Here she is putting out new leaves already that I just know are going to get nipped:
Lady in Red
I have a few leaves coming out too and the average date of late frosts for me is around mid-March so I am hoping the tender new growth will not get nipped either. The long range weather forecast for me suggest temps in the lower 40s in the next ten days and guesses after that. Getting c l o s e to the 30s.
But oh well. The plants will produce new leaves if these get nipped. It just may take several weeks. Knock on wood!
New leaves sprouting here too. Guess it was the hot weather last week. Most of the hydrangeas in my yard are buried under atleast 2 bushels of leaves so I don't know what they're doing at their crowns, but all the exposted branches are putting out leaves.
Yehudith
I just have small rooted cuttings of Lady in Red in the greenhouse . I trimmed off the winter die back to the new buddng sections.
The Lemon Wave is looking fabulous but it's still in the greenhouse. Haven't checked on the one I planted out 3 rs ago yet. So many plants ...so little time.
Hydrangeas outside are starting to unfurl their leaves.
Checked on Lady in Red yesterday and she's still going strong, despite some of the chilly temps and cold rain we've had for the last several days, so hurrah for her! I also some new growth on hydrangea `Paris Rapa' and `Blaumeise,' but not showing any yet on others.
I just found a piece of one of the branches a cut off H. Macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' in the fall. The woody stick is lying on the ground and leafing out!! This has been such a great performer for me that has needed absolutely no attention.
Nikko Blue was my first hydrangea when I first started gardening 17-18 yrs ago. I lost one ina drought but another plant still survives after all these years and I ahve taken numerous cutting from it.
Here's that little `Lady in Red' as of 3/17/09.
Looks like you'll have some good strong new growth this year! It's still too early for me to see anything, but I can't help checking on my hydrangeas every few days, just in case.
Seems I see you on all my favorite forums now! This is going to be a fun year!
Other Angie
Angie, you and I must be growing many of the same plants, although I have to say the more time I spend on DG, the broader my interests become, thanks to all the enabling that goes on here!
The daylilies and hydrangeas were my first loves, then came dahlias, roses, now salvias, poppies. Who knows where this will lead?
Angie
Wow, Angie, I'm glad you posted those photos, because it inspired me to go poke around under the leaf mulch around my hydrangeas. I have little shoots starting on the Limelight and the Preziosa, though nothing on the Pinky Winky (which was the biggest and healthiest of the three last year.) This is their first winter, and I really didn't do much in the way of protection, so I was sure hoping they'd make it! I covered them back up, though--it was down to 20 last night, and I don't want to lose those first buds to a freeze!
I hear ya on all the enablers here on DG. Between seed swaps, generous surprises, all I've learned on the forums, and the co-ops, I've really expanded my interests! I started with iris and spring bulbs, and have branched off into all kinds of butterfly plants, chocolate plants, daylilies, peonies, hydrangeas, clematis, and roses. I can't WAIT to see things in bloom this year! And I always used to think of myself as primarily a vegetable gardener!
Other Angie
Angie, I noticed this afternoon while I was out working in the yard that my hydrangea `Blaumeise' has green sprouts showing on it, as does my `Paris Rapa.' The Blameise is too big to cover up, but it sits in a corner so it's well protected. The `Paris Rapa' I covered back up, just like you. Don't want anything happening to those precious green shoots!
We're all a little mad here, I think, but what a wonderful madness to have!
Angie
Just checked and `Claudie' is showing some green, as well as my Blaumeise. Going to add more hydrangeas to my garden this year, too.
Angie
Did you know, my 'Lady in Red' H. among other hydrangeas survived a flood that lasted 3 days in our backyard this winter. A good reason why you're adding them into the garden Angie. :-)
I'm looking forward to see yours.
Kim
Thanks, Kim. I hope I have some lovely pics to share!
Angie
What is everybody planting as companions to 'Lady in Red'?
The only thing I have planted with it as of now is some of my hellebores which are blooming and a patch of newly planted Corydalis `Beth Evans,' also blooming. If I haven't lost it, I have planted also Acanthus mollis, but it's not showing up yet, so I'm fearful that it's gone. I'll be getting some more of this at the SARU to replace it, though.
My `Lady in Red' is in the back yard, along a fence line near a corner where I am going to plant in the very corner a Styrax which is on order.
Angie
I know you are warmer than I am, but acanthus loves it here and mine aren't showing anything at all. So I think you still have time.
How much do Lady in Red's red leaves stand out as red?
my acanthus are evergreen and I'm zone 8 too
Katie: Last year was my first year to plant, but the leaves weren't all that red. I'll let you know later this year when it starts to put out lots of new leaves and blooms.
I planted my 'Lady In Red' among my other macrophylla H. At this early stage of growth, they don't look very much different than the others. The branches may have more red as appose to green/gray looking stems on others.
My Acanthus mollis are semi-evergreen here too, I'm on 7b. Most of the larger leaves will be killed back by frost, but the smaller ones especially those that are planted in protective corners stay green most time. They haven't taken off and break out of dormancy yet though (no active growths noticed).
Kim
Okay. Thanks.
So yours are evergreen? My Acanthus are completely gone, with no outward sign of life. But every year they come back full force and bloom at the end of August.
Here goes! My 'Lady in red' among others: Angie how is yours coming along? For those awaiting for Acanthus Mollis to come back, did they return for you? I've seen one inflorescent on mine today.
As one may have noticed, some of my 'Lady in Red' sings the blue. lol. It's all in one shrub, but because the soil is near neutral, half of the bloom turned out pink (leans toward the alkalinity) ...
While other turned slightly blue (leans toward Acidity of the soil).
My SIL (who lives about 30 mins away from me to the west and toward the city of Seattle) has had her acanthus coming up for a few weeks now. I have seen no life at all in mine. But our tough winter has slowed everything down, so I'm still waiting.
My Lady in Red (and all my hydrangeas, reall) is just still little green leaflets on sticks, so we're quite a ways away from your beautiful show.
We've just turned the corner into sunshine, though, so things are blooming at a rapid pace. Finally!!
Lily: Here's my Lady in Red, almost ready to bloom. My Acanthus mollis didn't make it through the winter. I did get another plant from the SARU so I have another one in the ground. Hope it makes it.
Your LiR is beautiful. Hope mine looks as good when she starts blooming!
Angie
Yours looks promising! Hang in there. I didn't know my region is way ahead this time of year.
Hemophobic, that's interesting about your Acanthus. My SILs Acanthus is at the edge of the branch shadow of a Cedar tree. And she had winter temperatures down in the 20s, I'm sure. And it keeps spreading . . .
I'm in the foothills of the mountains and it's colder for me. Mine didn't make it, but my neighbor's did.????
Katie: Same here. Mine in the edge of a wooded area between me and my neighbor expired, but my neighbor's plant near her house made it just fine!
Yes, some microclimates that we've. I've plants that overwintered in certain spots here that would not survive in another spot in the garden. Here is one of mine planted on South facing garden, sheltered from North wind.
I suppose soil and drainage will make a difference, too. I just wish I had at least one . . .
Did you know that Acanthus mollis is easy to propagate from root cuttings? I accidentally found that out when I moved mine around in the garden. The left over root will slowly form another plant over time.
This message was edited May 21, 2009 12:46 PM
Thank you!!
That's what my SIL is finding, as well. She continues to dig up bits of tuber from beds where she doesn't want Acanthus. So I do have a supply - I'll just have to wait for the plants to get big again.
My macrophylla hydrangea is coming along here.
So are these variegated Lacecap hydrangeas, though I'll have to wait a few days before these unfurl.
Did not know that, Lily, so TY for that bit of info. I'll try to keep that in mind. Funny thing is the original plant in my planter in Asheville was putting out new growth a couple of weeks ago and the one that expired was a rooting of it. So I have hope yet!
Angie
Here she is, all dressed up in blue-tinted blossoms:
Closeup of the blossoms:
I haven't planted out my LiR. I'm giving them another year in a bucket.
Meantime,I'm getting loads of other blooms from other hydrangeas
