PLANT ADDICT'S CHAT #1

We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1354980/

So I changed the name of this thread to make it more fitting (to me at least LOL)

I was bummed last week that my xeric plant order fell through. I was going to get all these cool plants from a nursery in Montana but after several recent calls and voice mails, the owner still hasn't called me back. The plant I'm most bummed out about not getting is pictured below. It's called Castilleja Miniata. It's actually a parasitic plant although it doesn't kill it's host. So since I refuse to be without plants for this garden (and it's my profession, purchasing manager) I started doing more searching. I found another nursery I could get this plant from, also from Montana, and talked with them this week. They usually don't ship their plants but she said for just one, she could make an exception so she'll call me back next week when she gets in from Utah. As for the other plants, I found suitable substitutes from High Country Gardens and I should have those plants Friday this week and I'll install them in my xeric garden this weekend. I'm so excited to finally have this project looking to be done. Some of you may know that I've been blessed with this little micro climate. I used to think it was a curse until I embraced it recently as a blessing. This area gets very little rain and is a hot, full sun area. It used to have hollies that never did well so I ripped them out last year and came up with the idea for a xeric garden this spring. I made those two stone dry washes and built up the corners by the steps to resemble a waterfall of rock then, after the plants are in, I'm going to mulch the area with pine bark nuggets. I'm going to hand water the plants occasionally but if I forget it's no worries because in the wild most require only 10 inches of water annually.

Also, since I'm an addict, I've recently purchased a few more plants from Bluestone and Lazy S&S...LOL

good luck staying xeric today. storm is rumbling through now but the rain is gentle so far.
thanks for the new thread.
So you have stone dry drainage paths from each corner by the stoop? Do you have rain chains going to them, or what is the reason/ plan there?

Well, where my parents live in Phoenix, it's called a 'dry wash'. Here, it's more of a decorative thing than functional. I've taken all 7 years since they moved to finally get over them moving out of PA and creating this garden is sort of my way of connecting with the area in which they live.

Jeff, that looks like a neat project and glad you found replacement sources.

I went shopping at plant sales 2 Saturdays in a row and am feeling great that I already got almost all of the stuff planted. I think my favorite find was a native coastal azalea (rhododendron atlanticum) - it was in full bloom and smelled heavenly. I also picked up several kinds of thalictrum - rochebruneanum (meadow rue) and thalictroides (rue anemone). Gita I'm thinking of you as I try to spell those crazy latin names LOL. Anyway, ever since I saw thalictrums in David and Pat's gardens, I've been on the look out for them.

I've checked out Plant Delight's haven't ordered from them yet because of their shipping charges. I've heard nothing but good things about their plants, though.

I have so many almost-blooms in my garden right now! Yarrow, echinacea, coreopsis, penstemon, and others. Here are some blooms from today:

1) Peony blooms are open! yay!
2) Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens) 'Butterfly'
3) My Viola cornuta--one of my first bloomers this spring, still going strong
4) Tiarella cordifolia, 'Elizabeth Oliver'

I'm curious about your xeric garden as well, Jeff. Are the plants going to be growing in the pebbles, or will their roots touch dirt? Are you going to mulch just up to the level of the rocks, or also put mulch on top of the pebbles?

I went to Meadows Farms today intending to buy 2 large Rhododendron catawbiense and look for Serviceberry shrubs, and came home with a large Aronia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry), a large Cornus amomum (Silky Dogwood), and 2 Rhododendron catawbiense 'Grandiflorum' that are much smaller than what I had in mind. I've been looking for large ones but just haven't seen them.

I planted the Black Chokeberry next to my other 2 Black Chokeberry shrubs and my Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima' (Red Chokeberry), and the Silky Dogwood next to my other Silky Dogwoods.

I have to dig up the remains of 2-3 large Cherry Laurels before I can plant the rhodos. I'm not looking forward to that.

Neat project, Jeff. That's cool that you have an area that allows you to do some xeric gardening! I love the look of many of the plants that are designated as 'suitable for xeriscaping'.

CatMint....there are no photos of your plants...but I can just imagine how nice they must look : )

that is weird--I definitely loaded them up. Not sure why they didn't post. I'll try again.

I have so many almost-blooms in my garden right now! Yarrow, echinacea, coreopsis, penstemon, and others. Here are some blooms from today:

1) My Viola cornuta--one of my first bloomers this spring, still going strong
2) Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens) 'Butterfly'
3) Peony blooms are open! yay!
4) Tiarella cordifolia, 'Elizabeth Oliver'

I'm really liking the tiarellas this year. Their blooms are much nicer than heucheras, IMO.

Trust me on the xeric garden, it will look cool when it's all finished. I'll be planting a plant at the top of the rocks on either side but aside from that, all the plants will be planted in soil. The pine bark nuggets will be the mulch up to the rocks but not over the rocks.

I can't believe you have echinacea getting ready to bloom already Catmint! Mine have at least a month probably.

I definitely prefer tiarella over heuchera any day. One thing heuchera has going for it though is the endless different varieties with different colored leaves.

Muddy, that looks like a pretty rhodie you got yourself.

I love yours too Terri, very pretty!

Seq, it's just 2 of my echinacea cultivars that have buds--'Secret Affair' and 'Raspberry Truffle'. The others are still just babes. I'm not sure why the two are so much further along--must be the cultivar.

I love heuchera! I love all the different colors. Tiarella's very nice, too. Okay, I rarely meet a plant I don't like--LOL! :-)

Yes, such nice rhodies, Terri and Muddy.

Seq, I love the way you take the time to comment encouragingly on photos from all of us, including gardening newbies like myself--LOL! :-)

Well Cat, we all put a lot of work into our gardens no matter how big or small so I try to respect that when someone posts pics :)

I'm sort of a gardening noobie too. This summer it's my goal to learn how to root cuttings as I've never done that before.

We may not have many guys here, but the ones we do have are super nice!.

Seq, I've never rooted a cutting either!! :-)

thanks, Seq! Well, I know that I'm excited and proud whenever I see something blooming at last in my yard! Guess we all feel that way. :-)

1) Nepeta 'Walker's Low' blooming at last in my yard! I really struggled with this one last year for some reason so am happy to see it doing well at last.
2) Campanula--this one was a strong bloomer for me last year. I got it before I knew about keeping id tags, so I have no idea what it is! :-o
3) Osteospermum 'Zion Orange'--the Osteospermun have been a little fussy for me, so happy to see a bloom on it
4) My mountain laurel 'Elf' blooming at last--yay! Got this one at Coleup's Ace last year--first time blooming for me.
5) Heuchera 'Kira Green Tea'--of all my heuchera, this is the one that's been blooming most profusely for me. Sure wish it could last forever like this! :-)

Catmint, I was too late in getting in on the mt laurel deal last year. What a gorgeous tree!

I prefer the large mounding shape of heucheras, but I think tiarellas have prettier flowers.

None of my heucheras are blooming that well this year. I wonder why? Catmint, I've never seen such pretty flowers on a heuchera!

thanks, SSG! I'm pleased with how it's turning out. I loved mountain laurel when I was living up in CT, and when I decided to start planting things in the garden last year I asked the nursery guy about mountain laurel, and he advised me that it might not do well here because it likes so much moisture. Well, of course now I know that moisture is not usually a concern in my yard-- LOL--and here it is looking happy.

I like the fluffy look of the tiarella, but I love the vivid colors and delicate blossoms of the heuchera. Only 3 of my heuchera are blooming right now, SSG, and this is the only one that looks so full! I'm really surprised by it, too. It must just really like the light it gets in that one spot. This one and a second one that are blooming for me right now are northern exposure and get morning sun; the third is in the backyard (southern exposure) but sheltered by other plants so it gets a lot of dappled sun.

Thanks Sally!

Catmint, your blooms are gorgeous :) That heuchera has really full blooms. Is your osteospermum an annual variety? How fast does your mountain laurel grow? Mine only grows 2-3" a year; a snail's pace if you ask me. It's going to get taken over by the neighboring rhodies in a few years if it doesn't keep up.

thanks, Seq--that's very kind of you! :-) The osteospermum is a tender perennial that I picked up early in the season at one of my favorite nurseries -- I was browsing around and succumbed to the siren call ;-). They haven't cared much for the weather so far but finally seem to be stabilizing. I don't know how they'll do with the humidity by midsummer.

The mountain laurel has grown well for me so far this year--maybe 4-5 inches? Here's a photo showing the new lighter green growth on top of the older darker green on one of the stems. The blossoms are all on the older, darker green parts.

Yeah, my growth is less than that and about 1/2 as many leaves per new stem. It's always been like that ever since I planted it 3 years ago. How much shade does yours get?

I have a very beautiful purple osteo and it's been blooming nicely so far this year. I got it as an annual. I got a perennial one from a mail order this year (Lazy S&S I think) and it was doing well but seems to be unhappy the last few days. Not sure what's going on with it.

That's a good question about the shade, Seq. I planted it to maximize the amount of dappled sun it gets, although there are a few times during the day when it does get some direct sun, but I'd say it's primarily dappled.

The osteos are so pretty and they have so many nice colors. Mine have all gone through a period of nonblooming after dropping the first round of blossoms. Is yours dropping blossoms now?

CatMint, your plants are even better than I imagined...I particularly like the Mountain Laurel. Those flowers are incredible!

Aspenhill, what a neat Rhododendron! I'm looking forward to seeing (and smelling) it.

Today, I exchanged one of my R. Catawbiense 'Grandiflorum' for a larger R. Catawbiense 'Album'. I have a 12' tall 'Grandiflorum' that needs to be cut back, but it'll still tower over the puny new 'Grandiflorum'. I'm hoping the larger 'Album' will help fill in the space more quickly. I'm going to read up on rooting Rhodo cuttings - I wish I could cut the 12' one in half, stick it in the ground and instantly have another 6' one!

My impulse buy was a big Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Shasta'. I have a 'Mariesii' that has never produced berries, and I learned that it needs to have a friend like 'Shasta' around : )

My native purchase was a Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhlygrass) to replace a Miscanthus.

Sounds like yours gets more sun Cat, maybe that's the difference. Oh well, it's still pretty but doesn't look like it will have as many blooms this year.

Muddy, why do you have to cut back your Grandiflorum? A 12' tall rhodie is a good dream of mine :) I can't wait until my Rhododendron 'Maximum' gets that tall.

Yeah I think it gets a good 1-2 hours of direct sun over the course of the day (not all at once) plus the dappled sun. Plus a lot of moisture.

Yeah that's way more than mine. It might get a 1/2 hour of direct sun and that's it. Shade the rest of the day and plenty of moisture as well.

I have some plants that I think need a little more sun but it's hard to find optimal spots for everything. :-(

Yeah true that Cat. Just not enough allocated space :) Now if my wife would just let me turn the yard into a giant garden, it might not be so big a problem LOL

LOL I also look at the lawn and see untapped garden potential

Catmint, Behnke's has a *gorgeous* Ruby Falls redbud for $130. It's 20% off this week, but I don't know when their sale week ends. This thing is huge! You're going to have to call one of us if you want to pick it up. :)

They have Rising Sun in different sizes, from $85 to over $100.

Their plain green weeping redbud wasn't looking so good. It was around $100.

I just don't think redbuds do well in containers. Pretty much every redbud except for Ruby Falls was looking stressed.

Happy, I couldn't find thalictrum 'Splendid' but picked up 'Elin.' It's as tall as 'Splendide,' but the flower color's different.

My short answer: because it's falling over! I was kidding about cutting it down to 6'. I'll probably cut one limb to 5-6' and the rest to 8-10.
I'm all for tall shrubs too - I never pruned as they grew, which was part of the problem! Here is the Rhodo in question. During its formative years, it didn't get enough sun, and so it grew towards it. It also started to lean over due to the torrents of water from our neighbors' yard (its base is about 8" below the fenceline). It gets more sun now and bloomed for the first time this year.

The second photo shows the big gap I'm dealing with. That's Doublefile Viburnum 'Mariesii' on the left. I cut down 4 Cherry Laurels that were the same height as the Viburnum and Rhododendrons...2 stumps dug up, 2 to go.

That's my 'Cunningham's White' on the far right. It grows taller than my house if I don't prune it, and that doesn't look so great; it throws off the proportions. The tag on this plant said it was supposed to grow to 4' tall - obviously it couldn't read!

This message was edited May 24, 2014 7:26 PM

Oh, and if you're interested in buying bonsai, definitely try a local bonsai club auction. The prices today were anywhere from half to a tenth of typical prices online or in specialty stores.

That rhodie doesn't look that bad Muddy. Mega stump you've got there from the cherry laurel, they must have been beautiful in their day. You're yard looks quite stunning btw.

Ssg, what did you get!!

Thanks, Seq! Yes, the Cherry Laurels were wonderful-looking until they started losing limbs from disease. As you can imagine, it's hard to spray 12 foot tall shrubs, especially when one side is up against a fence. I used to go to my neighbor's yard to spray from there.

Yikes! That does sound like a huge pain. What disease were they getting?

Sequia, I like the look of your xeric garden. I like those dry stream bed plantings.
Catmint, Love the Violas & the Heuchera 'Kira Green Tea. I've found that there is a big difference in some of the heuchera varieties as far as growth.
I grow the annual osteospermum and it is one of the last blooming flowers in my garden come fall.
I ordered a bunch of air plants. Going to make a living wreath with them. Pictures when I get it put together.

Thanks Holly! Good to know about the Osteospermum too, I look forward to that because mine is a real nice deep purple.

I haven't gotten mine planted yet. I am having my yearly love/hate relationship with my spring blooms right now. Love them when they are blooming / hate them when I need to wait to cut back the foliage before I can plant the annuals.