veronicastrum red arrows...O yes please
rosaprimula
11 months ago
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bellarosa
11 months agodbarron
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoRelated Discussions
Which perennials in your garden are the most well behaved?
Comments (33)Reviewing this thread... Tracy, on the platycodon, that comes in pink/blue/white right? If I remember right, that plant had no pests for me, and stayed in one place for quite awhile, not needing to be divided. The staking was the only drawback and if I remember right, didn't someone tell me there is a dwarf version, that doesn't need staking? I did want to mention that it is the campanula family and if you have trouble with groundhogs, woodchucks, these are one of their favorite foods. All of you in areas that don't have the Lily Leaf Beetle are SO lucky. I would grow a whole yard of them if I didn't have them. With peonies in part sun, I am so surprised they bloom there. Wondered if anyone wanted to recommend particular varieties that are their favorites? Also, do I remember right, that Tree Peonies take more shade than herbaceous? I would think a peony is very well behaved. Hardly ever needs dividing, pest free right? Does it need fertilizing? Again, it needs staking right? I put a tomato cage around the only one I have, but it was too small to need it this year. I've had that Silver Mound Artemesia at the edge of a bed and it was very well behaved, didn't reseed or travel, increased slowly. Nice silver accent and very neat. A number of people have recommended grasses. I love grasses, but early on discovered two issues to be careful with. Some grasses are very big reseeders, especially in the warmer zones. Some are runners which would scare me to death in my yard. So I chose to add a clump grass..pennisetum, not known to reseed here in my zone. I have had one in the same location for 7 years that has not reseeded even one little seedling, has been carefree, about 1.5ft high x 2 ft wide. Has been slow to develop that 'dead in the middle' problem. I really enjoy that grass. The only drawback to remember with even the clump grasses, is they are hard to move, so be sure you really like it where you put it. [g] We attempted to dig it up to divide it about 4 years ago, and gave up. I think we will need an ax to get it out of there. Luckily it is in a place that I can keep it for life..lol. Lychnis...tiffy, were you talking about coronaria? I have that plant in a front yard bed and it has been a heavy reseeder for me. Not sure if it is staying. I didn't know it was a butterfly or hummingbird attractor. I will have to keep a look out for them. Oregano...is that a perennial plant or an annual? I have seen some amazing oregano that are very decorative. I do use herbs in pots in the veggie garden area. Which type do you have tiffy? Veronicastrum...is Culver's Root, right? Does that stay in place and/or reseed? How tall does it get and what do you plant it with? Hellebores...jennie...I just added two plants last year and they have been very welcome. Very easy so far, and long bloom time in the spring. Tootswisc....thanks for that link to the Perennial Plant of the Year site. I will have to go back and check it out more. I added the Carl Forester Grass as a link below. :-) Here is a link that might be useful: Carl Forester Grass..Perennial Plant of Year...See MoreSuggestions on what to plant please
Comments (32)Welcome to the forum, Ashlie! You asked about artemisia...I grew Silver King awhile back. Loved it and it's aggressive growth wasn't difficult to manage...the texture and colour would be a wonderful foil for your hosta. So would the 'Brunette' cimicifuga. If you want an instant jungle, you could choose tall and full perennials. Look up Veronicastrum and see if you like the foliage. It grows quickly and isn't a diva but has architectural detail. There are also some tall astilbes (some reach 4-5 feet). Ostrich Plume is also interesting. Once all your infra structure is in the ground, then you'll get a better idea about how many big hosta you will need. Sometimes less is more - the bigger the plant, the less plants you'll need. I'd like to suggest you take a peek at Mocc's gardens....bet you'll see what you are looking for. I'm sorry but I can't get my hands on the pic she posted in the last day or so, just for starters. Anyway, thought I'd put in my two cents. It's always fun to be invited to be part of the building process of a new garden. :-) Have fun, enjoy and most of all, please share pics with us when you are done...we go crazy for pictures! Oh and yes, two Wu!!!! :-) Jo...See MoreHeight in the border
Comments (16)Hi Bill, I guess it's that time again, planning what to grow where. I have also tried Delphiniums and Hollyhocks. I love them both. The Delphiniums did grow for me, but I didn't find it easy to keep them going. They were doing well in one location and I decided to move them and they didn't like it and died. Hollyhocks are gorgeous, but the foliage is always a mess of rust by the time they bloom. Tree Oracle's Lupines are gorgeous. They are easy to grow from seed and worth a try but not as tall as either of those. I would also encourage you to try lilies again. Yes, there is a red lily leaf beetle, but it doesn't eat the bulb, it eats the foliage. It can make a mess of it, but where you are, you might not get it. You could ask around. You would know it if you did, they are bright red and visible. I have them in my yard so I limit the number of lilies I try to grow and I hand pick the small beetles. Last year, I found I was able to stay on top of it by just knocking them off into a 5 gallon bucket of water and my liles were beautiful and well worth it. You might want to try purchasing a growing plant of lilies instead of the bulbs. That is how I purchased mine. I have Casa Blanca Lilies and they are one of the easiest plants in the garden for me. They get between 4-6ft tall. I don't do anything to them aside from picking off the RLLBeetles. I don't even fertilize them. They bloom the beginning of August. You mentioned liking something spikey or spires. There are lots of tall garden Phlox as Carol suggested and 'David' is one of the best as far as disease resistance, but there are others that are as well in different colors. Hardy Hibiscus is worth considering. They bloom late and look good at the back of the border. They also can be grown from seed but take awhile to establish. They have hybrids out, lots of them. I have 'Plum Crazy' that I bought in a gallon size. Penstemons can get tall, I have 'Iron Maiden' and it can get as tall as 4 ft. Malvas are similar to Hollyhocks but their blooms are much smaller and can get 4ft as well. Liatris is spikey. Agastaches are spikey, not sure what the tallest of them are, but there are a lot. Easy to grow too, if you have the drainage for them. Digitalis and tall Iris bloom together. I do consider some of these middle of the border plants though. I grow both Baptisia and Verbascum that were mentioned. I love them both. Baptisia can definitely handle the back of the border, it gets large and it has that spikey effect. It is easy as pie, another plant I never have to do one thing to and it looks good after it blooms too. Never a disease or an insect problem. Verbascum grow well for me too and are spikey but are middle of the border to me. Plus they have a basal growth that you cut back to after bloom so that leaves the back of the border empty again. Have you ever considered growing a rose or a Butterfly Bush at the back of the border? Butterfly Bushes are easy too and they can get 6-7ft tall. They also have new varieites out that are supposed to be dwarfs that top out at 4-5ft. They bloom a long time, they attract butterflies, they are fragrant. Other than that, Sunflowers might be fun to try for a year. They get tall, you can grow them from seed, feed the birds in the fall. Since they are annuals if you don't like them, you can try something else the next year. Here is a link that might be useful: Verbascum 'Southern Charm'...See MoreFunny or in poor taste?
Comments (53)I am surprised that this thread is still around, hey! I am surprised that I am still around. If this forum was used in the way I had always imagined that it would be used, then there would be more threads like this. Testing out a story line or an idea and inviting ones peers to criticise is a healthy activity for all who participate. Yet for it to be beneficial it is not sufficient to say that the storyline is crap or to pass judgement. To say that something is crap and to outline why you think that way and how things may be improved is intelligent, and helpful, not only to the writer being criticised but to anyone else who may drop by and to the critic who has made an effort to articulate a view. Perhaps Eddie was showboating perhaps it was the worst story ever to appear on the GW or perhaps it is the ONLY story written by someone brave enough to do it. If anyone has an alternative story, and remember that writing, unlike watching baseball, is NOT a spectator sport (that is called reading) please post it....See Morelaceyvail 6A, WV
11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agodbarron
11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agolaceyvail 6A, WV
11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agosah67 (zone 5b - NY)
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agoFrozeBudd_z3/4
11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoGardenHo_MI_Z5
11 months agoFrozeBudd_z3/4
11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agocyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
11 months agolat62
11 months agoFrozeBudd_z3/4
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoJay 6a Chicago
11 months agoFrozeBudd_z3/4
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoFrozeBudd_z3/4
11 months agorosaprimula
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agorouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
9 months agovioletsnapdragon
9 months agorosaprimula
9 months agoa2zmom_Z6_NJ
9 months ago
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