I have a raised bed about 15 1/2 feet long that gets a little direct sun in the morning and light shade the rest of the day. So far I have a split leaved philodendron at one end and a hydrangea at the other end. I have another hydrangea and another split leaved philodendron I can use in this bed, but I like to stay away from planting pairs of things. So if I put 3 hydrangeas in, will I have any room to put anything in between or should I leave it at that?
Mary Lee
need advice for a raised bed
Put the hydrangeas and underplant them with small things - match the colors up or go bolder... really 3 Hydrangeas in 15 feet would be huge plants you will have loads of room depending on the look you are going for. They tend to be a very open crowed plant here most of the time too...sooo you could grow them with other plants growing inbetween them.. no problem!
Thanks Mitch, I was thinking it would look nice to put some ferns in between. Maidenhair does well here in a protected spot. This is on the south side of the house and the split leaved philodendron always makes it through the winter. Perhaps a wood fern also. I think holly fern would be too big. The bed is about 14 " from front to back.
Mary Lee
Have you thought about combines (sp?) Ihave some of them and they really like it here and the colors are anything you can dream.
glad to help - I love playing the what can I do here game.
Mitch
Mitch, LOL. Yes that's a great game. I play that game at work alot when things get monotonous.
I hadn't thought of trying columbine there. I had columbine in a raised bed once and it didn't like it. I think it must need more room for it's root system. The color would be great though. I found some yellow oxalis at the Natural Gardener in Austin a few days ago. That might work. I wish I had bought more. They were $7 each. Have you seen those? The yellow is really vivid and stands out. The sign did say they grow fast though, so maybe I can divide them in a year or so.
Mary Lee
I just looked up yellow oxalis on the plant files and the one they have is different. Mine appears to have double flowers instead of flat open flowers.
I have seen the double looking ones - very sharp. Would be good - there are so many fun things you can put in there... there are some hostas that would love to live there too if you can give them shade in a few years from the Hys.
I might try a hosta and see if it might be too warm in the winter. Patrob gave me some at the last RU, but she said the difficulty with hostas down here, is keeping them cold enough in the winter so they don't rot. This bed is warm enough that my philodendron comes through 32 degrees pretty good. But if I can find one real cheap I might take a chance on it.
There are some I have seen in deep south that have made it - they tell me it is all about the one you pick. So a cheap one might not make it if it is not the right one.... I have heard that they are a tricky thing to get going here.
Yes, you're right. On the hosta forum, someone posted a list of hostas that take the winter warmth better than others. There are actually quite a few. I forgot about that list. What I may try is leaving it in a pot and then for the winter put in the back yard where it won't be protected from the cold. Hey, I think we've got a winner! I have one now in a four inch nursery pot that needs transplanting. Well I may finally be getting somewhere with this bed. We've lived here 15 years and I've never been able to get anything to fill that bed. If I get something to grow there, this won't look like the same house!LOL
Great - glad to hear they will be a good fit!
For intermingling with your other plants ...
How about hardy begonia? I have some babies ... they grow very fast, but will die back near the end of the summer and then come back up in the spring. They make colonies. Too much sdirect sun in the heat of the summer will scorch the leaves.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/722/index.html
Strawberry begonia are great too. I have some of these too. Too much direct sun in the hottest part of the summer will make them unhappy, but you could plant them under other plants. The foliage is beautiful and the blooms are a delight even though they are small. They bloom in the spring (usually April).
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/53215/index.html
Hosta 'So Sweet' has done well for me.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2996/index.html
This message was edited Mar 12, 2006 9:09 PM
Hi Mary Lee,
I have quite a few hostas that are doing well and don't think any have ever rotted. I guess if they stood in water they might, but that's not a problem in Central Texas most of the time. LOL If you'd like more hostas, just let me know and I'll pot some up to bring to College Station in April.
Patricia
Hazel, those hardy begonias you gave me are amazing. I would like some more of those. I Have a friend who would like some too if you have enough to spare. Strawberry begonia would be fun to try. I grew that many years ago when we lived in an apartment. I had trouble keeping it happy, but maybe it's better grown outside.
I read the link on Hosta "So Sweet" and would really like to try that. Anything that sounds easy to grow and smells good gets my attention immediately.LOL
Patrob, did you get my dmail? I was so surprised that hosta in that little pot from Lowes survived. I didn't water it because I thought the heat killed in last summer. If you have hostas to spare that are different from what I have I would love to have them. I know I have Francee and Serendipity and one that you gave me labeled "plain green hosta". I'm so impressed that they are coming up!
Mary Lee
Just a word of caution on the Hostas. If you have deer anywhere around, Hostas seem to be one of their favorites. jackie
Mary Lee, I have plenty of babies of both types of begonias and they are in the area where the trees were butchered last year so they will receive too much sun in the summer when the sunlight moves northward. I forgot that I had given you some of the hardy ones last year. I would be happy to share some of both with you and your friend.
jackie, I am lucky I don't have deer anywhere close to me to eat my hostas. Thanks for the information.
Hazel, I didn't know you had more than one kind. I think the one I have makes white flowers. BTW do you need more chives like the ones I gave you at the RU? They are growing right next to the spirea I'm going to give you. If you like them, I can give you lots more.
Jackie, thanks for the tip on hostas and deer. We live in town, but had deer in our back yard anyway. Hopefully they will stay out this year. I'm going to try and hide them in the front yard.
Mary Lee
Good luck with those hostas--they hate me and absolutely refuse to grow for me!
Debbie
Thanks Debbie. I am hoping that if I stick with the same ones Patrob grows that I won't kill anything. We're in the same zone, though we may not have the same kind of soil or water.
I think its just me, personally, they don't like...lol
Well, maybe give them a few years to get over it and try again.LOL