What are you working on??

FW order just arrived. Will probably plant on Monday.

take a pic of miss grace

I will.

Sounds like a caryopteris to me too pixie. Here is another site. http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/CADKP.html?mv_pc=dgar
Only other thing I could think of was a vitex but it usually blooms earlier than now I think. http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/2220/chaste-tree.php

I don't think a Vitex would be hardy that far north and blooms in Aug. I have never seen caryopteris so big, but don't you just love them. This was a nice new one for me this year. Patti

Patti, Bills were as tall if not taller than me!

Nice to see you posting ^_^

This message was edited Sep 24, 2010 1:59 PM

snow fairy patti?

mine did take off this year. not as tall as celeste though - optical illusion as they are on slope next to the brick patio

That's a pretty one Patti. My two 'Sunshine Blue' are as tall as me, that's just shy of 5' but I did trim them back this spring. Vitex in z5 may be it's limit so it is a long shot for up there in Vt. but only other thing I could think of with that size and blue flowers at the end of summer early fall.

Not a great fan of vitex. And it sounds like a industrial product of some kind!

i have one that has not bloomed in two years - may move it to another location - it is in the "dead" zone by my driveway.

My whole garden was the dead zone this year!

i hear you - so maybe i am jumping the gun - although even the forsythia have wilted and that takes a lot!

One other thing that is blooming now, has kind of strappy but sparse leaves, is very purple with horizontal pompoms, and is about 5' tall and could spread to a large area is verbena bonariensis.
Here is a link with pics. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/199969/

This message was edited Sep 24, 2010 2:43 PM

Patti, that combo in the caryopteris is very cool looking....now I have 2 that I like.

I love my Vitex, but not the name either. Sounds like a vitamin for the elderly. I should take some.

Sorry that plant is Caryopteris x clandonensis White Surprise. Close up. From Avant garden this spring Patti

I have a few Vitex, but can find only one picture of a still small one. I love having color in the late summer that the deer don't eat. It blooms out late which is a minus, though I am taking the lead of several of you all on this forum and growing early blooming clematis up through them. Thanks. Patti

i will have to check that one out patti - makes me wonder if it is the reverse of snow fairy?

vitex looks good is that a jm in front? which one?

sun or shade. It seems to me variegated foliage prefers shade.

irisMa, it is a pretty sunny spot with some afternoon light shade.

Wha, it is a Rhus tiger eyes.

thanks. Our sunny spots are full of irises. We used to have a caryopteris but it was in shade.

i think white surprise and snow fairy are same plant - will grab a pick later.

thx for the id - looks good together

Duh - I never ordered Miss Grace! I'll try to get it now.

Am ready to order 'White Surprise'.

We are having some work done on the house, and Thursday one of the contractors backed his truck over the top of my 3 yr-old magnolia tree, breaking it right off. I didn't want to have spring come with no magnolia blossoms, so I took the last one the nursery had: Royal Star Magnolia. The previous one had been Leonard Messel, which has large pink blooms. This new one is white. While at the nursery, I saw an aster that looked a bit different: it was labeled Henry III. We'll see how it does next year. The maples in pots are turning color. A beautiful time of year.

Went to Sue's today to help her expand her garden, took some red twig dogwood and callicarpa I rooted, hoping they make it thru the winter. Also took some bulbs we split from the co-op, and a few other things from my garden. And we got the plants from the RU in.
We probably expanded it 20 x 5 feet, on the inside of the fence she already had a garden outside the fence. I forgot to look for a caryopteris before I went. We didn't get it finished, but a lot done.

granite sorry to hear about the magnolia! i would not have been happy at all - sounds slike you took it in stride - royal star is nice.

You sound calmer than I would have been.

Deb, Very cool that your sis(right?) is into gardening too

how can you not know what you ordered?? :)

Senility! Now I ordered it, along with a fothergilla and a viburnum.

:)

Which viburnum did you get?

V. lantana 'Aureum', for that area where the tree was removed

Dug up my caladiums to get them dried out...who knows when the temp would drop, so wanted to get that done. The smaller ones were already starting to die back.

When digging them out some larger bulbs split like a baked potato, are they still viable?

Never did caladiums but if they have eyes like other tubers then if they dry okay, the half with eyes will probably grow just fine. Someone with actual experience can be a better source of info if they answer.
Planted the "hair" from the pothead planters in the ground yesterday. One is sedum 'Green Spruce' (Boy) and the other is carex 'Evergold' (Girl). Hope to divide next year and repot for planters and leave some in the ground too.

hee hee cute!

i know i mentioned it before - i like those pot heads pat!

They do make me smile too. A little paint touch up is called for next spring I think though.

Love her hair! Very cute!!

love those planters... one year my caladiums did fine... the next year they rotted.. going to try again this year though

I never had any luck with them. They're annuals for me now.