The garden tour is I week away and I have to say my gardens look fantastic. The culmination of 18 years of gardening. There's not much I would do differently except for one thing - I would have lots more coreopsis! Especially the new colors and varieties. I already have Zagreb, Tequila Sunrise, Sunset Strip, Route 66, Mercury Rising, Red Satin, Early Sunrise, Sienna Sunset, and Cruizin Sunset Strip and that's not enough for me. I love them all...
Picture is of 'Sienna Sunset'
Could do a little photo shoot and post it here? We want to do the 'Virtual Tour"!
I suppose you might post it in the Garden Showcase section, but notify us here that the tour is on. I tend to forget to look there.
I have few Coreopsis that are actually perennial here. In fact really the only one is Jethro Tull which is outrageously tough for me. I have finally learned not to try to deadhead it. The dead flowers hang on and are hideous, but cutting them off individually will make you crazy. Now a couple of times a summer I just cut the whole thing back, and it grows back and flowers more.
Last year I again succumbed to temptation and bought a 'Pink Sapphire' which I was in love with. It bloomed for 6 months, but of course did not return this spring : (
I will take pictures of the garden as it is for the tour as soon as the sun shines a bit! Also, I am not sure what will be blooming then. That sounds crazy since it's only a week away but I have 7 or 8 things right on the edge - maybe they'll make it in a week - maybe not.
Here are a few pictures taken in the last month, however.
Love the path. Gardens are beautiful.
Gardens are grand - should make for a great tour.
I especially enjoyed your white Siberian Iris.
Just lovely! Something to aspire to!! :o)
Do the new varieties return for you? I found that thought the large yellow-orangish ones proliferate and even take over, when I tried a few of the newer ones several years back, they didn't return, so I haven't tried any of the newer hybrids.
Since we are talking coreopsis. Help me out. I have these really tall (salsa - I think) coreopsis. They get so tall that they flop. What can I do or plant them with so they won't flop?
My Jethro Tull flop too. I tried cutting them back in spring so the stalks do not grow so tall (Chelsea Chop), but it did not help. They just flop. I can't figure out how to stake it nicely, it is not really tall enough for that. I threatened for years to get rid of Jethro because of this, and the ugly brown dead flowers that hang on forever. I finally realized that I just can't fix those two problems. I kept it because it is a tough survivor with endless blooms in a very difficult site-full sun, clay, and hard to water in summer because of a slight slope. Most things there just die. Now I celebrate the floppiness, and a couple times a summer just cut the whole thing back and let it bloom again.
Your coreopsis are tall, so maybe either cutting them back once in spring or using a peony ring might help.
Pistil - thanks for tips to keep coreopsis standing tall. I have some of the peony cages I should give that a try. I have waited until these coreoopsis were done blooming before and cut them back about half way. Guess I should cut them back to the ground this year after they bloom and give that a try (like you mentioned) - I'm sure it would not hurt them.. Some of them had gotten so floppy, I weedeated them the other day, so I could mow around the bed.
I could also use a suggestion on some other plant(s) to wedge the coreopsis in the middle of, that might cause them to have to stand up.... These coreopsis, that I have, are at least 48" tall and here is how they flop.
As far as coming back, they all did. I lost one 'Tequila Sunrise' but the others were fine. I had no problem with 'Sunset Strip', 'Mercury Rising', 'Rt 66' or 'Zagreb'. They do alright in this little corner of the world.
As far as flopping over, I've never seen a coreopsis get 4ft tall. I do have a Heliopolis that gets quite tall and flops over. I put several tall stakes around the plant and 'fence' it in with string. It's a very pretty flower - worth the trouble, I'd say.
Thanks, rteets. I might try one of the newer hybrids again.
I will do a photo shoot if you like and I'll be sure to put all the coreopsis in it. I will start a new thread about the garden tour (which was today). Look for it.
That would be great. Thanks.
Will look forward to your photo shoot - rteets. Hope the garden tour went very well.
Regarding flopping: I have Zagreb--stands up really nice and full of blooms. I really like it.
I posted general pictures of the tour in another thread but I will post some pictures of my coreopsis here
1. Tequila Sunrise - love the variegated foliage
2. Red Satin - deep, rich red blooms
3. Sunset Strip - middle of pic (Orange)
4. Early Sunrise - double yellow blooms
5. Rt 66 - my husbands favorite.
I don't have to stake any of them, even the tallest - Zagreb (not pictured)
I like them all! :)
