Finally had an opportunity to catch a few shots of the different Euphorbias we have in the garden. I'm loving these guys! First up, a shot of E. 'Blackbird' - couldn't wait to get this one in the gardens - has been a vigorous grower this year (A cross of E. martinii and something else) - no "blooms" yet but I grow them mainly for the foliage.
Second, 'Helena's Blush' - a really nice variegated form and even better, the "blooms" are variegated as well!
Third, E. martinii on the right and E. 'Orange Grove' on the left.
Fourth, E. 'Jade Dragon'
Fifth, these are the three quarts of E. 'Tasmanian Tiger' that I picked up at the Lewis Ginter sale a couple of weeks ago - it's just been too darned hot to work in the gardens but have to find a special spot for these as I've been lusting after them for over a year!
I'll have to get a photo of the new one, E. 'Glacier Blue' - very similar to 'Tasmanian Tiger' but almost powder blue foliage with white margins - it's absolutely gorgeous! Also have a couple more - E. 'Bonfire' which is a cross of E. polychroma (Cushion Spurge) with dark foliage and E. 'Shorty' with a more compact habit - to plant out with several more in the works for next year - I just can't get enough of these plants - they're outstanding in the garden and did wonderful through the drought this summer!
Enjoy Hart :)
Debbie
Those are GORGEOUS, Debbie. Thanks so much for posting the pictures. The blackbird is outstanding.
Make sure if we get real cold weather that you cover them. It was that extremely cold late weather we got early this spring that killed my martiniis, and they were in a pretty protected spot.
I tried to get Tasmanian Tiger at the Bluestone sale this year but they were sold out. That's a really pretty one. I assume the Orange Grove is orange tipped in the spring? I'll bet that's pretty.
Where did you find all these euphorbias? The only place I've found that carries any is Merrifield. That's where I got the martiniis several years ago.
Debbie, you mentioned that you lusted after one of the plants for over a year. That is exactly how I feel now that I have seen these pictures. They are all beauties. Yes, yes please do tell where you bought them? Were they all at The Ginter sale?
It is becoming evident that before too long we are going to have to begin tending the remainder of the two acres that we own, and not just the yard. The yard if getting filled almost to the brim. When I first started gardening with a passion, I had no idea that things would become so involved. One thing that we definitely need to check in to next year is a sprinkler system for some of the beds.
Yep, I heard Debbie say that it took her 4 hours to water one day recently. Yep, if I did front and back on same day, that is about how long I would be outside too. I usually do either, or and the next either, or the next day.
This morning it is the front. Along with watering there is several plants that need to go in to the ground. How about bulbs? Is there any sort of guide line for putting in bulbs? Before frost, after frost or does frost even play in to the picture?
I thought that maybe I was finished plant buying for the year, but if I find some of these lovely plants, I will be making another purchase. ha-ha
I am truly looking forward to some 70 degree weather.......and soon!!!
Ruby
Hart and Ruby, "where do you find them?" - that's easy, we grow them :)
We haven't found any problem with overwintering them - yet! Of course we had a pretty mild winter last year and some of these are questionable for our cold Zone 6a. Even though they're 'evergreen', sometimes they start looking pretty ratty by April (all top foliage with bare 'legs') and we cut them to the ground as soon as see the new shoots forming at the base. Not sure about the 'Orange Grove' - this is the first year in the gardens for us - the foliage definitely has a distinctive look to it, but not really what I'd call 'orange'. Maybe when it flowers we'll find out that they have an orange hue to them?
Have a couple more in the gardens that haven't done as well this year - this picture is from last year - Euphorbia griffithi 'Dixter' (similar to 'Fireglow') - nice red stems on this one and the fall color is incredible - like a glowing fire :)
This is E. amygdaloides var. purpurea - "common as dirt" as Rick would say :) Alot of people detest this one because it's a pesty self sower. I still like it and if it pops up somewhere I don't want it, I either transplant it or toss it!
oops Ruby, forgot to answer your question about bulbs! Normally we've always planted our bulbs in October/November - although it's still perfectly fine to plant them right up until December - if the ground's not frozen plant away! Heck, I can remember trying to plant them around Thanksgiving in Maine and the ground WAS frozen and they still did just fine LOL
tell me where to stand when you toss the next E amyg. purp....so i can catch it..
i have it on authority that bulbs are planted up to a feww weeks after the last ones go on clearnace at your local store...
LOL sally, still hoping one of these days I'll be available for one of the Mid-Atlantic RU's - if I make it, I'll put a few on the list for you :)
one gardener's trash may be another's treasure, eh?
If I ever manage to meet up with you at one of the plant shows, I must get some euphorbias from you. I would dearly love it if you're throwing them away to get some of the purpurea from you too. You just have to make it to one of the swaps, Debbie. LOL
My martinii did very well for about six years and were never fazed by the cold winters. What did them in was several weeks of warm weather followed by a cold snap that dipped down to about 5 degrees. I also lost a couple of roses thanks to that cold snap.
I had covered a bunch of stuff with sheets but didn't think to cover the martinii since it had never been affected by the cold.
I would imagine the Orange Grove flower bracts turn orange in the spring during blooms or after. I particularly love the little red flowers in the center of the lime green bracts the martinii gets in the spring. Very striking. The purple color later is very pretty too.
If any of you are looking for a nice, tough, evergreen and very pretty plant, I hope you're inspired by Debbie's photos. They make wonderful, architectural plants in any bed.
Ok...see what you start Diane? LOL You've been singing the praises of these plants for how long? Will these all tolerate full sun? If the E. amygdaloides var. purpurea & the E. 'Blackbird' maintain those colors....I've got to put them on my wish list!!! Put them in the Cactus patch with the Black Jack sedum and the rest of the sedums....ahhhh color heaven!
You just have to make it to one of the swaps, Debbie
I hope next spring won't be as busy as this year's was. I'll make it one of these days. I definitely want one of the Blackbirds.
Are you sure they're listed as shade plants? I know most of them are grown as landscape plants out west in sun. My martiniis were in full sun and were doing very well.
Chantell, if I've made a few converts to euphorbia addiction, that's a good thing. LOL The martinii turns burgundy after blooming and stays that way through the winter if you're looking for that color.
hart, another thread I'm trying to catch up on! Actually, it's the darned plant tags that usually indicate shade - that's why we always tell people to do their own research because the tags are always misleading. Still trying to find that "perfect" spot for 'Tasmanian Tiger' - thinking they might look nice in the planting along the new Arbor/Steps :)
Still trying to remember to get pictures of 'Glacier Blue' and will post when I get them. Will also try for a new picture of 'Helena's Blush', "her" foliage is taking on some beautiful rosy hues with the cooler temperatures!
RCN said: "Hart and Ruby, "where do you find them?" - that's easy, we grow them :)"
RCN, I am guessng you mean you grow them from seed? If so who is your supplier?
Dragonfly, RCN and her hubby own a Nursery. With that said, if I had my dithers regarding jobs, that would be the one that I would choose for myself. Being able to do something that you love for a living, is really special. There are not too many people out here who are fortunate enough to be able to do that. My hat is off to you RCN.
It is almost time for me to harvest some of the seed that I have been waiting to get dry. I asked the question on the Gladiolus forum, but haven't heard back. Even though I have had glads for a few years, I cannot remember what I have done in the past as far as cleaning their bed. Do I cut them back or just let them stay in place and rot. They sure do look ugly about now. Oh yeah, I do not take them up in the winter.
All ideas are welcome.
Ruby
I killed off my martinii this year -- does it like a lot of water -- or not too much?
ruby- since you leave them in I say cut off the dying leaves now. mine are almost all brown and dry too.
Happy, they're very drought tolerant so I wouldn't keep them in a real moist spot. I noticed that mine did do better when they got watered regularly but they were growing in an extremely dry spot.
I wish I knew what I had done to mine. It was ok one minute, then the next time I looked, moribund.
Happy, the same thing to happened to some of mine. We've never had any problems with them before and as Hart said, they are "very drought tolerant" so basically never water them, just what Mother Nature provides. However, with this summer's severe drought, several of them started looking pretty sad, so gave them extra water - they continued to decline :( What was really odd was that the ones that were going 'down' were planted in groups of three and the others right next to them were just fine. Rick finally pulled one to inspect - figured it was either moles or voles since we have a terrible problem with them here. It appeared that some type of grub had tunneled up into the stems of the crown - similar to what you'd see with an Iris borer? Never seen anything like it before and unfortunately we never found the 'culprit' so no way to determine what we needed to do to save the rest :( Fortunately, I only lost about a half dozen of the 24+ I planted last fall, but still painful because they were so beautiful and then poof, almost overnight - gone! Keeping my fingers crossed that this will not be a problem in the future because without an ID of the culprit I have no way to know how to control them :(
Hmm. I'm not sure I composted mine yet. If I can find it, I'll excavate. Thanks for the inforrmation. It always makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one with the problem.
Thanks Sally. As soon as we have a dry day, I plan to do that. I am tired of looking at the stalks.
I am loving the steady rain we are getting yesterday and today. We are supposed to have a couple more days of it. We needed it desperately. I just hope that I don't get too tired of it, before it has done it's job.
Ruby
Ruby, glad to hear that you're getting the rain also :) Can't say that it's "steady" here, but thankful for every inch or 1/10" we get! Seems like any rain that had been predicted in the last two-three months has all traveled east of the Blue Ridge and we end up with nothing. Thinking there will be plenty of happy plants in the gardens :)
I'm enjoying the break with the rain - although I came down with 'something' yesterday - head cold?? I haven't been sick in months, years? and this sure took hold of me quick - hope it passes just as quickly. I'm headed to Phoenix next week to visit my son and I don't want to be miserable for the trip!
Oh Gosh Debbie - Get Well Soon. I have a lady who comes to help clean once a week. Yesterday she couldn't find a baby sitter for the grandson she is raising, so she brought him here. I didn't mind him being here, but she kept talking about the fevers they both had for the last 5 or so days. I can do without that. Gonna have to tell her NOT to come if she is running a fever because I have an illness that makes me susceptible to everything. When I end up getting other people bugs, who most people can throw off pretty well, it is usually months later and I am still trying to get rid of something.
Well, I sprayed lysol around the couch where the grand child was sitting and said a prayer. ha-ha
I hope that you will be better for your trip. Sounds like a fun trip. Stay safe and have a good time.
Ruby
Thanks Ruby :) Odd you mention your cleaning lady - the day before I got sick, I had an exhausting day - found out our cleaning lady who we've had for 9-10 years isn't going to be able to clean for us anymore :( Oddly enough, I ran into her at Walmart that afternoon (the day before she was to clean for us this week) and she gave me the news. Said she had been meaning to call us but couldn't quite bring herself to do it :( Then I came home to find 18 cows in our field!!! Long story short, Rick chased them away the first time with the van, within the next two hours they were back again, this time in the gardens! and I chased them off on foot, sure got my exercise! Didn't get much sleep that night - we could hear them all night in the gardens :( Good news is that it appears the owner has finally repaired his fences and they're gone. Maybe just a coincidence, but thinking all that stress lowered my reserves and that's why I got sick!
Oh Gosh Debbie - Cows, I know about. Too well. My dad had over 200 head at one point. They were in different fields, and believe me, I have chased them at each field. My dad operated this way from a wheel chair the last ten years, and very crippled up for many years before. He is the one who had the easy job, in the pick up telling us what to do. Ha-ha, it is comical to think about, but I was never laughing when I was doing the chasing.
I can remember one evening at about dusk, I was having to work with a large herd of them in a field with grass or brush or something that was as tall as I am. I prayed during the time I was herding them, and made a promise to God that I would never own a cow. ha-ha
Yeah, it is stressful to find out that someone who you have come to rely upon isn't going to be available any more. Sorry to hear that. I hope that you will find someone else good. Did she happen to know of any one else looking for work?
I have dealt with chronic illness since the mid 1980's and know for a fact that stress is the worst thing for my disease. If I find myself under any sort of stress, I become physically ill and then it takes me months to recouperate. I have become very selfish over the past few years in terms of not allowing things to get to me too badly. It took me many years and many failures before I was able to begin successfully dealing with stress in my life. That is not to say that something would come along today and knock me off my feet. I am very capable of going down quickly. I hate being down enough that I choose to do any thing that is within my power to avoid being uncomfortable.
Take care sweetie.
Ruby
Thanks Ruby, happy to report that I'm feeling much better today :) Perfect timing for all this glorious rain we're getting - drove me inside and was able to catch up on paperwork that had been building up in my office - had been waiting for a "rain day" forever! Can't wait to see how 'happy' all the plants in the garden will be after this treat from Mother Nature :)
Amen rcn, Amen.
I just had to bump this thread to show you the transformation of E. 'Helena's Blush'. She was a real beauty in the second post on 10/08/07, but the color she's taking on after the frosts - well, let's just say she's really "blushing" now!
it's nice ~ I was just noticing your October photo, I've never seen it before
not the burgundy tops but the leaves remind me of tricolor sage
That's gorgeous, Debbie. I love the euphorbias' winter colors but that one is particularly nice. Be interesting to see what it looks like in bloom next spring.
hart, ask and you shall receive :)) I didn't catch any of this one when it was blooming in the gardens, but this is the closest I can show you. One of the containers from this summer, hard to see the bracts in this photo, but was amazed that they're variegated as well!
Thanks, Debbie. That's really cool with the variegated blooms. Is that the Blackbird behind it? Boy is that ever a stunning plant. I'm in serious plant lust for that one.
Please excuse me butting in - I don't think Tennessee is mid-Atlantic .... but....
Mmm - those Euphorbs are *fabulous*. I moved here last fall from the Phoenix area and am positively drunk with all of the plants I can now grow that would take more coddling than I can handle - but I do miss my agaves and my succulents.
Debbie, you say that you grow them? If there's a way of finding out more, please d-mail me! The only place I've seen any of these plants (just last night, as a matter of fact) was Big Dipper farms.
I could see these plants making up the backbone of my gardens. I'm assuming they need spectacular drainage? Is your area very humid in the summertime?
Thanks so much for putting up those pics - you have made my night!
