This will be on a slope, with cantaloupe size rocks as the edge of the garden. I would be planting next to the rocks. This will be full sun.
I am going to use Iberis for one, and perhaps basket of gold and Aubrieta??? Or maybe I sh. mix the plants up a little to have something blooming through the seasons?
I am in Zone 6b.
Also, what can I plant there until the perennials are mature?
So, I would love to have you help suggesting some annuals and some perennials.
Suggestion for Edger
Veronica Speedwell is a possibilty. I have it and love it. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/76872/
Here is a link with some ideas. http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/ground-cover-seed/
Nice website pepper, thanks! I will study this.
Is the Speedwell invasive?
Not that I have found. It spreads nicely but not aggressively.
Thanks for the suggestion and your experience with it. I have looked at Speedwell in the past was concerned with too much spread.
My first thought was Aubrieta as well. I have a beautiful variety "Violet with Eye" that is deep purple and was absolutely gorgeous for me this year.
I have some Veronica Speedwell and so does my gardening friend. We have found that here in NC, at least, it does not do as well in direct full sun as it does in part sun. My friend has a line of it on her bank and the half that is in part sun blooms twice as much and is twice as large, but the half that is in full sun are kind of piddly compared. You may want to think about Veronica Goldwell. It is yellow variagated, still same family, but I have been told tolerates full sun better. I am trying that in my full sun location this year.
I'm with you, I would mix several different types so that I would have multi-season blooming. Hope that helps.
Funnthesun: I am glad to hear Aubrieta grows well in NC. I kind of thought it was rather intolerable in hot humid areas. I have three plants of this that I grew from seed. I really like it. I have be eyeing the Aubrieta Whitewall Gem. It's available at Outside Pride.
Has anyone tried the Penstemon hirsutus? It's suppose to be pretty drought tolerant. The Veronica Goldwell is quite pretty.
Thanks for your input. I appreciate all informaiton!
How about fragaria vesca reugen. That is what I use as an edger. It clumps, and does not run. It has pretty foliage, edible berries, and nice flowers. It is extremely hardy and drought tolerant. It's also easy to divide. I've been using it this way for years.
It's also really easy and quick to grow from seed, which is how I got mine. And, not to be crass, the birds help with seed distribution. Tiny clumps would appear, and I would move them.
In the second picture, these just popped up, and I moved them.
They grow well in sun or shade.
I like the idea of offering something for the birds. I did some research on this plant, and the berries are edible for humans as well. They say they are very sweet. I also like the fact the plants don't have runners. Thanks, Donna for sharing your info and pics.
Donna..what in the 2nd pix, pink flower to the left of the Huchera. Flower looks like peony but foliage has me stummped. A beauty for sure. Also is this similar to wild strawberiries, like that it's runnerless.
Hi Warrier,
Good eye. It is a peony. It's Burma Joy, a great peony for shade. It has faded to pink. It started quite red. I love early single peonies for this purpose. You get a pop of color in the shade, and reliable bloom. This one has very pretty leaves and is relatively small. And no staking!
I got the seed at JL Hudson many years ago. It is runnerless. I only had to plant it once, since the birds and rabbits, well, spread it around. It appears as tiny, very distinctive plants, which I would then move around my yard. The berries are delicious. It doesn't require either good soil or fertilizer, but if you do fertilize it, the berries are bigger and bear more. And yes, I do love feeding the birds.
Easily divided too. Fragaria vesca reugen.
http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/SeedlistF-G.htm
Birder, I have penstemon hirsutus, which grows fine for me. I couldn't find a picture.
Flowers are creamy white.
It's supposed to be a little more shade tolerant, which is a plus for my yard.
But it resents rich soil, so doesn't do great in wooded areas for me.
Mine grows on a partly shady slope with lousy soil.
I recall it being native to Missouri, but I'm not sure. If so, should surely do well for you.
And Donna, your garden is looking great!
Wow, thank you Weerobin. Praise from the master is praise indeed. I have learned so much from you. The Codsall Pinks I purchased at your suggestion last year have bar made it nicely through the winter and are leafing out. I can't wait to see their first blooms.
Donna..did you direct sow the seed? Oh I remember wild strawberries from my youth hiking about old abandoned farmsteads. They are wonderful. I had some of the Alpine Strawberries about 20 years ago at another garden, maybe it's time to put them back in, I had totally forgotten about them.
1: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (plumbago), low ground cover to 10", intense blue flowers late in the season, and as the temps begin to cool the foliage takes on the most beautiful shades of red while still blooming before frost.
2. The only thing I have blooming now other than the JJs which have been blooming for atleast a month. It's Iris buchanii, 6-10".
3. Aurinia saxatilis (Basket of Gold) the perennial Alyssum, 10", spring bloom and oh so fragrant.
4: Campanulas, all sorts in the genus that are low creepers and can bloom thru the summer
5: Ajuga reptans Tri Color, 6", blooms in the late spring-e. summer, and tri colored leaves.
No I didn't, but I'll bet you could. I'm going to try it. The temperatures are correct outside (70) to give it a try.
Kathy, I like the Cerastostigma plumbaginoides. No one around here carries it. I wonder if it's too aggressive here?
I have one plant of Aurinia saxatilis that I started from seed. It is striking.
I don't the Campanulas would work in full sun here--I think they would melt.
Your ajuga is pretty.
WRobin, thanks for the input on the Penstemon h. I have been looking at the little plant. The picutes I see show it is lavender and cream. Maybe the Lavender is so small you don't see it unless you get real close.
I've moved the Ceratistiga plumbaginoides around quite a bit since finding a healthy patch in a neglected area. Spring transplanting works, Fall doesn't. I find that planted in shade it runs to the sun, then burns out when it gets there. It comes up every year somewhere in between, but late, so it's easy to forget it's there and wipe it out by accident. The original spot is open shade near a very greedy wisteria, lilacs, Siberian Iris and Tradescantia gone wild, so using it as underplanted groundcover may be the way to go. I'm thinking of trying it under peonies, for instance. Where it's happy, there are no weeds.
Years ago I grew Fraise Des Bois from seed from T&M, loved it as an edger. It stayed very neat and fresh looking all summer. Mine was a mix of white and red berries, both sweet. It seeded itself around some, but was easily moved around. The berries were delicious if I got there before the birds, which was rare for the red but they didn't seem to get it about the white.
Another suggestion might be golden oregano or veronica 'Trehane' both are low growing, great golden folidage and compact, mounding habit.
Thanks to all who have responded. My computer died, and I am on a borrowed computer. Until, I get my computer running again, I will not be able to respond. I do appreciate your responses.