Perennials: Anemone, 1 by DonnaMack

DonnaMack wrote:
I hear you on the takesimana. I removed it from my more cultivated areas (after making the mistake of buying six because it was so pretty the first year. Most of it is now in the back yard to fight the violets and creeping charlie, because the only way you can get rid of those two is with repeated chemicals and/or hand digging. The other batch is where adenophora is trying to take over the planet.

Takesimana is so vigorous that I put five, culled from three plants, in the back yard. That was year three. The biggest issue in the front is that adenophora and takesimana leaves can look very similar (especially when you're tired from digging it out) but I no longer worry about eliminating takesimana by mistake because there is so much of it.

I did do one thing correctly. I saw the most lovely blue version of it and didn't bite. It was expensive. Then I read that the plants in general tend to spread aggressively by rhizomes even if deadheaded. Oh, really?

I usually do really good research but I didn't really do my homework when Bluestone offered it. But then Bluestone once gave me three saponaria Bouncing Bett when I ordered Salvia Rose Queen. It took me while to realize that the three plants were not what I ordered. I did love that plant but every two years I had to take a shovel to it. It was inside of my peony bed, which had granite rocks around it, and it provided color and a lovely scent when the peonies were finished. The rocks contained it. The white is less vigorous, and even more beautiful so I don't cage it.

And what the heck - I grew my own Rose Queen. I have six at my new house in two different locations. Interesting that the ones I grew always persisted for years, whereas the ones I bought keeled in a couple of years. I find that's true with a LOT of plants. If I want a whole bunch of something I grow it. It would have saved me a couple hundred dollars on heuchera!

Anemones are weird. I have one I thought was dead - the Honorine I originally put in the walnut bed. It appeared again, to my surprise, and is very slowly developing despite my pep talks. I should move it, but like you I'm afraid to do it.

This message was edited Feb 10, 2016 3:39 PM

This message was edited Feb 10, 2016 3:41 PM