3 weeks for me. :)

sweetannie ~ i got my Thalictrum 'Splendide', which is a dead ringer of the photos CTC posted above, from inthecountrygardenandgifts.com with excellent service and communication from the owner, Steve. i adore these plants -- mine have been in bud and bloom for almost 6 weeks here in Massachusetts (zone 5b), a gorgeous frothy cloud of pale purple. they are two and three year old plants, in full sun with plenty of moisture. two are about 5 feet tall and the third is nearly double that height. i love, love, LOVE this plant!! i recommend it highly. do go for it!

Awww...that was the sweetest on-line hug I've ever gotten, and what a cute thing to say!

Wow! You have that many daylilies and in pots no less! Where do you walk? :P

I will look up 'Roots and Rhizomes'. I definitely want one of those! That is just about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! Seriously. So airy & dainty & delicate looking and so tall!

I love Elephant ears, but your Colocasia "Mojito" is really special. Love the splashes and freckles of gray. Like one of those spinning wheel paintings you make at a fair. How cute!

Everything is healthy and very artistically planted.
Take a picture of your patio with all the plants so I can see....pppppplease?

~Annie

Thanks roxanna,

I will check out both sites.

The best price wins!
:P

Ooooh, why is "Splendide" sounding familiar? (World's worst labeler hangs head in shame) I had, at one time, Hewitt's Double,Koreana, and Splendide, so maybe I flip-flopped the last two labels.
I will try to put up a pic Sunday when I can upload, if you want to check back then, but it's nothing spectacular as a whole- I just love trying new plants, so instead of working on a lovely big-picture concept, I have little pretty areas and then plants just crammed wherever I could find free dirt space. :)

Sounds perfect to me!
There was something I was going to tell you...hmmmm (World's worst functioning brain just relapsed again).
I'll think of it in a minute, if I'm, lucky.

Oh! Yeah! My brain synapses finally functioned! (Is that the right word?)

Anyway, I wanted to tell you that you are a very good photographer. I realize that close-up photos of "little pretty areas" in a garden are often prettier than the whole area (like with my garden), but sometimes it's nice to see how it all fits in with other plants. If you would rather not post them on the forum, you can send them to me in an e-mail. I just want to see how you garden in an apartment.
I find apartment gardens to be very interesting. Lots of plants poked into small spaces have great appeal, don't you think?

Also, I checked the store that Roxanna mentioned and they are SOLD OUT. I sent them a message. Their price is great though. Only $9, and they take personal checks. I can handle that. I don't do credit cards. Nasty things!

I will check yours out too.
Thank you - both!
~Annie

Annie ~ i guess the popularity of 'Splendide' is growing, if Steve is sold out! he will likely inform you when he has more for next year. i have found he is great to work with, and i do highly recommend his plants. and, yes, his prices are nice, too! look forward to getting this beauty eventually -- you will love it.

It's hard to get an angle on the wall with my 3 by 5 foot raised bed, but I'll send it to you when I can find one (My Cloud Nine grass is blooming soon, so it will be pretty)

In winter, to save my containers, I shove them all together, tip sideways so water doesn't freeze, etc. Later, I rearrange in a nice swoop/set up on rotting benches lol, etc.

Here is a progression from a year ago. Winter to spring.
{{gwi:260243}}

EArly Spring before arranging containers

{{gwi:260244}}

Summer after rainstorm (not nicely groomed garden, sorry)

{{gwi:260246}}

"The Jungle" (My only "in ground dirt"

{{gwi:260249}}

My alley (really stinky..it's by garbages, but it gives me extra space)

{{gwi:260247}}

I love your little Snowman in pic #1. Isn't he cute? Great photography.

I love your set up. I think it is lovely!
And the ivy-covered walls make a fantastic back-drop for your flowers and plants.

Mess? What mess? All I see if a garden with dirt, water and all that goes with it. Years ago, when my 13-yr old granddaughter was 4, i took her with me to Lowe's to shop for flowers. As we walked through the double gate entrance into the big greenhouse area, she was transfixed on all the plants and flowers. She walked in slowly and took it all in and then said this to me with complete sincerity:

"Grannie. This would be a really AWESOME place if they would just clean it up a bit. There's dirt everywhere! You know, if they would just sweep the floors clean and mop up all this water...so it looks nice, now wouldn't it Grannie."

I explained to her as gently as possible that gardens are filled with dirt because plants grow in dirt and there is water everywhere because the plants need to be watered. She was dumbfounded by the whole idea of why ANYBODY in the right minds would enjoy such a dirty place.

She now loves gardening.

Love it!

She also used the word 'Dis-gusting!' quite a bit back then when dirt was part of ANY topic. :)

To CTC & Roxanne:

I thought you and anyone else interested in ordering Thalictrum,'Splendide' might want to see this.
--------------------------------------------

Re: Thalictrum

FROM:

Joshua Spece

TO:

Annie

Message flagged
Monday, August 22, 2011 8:21 PM
Message body
Hi Annie,

I appologize for the slow reply. We are relocating our nursery this fall, so things are a bit chaotic here! Sadly, I'm not sure that I will have T. 'Splendide' in the future. The only supplier I know of for it, is no longer producing it. I will keep your email, though, and let you know if I happen to find another supplier.

Sorry!

Josh

In The Country Garden & Gifts
Specializing in Hostas and Water Gardens
http://www.inthecountrygardenandgifts.com

Gardener's Touch Hand Cream
http://www.gardenerstouch.net

Annie wrote:
> > Comments:
> > I am interested in ordering Thalictrum 'Splendide'. I see that you are sold out of it. When will you have it for sale again and can you contact me then?
> That is so beautiful!
> > Thank you.
> Annie

Annie, lol that's great- I just usually have random plastic dinosaurs in fleurescent orange sticking out, rock piles, clippings that never made it to the garbage can, etc. Glad she enjoys gardening now. Plant Delight Nursery has 4 different kinds of Thalictrum, including Splendide- I know their shipping is pricey, but I am very happy with their plants and they're usually a larger size than just a 3 in. pot.

When I see a city garden thriving like yours, I feel embarrassed about complaining about gardening on a half acre! Would you consider posting your photos on the perennial forum? After all they are perennials. I am sure people would be interested and appreciative of your success. If you are self conscious, just say I made you do it!
idabean/marie

CTC,
I ordered a mail-out catalog from 'Roots & Rhizomes'. They have lots of lovely plants, but did not show their prices with plant descriptions. Are they pricey?

Anyway, when I get their catalog, I'll have them.
Thank you.

idabean, Id be happy to post there, just give me a day or so to get it together. :)
Annie, I don't think they're pricy ((then again, I live in NY, so my idea of cheap has been greatly adjusted since I lived in the Midwest ;) Really, though, they're fine, they just don't send the most substantial plants.

Thanks for posting. Caladiums make wonderful potted plants and provide a lot of color in August when other things are spent. I too am amazed at what you do with the limitations of space. How long are the thalictrum in bloom?

Thanks for the heads up on their plants, CTC.

Yay, Hi, mantis :)
Actually, I think the limitation of space can be an asset because the garden almost always looks full and lush because the containers are tightly packed and most of the season you don't usually see dirt space around it and I tend to sort of hyperactively wander from project to project so keeping it small keeps me focused on doing a good job with the little sections I have.
Thalictrum is in bud and bloom for at least 4 weeks, I think (check Roxanne above) My Hewitts's double's blooms float off like cherry blosssoms a little faster than splendide.

I''m going to plant mine with a large evergreen shrub behind it so it will showcase the flowers better. Thanks for everything, CTC! Gorgeous plant, leaves and all.

Mantis ~ i often have senior moments these days and admit to not being entirely certain of the passage of time, but i hazard the guess that MY 'Splendide' has been in bloom for at least 6 weeks this summer. that means from when the buds form in their pretty shade of lavender until now when some become fully open. there are gazillions of as-yet-unopened buds still adorning the tall stalks, so i would expect another few weeks of flowers -- IF Hurricane Irene were not bearing down in my general direction (supposed to be "here" all day Sunday). so, i am probably going to cut the gigantic stalks and bring them indoors since the storm will likely obliterate the plant. i'm talking a vase full of three-foot (at least!) stalks... hope the cat doesn't decide to view them as edible (not sure if they'd be poisonous for her)...will probably put the vase in one of the bathrooms and shut the door! i have no idea how they will perform as a cut flower -- they just may shatter and make a lovely mess on the floor. =) we shall see!