grow, marvel, eat, laugh, persevere

Thursday, August 2, 2007

There Is More To Me Than Just Veggies

Coreopsis Rosa - this was a plant that was recommended when I asked for plant suggestions. I love it!

Not all the plants that I bought on that day are blooming but some are. Here is what I brought home along with an update on how they are doing. Thank you all for your suggestions! I'll post pictures of your recommended plants here and there as I'm able to tear myself away from the kitchen garden.

Bachelor Button
Centaurea Mantara Blue - not looking so hot but I think this was one that I just picked up all on my own

Catmint
Walkers Low - doing great! I actually got this for 75% off and the poor thing looked so raggedy but it has really recovered. Thanks for the suggestion, Carolyn!

Coral Bells
Heuchera sanguinea - this is just doing average. I think it's a bad location but I'm still hoping...

Coral Bells
Heuchera micranthea
Purple palace - I already moved this once because it was frying in the sun. It's behind the twiggy peach tree and doing a little better because it casts a slight shadow on it but I think both coral bells would be happier in the front yard immediately under the shrubs with no sun.

Sweet William
Dianthus barbatus - this is alive but not blooming.

Cosmos
Sonata White - this is doing great! It's blooming like crazy.

Lady's Mantle
Thriller - i love this little plant but again I think it is not happy where it's planted. I need to move it to a shady location.

Yarrow (paprika)
Achillea millefolium - this is a brown twig at this point. maybe it'll come back next year

Rudbekia
don't know the variety but it's the big giant yellow one - this was really struggling in the late afternoon until I added the woodchip mulch. God Bless Mulch! Rudbekia is very happy!

Bleeding Heart
Adrian Bloom - houston we have a problem! I picked this one based on something my mom said but I don't think it's happy

Coreopsis
Early Sunrise - growing well and should have flowers by the Sunday!

Pentas (red) - looks okay one day and near death the next. No clue what's wrong with this one but this is another I picked myself.

Phlox Paniculata
Laura - looking great! Carol recommended a different Phlox and although I'm still looking for Creme de menthe, Laura is helping me wait.

Phlox Paniculata
Elisabeth - this one was on clearance at HD for 3.33 and it's the saddest thing you've ever seen. the leaves are shriveled and the bloom is very droopy but has produced additional flowers since I've planted it. I don't know what to do for this poor thing but I'm hoping it will recover or at least come back next year looking healthier.

Hollyhock
Powderpuff Mix - huge leaves, probably way too big for the space but it's looking good

Delphinium elatum
Magic fountains - dead and covered with weeds. RIP Delph

Shasta Daisy
Alaska - I bought this because I planted seeds that didn't grow and I really want one. It's not looking good either. Shasta's just don't like me.

6 comments:

  1. Bleeding hearts go dormant in a lot of heat, Gina. Don't panic; give it a little water and let it be; it should start growing again later in the season when it's not so hot, or else next spring. (Mine sometimes just wait til the following spring depending on how hot it's been.
    You may have missed the bloom period on the Sweet William, or it might not be old enough--it'll bloom next year.
    all in all, your report card sounds pretty darn good. :-)

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  2. Thanks for the report, I've been wondering what you bought and how it was coming along. It's hard to kill Catmint and I love the way it blooms all summer.

    Keep in mind that when you plant the perennials they won't always bloom the first season. Often times they'll get busy establishing roots and not bloom at all.

    As in the words of the Chicago Cub fans " Wait'll next year ! "

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  3. with my limited plant knowledge here's my 2 cents :)
    -- Coral bells: I have them in mostly shade, but the ones I have in the sun are the lighter kinds (not purple palace).
    --Bleeding Heart: is it a regular BH or fringed? The regular ones are done blooming and should look blah by now.
    -- Sweet william: this should be blooming next year, I wouldn't worry.
    -- Lady's mantle: I just got one and I love it already. I put mine in sun/shade with more shade than hot sun.
    -- Achillea: Hmmm. Mine likes a lot of sun.

    Well it sounds like you have a plethora of plants to keep you busy. have any new garden photos?!

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  4. One time I started daisy's from seed in pots. They were sitting around my flowerbed, and a friend came over with her mother. Her mother went out to look at my plants, and came in and informed me that she had pulled all the "weeds" out of my pots. And that in a nutshell is why I hate for anyone to "help" me garden. GRRRRR!

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  5. jodi - thanks for the encouraging words and the bleeding heart info. I appreciate you!

    carolyn - sorry that it took so long to post that list. I'm so loving the catmint too! I know you guys keep saying I shouldnt expect too much from the perennials the first year but some of them look great and some look down right dead - that's the confusing part.

    rosemarie - thanks for all the info! ill have to check what kind of bleeding heart i have. I also have another yellow yarrow that isnt blooming but isnt dying so im not sure whats wrong with this one.

    wrenna - off with her head!

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  6. Be careful with Shasta daisy...it came become very 'weedy' from the millions of seeds it drops. I love the look of them, but finally pulled out all I could find this spring and planted some other types of daisies that are more well behaved. :-)

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