have annabelle, and little lamb... Forsynthia kumsum. do you have any yellow toads? Or true blue blue wonder? Jon

Mayflowers I would love to hear about what you tried, what succeeded and what failed since you posted this a few years ago. I have two large, 50+ year old established Zelkova trees and I just learned they produce juglone like black walnuts, although to a lesser degree. I didn’t realize that! Did you know that? Your garden is beautiful by the way. :-) The plants under the Zelkovas when we first moved in were mature and well established, but also juglone resistant, such as juniper, holly, etc.... awful choices in my opinion so I removed them. I didn’t think about their juglone resistance at the time. Since then I have mulched and planted, but things under the Zelkova haven’t flourished as much as other areas of the property. Now it makes sense! It’s not just shade and root competition, it’s juglone! I’m moving some azaleas I have mounded under the canopy now and trying to find out what may work there instead. I think I’m going to leave the carpet roses, nepeta and creeping boobiala under my other Zelkova, but I may change my mind. They’re doing OK, but not as great as others planted elsewhere. My Zelkovas are in a large front yard with ample space all around (no fence near them), so much more sun gets through than it looks like in your yard. It really isn’t that shady under them at all except for midday. It always seemed strange to me how different plants struggled there, even when mounded, mulched, watered appropriately. Now it makes much more sense. I need juglone resistant plants there! Or nothing at all. Did anything recommended here flourish under your Zelkova? Thank you!

I only have a small suburban garden in the UK which is paved over (I used to own Gordon Setters) so everything grows in pots. I move my pots around so that there is always something in flower in the right spot. I find that daylilies look particularly good next to dark blue aquilegia (columbines), especially if the columbines have variegated foliage. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum,) also do well in pots and look nice next to daylilies, as do Campanulas and Foxgloves. I also move my daylily pots next to the gooseberry bushes and the fig tree(also in pots) and that also works well. As for tomatoes, I grow the cherry varieties in flower pouches and hang them on the wall of the house from hooks. That way I can move them around if they need more sun. I also grow strawberries the same way with great results so please don't give up the fruit, even if you just grow it for the birds to eat !! Nikki

Your reaction to this cross is exactly what my reaction was to Wildest Dreams when it bloomed for me last year. UUUUGGLY! I have four scapes on it this year and it had better be a lot prettier. Maybe you should name him Prince Charming if that name hasn't been taken!! Vickie