Northeast Gardening: Plant collector or garden designer? , 0 by bbrookrd

bbrookrd wrote:
docgipe, Can't wait to hear what the new design will be, and what plant material that is less liking to your deer. I appreciate those plants more and more.

Laura and Barb, no beetles here yet either, but I am very fearful.

Pirl, I flunk at staking, though I am going to try some dahlia's out in the veggie patch so they can be staked by DH when he is doing the tomatoes. I loved that they bloomed so late. I forgot about the clematis, which I hope will do something this year. Last year was pretty minimal, but I think and hope they take time to settle in. I planted them all so their little roots would be shaded but that they got sun.

I have always had a few Siberian iris, but not the Japanese. I started seeing wonderful ones on DG when I joined and then went and saw Boojum garden in Western Ma and fell in love with both her Sibs and J.I. I am hopeful that the Japanese do well here, but I added many Siberians which I know will flourish. What do you do to keep them happy on L.I.? I remember that you had an accident of some sort when you were moving them or something. I have added a bunch of the bearded ones also two years ago. This will be an important and telling year for the new iris kids.

Tell me about which hydrangea you love. I need to move some lace-caps from the east side where they seem to cook. I moved one last year to the west side and it did fine, and now I feel I can move 3 more and not loose them. But I am thinking of putting them out where they can really stretch their legs and get huge. I think the reflections off the glass windows just fried them. They burned out very quickly even with tons of water. I have many oakleafs, a love, some big walls of climbing ones, some old Peegees, and that group of unnamed blue lace caps next to the house, I also bought in the last two years some tiny ones of Limelight, tarvida, Penny Mac, Glory Blue, David Ramsey, Lemon Wave, Todi, Madame Emile Mouillere, Lady in Red. They will take a few years to get going. Always hopeful.

Help all, please. Here is a picture of a few of the lacecapes that I will move in the spring. I am mulling over what to plant in their place. It needs substance and winter presents as it is against the house and below the windows that I spend most of my time in front of year round. There is a climbing yellow climbing rose which has not been happy with the lacecaps blocking out the sun. What ever it is, it can't get too big, 3' to 4' and airy not dense like an ilex, as I do like having spring bulbs in that bed as an under planting. It is edged with perpetual blooming strawberries for DH. Bloom color is less important. Maybe Cornus sericea 'Arctic Fire'TM with some variegated caryopteris summer sorbet, which I already have growing near by, so those two would give both winter and summer color. I would love some ideas for this hot east facing, narrow bed along the house. It gets southern sun too. The picture is taken looking due south. Thanks, Patti