PLANT ADDICTS CHAT #6

We are smack dab in the middle of the best month of the year (IMO). Super exciting stuff going on with everyone and in everyone's gardens. The end of last thread left us with a prime example of a plant addict: our very own Speediebean taking home a Columbine and 'friends'. It's all good though, because we all do it! That's why we're here =)


We came from here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1383933/

Picture was taken from http://talesfromcarmel.com/2012/01/05/the-cottage-garden-at-5-casanova-st/
More pictures can be found there as well. I'd love for that to be my garden. What a beautiful place!!

I'd love for it to be my garden, too. What a wonderful picture to see each time we go to this thread. I think AspenHill will claim it for hers, though.

Speedie, with all the plants that surround you each day, I think you showed considerable restraint. We have several pink columbine in bloom right now, most I think from seed.

Haha, yeah Pat, you're right on Speedie's considerable restraint. It isn't easy working around all those plants. Sort of like an alcoholic working at a liquor store..

I'd absolutely love that to be "one" of my gardens LOL. I have so many styles that I like that I'd love to have them ALL.

I keep thinking that when I retire, I will need a part time job at a nursery since that part of the expendable income will probably be severely curtailed. I can see my resume now - will work in exchange for plants LOL.

Haha....yeah really!

Sorry, I didn't see Jeff had started a new thread.
Oh, I forgot to brag about one of new acquisitions. We got a Jakobsen Mugo Pine, I would guess it is 10-12 years old. Now all I have to do is find the perfect place to display it. We picked it up after the York show at wholesale cost. I was ecstatic. We have picked up new varieties and types of plants this way for years. That's always been a problem here, since we both love plants, neither of us show restraint.
Here's a link with a good description.
http://www.kiginursery.com/dwarf-miniatures/pinus-mugo-jakobsen-dwarf-mugo-pine/

Can you hear me ewwwwwing and ahhhhhhhhhing from there, Ric ?

I don't usually handle personal articles insurance here at work but I can find someone who will write you a policy for that gorgeous Mugo Pine. :)

Would that be like Betty Grable's insuring her legs? I've heard that Lloyds of London will write a policy for almost anything.. LOL

Very nice Ric! Hard to believe that thing has been growing in a pot for 10+ years. We have a 'Slowmound' Mugo Pine. It was planted from a 1G pot spring of '11. It's grown nicely so far.

Ha... they sure will, Ric. Except I understand they stopped writing policies for big time major league pitchers... elbow and shoulder injuries became to risky even for them. But I bet they'd write a policy for your Mugo Pine. :)

Oh Ric that is a fabulous specimen I love it!!! And the "intro garden" you shared Seq is to kill for!! (not to die for, mind you; else how could we enjoy it?) ;)

It has taken YEARS to build up this restraint, let me tell ya's! The first 2 years there (under the previous ownership), I had to be reminded constantly from DH "Would you PLEASE bring home a paycheck!?!?" < =D

Here they both are, semi-hiding behind one of the Otto Luykens. Looks like Otto needs some help, too. :(

As you can see, there's a lot of bare space right around there; that ground-cover isn't spreading as quickly as I would like. I may need to grab another one or two to fill that in. ;) heeheheheeee

Ooh, that's an impressive mugo.

Seq, I need to check out that website. Really nice pictures there. I love gently curving walkways.

Oops!

That was a nice find, Ric!

Speedie, that's a pretty Columbine. You can get that groundcover to spread more quickly by breaking off pieces and sticking them elsewhere, but I like your plan of buying or "adopting" more plants instead!

It's hard to tell from your photo, but it looks like your Otto Luyken cherry laurel might have one of the several diseases that led to my "Schip" cherry laurels demise.

Muddy, I'm pretty sure it's fungal, so I'm gonna have to remember to bring something home for that poor baby. Also I'll have to get out there and prune her up. I'll have either a bleach solution or rubbing alcohol to clean my pruners after each cut. The only thing I can think of is that she never got "opened up", pruning-wise, 'cause the soil there is really really well-draining and she gets full sun. :(

Keep us updated, Speedie... hope she gets healthy again and soon !

Your Otto is in full sun?

ID help, please. This popped up. Looks like a tree seedling.

Jan, that's a Liriodendron tulipifera seedling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liriodendron_tulipifera

Plant Addicts alert - Annual Green Springs sale in Alexandria this Saturday.
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/events.htm

Jan, I pulled up a Liriodendron tulipifera seedling that was growing in my yard. Its roots were bare and I figured it would die, but I stuck it in a pot anyway. Not only did it live, but its leaves never wilted and it looks really healthy. I don't want a tree that gets to be 165' tall, so I'm going to put it with its parents in the forest.

Speedie, good luck with the cherry laurel. Maybe you can save it because you spotted the problem early.

Muddy, Liriodendrons only get 40-60' in cultivation. Not quite the size of a forest specimen. I'd love to have one if we had some more room. They're not good by a house or driveway though as they bleed sap really bad in the spring. It's not the best thing for car paint.

Jan (and everyone else too), I have 2 of those growing in my little woody area on the side of my house. Those things are really cool, I love the leaf shape.

And yes, Seq, both of my Otto's are in full sun, from about 10:30 AM until sundown.

Oh my gosh guys, you have no idea how close I was today to coming home with yet another one!!! It's this nice looking Heuchera with a Columbine volunteer. MAN OH MAN, but I really want that thing!!!!!!!

Came across this post by Rick Corey on his use of adding Screened bark
to a potting mix when growing seeds.

I thought it was interesting and helpful. Here is the link to this Thread.
I printed it out--maybe some day I can help a customer with this knowledge.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1394363/

Gita

Hmm.... Thanks for the info, guys. Maybe I can move it into the back yard of the empty house next door. Not a good spot where it is growing.

I'd love to plant it in the forest, but I might have to raise it for awhile until it's big enough to protect from browsing deer, or find a good sapling guard.

Tulip tree! That would look nice in Muddy's forest.

Muddy, I'm so glad I got to see your native planting project, even with all of the poison ivy! I love that I can visualize where you're guarding the saplings and planting new natives.

Not surehow I feel about Liriodendron. Some call them trash trees.

Here is one fact sheet
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/LandownerFactsheets/detail.cfm?genus=Liriodendron&species=tulipifera

I don't feel like it's a great choice for a yard, long term. (Says the one who bought into TWO sycamores)

Speedie, I don't think full sun is the best environment for cherry laurel. That might be putting them in a stressed state making them more susceptible to disease and pests.

Lol Sally! They are a heck of a lot better than Silver Maples...

There are quite a few Tulip Trees around here. They were already here when
we all moved into our houses. That was in 1969. To my knowledge--they are still here....
HUGE trees! Like old Oaks. They do make blooms that look like big tulips...cup shaped...

I could not see one in Muddy's yard. It would overpower everything.
G.

Gita and Sally, I think Muddy's talking about the forest near her house where she's been planting native saplings and perennials.

Ok, I will sign off on that then ROFL. thanks ssg.

SSG nailed it; that's the plan! Apparently they're deer candy, though, so placement will be key.

Speaking of "my" adopted forest plot (our HOA owns 11 acres along Wolf Trap Creek), I planted some Asclepias perennis (White Milkweed) and Impatiens capensis (Orange Jewelweed) there today. I spotted some dense clumps of what I hope are native plants from seeds I sowed. It looks like some idiot tossed 100 seeds into 1 sq. ft. (now who could that be?!). Fingers crossed!

One of my sisters stopped by today and I sent her home loaded with Black-eyed Susans, Jewelweed, variegated Vinca major and a Sedum 'Autumn Joy'.

Very interesting info about that Tulip Tree, thank you for that link Sally. I'd been told (here) before what it was but had forgotten. And, I've never seen any blooms on mine, but then again it's in a very "understory" sort of positioning, along the woodline, and not very big or tall. ... now that I think of it, I believe I have more than 1.

Seq, that is also very interesting info about the Otto, I had no idea they'd not prefer such intense sun, everything I'd read says they'll do well in full-to-part sun and "even tolerate full shade". Well, I'll be working on her tomorrow (gotta work today), gonna prune her out, rake out all the mulch and stuff around/under her, and then give her a good Neem spray. (provided it's not too terribly hot and/or rainy).

Alright, now this insanity HAS to stop. Y'all know what I came home with yesterday? 1 Hypericum Androsaemum "Albury Purple", 2 Lamium Purpureum, and 2 Yarrow "Moonshine". I was thinking, just in case the Laurel doesn't make it, I can have a replacement handy, of a fashion. MoBot says the Hypericum will take full sun to part shade, so I'm hoping they're right. Also, there's that empty area between the Sedum ground cover and the Laurel (in front of the Columbine and bleeding heart I just installed), and DH said it looked weird and needed to be filled in "with a mixed-up bunch of stuff". Well, between the yarrow and lamium, that should (in time), fill that space in well and prettily, I think.

Now, NO MORE PLANTS!!!! < =P

The pic is of one of the cute little blooms on my Hypericum. Wheee!!

So who's going to the Green Springs plant sale today? I couldn't make it, but I'll be thinking about it! I couldn't justify buying more plants when I still have more to plant. :)

That Hypericum Androsaemum "Albury Purple" is a very attractive plant, Speedie.

My 2 cents worth on your cherry laurel: If the disease has caused an entire branch to die, i.e. if all of the leaves have fallen off and aren't growing back, chuck it. I don't know what that disease is, but I spent years trying to beat it and failed. Once all of the leaves fall off a branch, they never grow back.

Muddy, I have been having those same thoughts as well. Upon closer inspection, I am quite certain it's a powdery mildew. I spotted the tell-tale white powder on many of the leaves, there are those obvious brown leaves, and many of them have those holes that look as though an insect has been munching on them. I got a bottle of Neem oil, I have 2 bottles of rubbing alcohol, and I shall be taking care of her as soon as it's no longer threatening to rain and I have time off from work. I've been working so darned much this Spring, the little bit of time I do have DH really would like for me to share with him... and vice-versa. :)

Speedie, laurels are prone to "shot-hole" disease; mine had it and maybe that's causing the holes in yours: http://ugaurbanag.com/content/shot-hole-disease

Yeah, they sure are prone to that, but I have a strong suspicion that it's something else that's got mine. They leaves don't look the same as on the photo there; there's a LOT more browning on mine, on mine it's all from the bottom upward, and of course there's the white powdery stuff on some of the bottom leaves. That alone tells me it's a powdery mildew. Yesterday it rained, today is calling for rain, as is tomorrow (not to mention I'll be working 'til it's time to make dinner), so I'll have to wait for Wednesday to get out there and take care of her. :(

I walked outside this morning and noticed a gorgeous scent. I thought it was my neighbors' plants but realized it's actually my mock orange! So far I've had Korean Spice viburnum, lily of the valley (mostly from my neighbor's garden) and now mock orange, but I think that's it for any sweet-smelling plants for the rest of the year. I have plans for an Edgeworthia and a witch hazel, but not any late season bloomers.

Any recommendations for sweet-smelling summer and fall bloomers that I could look into? I'm only looking for perennials and/or small shrubs/trees.

Some of my daffodils and one peony smell nice, but only if I stick my nose up to each bloom. I'd love something strongly scented that wafts through the yard.