Obtaining Summer Blooming Plants

Awhile ago I asked for ideas to build my new garden space. You all gave me quite the list of plants: Centaurea montana, Allium 'giant' or 'globemaster', perennial lobelias, eupatorium Joe Pye Weed, verbena bonariensis, saliva black and blue, thalictrums, and Borage.

I haven't even had time to look into all these plants much, but I have looked around for them, as I keep the list on my PDA. I have not seen even one at the nurseries. I guess I could do a bit of trading, but I was wondering how can a guy get some of these plants for the garden before they are in full bloom? Are seeds available? How, how? I guess I could just ask, since you all are so generous around here too.

For a reality dose, I need to have Eupatorium, as anything that is known as Joe Pye Weed has to be in my garden. And Alliums for their flowers sound really nice. The others I will have to look up.

Rob

Rob, I have seedling from the Centaurea montana, that I have dug up where they were not wanted, I will galdly bring you some. let me know.
They are looking for new homes.

The COOPs on this site are good and there is a group on yahoo that does nothing but group buying. Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BnPCo-opBuying/

You can request to be a member and get access to really great plants. Right now shrubs that cost 15-25 dollars are being bought for 3-5 dollars. The are small, but well worth the prices.

The twice yearly Green Elephant in Redmond is good and there is another site where we coordinate plant swaps at people's homes. Even if you don't have anything to trade, you can get lots of great plants. The next one is at my home on April 19, starting at 10am. Everyone brings a dish for lunch and we swap plants. I'll have many for free in addition to trading including Verbena bonariensis. I'll put your name on it if you are able to attend.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/expacnw/

This message was edited Apr 8, 2008 8:22 PM

the nursuries are just now beginning to receive their perennials.
The prolonged winter & cold spring weather is partly to blame.
I have many plants on order that are not in yet, nor are they shipping them.
Some types of plants are field grown & must be dug. It is still a bit early.
Anything seeded (by Nurseries) will need to be properly hardened off & then grown on for a bit prior to selling.
You will not see some of the items listed for another month.
Alliums are fall-planted bulbs. They may show up pretty soon.
Salvias - another 6 weeks, at least.
Borage: get seed. It's easy to grow, hardy.
Lobelias - few weeks.
Verbena bonariensis - how much do you want?
Eupatorium - Joe Pye is typically sold in the summer, although you may find it before that.
Thalictrum - which one?
Many things are available for purchase online from Nurseries in areas like California & Florida. You might check that out, too.

Rob, I have plenty of the Autumn Joy sedum. I may have some other tall sedums, too, but I can't remember which ones are ready for dividing. I will be sending plants up to the swap if I can get Rachel to come by and pick them up. Let me know if you are going to Jburesh's house for her plant swap and I'll send some up. Have greek oregano too if you want some. I highly recommend you go to the swap if you are looking for a lot of plants. The one I went to at her house had lots of people and LOTS of plants needing new gardens to grow in. You don't have to have anything to swap. Gardeners are always ready to donate to new gardeners. After all, our plants do spend a lot of time getting larger and larger, and most of us cannot tolerate throwing good plants into the compost bin. If Jim Eichner is there, he may bring eupatorium. You could check the gardenweb thread for her swap and see if he is signed up. Or she may know if he is coming. Also, I think I have some seeds from a thalictrum from last year. I have no idea how the germination rate is, or what color they would be, but you are welcome to some if you like.

Argh! I can't be at the giant big spring bash at JBuresh's due to being at a class for my WNPS Stewardship Badge. Sigh.

Oh, besides, I have 2 clumps of Autumn Joy in the ground, and I am sure that will fill my needs for the time being.

I believe two clumps of autumn joy will fill your needs for a very long time!

Hey Pixs, do you remember, which Tall and Small I have, or do I get a surprise. LOL

I wish I could go, but think of me, they might have something, you think I just might need ^_^

This is what I did to the small one. Tall one still in pot.

I don't remember at all, tills. Sorry. Probably

O well I get a supprize, When it flowers maybe you will remember it.

Hope springs eternal, Tills!!

I love what you did with the blue pot, Mary.

Murmur! Good to see you and I hope things are coming along well at home. We'll call you Clara Barton before too long with all your caregiving skills being finely honed.

Analog/Rob: I have 3 ft thalictrum I can bring a couple to Jburesh's marked for you. Don't know the variety.. I have about 20 Centaurea Montana and probably a few borage sprouts as well. DO NOT let them go to seed: here they reproduce like rabbits.
Let me know if you want any/all of the above.

I am not going to be going to Jburesh's, as I have a field class for getting my WNPS Steward Badge on that day. Sorry.

Poochella, that wonderful Trillium you gave me is blooming!!! I'll try to get out to take a photo soon and post it here.

OK Rob, I'll hold off then, thanks for letting me know. And what is the WNPS Steward Badge out of curiosity? WA Native Plant Society? Very cool, if so.

I love trillium and am so glad yours is blooming for you, Murmur. Well done on the care and culture of the little transplant! I had a load of soil delivered the other day and the monster dump truck had to go back and forth, back and forth in our narrow driveway to unload. He came within 3 inches of one patch of trillium I really enjoy, but thankfully it was spared. They are so nice to have blooming in the early spring days! Enjoy it.

Hi Annie, All the Lillies are doing great, still thank you so much, can't wait to see them bloom. will take some pics in am. I would love to have some of your Trillium if you ever have some extra. Just keep me in mind.
Are you going to make it to Heidis, on the 27th?
Hugs
^_^
Tills

I am in the Washington Native Plant Society/Snohomish County Native Plant Steward training class which keeps me busy every Friday, and a bunch of Saturdays from now until June. Its a class all about plants, the environment, ecology and the like. What we can help out with volunteers at plantings, raising issues with our local governments regarding areas in need of revegetation, and so on.

It is the equal to Master Gardner, Master Composter classes but is for those of us that are interested in the wild world.

Good to hear Tills. I'll be curious how badly I mangled labelling those daylilies for you, but the nice thing is you can move them if the heights were wrong, or colors etc. I will keep you in mind for trillium- I go on woods hunts and occasionally find a new one. I'd be happy to try to excavate a few for you. They are joyful early bloomers and you have a good place for them, i think.

27th I'm working, so I'm sorry I'll miss Heidi's. Another time perhaps. I would love to meet Heidi and see her place after the photo tour posted earlier. Looks great!

Wow that sounds like an excellent class, Rob. Well worth the effort just to learn about our surroundings and vanishing wilderness landscape int he area. Good for you! Please tell us if you learn anything really earth-shattering going on in our area and we can form a DG Action Coalition.

Annie, here's your sweet Trillium - such a treat for me . . . you obviously will be in my thoughts every time I walk by it.

OOOOOOOOOO So Sweet