Mmmm, is that Husker Red penstemon? I really like it!
Do you leave your yarrows up all winter? I have some (Paprika) out front, and I read that the seed-heads have winter interest, but I've never seen let them go.
Pics from June 9-10
The yarrow gets cut back at least once during the summer so it can rebloom. I only leave the seed heads in place if they turn brown when the grasses etc. are at the same stage. Otherwise you have dead looking plants among the green, growing plants.
edited to say -Yarrow seeds prolifically so you"ll have to decide if you are willing to move or pull out the offspring.
This message was edited Jun 25, 2007 5:49 AM
Yes, I cut mine back too, today I cut off some spent blooms, stems that were bent I cut down to the ground. I will try leaving it up at the end of summer, I have fountain grass in the same bed, so I will gauge things by that. Thanks semper fi. ;0)
I have also read you can do the same thing with salvia and artemisia, so I'll be trying that as well. I have blanket flower, sedum, daylilies and lady's mantle in the same bed. I guess the only winter interest from those would be the sedum?
You are welcome Prairie G. The perennial salvia will have a basal rosette left in the winter, not much to look at but something. The salvia can be cut back to the rosette after bloom and usually (not as effective on a older plant, then just cut off spent flowers) will respond with a second round of fresh new growth with flowers. I don't know about lady's mantle, it doesn't last in my garden. Echinacea has nice seed heads.
Thanks S~I have two echinacea, pink and white, not as pretty as yours yet. I think they meant to leave the dried wands on the salvias? I deadhead mine all summer and get continuous bloom until late fall. I've just never seen yarrow and salvia let go like that, I've heard that about echinacea too, but to me it just looks black and dead.