Thanks Gita - the hardy geraniums were suggested to help conceal the spring bulb foliage that refuses to go away. Some are rangier than others, but it's good so far. They reseed too, but they're easy to spot and move around.
The larkspurs are getting started. Some are 5 or 6 feet tall. The hollyhocks are 6'4" and climbing. You can almost watch them grow with all the rain we've had!
5-6 foot larkspur??? I gotta get me some decent new seed. I want to 'move' mine to be selfsowing in my(dis)Obedient Plant patch, and on irises.
Yes I realized some of my suflowers are suddenly almost five feet!
I just measured to be sure, the tallest is 5'6"... if I'd known they'd get that big I'd've put them somewhere else. Stuff looks different every time I go look. This poppy came out this afternoon.
claypa,
One of the best (visually) plants to conceal the foliages of the Spring Bulb foliages are "Forget-Me-Nots"....That is another plant that--once you have it--you will always have it! I have loads of the "chaffe" from these. Want any????
I think we are a bit far South for Larkspur. I have never had any luck with it,
Is Larkspur the same as DELPHINIUM?
Gita
I have common larkspur reseed for me, not quite as big and showy as real Delphinium I think. and noly a short lived annual.
What do I do with my forget me nots now all covered in seedsheads? Take the whole plant out? or cut off. Are they dying?(biennial)
Gita, I'll try anything once (almost!). I think the annual larkspurs are related to delphiniums somehow, but they're very different. I get lost in Plantfiles looking up 'forget me nots', there's pages of them in different genera.
There was a woman in D.C. named Mary McGrory who was famous for her Delphiniums, and getting on Nixon's enemies list. She was a writer for the Washington Star (and later the Washington Post). So, somehow, it is possible to grow them in that heat, but I haven't tried.
Sally and claypa,
When your "Forget-Me-Nots" are done blooming--(like right about now) they become an eye-sore. What I do is grab the whole plant near the base and just yank it out.
Now--in the process of "yanking it out"--you will disburse a huge amount of the seeds in the same bed. However--you will still have a huge amount of seeds left on the stalks of the yanked-out plants. Just take the pulled up plants to anywhere else you would like these to grow--and rub them over the area.
The new seedlings will come up later in the Summer and you can easily transplant them anywhere you want. They will live all throughout the Winter and just continue growing/blooming the following Spring.
It is the easiest plant to have---FOREVER! Just like the Rose Campion!
This year--I tried to put all the pulled-up F.M.N.'s in a shallow tray and allowed it to dry. When it all dried, I rubbed the stems through a Colander. There are very few actual seeds to be seen, but I guarantee you--they are there.
I now have about a cup-full of this seed/chafe mix. If you have never had Forget-me-Nots and would like to have some--just D-mail me.
Gita
I better d-mail you now before I forget.
Gita, I do the same with my forget-me-nots, I just yank them out. They look very nice in early spring but start looking weedy after a while, I also noticed that the seed pods will stick to my cloth gloves, "have seed will travel". (remember the old wester show "Have gun will travel")
A picture of my Crystal Fountain Clematis first bloom planted 3 years ago. Just a baby plant then.
One of my unnamed Iris.
Here is the other unnamed iris, I had at least 6 different colors at one time, but these are the only 2 left.
Ladygardener,
Your Crystal Fountain Clematis looks very similar to my Multi Blue in shape and also that it has the long "beard" in the middle. I am sure there is a better name for the center growth.....
Gita
Gita, I did mistake it for your Multi-Blue. They do look very similar. The CF is said to be good for containers. My trellis that it is growing on is not very tall and it shares it with Arctic Queen (which has not opened yet) I didn't want one that grew huge for the space.
Here is a close up of the center, looks like a tropical water lily in this picture.
Gita yours: http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/CLMBP.html
LG yours: http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/CLCFP.html
This is my 2nd year with both of them in the ground...I haven't been impressed - i.e. lack of blooms if any at all. What's the secret - you two?
Can't remember which lilly - looks like from my notes that it "might" be Asiatic - 'Dolly Madison'
Chantell, Did you get yours from Bluestone? I bought mine from them 3 years ago, this is the first time it bloomed, I use good old compost and a bit of time realised fert. They like cool roots and head in sun, but I'm sure you knew that.
Just be patient ☺
Chris
Ahhh patience...seems like most things I like plant-wise require a 2-3 year wait time till they're doing what they should do...LOL yes got them from Bluestone....wondering if the vinca is providing enough shade for their roots...the Chuck Hayes Gardenia I planted in front of them isn't that big yet. Maybe I should give them another year?? Thanks Chris
TROUBLE IN PARADICE!!!! I just went out and noticed the my CF was wilted!!!! I checked all around and noticed that there is a large ant hill of large black ants in my Candytuft less then a foot away from the clematis. I got out the diatomatis (sp?) earth gave the ant hill a stir and a good dose of DE. Then I gave the Clematis a good drink of water and checked for any stem breakage. I am keeping my fingers crossed that all it needed was a good drink. The other clematis is fine.
I really don't do anything much to my Clematis. It IS very close to my "Sweet Surrender" Rose--which gets fed at least 3 times a year.
I bought my Multi Blue a few years ago at HD.
I found another one 2 years ago (not sure where) and planted it right next to the existing one.
While I seem to be such a avid gardener---I really get lazy with all the feeding and spraying and all kinds of other attention. I HATE that about myself! I have ALL the products--just always put it off......and then it is too late!
Like--I have yet to spray some kind of fungicide on my Roses--and now it is 100* outside!
I think I have been struggling with getting everything planted. Seemed more priority!
My Lilies are starting to bloom!!!!!! Will be taking pictures and posting some--soon!
Gita
Hope its recovering Chris- This heat and dry roots, bad combo.
Little Gem magnolia, is loaded with buds this year! A sweet lemony smell.
claypa- do you think that bigleaf magnolia in Catonsville is blooming about now?
Oh Gitathanks for the F M N info.
you yarrow Parika fans- here, but it doesn't last for me. Haven't figure out what it needs.- different spot, more mass, deadheading...
Sally,
Took a picture this morning for "caypa" so he can see what the F.M.N. seedlings will look like. Am sending him a small baggie full of seeds/chafe.
Here's the picture....
Here's a bigger bunch of them.....
Claypa: I knew Mary McGrory -- we were big fans of hers! She was friends with my parents (my dad was a newspaperman). I didn't remember that she grew delphinium, though.
This message was edited Jun 7, 2008 9:24 PM
I only got to meet her once, and I was too nervous to talk to her much. She talked about delphiniums in the articles from time to time. I was just googling around, and see that she lived on a Macomb street.
Found "this" brought in from the garden....flower or weed?
I plucked her from the pool...maybe a water lily?
Cute, Chantell!!!!!
Chantell, a pretty posy you have there.
These are for Rubyw...Dianthus, Tiny Rubies. 2 inches high and the flowers about as big as your little finger nail.
Wine & Roses Weigela
My wisteria that I trained into a small tree.
Double Knockout Rose and Peachleaf bellflower
Hi stormyla. I have those white peach leafed bellflowers, too, I love 'em. They and balloon flowers are skinny and can poke up through the other plants, very practical for a "crowder" like me. A nice pure white.
Sallyg, I just now noticed your question about the bigleaf magnolias in Maryland, I'd love to know when they're blooming. I was hoping you might have heard. Flowers on trees the size of dinner plates? My brother has a house in a beech forest with rich soil and sheltered from winds, it would be a perfect place for one. I was down there (Md) last week but I didn't have time to stop in Catonsville. I did get to the swamp in Pasadena, though. I posted pics in the natives forum.
Gita, I got the seeds monday, I forgot to tell you, thank you very much!
Trying to figure out the best place for this very blue spruce, Picea pungens 'Glauca'. I dragged the pot out back and thought it looked cool next to this hosta. Not its permanent home, though.
Hi Claypa, I saw the photo of your lovely bellflowers. I should have taken my shot the week before as they are just about done now.
I put in a large golden Magnolia last month. I also planted 2 Janes and an Elizabeth, which are much smaller. I've been nursing along a "Little Gem" for 2 years. It seems that each community around here has at least one thriving Grandiflora but there are many more that fail. It seems that if they pass puberty, they make it.. Did you get much storm damage last night? Lots of trees and fences down here. Whole communities without power today.
claypa, if I have a chance to look for the bigleaf again, I will let you know
The spruce is such a pretty color. Me, I am all about foliage contrast this year-cuz I've been so ignorant of it until now. I would look for something in between the spruce and hosta to seperate them...something with variegation maybe, grassy, like varie.liriope, or that tall variegated grass that I have a clump of but never remember what it is.
lol Or dark leaves. Coleus for annual.
critter gave me a berlanderia-the IS-chocolate daisy- and it has the neatest lookng flowers! as they develop
see PF here http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/69367/
Claypa, That spruce is a beautiful blue. The hosta also looks blue, If it is, I would put something either dark green or chartreuse or silver in betwen them if there's room.
My garden is pretty green right now -- lots of shades of green, but not much color. The daylilies will be out any moment, thank goodness; I must have a million. What do you have blooming now (other than annuals) that gives a splash of color -- and that will survive in way less than full sun? Blooming right now are some roses, lots of tradescantia, St. John's Wort, feverfew, balloon flowers, lots of astilbe and lilies, a few hosta blooms, but I want more! I'm sure there is more blooming, but that is what I can think of right now.
shouldn't bother mentioning but Rose Campion is blooming right now and it does OK for me in shade, as well as a native white Campion/Silene. Maybe there are more refined Silenes/campions. Oh other tha n annuals..... A litlle peachlea f bellflower from Jill just gave me three blooms. (not sure shade vs sun). Digitalis penstemon, or is it the other way around? is still giving me big spikes of white, but in somewhat sunny...
Ruby gave me a Rose Campion at the swap -- that has finished blooming, but next year I bet it'll look great right now. I do have a Penstemon "Huskers Red." I think I need to stake it though. . . ..
Happy,
Go to the just finished blooming Rose Campion and get all those seed pods off of it. Sprinkle them anywhere you want them to grow next year. They DO spread on their own very easily. How? I have no idea!
How's the camellia Saga going?????
