Corydalis and primroses

I have the same question about each of these.

I am a very cheap and lazy gardener. I don't grow annuals at all (might reconsider for self-seeders), because I want plants that once they are in the ground, will perform for many years. And I don't even like short-lived perennials (unless they self-seed). And I don't find it fun to try to grow plants here that are really meant for other climates (like those gorgeous Delphiniums that make me swoon). I like hostas, and daylilies, etc.

I tried primroses many years ago, and they didn't make it. But I am a better gardener now.

I wouldn't know a corydalis if it hit me in the nose.

But both are supposed to do well in partly shady areas. I have very little sun.

So my question to you is: Are these unfussy, long-lived plants, and are they worth growing? If so, are there cultivars that are especially tough and resilient? I have heavy clay soil, and while we do amend it, it is nothing special. Plus, I am definitely guilty of overplanting, so anything that will only survivie with "good drainage" "no wet feet in winter" or "good circulation" will die in a heart-beat for me.

Many thanks.

Devon:

Take a look at this website. There are very comprehensive lists offered by the Maryland Native Plant Society. You may want to see what they suggest to grow in your garden.

http://www.mdflora.org/publications/natives2plant_lists.html

Thanks! I didn't know about that resource -- I'll take a look!

happy, for some unknown reason we've never had good luck with Primroses either. Haven't seen mickgene around here for awhile, but I remember she had photos of some gorgeous Primroses she had in her gardens and kudos plus for her - she started them from seed! Heck, I can't even get them to live when I plant a healthy, well-established plant. However, I'm trying again this year with two different Primroses.

Primula capitata http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/79922/ - lovely foliage on this one and even though Todd Boland describes it as "short-lived" I'm hopeful that it will at least live through the winter and self-seed. It's been blooming forever and is still sending out new stalks that will be blooming soon.

Primula x bulleesiana http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/159879/ - foliage is not as interesting as the P. capitata but pretty candelabra-type flowers. The ones I've planted have bloomed this year in shades of yellow/orange/apricot.

I haven't planted them in any particular soil, i.e. moist, I'm "testing" them in just our regular garden soil and keeping my fingers crossed.

As far as Corydalis goes, we've had some that have been successful - a few that have made a nuisance of themselves reseeding everywhere! Corydalis lutea http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/828/ self seeds throughout one of our beds but I just pull it up where I don't want it - the one below is growing under our deck!

Two others that have performed well for us are Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/61789/ - will not go summer dormant like others plus it's fragrant and if you give it "haircut" after blooming, the plant will perk up and rebloom. We don't bother with the other C. flexuosa cultivars like 'China Blue' or 'Blue Panda' - they just die in our gardens. If you want blue flowers, try Corydalis elata http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2192/. C. elata does not go dormant and has lovely foliage with a more upright habit and is bred to be more resistant to southern heat and humidity. We're trying another one this year - a sport of C. 'Blackberry Wine' called 'Berry Exciting' with lovely gold foliage http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/148107/ -looks like it does well in Dallas! Planted it in several locations throughout the garden and hoping it performs as well as its 'parent'.

Thought you might like to "swoon" over these - Delphinium grandiflorum http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=delphinium&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=grandiflorum&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search. Not quite the same as the tall, beautiful Delphiniums I used to grow in Maine, but I'll just have to be satisfied with these :)

Debbie

Debbie: Thanks so much! I think I'll steer clear of the primroses until someone suggests a cultivar that is dependable here. My yard is not the place for anything that isn't utterly committed to longevity.

As to the Corydalises, I'll try the Corydalis lutea, Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine' and Corydalis elata (do the latter 2 also reseed?). Do you think I can grow them from seed? And I'll see how you do with 'Berry Exciting.'

Primroses definitely need moist shade. I wintersowed "Danova Pink" from seed two years ago and it's still going strong.

rcn48: Love your Delphinium grandiflorum! I love anything blue in the garden!! However, how do you keep it alive and flowering so beautifully in this heat & humidity. I have absolutely no luck with it. In fact, I only grow Larkspur now because all my Delphinium kept dying.

Thanks for the 'heads up' on Corydalis, 'Blackberry Wine' & 'Berry Exciting'. I definitely want to grow both of these in my garden! Where did you find them?

I just looked up Corydalis, 'Berry Exciting' and I see that one of my favorite on-line nurseries, Garden Crossings, carries it. Thanks so much!

I had been trying to get pictures of some of the work I had been doing in the gardens. I apologize for the quality of the photo - something was going on with my camera or the lighting was just all wrong - taken in the early morning but all the colors looked washed out :( Regardless, this is the one area that I planted Corydalis 'Berry Exciting' (red arrow) - as it grows it should really brighten up this very shady spot. The Primula x bulleesiana is also planted in this bed (on the far right -upright foliage).

Shirley, I'm envious of your Primroses, beautiful! This is only the first year I've had D. grandiflorum in the garden - planted last October and it's been blooming since the first of June! If I remember correctly this is the cultivar 'Butterfly Blue', but it might be 'Blue Mirror', basically the same plant. I'm getting ready to deadhead them as I've seen fresh new foliage from the base and think maybe it might even rebloom later this summer? There are several new cultivars that have specifically been bred for heat tolerance that you might have better luck with - Delphinium 'Summer Nights' is one of them http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/88948/, a deep blue, 'Summer Blues' a light blue, and a white one that I can't remember the name of right now. Another Delphinium in the gardens that has just been planted this year and is just about ready to bloom is Delphinium exaltatum - good description of this lovely native here http://www.munchkinnursery.com/catalogitems/d1.html. I'll try to remember to get pictures when it blooms. Don't give up, you still might be able to have perennial Delphiniums in your garden!

Thanks so much, Debbie. Germinating Primroses via the wintersowing method are not only highly successful, but you have so many more choices in seed, than what nurseries can carry in plants.

I'm definitely going to have to get some seeds of Delphinium 'Summer Nights'. Thanks for that suggestion.

happy, I winter sowed Corydalis lutea this year, no problem. I think every seed germinated.

C. 'Blackberry Wine' is really lovely! Does it set seeds or throw volunteer seedlings (she asks, hopefully)?

Happy, we'll have to send some C. lutea seedlings home with you... I've still got a bunch of little volunteer seedlings by the front door. One little plant bloomed, must have been there from last year, and I'll keep an eye on it and try to figure out how/when to collect seeds. You'll take some of those little columbines off my hands too, right? :-)

Critter -- You are amazing!

If you're making a quick run up this way, be sure to let me know beforehand, and I'll get a few things set aside and potted up for you. :-)

Critter: You are too nice for your own good!

LOL... I didn't tell you that you also have to take my skunk with you, did I? The silly sod is still sleeping in the wooden bunny trap! The door has been propped open since this morning... I wish he would go along his merry way, but he's just tooo comfy!

I hope you take a nice photo of the sleeping beauty!

Hahaha.... I bend down to take a peek or to prop the door open a bit wider, and sometimes he pokes his nose out a bit to take a look at me... and then he turns around and displays his under-tail apparatus, and I beat a hasty retreat! I don't think a "nice photo" is going to happen... maybe you'd like to snap one if he's still in place when you come by tonight, LOL.

Shirley, I honestly don't know how the Delphinium keeps looking so good - it's been blooming since the first of June and it's been pretty darned hot here as well???

Your Primula is gorgeous! I'm still looking for a "moist shade" spot where I can find a home for some of our Primulas. For the time being, they're just planted in our sticky, red clay and we're running sprinklers weekly to stay ahead of this drought - the nice gentle rain on Tuesday night just didn't do the trick - now if it could have rained like that for 3 days straight, maybe? Good thing we live in the county and have a well!

Debbie

Thanks so much, Debbie! I found that wintersowing Primula is so easy. I germinated and am growing out Primula capitata mooreana
this year. Hopfully, it will bloom next next year.

Shirley, looked that one up, it looks just like our Primula capitata which was labeled 'Noverna Deep Blue'! http://flower.onego.ru/other/primula.html If you look at the very next picture, P. chungensis, that's what our Primula x bulleesiana looks like, pretty yellow/orange blooms. We also have a few Primula pubescens that I need to find a spot for - their foliage makes me think they might be a bit trickier to correctly situate in the gardens.

Debbie

Debbie: Thanks for the link. Now that you've shown me so many different varieties of Primula, I'll have to try growing them all. Very pretty! Since we have a raised 2 story deck, I plan to plant a lot of Primulas & Hostas under there. Since it is a large area to fill, it will take a lot of plants, but will look very pretty eventually when they all are in flower.