I 've been bitten, I have a new Plant Crazies.

I have various plant crazies for years now. I have had the rose crazies for even longer than the daylily crazies. I also maganged to catch the bulb lily crazies. Last year I stated on the iris crazies and that is going really strong this year. I am just loving the Tall Bearded Iris blooms that just started this spring.


I have discovered violas so have been buying more each time I see a new different one so I have a mild case of the viola crazies. Then I did buy 19 new clematis for the garden this spring but I don't think I have any crazies there LOL!

But the latest, and I deffinately have the crazies on this one, is Lupines. I have just flipped for them this spring. I bought the two locally, decided they were too beautiful to not have more of, so went back to the nursery and bought the eight more. By the time I planted them, I knew I was in love with another plant and had the crazies for sure.

The thing is they only sell them in this one nursery that I usually only go to once each spring. This year I have already been there three times.

So today I am setting out to plant the flat of cosmos for that little garden by the pond rock wall that I call the annual garden. I have daffs way in back then I planted groupings of lily bulbs in front of the daffs this spring. Always planned to keep the cosmos in front. Plus I figgured I would stick a cosmos plant betweeen each grouping of lilies. As I planted the first few the thought popped into my head that if I had lupines in small pots instead of the way I bought them locally in the gallon or larger pots, I could have stuck them in between the lilies instead. Ha, you know me, if I think of something I make it happen. So, I took those few cosmos out and stuck to the plan of planting in front. Went to the American Meadows Website and ordered the Gallery Mix Lupines. Those pots are smaller, I think they are 3-4 inch pots.

But while I was looking on line for lupines I stumbled up a site selling the GOVERNOR selection of Russel hybrid Lupines. It is a taller blue and white colored one. I flipped over the pictures. Ordered those also as I knew just the perfect spot. I decided to make ordering at this place really worthwhile and also ordered six of the Songbird Mix Columbines.

Now the thing that I think will be extra great is that the short new hybrids bloom about two weeks earlier than the Russels. So if you have both you can really extend your bloom time.

So no big deal to get bitten by a new plant crazies. I will just have to find room in the garden.

Hello Rita,

You are not alone! DH and I plan to move out to the country...hopefully within the next 5 years. Time can't go by fast enough! We want to get an acreage with an old farmhouse. I've pretty much exhaused our backyard of garden space so there is still room to put out the feeders for the birds in the winter.
My crazines include Salvias, Agastaches, Sunflowers, Coneflowers, Passion flowers, Daylilies and Irises...so far. It pains me to go to the nurseries to get supplies since there is "no more room at the inn" for anything else...LOL
Although I ordered a few new Irises, they will be replacing a few I'm going to be giving my MIL and a member I promised to give her one that I don't want anymore.
I have a list of 80+ Irises on my wish list...and that's just Irises...HA!
Have Mercy! :D

This message was edited May 16, 2010 7:23 PM

At least my garden looks better and better. I planted those Lupines by setting them out and arranging them until I liked the way it was. Then I dug holes, directly thru grass. After planted put lots of leaves around as mulch and to kill of the surrounding grass. Put charcoal pavers around as edging. Instant garden LOL!!!

I ordered Woodfield hybrid Lupines at Bluestone. I haven't seen them anywhere else. Placing them was a challenge as they are somewhat tall. But I thought about it overnight and went out to the spot I had in mind today and realized that yes, it would work.

The clincher was that the plants were on sale at half off. So I ordered nine of them.

They are going in the wider bed in back of the garage. They will go in front of that very back row of serviceberry shrubs that are back there and in back of the two rows of daylilies. So they will be inbetween. It will actually look very, very good.

You know I have these lupine cazies really bad. And I know that this will not be the end of it.

Newyorkrita, I have Australian Violets. If you do not have them, let me know, I am sure we can find something you have that I do not have in the SW desert....

Oh, dear. Those look suspiciously like the wild violets that I pull up out of the lawn. It is Violas that I have been buying.

Rita, davesgarden is a dangerous place for people who get addicted easily. Since I've been here, I been addicted to daylilies, Iris, lilies, coleus, Japanese morning glories, brugmansia , amaryllis and most recently orchids. A few of the addictions have come and gone, but all have been a riot to explore and learn about. If lupines did a little better here, I'd love to grow more of them. Right now I'm just thrilled that one is blooming and one that another made it through the winter. I planted one cute little viola this spring. Enjoy them even if they don't do well here once the heat hits.

This message was edited May 19, 2010 4:11 PM

I get so many plant crazies too and it is true that the poeple on any of the forums are more than willing to help by cheering one one :-)) But I keep my old plant crazies when I get new ones, So I just keep adding to the yard.

My little lupines came from American Meadows today and I immediately implemented my plan of putting them between the lily clumps in that little garden. So they are planted.


Considering that garden had nothing really early this spring except those daffoldils way in the back, it has really come together nicely. And this is so much better than just sticking in a cosmos plant, the lupines will grow and will not need to be replanted. The lilies will be between them, even when they get bigger. I still have cosmos there for summer color, they are just in front of everything. It all turned out great.

My cosmos come up from self sowing. I actually thin on a daily basis or they would take over. Day lilies are just about ready to bloom. Irises and California poppies are done. Hardy hibiscus are starting to branch out from winter dormancy. Weather is still weird. 93 last week, high today suppose to be mid 60s. 25 degrees below average temperatures. There are going to be some unhappy tourists in town this week.

My cannas are taking over my iris bed so I have to do some planning and moving before the heat hits. We actually dig iris here in June and replant in September.

Have a great day.