what have you bought so far? part three

How tall do you need?

I bought these too.. just didn't take them out of the boxes yet

http://www.collectionsetc.com/Item50503.aspx
http://www.collectionsetc.com/Item51176.aspx

6'? it's not like it's going to block the view from everywhere, but i want to at least minimize it for people out in the back area. Not looking at a dumpster while cooking out, or sitting in the sun - priceless.

Aside from grasses, you can use butterfly bushes. They grow pretty fast. While anything you choose is growing (at least the first year), you can plant castor bean plant (careful - this is where ricin comes from) or an annual grass like Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'.

i really want that crazy pink castor bean plant - Carmencita? ideally i want something that will provide screening for as much of the year as possible. Do butterfly bushes smell?

Hmm. i really should just go take a picture. There is a square area of dirt. The back side is along the wall where most of my garden is. 2 sides have an asphalt curb dividing it from the driveway. (The dumpster is on one of those sides.) The 4th side turns into a potentially grassy triangle in front of more of my wall.
The 2 asphalt sides have white concrete posts set into them. In the middle of the dirt square is an electrical transformer box. The front of it is supposed to have 10' of clearance with no structure blocking it. It, however, has white concrete poles less than 4' away. The other sides are supposed to have - i think - 4'. i want to plant something tall between the posts on the side by the dumpster. i want something not too structural, like a tree, because of the transformer. So if the utilities need access, they can easily break it down. i also dont want tree roots messing with the driveways or the transformer.

More than you wanted to know.

How wide do you need the plant to be? 'Carmencita' always stays mostly green for me for some reason.

Joe Pye weed might work, too

the Carmencita would be for somewhere else. i really think a tall grass is the best option for the screen i want.

A photo would be ideal so we could all think about it and make suggestions. Victor is right about how fast the Butterfly Bushes grow and I've never had one that smelled.

Planted new JP rose bushes this pm, 3 more coming within 2 weeks. ☺

I think there's a magic connected with roses and their first year. They seem to be so happy they bloom their pretty heads off.

That's true, although the climbing ones seem to get better with time, especially when they flower en masse. ☺

True.

Amy, if you want to be really crazy...Miscanthus gigantius...the only thing with that bugger, once it's there, ya pretty much need a back ho to get rid of it. I had a clump, that was about 6' wide or so, but full height was anywhere from 10-12'!

Occasionally I get pieces that pop up...if I get any, I can bring a clump or to at the next RU that we will both be at, or mail one off to you!

I stopped at Hannaford for a turnip to go in my boiled dinner and I spotted these cheerful little guys in bloom. I was good and walked on by, got my turnip and headed for the check out. I was pretty sure it was some type of Campanula, I figured it couldn't hurt to see what it said on the tag......

"Flowers will last 3 weeks or more indoors. Great to plant outdoors
in window boxes or as a garden border. Will continue to flower all summer long if spent flowers are occasionally cut back.Performs well as a perennial in USDA zones 3-10"

At which point I heard myself say "sold" and it was going through the checkout and in the bag with my turnip!

It's lovely and would be great in the garden with hostas in partial shade.

So I don't have to have it in full sun Pirl? I think thats a lovely idea...Thanks!

Here's mine:

Very pretty!! Does it blooms all summer for you like it says it will?

So cute! How could you resist? Out of curiosity, what is an "RU"?

RU=Round Up

The line of "all summer" is very misleading. It blooms for two or three weeks at most.

Mine blooms off and on all summer. I have it in part shade, and I do cut it back after the first flush of blooms. Isn't it the one that has a long name like poscharskyana, or something like that.

Either that or rotundifolia.

Of course yours would bloom again if you're going to put me to shame for not cutting mine back!!! :-)

Na, na. Mine's not that big, your's probably covers 10 acres.

Ha! About a square foot as of last year. I moved the babies so it will either be nicer this year...or not since I had to move the hosta, too. I'll just put a little piece of driftwood there.

ok here is more to my damage list

http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/vbc/onewish1/59565/

thanks for the iris damage Pixie

:)

Yes, Thom - I was going to suggest M. giganteus too since it's not a flopper. I just was not sure if Amy wanted anything that tall. I have and like it.

I have not always been successful with campanula.

Oh Lord! I love the heuchera and the JI's of course. That Siberian iris is one of the few I have with a label. Louisiana irises are so beautiful. When you have a rainy day I can give you the name of a company Polly told me about.

I also bought Confetti Dancer last year because I loved the photo. It's not like that at all on other JI sites. Just a sad warning - sorry. I actually bought two because I liked it so much only to find the disappointment in words describing it and then the real photo.

that happens a lot... getting used to it... not the end of the world

I'm rooting for the best.

Pirl, I remember some of your driftwood. I tried to bring this back for you, but it didn't fit in my suitcase. I think Pollyk better plant some more on her 60 acres soon.

PollyK, I have ordered a few lilacs, but will be adding a few more. Here is my list. I neeeeeeed a couple of whites and hope to find larger ones of those to plant than the little ones that are on order now. I am going to order some from Syringa plus this week and hope to visit him in May. Thanks again. Patti

Monge (have)
James MacFarlane
Albert F. Holden
Palibin
Sensation

Plus unknown old ones

I will be looking for any of these that you recommended before to me.
hyacinthiflora
Blanche Sweet, a whitish blue
Royal Purple, a double dark purple

vulgaris
Albert F Holden, appears a two tone purple (Ordered already)
Fiala Remeberance, a double white
Nadezhda, a double blue
Znamya Lenina, a odd shade for lilacs of a Magenta Purple
Bridal Memories, a single white.

Others
Lilac Sunday
Josee (blooms 4X for me-- need to shear it)
Tinkerbelle,
Sugar Plum Fairy
Prince Charming with the spicy fragrance.

Nice one, Patti. There is another one up there that, if turned upright and leveled off, could be a wonderful table with a glass top. It looks as though someone did try to cut it twice in an attempt to cut it down long ago.

That's funny Patti, I just asked on another thread if you had your lilac list yet. I think Syringa Plus carries larger ones, in addition to the small pots. Be sure to tell them I recommended their place. (Polly @ Perennials Plus).

If they have Znamya Lenina, and I'm sure they have Lilac Sunday, and Josee , those three are so outstanding, I would strongly suggest you get them. The fourth favorite for me would have been Albert Holden, so I'm pleased you got that one already.

An alternate place to get lilacs is Select Plus, out of Canada. They ship from the US, so costs aren't bad. I have had good plants from there, but not the quality of Syringa Plus, but still good. I would recommend you buy from there in quart size, instead of the smaller sizes. But they have a great selection. Absolutely nothing wrong with them, just not the size of Syringa Plus.



Great driftwood!

Polly

I have Lilac Sunday and like it a lot.

Helloooo--when & where is the RU? The lilacs sound great--I have a few, Beauty of Moscow being one that I like. Pirl & Amy--butterfly bushes smell very fragrant. But you have to cut them down to a foot every Spring. Amy--UCONN came out with a new grass, a red panicum. You would think they would sell it around CT, but I haven't seen it--maybe Cheshire Nursery would carry it.

The Butterfly Bushes just self-seeded way too much for me. I always cut them down to a foot tall and they still got too tall for me.

I personally would not describe them as fragrant. They have a scent, but not one that I like much.

I love the scent of my butterfly bush - just like honey.

LIgladlover - I found that hosta flowers are terrific cut flowers! They really last, and they are very impressive in flower arrangements. I only cut hosta flowers to put in vases :-)

If you want an unusual flower that lasts a very long time plant a few onions and let them flower. You won't be able to eat them but they are lovely and last such a long time.