shady--mine get part shade/sun...I have them in pots by my front entry, but I will put them in the garage for the winter...I have been very pleased with them this year--have never grown them before...bought them at the garden center for half off--about $10 each. I think the one I have is called Nigra http://www.agristarts.com/aloc_nigra.htm
And a little more info http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/549116/
Longest blooming perennial?
This plant, which I bought from Annie's Annuals for $3 ($4 on the Web), started blooming in February and has never stopped. That's 8 months of bloom so far. This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago. It's a Nicotiana mutabilis. It's a perennial only in zones 9-11 and an annual everywhere else, but we all know how lavishly a Nicotiana reseeds, so it'll stay around in your garden indefinitely if you plant it. That's just one plant in the picture.
I bet that would be a great airy filler type plant too. Your fence is beautiful, as is the stained glass art (did you make it?) and your kitty (name?)
Thanks, Sanannie. The kitty's name is Desiree, and I didn't make the stained glass. I bought it from Collections, Etc., which, I'm embarrassed to admit, puts out a catalog where every item costs only $14.99. I thought it was such a steal that I bought 8 of those panels. There are four in the fence in this picture, and four more in a fence along one side of my property.
It's such a unique idea and it looks amazing!
Zuzu, I love what you did with those panels to. And your creativity and eye for a good deal are certainly nothing to be embarrassed about. Of course, I'm the cheapest person alive LOL, so I'm super impressed! Neal.
It may be too common for some, but Verbena 'Homestead Purple' blooms in 7b from earliest spring till it's killed off by frost.
It can stall when it gets really hot here, but would otherwise stay in bloom in less heat.
raydio.
Hi Raydio
Do you have problems with mildew with it??? I really like it; and nothing like saying "too common" to get me up in arms in a plants defense!
I was once told by a local grower that astrantia was an "auntie's plant" that no real gardener was interested in. Three years laterit was their featured perennial!
I knew that already, I thought......
:
raydio, I have that verbena and since it is cool in the mountains, it has kept blooming the entire time. Do you deadhead yours?
Do any of you know how cold 'Homestead Purple' can tolerate? I picked up a couple that were clearanced at the end of summer (50 cents each in gallon pots) and considering how pitiful they looked when I planted them, they've recovered nicely, but no blooms. I'm wondering how I should protect them to see if they will return for me. Was wondering is mulching the crown would make them rot, but they are in a sandy, well drained spot. Neal.
It's hard to say, Neal, without knowing your zone. Drainage is the key for these, so your sandy well-drained location sounds perfect, but how much frost do you get?
Verbena 'Temari Pink' or something like that. All I know is it's a party girl that only briefly stops in mid Feb.
Oh, we get a winter for sure here in zone 6 (plenty for spring bulbs, peonies, and lilacs), but I am in a protected microclimate, sort of nestled between the hills. I've had some zone 7 perennials survive, so we'll see. It's fun to experiment with cheapies!
gem--I think you will be OK with your 'Homestead'. I had one return from last year (or else it reseeded itself) very nicely.
Nevertheless, I am bringing mine inside...but you're no doubt warmer than we are...
Oh good! Thanks t.
I have a microclimate as well. I hope to bring my "Homestead Purple" through the winter with heavy mulching, too. It will be interesting..
This message was edited Mar 17, 2006 7:45 PM
I have Homestead Purple Verbena too and it reseeds itself here in our zone 8b. It will bloom from spring until killing frost. It takes a little rest in the hottest part of the summer and I will nip it back a bit and it bounces right back with more blooms.
We still have butterfly bushes blooming here too. Some lantana are still blooming.
I have a few new Penstemon plants that my Mother shared with me today. I planted them in my rock garden where there is good drainage and sandier soil. I read that they don't like to be real wet. Now I'm afraid I should have put them in pots to start out. I'm afraid spring rains may do them in. What do you think?
Lin
This little campanula is still blooming...it's two siblings next to it were eaten up by something...
This helenium started blooming in September, but the verbena bonarienses (a tender perennial here and freely reseeds) started early in summer and the two are still going strong ...
Tabasco your Helenium and Verbena are so pretty together. I love that color combination!!
Lin
This common old phlox has been blooming since late spring, and I haven't even bothered to take off all the dead blossoms. I thought it would be long gone, but it just kept on. The other persistant bloomer has been the carpet of roses, I have three and they have all been consistent throughout summer. Stealing ideas right and left here....thanks!!
Gotta mention my hard working periwinkles. I plant blooming bedding plants early spring, and they keep blooming until first frost.
PERIWINKLE
My potted bogie is going nutz with the alfalfa tea treats he gets. I over wintered him in my neighbor's GH last year, and he bloomed all winter, too.
BOUGAINVILLA
Beautiful bougainvilla! Love that Japanese/bonsai form it has.
I guess it's supposed to have a trellis, but I'm just letting it flop around. I hear they like to be pruned, so I'll give him a haircut after I bring him in.
Can someone tell me if I can overwinter bogies in a warm but dark garage? I put him in my neighbor's greenhouse last year, but they have a white fly infestation right now so I need to make other plans. I brought a small one in the house last year. It lost all its leaves but came back very nicely when I put it out in the spring. The big one above bloomed all winter in the GH.
I will agree with the fernleaf dicentra - unfortunately it is so small it gets overlooked. Gallardia does not get overlooked and blooms a long time.
How small/large are they?
woodspirit1 - for me, they are about 15"h x 15"w.
Sandy
I'll agree with that size, it's a nice front shade border plant - compared to the old fashioned BH of mine which is 4' h x 4' w.
I have these little planting walls built to cover up an ugly bare bank. Further down the bank are 2 small waterfalls and more planting pockets. These get too much shade for most plants but I have some foam flower and ferns in it and I think this plant will work wonderfully. Thank you so much for your help.
Woodspirit, how beautiful that is! Why haven't you posted some pictures of those walls in the Alpine and Rock Gardening Forum? Everyone there would love them.
I agree. That's so pretty that I wish I had an ugly hill so I could copy it.
Very natural looking. Neat :)
Woodspirit - Well it sure isn't an ugly bare bank any more! That's wonderful.
Sandy
woodspirit, you've created such an enchanting area! Kudos!
Neal.
We're lucky to live in an almost frost-free, Mediterranean zone climate (coastal Northern CA) so many of the plants that are annuals elsewhere are perennials or tender perennials here. Please don't take this as trying to make others envious, but as how some popular plants behave in more temperate climes.
-First prize winner is my 'Margaret Merrill' rose (floribunda). We put it in the ground in Nov 2004 with two blooms on it, and it has never stopped blooming since. I've attached a photo I took 15 minutes ago, although my digital camera is an older model and doesn't take very good pictures of white flowers, they always look like blobs unless I do a close-up, lol.
-Second prize goes to J&P's bedding rose 'Electric Blanket'. They don't sell this one any longer, I don't know why. Of the three colors of 'Blanket' varieties I got in a six-pak, this was the color I liked least but it won me over due to its incredible vigor. There are a few times it may only have one or two small flower sprays for a couple of weeks, but then it explodes again into dozens of blooms. A truly amazing little rose that has performed superbly for the three years I've owned it..
-Third prize goes to my Hellebore foetidus, whose flowers last an amazing seven months.
On the downside, out here we can't get return bloom on anything that needs winter chill or dry winters, such as tulips, delphiniums, peonies, etc., so we zone 9 gardeners envy the rest of you those beauties!
As a follow-up, here is a photo of my second prize nominee, 'Electric Blanket'.
That rose is stunning. There are no more roses here - it's a tad cold for them lately :)
jkom - I have to admit, I do covet the plants you can grow in your temperate climate, but I like the break we get up here over the winter to hibernate and plan. Thanks for showing us a bit of summer! The roses are beautiful.
Sandy
I didn't think about posting these in the rock and alpine gardening forum, but I will. This photo is little further to the right of the above picture and I think it includes the other little waterfall and the pond.
