Share your "MUST HAVE'S" and "MONEY WASTERS"

One of the reasons that I love this forum is that it reinforces the fact that I am not alone in my obsession with plants and playing in the dirt. I KNOW that I am not the only one leafing through garden and seed catalogs and making lists of all of the things that I MUST try this year. For that reason, I thought it would be fun to share some of the plants that we feel are a "must have" in our PNW gardens. What are some of the things that you treasure in your garden? If people are looking to add a rose, a clematis, a hosta, a shade plant, a grass, a bamboo.... what would you highly recommend? Along the same lines, are there plants out there that may look good on paper but after growing (or killing) them, are there things that you would definitely avoid? What have you been disapointed with?

********NOTE, I LIKE'D GWEN'S REQUEST TO PUT THE MONEY WASTERS IN ANOTHER THREAD so I am starting another thread for that.*******

I for one am adding clems (thanks Katie and Katye for the push.....) and would love to add some carix and grassy/bambooy plants. Anything that people would recommend?

I have a few that I will add as time permits today. The first that I will start with is the Trollius europaeus "Globe Flower". I have seen this in very few gardens, and I just love it. It is such a glorious color, about 1 1/2' tall, and the seed heads are really cool as well. It likes sun and moist soil, and the only downside I have found is that the slugs enjoy it (not enough to decimate it though if you bait).

This message was edited Feb 12, 2010 4:13 PM

I would also highly recommend daylilies (hemerocallis) to anyone who doesn't already grow them. This is my major garden addiction, so I have gone a bit overboard, but IMHO they are one of the best all around low maintenance garden flowers. I am not talking about the common little "Stella De Oro" variety of daylily which you see everywhere, but the big, bold bright ones that grab your eyes from across the garden. One of the coolest things about daylilies is that there is a size and color that will compliment almost every garden planting. Yellows, reds, oranges, purples, pinks.... the whole sphere. The older varieties are very inexpensive, and most clump fairly quickly. This is Carey Quinn front left, Tanamara rear left, Tuscawilla Tigress front right, and Outrageous back right.

If you are into cream/lavender, you could try "Eyes a Blue"

Or for a flashy yellow, there is "Hyperion"

Or a nice bright pink like "Strawberry Candy"

Or a dark purple red like "Wayside King Royal"

Could we put the money wasters into its own thread? I for one have planted more money wasters than must haves and would like to see everyone else's list of MW so I don't put in even more!

I need something to help turn the compost pile. It is really hard to do with a pitchfork. Any ideas? I have wasted too much money on things that don't work so I need a recommendation!

Judy, I saw someone in one of the threads raving about a compost turner.... maybe it was Mauryhillfarm? I am spoiled because I turn our big pile at Mom's with the tractor, but will be watching for an an answer, because I would like to turn my one pile that it is difficult to get the tractor to.

Glorious Daisys are also a very good flower to grow. They grow quickly from seed and bloom the first year. Last summer through fall. Lots of different yellow/orange/browns color. Butterflies, bees love them and you can leave them up throughout the winter with seeds for the birds. And they re-seed themselves and inter-breed for different color combos. They go well with daylilies

Good idea for a thread. Thanks. Oh my goodness, your daylilies are so beautiful. When do I plant the daylily seeds that you gave me? Should they be WS or in the warm GH or the cold GH?

Willow, I agree with the daisys! They are a wonderful splash of color!

Lynn, Soak the DL seed for a couple of days, and then plant in the greenhouse. I don't use underneath heat, but I always like to germinate them in the warm greenhouse just to make sure that they come up. Make sure not to keep them over wet once they are planted as the seeds will rot. All seeds of a similar variety can be planted in the same 4" pot... they are easy to divide out once they are ready for transplanting. Once they get their second set of leaves, they can be hardenend off to go outside in a sheltered area. They are not very fragile once they have sprouted.

I have taut my dogs to dig in the compost pile to turn it. Butter is such a ham she waits for permission and I tell her to get the mousy and she pounces and digs. Then they all dig. If only they could do it quietly.
I have also used my mini tiller.

I think the trollis are pretty when blooming but look like the weedy buttercup when not blooming. I think people would weed them and who wants to look at a weedy looking plant only for a few weeks of pretty flowers.

Judi, Hi, Julie requested that I post a source for my compost crank for you. I've had it for 2 years. It does work very well and makes turning the compost a lot easier. It's easy to clean and is a lot better than using a shovel or pitchfork. You just jab it down into the pile, twist and lift. I usually do the four corners and then the center of the pile. That's all it takes to turn a 4' x 4' pile.

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-5591-the-compost-crank.aspx

Thanks Stormyla so much for taking the time to share it with us!

Thank you Stormyla. I am going to order one right now!

I have found that clematis grow great in the Portland area. They are fairly inexpensive, hard to kill and not a lot of work other than pruning them. Pruning can be a bit tricky but once you get the hang of the 3 types it's really easy.

Fuchsias do very well around here also. They are a lot of work though. And I am getting older and it gets harder and harder to bring them all in in the fall. (52 baskets of them). There are a lot of hardy varieties that grow well in the ground. They nead to be mulched well but other than that they do great in shady areas.


This message was edited Feb 13, 2010 6:14 AM

Judi, I hope that you are happy with it. It took some playing around to discover the best way to use it. My pleasure.

That is a beautiful clematis! I am just drooling over that!
One plant that I didn't even know I had, since it must have come in a pot with something else, is Aster latifolius. I don't even know what cultivar it was, but when that thing bloomed this year, it was the best looking plant in the garden. Full sun and it was just a glorious sight. I had no idea what it was until I saw a photo in a book somewhere and recognized it. I mean, I knew it was an aster, since that was obvious, but I wasn't sure the species. Long arching branches of pinky white tiny daisy-like flowers well into fall. I don't know why I didn't take a photo. Probably too busy doing garden chores.

I would love to see Butter digging in the compost! Too funny! Yes, the trollius do look a little like the weedy buttercups. But they do bloom for a long time, and I'm going to try mine again. I had them planted in the wrong spot. They've only been in one place, so they still have two places to go before they get settled. I love the bright orange color. Julie, I noticed there was some seed at the swap for that plant. I hope you got some. Also, those need plenty of water.

Money waster: any plant I have bought at a wholesale coop and been stupid enough to plant directly into the ground, or leave in a pot over the winter where the drainage was not perfect.

Oh that clematis is wonderful!

Oh, Julie, you are just the woman I need to talk to - we 'lost' the lonicera hedge this winter under a pile of snow (I am so choked up about it I can't stop dancing - gone gone gone, hehe) - that aside I am now trying to work out what to do with all the extra space and I was thinking about Daylilies. Will they tolerate shade? If so how much (piece of string question that one), and I want a dusty bricky red.

It is quite a shady area, and up against an old stone wall - I'm planning on Drymas (that's not spelled right), Daphne odora aureomarginata, and possibly a physocarpus (red leaf). I have melianthus minor (these can be moved - probably will be moved), and three Pat Austin roses (soft dusty orange), as well as Disporum Night Heron. The shade is caused by a birch, betula sinensis. I was thinking of the Daylily backing the roses and growing into them (more sun on that side) with another clump on the forward side with Papaver Patti's plum.

You are not obliged to be able to answer any of the above - but advice and suggestions gratefully accepted.

The photo of the purple clematis on the trellis has me depressed now. Thanks a lot...

My must haves are columbine. I look forward to their bloom in the early spring, and usually pop a new one in here or there.

I also agree on the daylillies. I plan to create a memorial garden of sorts using daylillies as the backbone -- you can literally find a named variety for any person you have lost. I plan to put this on a western hillside and let it mingle into the surrounding field. May use some iris as well.

Another must have - peonies. They have aptly been referred to as the workhorse of the garden. Early to emerge, beautiful flowers, tidy foliage that then turns a lovely shade in the fall. I try to limit my peonies to singles as the doubles tend to stick their faces in the mud after any rain, but I do admire the doubles in less wet conditions (eastern WA).

Mugwort is another favorite. Feathery foliage on red stalks, with sprays of white flowers.

I think any plant that has attractive foliage when not in bloom is a real plus. You can then work with both the leaves and the flower.

Mstish, your pic is not only beautiful but makes me totally long for spring/summer!

Laurie, I am snickering picturing your "dance of sorrow" about losing your lonicera hedge! Daylilies will not do well in full shade, but they will definitely tolerate part shade. There are many many reds in all shapes and sizes, so you will definitely be able to find something that will work for you. Hmmm.... dusky bricky red....

Highland lord? Supposedly a double, but hasn't doubled well for me. Doesn't matter because I love it!

Or maybe Marauder? I just adore this one as it blooms and blooms.

Or Paint the Town Red.... this one was new to me last year, so didn't have an opportunity to get too many pics, and none without slug damage, but it shows promise of being a great addition to the garden. You can find reds in almost every range, and being in a climate similar to ours, they should perform wonderfully for you. I always get a smug feeling when I am conversing with daylily friends from the warmer states who don't like many of the deep colors as they fade into nothingness before noon. (But on the flip side, they can grow toothy and edged varieties which don't bloom true here at all.....)

Bonehead, you are right, peonies and columbine are wonderful! I was not a big columbine fan (the "common" ones get rust really bad in my garden if I don't cut back the leaves after they flower) until my Barlow varieties got better established, but now I am a believer! I have started a few additional varieties again this year. Your daylily based memorial project sounds fantastic.

Must have more of:
a) tree peonies
b) Daphnes
c) Sempervirums
d) Sedums
e) Echeverias
f) perennial geraniums
g) hardy cactus
h) natives (for me, tri-cities WA)
i) Hoyas

-- if anyone wants to do a trade I'm interested. What I have available changes all the time...

Must have:
a) Hardy Agave
b) Callirhoe
c) iris
d) daylily
c) edible grapes
d) asparagus

Wouldn't you like to be a professional namer? I want to make up the names for paint colours and blossoming plants - this has got to be one of the best jobs! Why in the world is a day lily named Marauder? Nonetheless, lovely - just weird name. I'm good with Paint the town Red - and I have just found it in the Crocus list. thank you.

the two spots I am thinking of are only part shade (although fairly part) so it will be a bit of experiment.

BH, I love the idea of a hillside and into the field planting - but I am wondering if daylilies have to be lifted/divided to keep them blossoming well?

This place has funny daylily names. http://happymoosegardens.com/daylilies/price_list.htm

Love the one called The Moose Camped in a Tent on Tuesday!

Laurie, I am into my fourth year of breeding my own daylilies (long process, and have only had two years of seeing some of my seedlings bloom, but the joy of it is unbelievable!) so I plan on at least giving garden names to bunches. My mom and I had a ball one night sitting down with a glass of wine and coming up with daylily names. All of the names we came up with related to our world here in South Prairie... our family, pets, and surroundings. A second step of the fun is going to be wandering around with our goofy list and deciding what fits which plant. I have one that has a registration name reserved (am waiting for one more year of bloom to determine details of branching and budcount before officially registering it). It was one of my very best seedlings from the first year I was breeding, and I named it in memory of my father.... "To Sir With Love"

Daylilies in our area don't need to be divided regularly as they grow much slower than they do in the south. I have not divided any of mine just for bloom. I have divided a few to share or to spread around the yard, or just to decrease the size of a clump, but never for bloom. And they do make a wonderful hillside planting.

Ultasol, I dig or divide daylilies in the fall rather than the spring (way too muddy here right now!) but we have a vacation house in Othello, and the daylilies and iris thrive there... you will do well with them. We have quite a few iris over there that could use a bit of division next fall as well, so keep in touch and maybe we can work something out!

This is a bad pic as it was taken from the top of the shop, but this is the start of my "daylily retention wall" behind DH's shop. Most are just common old fashioned varieties that I bought in bulk just to keep the top of the wall from eroding. I am slowly adding more plants to the lower section.

Gwen, I forgot to say that I love reading the names at Happy Moose gardens! I have never purchased from them because they were beyond my budget, but go in each year to see what is new. Haven't been there for a while, but my favorite if I remember correctly was "A Moose Standing by the Pond on Tuesday".

Julie, that's a beautiful one, and aptly named!

I have always wanted the job of naming lipsticks. How fun would that be?

Julie I like your daylily wall.

Beautiful garden shots.

Irises do very well here. While I don't have any, I see them across town. I am also planting some native sagebrush and some agaves this year. I do have a couple winter hardy cactus in planters with hardy succulents.

Roses are growing very well for me, so I placed an order for some ramblers and climbing teas for a building and some fenceline. We have chain link fence (4ft) which is wonderful for keeping our dogs in and other critters out, but is FAR from attractive. My mission this year is to start covering the eyesore in our backyard. Future years can encompass pasture areas, etc.

We are redoing our pastures this year. Talk about a lot of work! We spread five truckloads of goat manure on what used to be driveway (is over our septic drainfield, which is NOT supposed to be driven on) and I am turning it into more pasture for the chickens and waterfowl.

I just *love* having acreage, although I really miss the non-irrigated summers in Upstate NY.

Anyone on the hot and dry side of Washington grow hydrangeas? Any cultivars you recommend?

Ultasol,

We don't have hydrangeas in our Ewa yard, so can't advise you that way. If you don't have lilacs, you NEED them. They do incredibly well over there. Also, the grapes you want will do wonders for your chain link fence.... so will morning glories. We also have wonderful luck with amaranthus "Love Lies Bleeding", which grows tall enough to disguise part of our fence. We also take advantage of the fence and have built a "tomato box" along a section, and use the fence to stake up the tomatoes. Works wonderfully!

Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you, but how fun to be able to create your world from the ground up!

Love the moose names - and what variety.

Julie, how exciting to be breeding plants - that makes two on this thread with Jim's hostas. I think Pixydish is a great name for a daylily. Please add to name list. We'll be patient.

And PORTLAND!!! You girlie - I'd never have guessed! Lipstick namer! I bet you have pretty lingerie in nice narrow, specialist drawers and those socks with turn-overs and lace ruffles to wear with your handmade brogues and stout tweed walking skirt looking neat and pert. I am surprised! OH, I just remembered, you are HIGH HEEL WOMAN! A new meaning to power walking!