Autumn Plant Update

Never. It probably helps that all of mine get good air circulation. None next to the house or fences, etc.

Good to know. I had never heard of any hydrangea getting it.

I'm late...ahhh...
Ok...this year I tried, and loved:
Hosta 'Revolution'...if you like hosta, get it.
Hosta 'Deja Blu'...again, if you like hosta, get it
Hosta 'Spilt Milk'...broken record, if you....
Hosta 'Stained Glass'
Hosta 'Inniswood'
Hosta 'Captain Kirk'
Hosta 'Guacamole'...had my eye on it for awhile, took the plunge, love it...
Hemerocallis 'Night Embers'...I am not a fan of the double daylilies, but this one...oye....get it if you like DL's.
Hemerocallis 'Midnight Masquerade'...it repeated 3 times!!!
Hemerocallis 'Cinimman Sunrise'...I bought 3, they were all 75% off...huge, stunning flower!
Acer 'Butterfly'
Acer 'Peaches & Cream'
Rhamus frangula 'Ron Williams'...I love the growth of/on this thing...it's stunning
Weigela florida "Variegata'...if you couldn't tell, I love anything variegated
Fagus 'Tricolor'
I redid two beds, added a third, and have a fourth one coming up...along with a path, etc.
I'll add some of the pics.
I will not plant, ever again, the variegated shell gingers...not unless they are already about 2' tall and in 5 galon pots...they hardly grew at all...disappointed in them.
My dahlia this year, it was the only one that survived my overwintering neglect, I chopped down it was smothering things...not sure of type/name...orangey, 4" flower...it started to bloom, in early summer and didn't stop...after I yanked it out of the ground, to dry up, it kept on blooming.
I planted all of the newer Twilight series of Echinacea (if that is what the series is called) I loved the colors this year, I'll give you my honest answer of what I feel next year.
The one perennial splurge, well 2, that I did this year, are: Ligularia 'Britt Marie Crawford'...get it, own it, and love it!!! The other is Hemerocallis 'Primal Scream'...to date my most expensive DL purchase...didn't bloom, I have to wait next year, but growing like a trooper!

This is H. 'Moonlight Masquerade'

Could you be more specific Thom??! Hee hee.

Are there any Hostas or Hems you don't like?

Ligularia BMC is dynamite - I have it and love it too.

This is the variegated weigela. There is an unknown Acer behind it, and behind that is a Contorted filbert.

Actually, yes...I hope no one throws any rocks at me...lol. Not a fan of the smaller flowered Hems...not that I dislike them, I want a SHOW...so if I'm gonna fork over a bunch of greens, I want fireworks out of my DL's...also, not a fan of the spiders, I have some smaller flowered DL's and some spider DL's, but the spiders look, well, just, blah...I think they get lost in their own green. Hosta...I haven't really been sold on the minihosta yet, and can't seem to bring myself to throw down $20-30 for something that's gonna get 4-6" thick, and if a rabbit eats it, where are ya gonna find it? But, I do ooh and ahh over most hosta selections and DL selections at nurseries...lol.
This is Rhammus frangula 'Ron Williams' great architecural asset to a garden...


watch out for the whiplash...

This message was edited Oct 30, 2007 9:39 AM

The following...
Hosta 'Revolution' which is nestled near Lingularia BMC, and a generic lambs ear...I have horrible problems with sweedish ground ivy, so anything that acts like a tank in my yard is welcome.

Thom - in the future, please try to alternate these sideways pics - left followed by right, etc. It balances out the trauma.

How big does Rhamnus get?

I forgot one...lol. This little guy was just popping out at me in the shade section of a local nursery, so I had to rehome him...lol
Presenting: Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow' *anyone with problems typing with two hands, practice that a few times...lol*

Victor, I need a lesson on editing, I might dmail you...honest, I am not very computer saavy. The plant ticket is written that Rhammus will get 6-8'tall, and 24-30"wide.
This next is Hosta 'Spilt Milk' with some other hosta friends, also to the left of 'Spilt Milk' is a new variety of toad lily(Trichtyris-sp?), I believe it's called Lightening.

Leucothoe can be fussy. Don't like to dry out yet needs good drainage.

One last hosta pic, it's a tiny plant, first season in, but this is Hosta 'Deja Blue' I saw a mature clump, and OMG...is all I'm gonna say.

Ok, I promise, this is the final hosta pic...I like the way the dew is just there, frost isn't frost, the contrast between colors...it was perty.

Hemhostaholic - I also had to buy the Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow' (didn't type just cut-and-paste - much easier) when I saw it. Love it! Does it need any special attention? When should I prune it? Should I prune it? It's only about 2 ft tall, but looks like it needs to be shaped. The squirrels broke a few of the larger branches and it's looking a little lope-sided.

Thom:

Great hosta photos!! I an help with your photos, I think, if you let me know what graphic program you use.

And ... welcome back! You've been missed.

I agree about the small Hostas Thom. Not so much on the small Hems and Spiders though.

Welcome Michael. I was away over the weekend and that is why my welcome is late - that and the fact that I'm clueless most of the time as to what is going on!! I usually don't even know what thread I'm on!!
I'm enjoying reading what has grown and not grown well (I think this is the thread for that). I have an addition to my previous post - I've been growing a great crop of poison ivy this year and pulling it out didn't work so well. %#+@ scratch, scratch, scratch. I'm still itching and it's been over a week. I hope I don't have it for the rest of my life!!!!! Oopps - wrong thread for scratching - that was someplace else. Maybe it was in the humor one or the water cooler thread. But anyway I don't suggest growing poison ivy or pulling it either. I should have listened to Victor!! Eleanor

sorry - busy day - thanks for leaf mulch advice! i hate to jump back so far, but:

Would it work to put some under the cedar mulch? The landlords really like the look of the cedar mulch (ugh). If it was a smallish amout of the leaf mulch, would it help the soil a little at tleast?

Sure - can only help.

Welcome Michael.

Victor, I have ordered from Hydrangeas Plus before and was happy with the plants. I emailed them about ordering now or waiting until spring. They responded by the next day that they had been watching the weather in my area and that I should wait. I was very impressed.

I will check out the other site that someone had recommended too. I'm curious as to the variety that they have.

pirl, most of the time we don't have any problems with black spot on our Oakleaf Hydrangeas, but we have seen some on H.q. 'Little Honey' - shame, because it really shows on that beautiful gold foliage :(

Thom, great list! Have had alot of Hosta favorites over the years, but 'Stained Glass' is and probably always will be at the top of my list. I had been looking at 'Deja Blu' - thinking I'm going to HAVE to add it next year. Odd observation with our 'Revolution' - the deer took down a whole Hosta garden this spring but never touched this one?? Okay with me!

Planted Rhamnus 'Ron Williams' (aka 'Fine Line') this year also. We've had R. 'Asplenifolia' in the gardens for about 5 years and love the foliage, so had to try 'Fine Line' - love the slim, upright habit! Agree with Victor on the Leucothoe, we've had 'Rainbow', after 4 years it's still pathetic looking - planted L. axillaris 'Dodd's Variegated' this year and even though the variegation isn't quite as striking, the plant overall has performed better and has a better habit/form. Your Tricyrtis is 'Lightning Strike' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/75172/ - nice combination with the black foliage!

Michael, the best time to prune your Leucothoe is after it blooms. Interesting notes from Michael Dirr:

"Looks attractive in the container at the retail garden center, don’t let first impressions hold sway; attention to cultural detail is a must...fickle in the everyday landscape and virtually any stress serves as an open invitation to the fungal leafspots; careful siting (shade), moisture (uniform and adequate), and good drainage serve the species well"

Eleanor, I start to itch just reading about your PI experience! Had never encountered PI in the acid woods and gardens in Maine, then moved south and it's everywhere!!! Have had two severe flare-ups with it - Doctor says not only do I have the rash from the PI, but I also have an allergic reaction to the PI itself and suffer even more - if that makes sense? LOL I made the unfortunate mistake the first time of jumping in a hot shower, the absolute WORST thing you can do! There are vines crawling up one of the Sycamore trees on the other side of the driveway that are as big as my forearm!!! Nasty stuff :(

Amethystm, any mulch will help, the cedar on top would only help the leaves break down faster!

Eleanor:

Glad you are back. Was it a nice weekend for you?

Anita, Fairweather Gardens always has a nice selection of Hydrangeas. That's where I've gotten most of mine. Their shipping is pricey until you reach a certain amount - then it's a fixed % - still on the high end but they pack things incredibly. They are my favorite online source for trees and shrubs.

Thanks Victor

Thanks for the info rcn48. I'll keep an eye on it.

Candyce - we had a wonderful weekend. DD#1, my brothers and their wives, and my deceased brother's girlfriend all went out for dinner Sunday night - we had lots of catching up to do. Here is a pic of me and my brothers just before my youngest brother died. Eleanor

Amy, I did just that last year - I spread an inch or two of shredded leaves, and then put down cedar mulch over that. This was in a foundation bed that is pretty established and doesn't get disturbed much.

About a week ago, I went to plant some bulbs there, and when I pulled back the mulch, the leaves were pretty much completely decomposed. I was worried that they'd mix in with the mulch and would look yucky when I put the mulch back after planting, but again, they were so decomposed that you could barely notice.

My hydrangeas (all two of them, lol) looked so great this year I ordered 4 or 5 new ones for spring delivery. I have no idea where I will put them. I guess I have all winter to think about it!

Dee

Dee:
Thanks for the report on the leaves. It's a blessing when so many people share such important information.

Eleanor:
What a fantastic, loving family!! Thanks for posting the photo.

Very nice Eleanor.

I added the hydrangeas to the front yard bed. It's still a work in progress. Eventually, I'm going to get rid of the grass as it just doesn't grow well there. Too much shade. Then again, I want to get rid of most of my grass....make room for more flowers!

Now you're talking, Anita!!

Best use for grass, if any - as a path to wind around the garden.

AGREED!

That is a great use for grass but Colin needs a place to run around and play also!!!
So I'm clearing (by spraying only) out the poison ivy patch to make more garden space!! eleanor

Very nice Pirl. Yes, Eleanor - if you have kids you do need a play area of grass.

The past few months have shown the greatest amount of budding I have ever seen on my Rhododendrons and azaleas, which should lead to the gloriest Spring show. Of course that presupposes that the winter is average in snow cover and cold temperatures. Surely i will see some plants which have never bloomed before. Some rhododendrons have a tendency to bloom every other year, or bloom in the Fall and thus ruin the Spring bloom. but so far this year the buds look good. I am especially looking forward to some of my own hybrids which were too small to bloom up until now, but are ready this year.

Great! Get the camera ready.

awesome, arfitz. Good thing that Spring is just around the block from now!

It is? What block do you live on Candyce? I'm moving there!

Good one, Victor.