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Planting Under Trees - Part 11Read the article this discussion is about
This archived discussion is "read only". « Previous 1 2 3 4 Next » » Marge_Talt - Well, Debbie, I'm jealous! A perfect spot for a <i>Gunnera< Well, Debbie,I'm jealous! A perfect spot for a Gunnera; exactly what I wish I had. The only one I've seen in the flesh, so to speak, was years ago at Kew and it wasn't even in leaf - just those great knobby buds poking up out of bare soil along the edge of a huge pond. But, I've lusted after it for years. One thing that I read in Beth Chatto's books about it - she grows it along the bank of her ponds - is that, while it wants moisture, it doesn't want its crown in water or it rots. She says edge of pond where crown is dry and roots can get into the moisture...FWIW. I also know it is marginally hardy here on account of our sometimes fierce winters. I've heard tell it's best to let the leaves die down and then use them to protect the crowns over winter. Dunno if it gets sufficiently cold where you are for that to be a problem. Cutting one back at 9' would really be a "timber" yelling thing...lordy, hadn't thought about that one:-) If you get those blackberries out and a gunnera in, do take a photo and put it on your site and let me know! Yes, it's best to remember to prune out those Epimedium leaves, tho' the flowers will try to peek out of the old ones if you forget, but you don't get quite the show as some get hidden...they are tiny, but darling. New viburnums? Which ones? That's a genus I am quite fond of and mean to get more if I ever get to this other "new" garden I want to make. There are so many to grow...actually, what I need is unlimited funds and 100 acres:-) Plant Lust, that's all it is. Marge
-- posted by Marge_Talt » Marge_Talt - Karyn, I thought you might have a good spot for an <i>Epimedium< Karyn, I thought you might have a good spot for an Epimedium.Re: the moonflowers...well, I don't actually know squat about them, but I wonder, if what you're trying to do is winter a growing plant, whether it needs to have a lot of light and fairly high room humidity to survive inside? Are you trying to dig one you've been growing in the ground or overwinter one you've been growing in a pot? Have you tried Thompson and Morgan for seed? You may have better luck with mailorder seed than finding it locally. Marge -- posted by Marge_Talt » Deb_TT - Marge, I need to amend that to I think I have the perfect sp Marge,I need to amend that to I think I have the perfect spot for gunnera! We shall see once the blackberries are under control. If it does work out I will definately have photos, especially with a 9 footer! Have to have a person or something identifiable in the photo to give it scale. I am trying to remember where I read of sinking a child's rigid swim pool down in the soil (can't remember how deep though) and planting a gunnera over the top. I think in the NW it is a good idea to cover the crown also, because of our wet winters. I can't wait (but must dang it!) until I can grow one. I ordered Viburnum x bodnantense 'Deben' and another one that blooms pinker for their winter flowers. That was Gay's fault I ordered that one. When I go to pick it up I am going to see if they have V. nudum 'Winterthur'. One Gay suggested, a form of the snowball one that I remember from childhood and will have to search for that one. So if you suggest one or two, I am not listening lalalalalala I can't hear you! >grin< Oh please do, I will hide the checkbook when I read which ones you grow. Debra Teachout-Teashon -- posted by Deb_TT » Gay_Klok - Debra, I lost this chain and am probably sorry I found it LOL Debra,I lost this chain and am probably sorry I found it LOL Transplanting epimedium - I just dig in with my Dutch hoe and a clump comes up which I immediately transfer. I guess they grow with underground runners that make their own roots but to tell the truth, I don't exactly remember. The clumps I move have grown underneath a Rhododendron usually and I feel I could use them as ground cover somewhere else. I have probably done it in both early Spring and late Fall By the way, I have your "Two Rainy etc" site as my No1 suggested link for my next article, published 20th <img src="http://www.suite101.com/userfiles/2779/Veryawee.jpg"align=left>Come for a stroll in my gardens -- posted by Gay_Klok » dayan - The local seed is T&M and I should mail order it. At the time th The local seed is T&M and I should mail order it. At the time though I am left weighing the hassle of US$ and finding the stamp vs. the hassle of searching hysterically through the seed displays in a couple of months. I always choose to procrastinate in the pain department.The procedure every year is to germinate in peat (great germination rate) and then proceed to larger pots until I can put them outside. I was reading up on them in Southern Gardens and they are zone 9. They don't say anything about cutting back so I have just been trying to keep them alive on a giant southern window. I leave them in the peat outside ie. in a larger sunken pot so as not to disturb the roots when I bring them in at the end of the season. I max out the humidity around the window and am out of ideas for why they die except that latitude issue. Somehow they just know this isn't southern Florida and die in protest. Rumour has it that you have a small patch of sun that could possibly accomadate a vine. Not that I am trying to hook you or anything Marge but the flowers are a breathtaking white and the night fragrance is heavenly. Plus they have that wonderful habit of exotics being easy to get along with in terms of disease/pests. Karyn PS the sweet-pea like things I mentioned were popping up everywhere are a wildflower called, wait for it............. Sea Pea -- posted by dayan » Cottage_Garden - Karyn are you still talking about moonflowers? They do okay her Karyn are you still talking about moonflowers? They do okay here in PA zone 6 -- I nick them (the seeds) with a razorblade and soak thm in warm water until they swell (maybe a few days), then plant them in 4inch pots in a warm spot and then grow on under lights because they are big and bold once they sprout. I only start them about 3 weeks before last frost date because they like HOT soil and temps and sulk if too cold early in the season..... after that, keep them growing vigorously and the rewards are great. HTHBarbara Martin -- posted by Cottage_Garden » Marge_Talt - Debbie, Well, you've got something to plan for...like a lot o Debbie,Well, you've got something to plan for...like a lot of my gardens in the sky:-) If your blackberry spot is wet all winter and stays fairly soggy in summer, I don't know as you'd need to sink a wading pool for the gunnera. I have *almost* finished this "damp" or "bog" garden I've been sweating over for a couple of months. Lined it with 6 mill polyethelene. But, I have read that sinking a wading pool works quite well for a small spot. Supposedly, you need to poke a few holes in it so it will drain a bit. What I've read (and tried to follow) was that a lined "bog"/"damp" garden only needs to be twelve to fourteen inches (30.48 - 35.56cm) deep to work....we shall see! Oooo....I've always wanted a Viburnum x bodnantense cultivar but have been a bit concerned that it might get its buds blasted around here as that is one that blooms quite early, isn't it? May have my species screwed up here... Well, one of my favorites is V. x carlcephalum because it fills my garden with the most heavenly scent in early spring. Flowers are really nice, too - white balls from pink buds. Form, in my shady garden, is almost tree-like; rather open and now about ten feet (3.04m) tall after something like 18 years. Spread isn't quite that wide. Probably would be a lot more compact in sun, which I think it prefers. The other one of mine that I really like is V. tomentosum var. tomentosum. No scent but lovely layered habit and white flowers. here's a photo of, mainly the leaf, but does show a bit of the flower. I already had this one uploaded to my files. If you are interested and want to see better photos of the flowers, let me know and I'll scan some I've got and put them up. What I really want is some that berry well - don't have any of those...yet... OK, unplug your ears and hide your checkbook;-) Can't have too many viburnums, IMHO. Marge
-- posted by Marge_Talt » Marge_Talt - Gay, Well epimediums sound like they're easy to move! Do the Gay,Well epimediums sound like they're easy to move! Do they spread faster for you than for me? Marge -- posted by Marge_Talt » Marge_Talt - Karyn, Sounds like it would be simpler to use a credit card t Karyn,Sounds like it would be simpler to use a credit card to order those seeds. As much as I hate doing that, I do when I order seeds from Chilterns in the UK. Plastic can be painless...until you have to pay the bill :-)I'd forgotten the hassle you guys in CA have to go through to get small amounts of US currency. Have had chats with other net buddies about this one. I know all about procrastination! I am a past master at this when it comes to actually getting my act together to decide on what plants to get and place an order. Have you tried supplementary flourescent light for your vine? Even a south facing widow won't provide as many footcandles as the outdoors in a shady spot and latitude probably has a good deal to do with it because of day length. Except for the light issue, it seems to me that you are providing about all the coddling that vine could want. Well, rumor is true...I do have a place I could grow this one if I got around to it. I generally put in Hyacinth Bean Vine (Dolochis lab lab (if I spelled that right) all along the post and beam "wall" around my "walled" garden. Love that vine! It is getting pushed out in spots for permanent vines, but I wouldn't be without it. Moonvine has never fascinated me all that much, but, then, I've never seen one in the flesh - that could be my undoing:-) Marge -- posted by Marge_Talt » Deb_TT - Marge, If you have time and wouldn't mind I would love to see th Marge, If you have time and wouldn't mind I would love to see those photos! I found V. nudum 'Winterthur' at Forest Farm and the berries in blue and pink looks like one I will enjoy. Going to order it from FF as soon as payday rolls around and I can sneak a shrub or two in the budget! One you might like also.My V. trilobum or Highbush Cranberries I really love. I made a deciduous shrub hedge of them and they bloomed the second year and even gave me a few cranberry like berries! The lacecap blossoms were pure white and beautiful. Oh wait I have a photo of the blossoms here. I spoke with someone that lived in a remote part of Alaska in a valley where these bushes reigned! From what she said it was a staple food for the wildlife there and also mentioned about the smell when the berries that covered the whole valley started to rot. She assured me that wouldn't be a problem with my 6 shrubs. The birds quickly cleaned out the berries. Oh and yes V. bodnantense blooms in late winter/early spring. It is rated for your zone but not sure if you would loose the blossoms to freeze or not. Debra Teachout-Teashon -- posted by Deb_TT « Previous 1 2 3 4 Next » Please follow the guidelines set forth in the Suite101 Posting Etiquette when adding to the discussion. |
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