Summertime plant shopping

Holly, sweet little plant. Beautiful foliage.

I was at one of the better local Nurseries looking for mini heuchera and they showed me this little gem.

Very nice Holly! I'd be happy to trade in lieu of some cash for the Acanthus 'Summer Beauty' I'm saving for you and Ric, if they have another one.

How much was it? And, what size pot is that?

Anyone else want me to pick up a Doublicious Hydrangea for them? (Pic 2)

Pic 3 Two mini heucheras

Pic 4 Two NOID Heucheras that jumped into my cart at HD yesterday. They are supposed to be the same kind but I doubt it.

gorgoeus violet!

Coleup, I also picked up a noid heuchera from HD that looks a lot like the bottom one in pic #4. Very pretty coloring.

Holly, that's probably the prettiest violet I've ever seen.

Coleup,

The search is on for Judy's Surprise..
http://www.hostalibrary.org/j/j.html

Great buys, everyone. Every time I see something here that I want, or look at the sale at Santa Rosa Gardens, I go back to the two huge tables in front of the garage with the remainder of the plants that need to go in, and my enthusiasm for purchasing wanes.

Not sure what we paid for it Ric paid. I do think it was a bit pricey will ask him tomorrow. It was the only one they had at the time. Will get back with more info tomorrow.

Paul---
I don't "get it" (NOT unusual...)----What is all this about "Judy's Surprise"

Are we searching for a Hosta called Judy--something????

G.

Gita,

She picked up a hosta for me called "Paul's Glory." So now we have to find Judy's hosta.

HaHaHa Paul! That Hosta Library site is cool. I like Judy Blue Eyes, too. Did you look at the pictures of Pauls Glory? Don't you just love how it changes leaf by leaf over the season? Interesting variety for sure.

Will you be at Sallyg's Casual Thursday next week? If so, I could bring your plants then.

I would like to be there yes. I will know for sure if I can make it at the beginning of next week. I could use a nice relaxed evening with some gardeners.

Yea I noticed that, we will see if that holds up.

Holly, Viola walterii "Silver Gem" is a selection by Mt Cuba ! Plants available from Lazy S and plant plugs from North Creek
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lazyssfarm.com/Plants/Perennials/U-Z_files/U-Z_Images/Viola%2520walteri%2520'Silver%2520Gem'3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lazyssfarm.com/Plants/Perennials/U-Z_files/U-Z_Images/viola_walteri_silver_gem.htm&usg=__StmfYKaV51tYLBrSgRfWNgIFVsI=&h=200&w=200&sz=11&hl=en&start=5&sig2=nnsTKJvNT2LSPlLndqZbnw&zoom=1&tbnid=lG7S4m3z6zLBTM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=104&ei=ZH62UbXuDqjl0QGznIGQDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dviola%2Bwalteri%2Bsilver%2Bgem%26sa%3DX%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&sa=X&ved=0CDQQrQMwBA

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/_ccLib/image/plants/DETA-548.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/548/index.htm&usg=__dl8-yChMEeeMx8kGu8MUOAn2Ojo=&h=200&w=300&sz=21&hl=en&start=1&sig2=GGtn0VFpY9ARiyZyPnn3Dw&zoom=1&tbnid=mRtK3lOi0DZRUM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=116&ei=ZH62UbXuDqjl0QGznIGQDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dviola%2Bwalteri%2Bsilver%2Bgem%26sa%3DX%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&sa=X&ved=0CCwQrQMwAA


Viola walteri ‘Silver Gem’: Prostate blue violet. Tough native ground cover with trailing stems and delicate violet-blue flowers. Grows a tidy but dense mat of attractive silver, heart shaped foliage with green veining. . Excellent ground cover. Drought tolerant once established. Pt. shade/ shade. Ht. 3-5 inches. Z6-8.

Holly - where did you find that cute violet?

At one of our better local nurseries.

Paul--

I hope you make it to Sally's....it will be relaxing....sitting, chatting, eating....
Don't know if she had beer????

Happy and I both said we are bringing a bottle of wine though.

Hope to see you. g.

Question for you:

Down one side of my awful front hill runs a corrugated drain pipe, that is partially buried. (I have since learned that corrugated pipes are a bad idea because they allows plenty of spots for water to hold that mosquitoes can breed it, but I can't revisit that decision now.) We have put dirt on it, but the dirt washes off, and the pipe is an eyesore.

We are trying to bury it a bit deeper, but I'd also like to plant something on top of it that has spreading roots (rather than a major tap root) so the roots will help hold the dirt in place over the pipe.

So I am hoping to locate a perennial plant that: has a spreading root system (so I guess anything that is known for stopping erosion), can handle a mostly sunny spot, likes dry poor soil, is not deer candy, is long-lived, and has roots that run out a bit to each side. Oh, and it can't be too seedy or too aggressive, and can't require much maintenance. Native would be nice. Does such a plant exist?

In my zone, the Ajuga Black Scallop is not aggressive and does a great job of holding down weeds. We have a white polyurethane pipe that runs along a small garden next to the garage. I spray paint it a camouflage color so that it blends in.

Well camoflauge is a great color. ;)

That's an interesting idea. I had been imagining a taller plant, but there is no reason a shorter plant wouldn't do....

that Ajuga sounds nice,
my other thought was creeping sedum.
Possibly creeping thyme. I have some from Critter, has made a sold mat that has expanded about six- 10 inches per year.

This is a big area - at least 40 feet long by the width of the pipe, winding down a steep hill at the borderline between my property and my neighbor's. So I need something that isn't tiny and is tough as nails. Thyme is fussy for me because our soil is such heavy clay.

Sedum might work -- thanks, Sally.

Another plant I've been toying with is Baptisia Australis, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/b660/baptisia-australis.aspx.

Happy, Baptisia Australis has tap roots, I think. How about Bee Balms and Obedient Plants? I don't think they are the most attractive plants after they have bloomed. The plant selections also depend on the location of the area. If it is right on the path or very close to the house, you may want to find something with better looking foliage.

Thanks, Donner. It is on the side property line of my house, but in the front. So it is not invisible, but not by a pathway either. Obedient plant is a little invasive for that spot, no? And Bee Balm may need more water than we can provide. I know, I'm being fussy. Maybe an ornamental grass?

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'?

MINT!

Spreading roots. Evergreen foliage. Edible and can harvested.
Low-growing--but attractive. Drought tolerant. Mounding growth.
What else do you need?

I can bring you lots of Spearmint--just let me know.....

G.

meh, I don' tthink mint. Once you unleash that monster it'll be a nightmare. Creeps far without making a solid mass, will get weedy.

I think regular liriope or monkey grass would be best.

Sigh. I knew this would be tough. Mint would be too invasive. Liriope and mondo grass are too dull (I have way too much liriope holding back erosion in other spots, as it is, so I'm quite tired of it).

Helloooo! Sally, I'm glad you had such a great trip in the canyon lands!!

We just got back from Orlando... a week, yes a WEEK at Disney, and better yet we were with my parents and my brother's family. The only thing better than Disney is Disney with COUSINS! We had a blast. We were supposed to get home last night but flight was cancelled after multiple delays. Best place to lose an engine: while you're still on the ground!!

Anyway, back on topic...

Happy, does that mean you don't still want a bushel (or 3) of liriope? I dug some out just before we left, and I bet it's still just fine in its heap out back, plus there are a bunch more clumps that need to be cut back, and I don't need to keep but maybe half of it.

Here is a panorama of my awful front hill (AFH) as of today. The shots move from left to right. I didn't work on the area to the left of the stairs -- that is grass (bottom half), and pachysandra and daffodils (top half). There are 13 shots in all, ending with my neighbor's front yard.

The hill is still awful -- the plants are mostly very tiny -- but I can see a hint of a possibility of a prospect for a better future. You can still see all my green tracking tape, which looks absurd but I need it to keep from getting lost. What you can't see is how very terribly steep the hill is. In the front all the way across is a row of ditch lilies.

This message was edited Jun 14, 2013 5:03 PM

This is the middle section of the awful front hill, again, left to right. The photos on the right show the buried drain pipe.

And here is the end of the series, again left to right -- from where the drainpipe is (it looks like a river of dark brown dirt) to the right is my neighbor's yard. She just pulled out a lot of miscanthus (it was too seedy) and 3 pine trees, which is why there is a large empty area. But you can see how nice it is on the far right. Her yard got me inspired to do this huge project.

We talked and decided to carry over her row of liriope at the bottom to cover the bottom of the drain pipe area (she has some quite nice liriope, and that will give some continuity). She offered to sprinkle a package of perennial plant seeds on the dirt river, but I wasn't excited about that. So we are still looking and thinking about what to put in. She is interested in a lilac. We have one but it doesn't bloom. I may try a Miss Kim there since it does better in "southern" climates like ours.

Oops - the last photo on the right is out of order....

This message was edited Jun 14, 2013 5:10 PM

If the drainpipe is very straight, I would avoid inadvertently making a straight line of one plant.
If curved, how about some large river rocks, and sedum can trickle along through them?
I will "happy"-ly share within an inch of my rampant sedums Angelina and Blue Spruce if it helps. I know such a large hill will suck them right up, but...

Happy--

I have to chuckle--we all have our acronyms for our most hated aspects of our gardens.

You have the "AFH".
I have my"YUK" bed (which has No verbal meaning)---and my
"SEM"---which is my "Stupid Earth Machine" composter......

Gita

LOL.
My mom tried blue rug juniper on a sunny clay hill but wasn't too great. Recently I thought of something that might have been better. Can I remember it NOW? NO. grrrr
You want all my wintercreeper?? It will do the job, really.

LOL. Thanks, so sweet of you to offer the wintercreeper, but I'll pass. The drainpipe was curved; it was worked on today and might no longer be curved -- I'm not sure.

Sally -- I'd be delighted to try to sedums -- it'd be great if they'd work even a little bit. You are right, one long march of one plant might look a bit dumb.

Some big rocks might also help hold the drainpipe in place... maybe use a couple of rebars to keep the rocks from tumbling! Have you tried veronica in that area?

Wow! That is a very large area, Happy. If I were you, I would use several plants and repeat them in large numbers so that the slope won't look too busy. Also, planting some shrubs will reduce the amount of work you have to do in looking after perennials.