Anyone have any ideas of what I could use for a yellow backdrop behind purple dome and alma potschke asters? I thought maximillian sunflowers would be pretty. The yellow contrasting with the other colors. But they droop so bad it looks awful, and are too tall to stake! I would like a yellow blooming or yellow leafed shrub at least 5 ft tall. (The alma asters get 3 ft tall).
I attached a pic. I really wanted yellow behind these to set off the color of the blooms. Ideas anyone?
http://www.carrollgardens.com/eNewsletter/2005/08/050825-lib.asp
here's one. there's always.........can't believe i am saying it and please don't plant it if you mind pulling up runners but there is tall goldenrod. and i am going to keep looking. i am not much of a designer. i just like to grow things so this is helping me think of design.
http://www.carrollgardens.com/eNewsletter/2005/08/050825-lib.asp
here's one. there's always.........can't believe i am saying it and please don't plant it if you mind pulling up runners but there is tall goldenrod. and i am going to keep looking. i am not much of a designer. i just like to grow things so this is helping me think of design.
this is not easy. there are yellow flowering shrubs that don't bloom in the fall. there are yellow flowering shrubs that aren't tall enough, need xeric conditions and that aren't hardy where you are. does honeysuckle bloom in the fall?
I like mamajack's suggestion and also love the goldenrods. Here's a picture of a DG'er who posted his asters and goldenrods on the Buuterfly and Hummer forum. I thought his combo was perfect. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=4000662
Is goldenrod the one that causes hayfever?
Wow, that is pretty! Hmm...will have to look up info on golden rod
Ragweed causes people problems but not Goldenrods. Goldenrods are fine. I have them growing around my "wild" area of my fishing pond. I was just about to order a few cultivated GR from a nursery after seeing Jack's pictures on his "Butterfly Magnet" thread. Then, I noticed something yellow blooming at my pond, and low and behold, I have them growing wild so I'll spend that money on Asters!
You might check out forsythia sage. My plants are about 5 feet tall with yellow blooms on top (think really tall salvia). They are in bloom during the fall--late Oct. till a hard freeze.
I'll check them out. Thanks!
Cordeledawg, if you want to try some aster seeds, I'll have some in a couple of weeks I can send you.
dang, sben.........i want one of those. lol. does it get real big? what does it do that you don't like? also, does it like acidic soil?
cat........lots of people thing goldenrod is ragweed. we have giant ragweed down here.........gets up to about 15 ft. tall. and to me it looks a little like a marijuana plant. small insignifant flowers with about a million seeds per plant.
bees love goldenrod. i love goldenrod. you just don't need to put it in a bed that is cultivated because it will send out runners here, there and everywhere. there are some hybrids that might not be as aggressive.
hey dawg........got your box out today. lmk if i forgot anything. i was in a great rush to get to the post office and pick my daughter up at the same time.
wait a minute..........is that salvia called madrensis? i have that. lol all of mine died but one so i sure hope it comes back next year.
Does that have to be staked?
cat, good suggestions for all of us on your inquiry thread! I like sben451's sage for a tamed border. Got to go and look that one up. Mama you're right about the placement of wild goldenrods. I've got it on both sides of the pond too. Oh thanks, Barb, your box went out Monday. lmk when you get it and I'll do the same.
Yes thanks! I tried Maximillian sunflower behind the asters and the colors were beautiful together. But the sunflower gets too big (probably 10 feet) and droops when it starts blooming. It needs to be on a fence or wall somewhere for support.
I've got swamp sunflowers at my pond that I really need to start cutting back by July so they'll be shorter by the time they bloom in the fall. Large Asters would be wonderful in front of them. Cat, when you harvest your seeds, please remember me. I've got some seeds I've harvested too that I can share with you.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2197/
I will. Which color did you want? the purple or alma?
Purple would be lovely. Alma's not in my box or crayola crayons. LOL Is that a reddish color? It really doesn't matter, Cat. Whichever is easiest for you to save for me. When we get back together, I'll give you a list of my seeds for you to choose from. Just d-mail me.
Will do. Going to bed now. 5:30 comes early! Have a good night everyone.-
The forsythia sage doesn't have to be staked. It should do well in acid soil, as most all soil in NE AL is acid. Mine grows to about 5 ft. The leaves and stem are pretty all during the growing season. The only thing I don't like is the bloom time--the plants are really pretty now and the yellow blooms are opening, but could get done in by our first freeze (I wish they bloomed earlier). Mine come back every spring (not real early, usually in May). Don't cut the dead stems in the winter. I've heard that water can get into the cut stems and freeze and kill the plant.
Here's a link:
http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/salv_mad.cfm
Ok, thanks sben!
How about a yellow Butterfly Bush, budleia honeycomb?
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/pdb_planter64_2003-06-27_1056753211732_tn.jpg&imgrefurl=http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/51666/&h=100&w=100&sz=4&hl=en&start=2&sig2=KvXrAjPuMTOwxWN4sB6Jdg&tbnid=flOncgtwtCZldM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=82&ei=6HIXR4bnJoy2eOf_qfMI&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbudleia%2Bhoneycomb%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG
I'll look them both up! Thanks so much
