Figures. Shoot!
November...color in your garden ??
I nurtured a skimmia japonica pair thru a couple undistinguished seasons 5 yrs ago or so.
Then after their predictable demise, gave up on them.
But Stormy's success will surely spur me to try again.
My cyclamen is hederifolium var alba, I think.
If anyone knows otherwise, I'd be interested to know.
Flowers are white - see post.
Since I planted mine 4-5 years ago, I've heard how fussy cyclamen are.
You're not supposed to water them during their dormant (summer) season, etc...
We'll I water my entire yard during the summer, including my cyclamen; I've never handled them in any special way.
Yet they have spread into a healthy thriving clump.
I have Cyclamin from Seneca Hill Perennials.
I planted them last spring, I have leaves now but no flowers.
Does it take a season for them to bloom?
Definitely. And the blooms are very sporadic at first.
But now they bloom nicely.
Mine are planted in a fairly root-bound area by my front porch.
I think the thirsty acer rubrum sucks up so much soil moisture that my cyclamen thrive despite being watered by an automatic sprinkler all summer when they're supposed to be kept dry.
It's my theory anyway.
OK i wont dispair for looking for blooms this year. We are in the snow season here and I wouldnt be able to see them anyway.
We could get several inches any day.
Seneca hills has a really nice selection, do you order from them often? I've been very tempted to order cyclamen (and peonies) from them.
I had a nice small patch of them, but they disappeared. Don't know if they rotted in the dampness or became food for the voles.
hmmm, mine are in a well drained woodsy area
I have not ever heard of either the skimmia or the arum before...obviously not native prairie plants. They are both beautiful though and I would love to look into them. The main difference I would worry about from your areas to mine is soil pH. Weerobin and stormyla, do either of you know whether these plants require an acid soil, as ours tends toward the mildly alkaline side? I love trying new things, but I would hate to consign them to a slow death because I didn't check their needs out. Thanks for the beautiful photos andinteresting facts.
Willow
Skimmia japonica, in all its forms ( except allegedly the hermaphrodite subsp. reevesiana) are tolerant of chalky soils.
Any degree of winter waterlogging seems to be its main threat
Willow - I have heard some horror stories about Arums in some places, please make sure your area is one before you invest. They are just kind of hanging on for me, here, but they are wonderful plants (in the right places!) Here's where I got mine: http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/productview/index.php?sku=06-0101
Pagancat, what horror stories? Arums dying? Or arums taking over the world?
Mine reseeds moderately, but not annoyingly. Unless you've heard otherwise?
In sandy soils in warm climates the Arum can be very aggressive. I've grown it here for 4 years and the clumps have very slowly expanded. If in doubt, sink it in a pot.
Willowwind, If you can grow Callas and Alocasias, and other Arum type of plants, then you can grow Arum Italicum. It is a cold hardy Arum, very nice to look at peeking through the snow. The bright orange berries in July & August are nice too.
Seneca Hill Perennials is a wonderful place to buy unusual plants. It' s near me. I didn't realize how extensive their plant list was until I went there in the spring and got some species peonies for Boojum and I. It is an amazing place.
Love that skimmia! Do the flowers open any more than that, or is that it?
Polly, They are actually on the wane there. They were open more earlier. The gals in the PNW forum were telling me that Skimmias out there get 6' wide.
Another plant to check out :)
Polly, I don't think it will make it in your zone.
I have some very protected areas. I have some areas by my pond, where the plants are protected on three sides, and then tall ornamental grasses fall over there for the winter. So maybe.
Conceivably that could be warmer than where mine is planted. A brutal north wind comes across there in winter and the edges of that one get crispy. The mate is against the house and it is always lush & green.
This message was edited Nov 24, 2009 11:04 PM
Camellia and skimmia here I come, then.
My Camellias are in my most sheltered spot, only because I wanted them near the house so I could enjoy them daily and I wanted some evergreen shrubs against that white wall. I did move the fall blooming one out into the bed this year.
maybe i'll try some
Which way do your camellias face, Stormy?
I tried mine on a south-facing wall for warmer siting as well as winter wind protection,
but they weren't in the least bit happy. Declined over a couple years then died outright.
I thought maybe winter sun-scald may have contributed to their decline.
(It's fairly shady in summer, but more exposed to sun in winter.)
I could possibly try an east-facing wall, but it's a side of the house I never see.
Stormy,
Just had to look up Norristown - it seemed familiar but just couldn't
place it. Now I now - King of Prussia Mall !
Love your skimmia - might have to do a "drive by snipping" :)
Weerobin, They are on an East facing wall. There are tall trees (Norway Spruce) across from them and then my neighbor's home beyond them. They get maybe an hour or two of partial morning sun upon sunrise.
Cris, LOL A snipping would yield a very small cutting. That plant is less than 2 feet tall! Not a fast grower.
Sheryl, thank you for the good link on the Arums. Those are beautiful and very good prices. I doubt that I'd have trouble with run-aways as my soil is quite heavy and clay-like. My beds have turned out nicely with lots of compost and pony poop additions, but I live in a section where many of the small farms have catfish ponds for income, because the soil holds the water so well. No sandy stuff here! I've never tried callas or alocasias Stormy, although they do sound interesting. I'm afraid I'm just getting started at extending beyond the marigold and petunia level and into things not found routinely. Now I'll have to look them up.
Mr_Canthus, thank you for the information on the skimmias. It sounds like I could probably try them too. I would have to just make sure that they had plenty of humus dug into the soil, and maybe would be happier in one of my raised beds so the drainage is better.
Thank you all so much. I'll keep reading, as that is seeming like the best way to be introduced to new and fun plants to try.
Willow
You're so welcome, Willow. Make sure -if you're able to find a skimmia- that it's in a place that is protected, near a brick wall or on the south side of the house or something.
And then make sure you tell me where you got it!
Yes enjoy!...and if you can get one of each sex, even better
Or one that *is* both sexes, lol ...
Sounds like they're a little tricky to find. Oh well, at least I have the whole winter...it'll give me something fun to look for.
Willow
GE, Polly & Weerobin, I never hear any of you speak of growing my favorite Broadleaf Evergreen. It is the Mountain Laurel. It seems the 3 of you have a better climate than I to grow them. It is our state flower, the wild variety. We have miles and miles of understory of them and wild Rhododendrum. I just happen to live in one of the warmer parts of Pa. and they are harder to grow here.
My favorite one is Kalmia Latifolia "Olympic Fire". I also realy like "Raspberry Glow". Do any of you grow them?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/181834/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/118788/
stormyla!
My house is failry new to me,moved here three years ago. Its 20+ years old and we are slowly making changes to the very old and over grown landscape plantings.
I have developed many perennial gardens over the past few years.
I would like to take out the diseased vibernums and replace with JM's and rhodies ,will consider the laurales as they are beautiful.
This is the east border in '08 and '09 1 of the scotch pines has been taken down and at the waaaay far end I have added another garden of mostly DayLilies and astilbes.
The carved bear has replaced the dead scotch pine.
This is the longest garden area here 11' x 80' I am not the Amazon woman I used to be so The gardens we have are IT.
There are 3 more on different sides of the house but the east side is the longest.
Kalmias. I love Kalmias. I have Bridesmaid, Bullseye, Elf, Kaleidoscope, Minuet, Olympic Wedding and Fire, and Snowdrift.
Raspberry Glow is one I really want.
I also love Daphnes. I have Carol Mackie, Briggs Moonlight, and Geisha Girl. Some of the Daphnes aren't hardy for me.
I also have a collection of about 80 lilacs, but most are still small. I have quite a few butterfly bush cultivars.
I'll have to think what other shrubs I have. Quite a few different spireas, hydrangeas,
One of my favoite wholesale nurseries is in Pa, Appalachian Nurseries. Have you ever seen mention of that place, Mary? Chambersburg, PA.
Oh, and happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Mary, what were you doing up at 4 AM? Starting the turkey?
Happy Thanksgiving, Polly & everyone!
Edited to ask: Stormy, are you able to successfully grow the Mountain Laurels, then? I've always thought they were gorgeous.
This message was edited Nov 26, 2009 8:46 AM
Ge, I remember when you started posting about your beds. They reminded me of mine.Your's look so much better than mine. You really should try at least one Laurel.
Sheryl, Right now I have 2 doing well. I did lose 2 others. My Pieris also died this winter. I want to replace it with Pieris "Valentine Valley"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64863/
Polly, not starting the Turkey, washing bedding for my guests. Now I have all of the table linens to wash. Just sat down for the first time today other than to eat the darn bird. I love Daphnes too. Lost 2 of my favorites this winter, D. Cneorum "Ruby Glow". Still have 3 left.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/84479/
stormy you just reminded me of a bush I want.
Pieris I grew 2 at the old house.
Thanks for the Garden compliment. The secret is compost or manuer.
Our soil is clay and stones.
Stormy, do you know why you lost them? Was it an unreasonably tough winter or a really wet one? I wonder if ge's comment about soil condition is behind it or ...?
Sorry to pepper you with all of these questions, I would just really like to grow these, but don't want to invest a lot of energy and $ into something that isn't going to thrive here - and we are the same zone.
Sheryl, My brain is losing it this morning. Which one are you asking about?
LOL - at least you have something to lose!
Mostly the Mountain Laurel, although I've been looking at Daphnes as well.