Plant collections

I know there are certain types of plants that interest me more than others so I tend to try to collect all kinds of let's say lavateras. I tend find myself this year looking for more and different kinds of erysiums or helianthemums. In the herbaceous perenniel family what are some of the collections that some of you have. I know we have lots of brugaholics and roseaholics but I was thinking more herbaceous perenniels.

My 'pet' genus's are:
Pelargonium
Thymus
Adiantum

those are the major ones at any rate....
there are many minor ones like Santolinas... would probably be more into them if there weren't only 15 types out there.

drew

Digitalis species is one of my interests, not too fussed about the cultivars.

Apart from that I tend to have Primula, Viola and an array of bulbous plants among the rest of the mess.

Phlox paniculata, maculata and Carolina and daylilies. Those are my "pet perennials" Plus any other kind of phlox except the subulata. I don't care for it.

My problem is I would like to collect almost everything, but of course I know that is impossible. I do collect a lot of daylilies. Also have quite a few different Pentstemons, Campanulas, and trees. I love trees. One of these days I will go out and make a list of the different trees I have planted here in the past 8 years. Donna

Hostas, Pardancandas, Heuchera, Geranium, Hibiscus...Daylilies...

Phlox? I just discovered Phlox paniculata 'Laura', in full bloom now, and it maybe the start of something new!!! It is purple, with a white eye, lovely. (Thanks, Poppysue!)

Pardancanda, there is a whole series of those genetically dwarf phlox. I like Pink Dream and Snow White too.
I forgot about heucheras, hostas and campanulas!! I'm just a plantaholic!! I also collect tropical vines, passifloras and all things fragrant. There is no hope for me.

Thanks, Calalily, more Phlox to look up and no doubt decide I 'need'. I do like one of the P. subulata, it is 'Blue Hills' from Wayside, a more refined color than the others, and blooms at the same time as the early blue flag iris, and is a good color match.

I dearly love brugs, but also have nice collections of coleus and colocasia/alocasias. trying very hard not to start another collection! LOL!

tiG, I did something terrible... I bought a Coleus! It was marked down to 99cents, from $4, as it was getting too large!!! It is the new one called 'Whirleybird', with those round leaves...

I used to grow coleus, but never did they have 'names'. Had some heirloom kinds I kept going year after year, but eventually the cuttings rotted when I forgot to keep the water fresh.

cool, start me one for the fall!! I can't help it either, if I saw one for 99cents, I'd get it too.

Well, I have all those roses, but the plants that I search out are violas, dianthus and most anything with a daisy form and a little interest. I'm also getting back to having a genuine herb garden after having given it up when we moved into the house and the yard that was mine became calf pasture.

Then, there are the hellebores, geraniums, lobelias and a small collection of astilbe. Could someone find me a plant (besides brugs) that I DON'T want to collect, please?

did I mention natives?

Aaaw Kathleen, you need brugs! What did y'all have to mention coleus for?? I think I'm up to 54 varieties of coleus now and the ears(I love xanthosomas), I quit counting when I got over two dozen different ones of those.
Pardancanda, I will have to find that subulata that you mentioned. Wonder if it will grow in zone 10?

Kathleen

You don't want to collect Grasses, now there's a huge family already eliminated for you. No one needs Brugmansias, ours finally bloomed and it's something of a severe let down to not be able to compost it (Mom said she'd keep it if it bloomed this year)

Of course you could always compost the Roses and give yourself a lot more space for worthwhile stuff .....



(hehehe)

Ahh I forgot, orchids, now there's a family you need a big wallet for. Still have them though ...

tiG, I already took cuttings to make the plant bushier! Will hope to have some for the roundup.

Calalily, I am not sure about the Phlox in zone 10! It does go 'very' dormant in winter. I could send you a piece to try!

LOL, Baa, about grasses, do orchard grass, blue grass, white grass, timothy, perennial rye and reed canary count? I have LOTS of them! Did I tell you I bought 8 new rose bushes this year?

Cala, I know you love them, but after having seen the "little" ones you guys were hauling around in the car last year, and hearing someone's story about brug abuse, I just really can't find anyplace in my heart for them. Blame it on the hollyhocks taking up all the extra room in my yard.

did I mention malvas?

This message was edited Wednesday, Jul 16th 5:54 AM

I can understand your liking of lavateras/mallows. I am seeing different kinds this summer that I would love to get a snip of.

Lobelias,ornamental grasses,tree peony's,clematis....

and I won't even start on the tropicals.......

and just so you know

ITS ALL YOUR FAULT !!!!ALL OF YOU !LOL

Penstemons and salvias, there are so many neat ones now.

Yes, Liz, I couldn't agree more, the salvias and penstemons are pretty awesome.

all of the above plus a few more! LOL I would love to have a full time gardener or two to do the stuff I don't want to do and the stuff I don't have time to do. sigh

I really think my biggest collection is: "Weeds of Idaho" since I have many of them on my property with hardly any hope of ever getting most of them gone even with the goats and sheep here working 7-24's.

Oh, salvias! did I mention salvias?????

Tiarellas and heucherellas and heucheras. Also hostas. Ferns are great for collecting: I have 20 different kinds, hardy and tender.

How about a really bizarre one? I am starting to collect Alchemellia (lady's mantle). I have 6 different species! Bet nobody knew there were that many!

Bamboos (8 different ones so far and counting).

Roses don't count? Why not? I currently have 34 different roses cultivars, if you count seedlings.

I would love to collect penstemons, but sadly, they don't love me. Usually commit suicide after the first year :(

8 different alchemillas , that is interesting. How do they differ? I have one and I really enjoy it, the bloom is a great filler in arrangements. I love the way the water beads up on the leaves.

Lupy, the penstemons bloom along the hot dry highways out here. I need to get out and collect some seeds this week of a pink one that I fell for.

I also have six bamboos so far with promises of three more soon from a friend.

ok.......Kathy......why not ROSES????????

Just teasing Baa about her "weeds" *grin

Lavateras for me too. Especially the bush forms, i.e. Barnsley. Roses of course, anything daisy like, cranesbill, erodium, heuchera, dianthus, lavender, salvia, campanula, violas......and there's more!! :-)