Cure for the winter blahs- Pretty Pictures 2

Oh, I hope my vitex survives winter in a pot and looks as nice as yours, Indygg. Is that a special cultivar or something?

Good job Veronica! Don't ya get irritated with plants sold as red being pink or sold as blue and turn out purple? I've seen red, white, and blue mixtures sold that I knew were pink, white, and purple, LOL. You've done a great job of picking the right plants :-)

Sheryl, I'm growing a Vitex I started from seed last year. Its a new plant for me, but it really surprised me- bloomed the first year from wintersown seed!

Tammy, Have you tried any of the shorter Gaillardia on that slope? They love to be parched and thrive on poor soil. Some of the shorter Asters might do well too.

PG I have had it 3 years and it has survived. I hope it continues. Don't know the origin but someone bought it at a local grocery and gave it to me. I think they get their plants from some lady in KY
Neal fortunately those look pretty true. Don't know how it will turn out next year as I am sure there will be a few different plants in there. You really have to watch those for sale combos unless you can see the blooms.
Veronica

If anyone noticed the plant just in front of the Vitex it is my one and only Cherry Brandy rudbeckia. It started out great but by summers end it had crashed. Was hoping at least to get seeds but no it would not hold out for me. boo hoo... In the picture it had not bloomed yet..
Just remembered I have the tag that come with the vitex and it is Shoal Creek.
Veronica

This makes me long for summer. I had 3 of those large 'Black and Blue' salvia that I had kept over for 3 years from one plant. I didn't save any plants this year except my rosemary and some pelargoniums that I pulled up. Guess I better start saving my money for plants and try to grow some from seed.

I have some seeds for a Vitex. I wondering if I should start the seeds now or wait till spring.

Marti, I wintersowed the Vitex with no problem, so they may require cold treatment?

Indy - I love those gigantic blue salvia's. I've gotten seed
from the Hardy Plant Society exchange but none germinated
for me.

Stormy - I have not tried gallardia. I've been on a pennsetmon
and dianthus kick. I've got all sorts of sedums going there too.
I have a number of more exotic plants too - saxifragas (silver
encrusted), erigerons, delasperma (not so exoctic but newish)
and such. I'll try the gaillardia - they would add a later summer
bloom.

I love the fluffy pink of soapwort / Saponaria ocymoides. I
was given a tray of plugs to share with a friend a number of
years ago and they pleasantly self seed themselves each
year.

Tammy, that's a shame about the seeds. Sounds like they might have been too old. I put in an interesting Saxifraga last year. It's Saxifraga Silver Velvet.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/82177/

Tammy, I love B&B Salvia, and I'm sure you will too- its been completely winter hardy for me. I've had it 5 years now. If my luck holds, I'll either get a division for you or some cuttings rooted this spring :-)

Gemini, I'm glad to hear you say that as I put in a lot of it this summer. I was however, very busy with the fall chores and forgot to take cuttings of the Pineapple Sage, which I loved.

Stormy, did your Pineapple sage bloom? I grew it once, and only had blooms just before frost. It bummed me out, so I never tried them again.

Neal that is what I hope will happen to my B and B salvia. My weather and yours is not too different so I am hoping...
Stormy I also didn't get any pineapple sage cuttings. Last year it did not bloom much and was later; too late for the hummers (which I didn't see many of) I was disappointed but will get me another plant and start over. I hate to see my list when I go to get my plants as I didn't keep any of the ones that need to be taken in. I better start writing them down now.

Neal mine always bloomed before this year. I thought it might have been in too much shade. They grew so big maybe all the growth went to foliage because of all the rain.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2010 6:47 PM

Veronica, it looks like you've got that bed well mulched. I'm sure a good blanket of protection will do the trick.

You have given me hope.

Neal, that's what the pineapple sage does - it blooms just before frost. I remembered to take cuttings, they just didn't survive my negligent watering. I always forget how badly a wood burning stove dries the air out.

Edited to add: it isn't often you see such a nice stand of the Black 'n Blues - seems like they're only onesies or twosies.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2010 5:52 PM

Gemini, They bloom very late for me. I have them in several locations and they all seemed to bloom around the last week in October. They were still in bloom when they froze about the second week in December.

Indygardengal, I don't think shade or rain was your problem. Heaven knows we had constant deluges here from Spring through Fall. The PS over in this area only gets the amount of light that you see in the photo after 3:30 pm, in October. That's not more than 2.5 hours of dappled sun a day. Of course, there were longer hours of sun earlier in the summer when it was growing, but still not much before 3:30 to 4 pm.

man you guys are chatty! I can't keep up... forgive
the response to an older post.

I've killed that saxafraga. I didn't realize it needed
such a wet area! My wet areas are full of primroses
(well... almost. I actually them them seed into my
grass last year).

Neal - I'm trying the seed again but a cutting would
be really cool! ;-)

Tam

Nice plant
Picture for today.

Stormy your pineapple sage is very nice. Mine just grew so big is the reason I blamed the rain.... They just didn't bloom seems like years before they started in late Sept and bloomed heavily until frost. I plan on trying again for sure.

1836 That border around your house is very attractive..Is that Ligularia? Is the bed in shade. I have a bed on the w side of my house that has quite a bit of shade due to some maple trees. Wonder if the Ligularia would survive there. Sometimes I have problems with the tree roots but would be willing to try something new. I have always admired that plant( if it is what I think it is)

Indy Yes that garden is on the west side and pines keep the sun off for much of the day.I would give your west side a try,it might do the trick.

Indygardengal, I grow 4 or 5 types of Ligularia. They do love shade, dappled shade, not complete dark. But you might have problems with the Maples. Ligularias are very thirsty plants and the Maples will win hands down in that competition.

good info Stormy

Oh, and Ligularia are not bothered by Juglone.

Whats tha Juglone

That's the substance Black Walnut trees secrete that often kills off plants near them.