I will admit I just winged it when I planted my hummingbird garden. I did research on what plants to plant but didn't do so much research in design. Now, looking at all your pictures, I see I chose to split my plants up rather than plant mass clusters of them. I have salvia of all kinds, columbine, bee balm, lantana, verbena, honeysuckle....
So my question... what would be a good "fill" plant to give my garden the more full look? Or should I try to dig things up and get all of one kind together? Everything's growing so well, I'd hate to disturb things, but I'm not happy with it as is.
BF/HB garden advice PLEASE
When you are talking about a fill plant...are you meaning ground cover?
Good butterfly ground covers are frog fruit, water hyssop, verbena, sedum, green shrimp plant, dwarf petunias, dwarf lantana etc. Those are tried and true plants at all our local butterfly parks.
~ Cat
Yes, Cat... just something to fill the bare spaces until all the stuff I've planted here and there fills in. There's a stone walk way but it seems like all the other pictures posted of such gardens are chock full of plants with no space to walk thorough except for on the stones, etc. Mine has several plants but still open spots that seem like they need something to fill them in until everything else bushes out.
You could also plant more of the same ones you love, also add some coneflowers, they are great.
Josephine.
What about zinnias? It's not too late -- if you plant some seed right away, you'll still get flowers this year. They have attractive foliage (ok, not super-attractive, but it's green) and the butterlfies love the nectar.
Suzy
Ahhhh, frost... add more! So I've done inventory of what I have where and how many of each I have, added crosmania to the mix and bought a couple more salvia of each kind I have (4 kinds) and am now going to figure out which would be easiest to dig up and move closer to each other....
I think I can get all the salvia together, at least in four places, and then move the bee balm closer, the columbine is already together....
Then I'll add some zinnias, etc., to fill in some bare spots.
Thoughts on this process? How best to move them, etc.
Judy,!
a great "fill" plant for me has been Salvia Farinacea x Longspicata -'Indigo Spires'-great grower! It fills in (and sometimes takes over) but it'll solve your immediate problem. Are you trying to mass your colors together? Thats what I try to do...I just dig em up and move em out! If a plant can't take it then I don't have em! I've killed a couple of black eyed susans this way this Summer. Oh well! Live and learn!
Adrienne
If you move them on a cloudy day it helps a lot, also if you expect rain that is good.
Make sure that you water your plants very well before you dig them out, and take as many roots as possible, the soil where you put them should also be moist.
Watering them in with diluted seaweed helps the roots adjust.
Josephine.
It's awfully hot -- do you absolutely have to move the perennials now? Couldn't it wait until the nights drop down to the 50s or low 60s?
If you can't wait, then get some large pots with drainage holes and put these (upside down) over anything you move to shade it during the day. Remove at night, and put it back in the morning after watering. They need to stay on about a week. If you forget to take them off at night, it's not a big deal.
Oh, and in the summer, it's best to move plants in the late afternoon or evening. Water well, and deeply and don't think the rain will take care of it.
Suzy
Josephine & I sent messages at the same time....I wasn't trying to say her idea of waiting for forecasted rain was wroing, it's a GOOD idea, but water them anyway with the hose, even if it is raining so that you are 100% positive that soil is wet down to the roots. The rain is just bonus.
Suzy
I agree Suzy! Especially in this heat...water,water,water! I like the small "picnic" umbrellas to shield the plants! I got a few at the dollar store! :)
Adrienne
Josephine,
Whats diluted seaweed??Other than what it sounds like.....:)
Adrienne
Thanks, all.
No, Illoquin, I don't HAVE to move stuff now, in fact, I was thinking it'd be better to wait until I prune everything back so everything is more compact... but I am not happy with the garden the way it is now and I think if I just move maybe four plants that would get things in better groupings than they are now and maybe I'd enjoy it more looks wise. Of course, the hummingbirds don't mind whether or not a salvia greggi is next to a indigo spires or if the bee balm is next to a pentsemon, but I do!
Yes, Adrienne... color grouping is what I didn't do the first go around. After taking inventory, it looks like I won't have to dig up everything, just a few to get them matched up better. All told, I have 8 kinds of plants, accounting for 24 plants. And I'll try to move the one's that have tighter stems the salvia, rather than the bee balm, for instance. The crocosmia (is that right spelling?)) is new so I can get that right to start with.
I will make sure the roots are well watered, do my work in the late evening, preferably after a rain.
Adrienne... glad you said that about indigo spires.. that's one of the several kinds of salvia I have and I'm having really good luck with it. And the hummingbirds, butterflies and bees love it!
This message was edited Jul 10, 2007 3:32 PM
Adrienne, the solution is made from Seaweed concentrate sold at organic nurseries. Usually you add one 1/4 of a cup to a the watering can, it is a great root stimulator.
I normally soak my plant cuttings in seaweed solution before potting them, it takes the place of hormones which are a lot more expensive.
It rained yesterday afternoon A LOT and cooled down A LOT by 8 p.m. so I went at it.
Dug up, moved, organized by color, height, etc. Then I watered everything down again.
The hummers would come to the feeder in the hummingbird garden, fly face level, about a foot from me, get a good luck and then, just like saying "I'm more hungry than scared of you," proceed to get sugar water from the feeder. I could actually feel the wind being produced by their beating wings!
Wish me luck, folks! Hopefully, everything will take to its new home.
Josephine, Adrienne looks to be right near the ocean, what would happen if she planted some seaweed with every plant? Or mashed some up with water and let it sit and used the water for the plants? I would think she could work something up to use the local seaweed that washes up on shore or something.
Suzy
I think that could possibly work, I don't see why not. I don't know how they make the concentrate, but soaking the seaweed will be a good way.
What I use is seaweed concentrate, I bought a half pint bottle this spring for 6.95 and I still have some, so it goes a long way, since for cuttings you only need about a tablespoon to a quart of water.
It would be interesting to see what results she gets.
Josephine.
asafla-- please tell me, what butterflies go for the S. 'Indigo Spires', or is it the hummingbirds? I have been watching mine in the garden and it seems to be passed over by the BFs...
A couple of ideas for easy from seed 'fill' plants for next year are dill and parsley. I wish I had planted more.
Also morning glories and nasturtiums. As the perennials grow bigger, you can just yank out the annuals as required for perennial growing space.
You know, I've been thinking also (what a concept) my garden is still young. Perhaps a couple season's growth is all I need to make it look a lot more full.
I was going to say that in my original post, but then I realized you also wanted to group like with like so the BF & hummers could more easily see them, so I didn't. But yes! They will grow and grow in the next few years, and then you still won't be 100% happy with the placement because some will be too close or not close enough to each other or other kinds of plants. Well, trust me, you will want to tweak them.
Get used to plugging some annuals in between...lots easier than moving plants! ;)
Suzy