More than a few times this winter I have reviewed all of my garden photos in a “slide show” as a means to get myself all pumped up for the spring/summer. Each time, there are certain plants that have me dreaming big when they pop up on the screen. These are plants that are only a year or two old and have yet to put on their best show.
I’d like to share my optimism with you today and please, share any experiences you may have had with any of these. Just make sure you lie to me if there is anything negative; I’m on too much of a high right now to be brought back down to reality.
I purchased a bunch of Helenium autumnale at a native plant sale last spring and I was blessed with a never ending amount of blooms in late summer.
But, I did a poor job of pruning for height control and left these in an exposed location so they toppled over rather easily. With a new locale and a pruning plan, I expect monstrous results from these natives this summer.
Another native, Amsonia tabernaemontana (Eastern bluestar), was planted two years ago and has not only remain untouched by the deer (due to it’s sap on the leaves) but has also survived in a spot that remains wet at times. However, it has yet to bloom real well and it’s biggest selling point, the yellow, smoke-like fall foliage has not been there as expected. So, everyone say it with me, this is the year to take it to the next level.
I was happy to get a few blooms on a few different Siberian Iris ‘Snow Queen’ last spring and hope to double that output this spring. Isn’t she a beauty?
I loaded up on Chasmanthium Latifolium (or as you common folk call them, northern sea oats) in the Fall of 2009 and they have not disappointed. They worked from spring to late Fall and I would love more of the same this year, even some reseeding is OK (should I be careful what I wish for?).
I am a sucker for foliage, especially anything in the red/maroon/scarlet family and I planted a few Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ late last summer. I honestly could skip on the blooms as long as the foliage looks good all season. I liked how they stood out as somewhat of a focal point and contrasted real well with all of the other green foliage. Bigger and badder this year please.
Miscanthus ‘Super Stripe’ was slow to grow last year but damn, I love that variegation. Let’s agree to double in size this year OK?
Miscanthus ‘Variegatus’ gets real big and can flop but I’m not scared. I have two planted where they can get as big as they want and I’ll deal with the floppiness if necessary.
Echinacaea ‘Fragrant Angel’ – beautiful blooms and beautiful scent – just want MORE MORE AND MORE.
I know that Sambucus ‘Black Lace’ will struggle in my poor draining soil and will be nibbled by the deer but I have to have it. So, I plan on growing it in a large container as a specimen on my deck. That foliage is sweet and hopefully this year it gets close to “specimen” size.
And last but not least, we have Baptisia ‘Twilite Prairieblues’ which had some blooms last year that were stunning. From all indications, I should expect the plants to at least double in size and produce a lot more blooms this year and that my friends, would friggin rule!
Good night and welcome back to the work week.
ONG
The Snow Queen is absolutely stunning! (Funny I even can say that….considering all I want to do is escape from my snow here;)
Lovely shots. And thanks for the lesson in all of these. Some I haven’t ever heard of.
I’m completely out of place here but hope you don’t mind if I tag along to view the pretty flowers.
Wow. The Fragrant Angel shot is just gorgeous!
The iris is gorgeous. We have bearded iris in our garden. Love love it.
Great selection.
Hope they do well in your garden.
Never really understood “native”…
seems anything from Pa/NY/Del/NC/NJ is concidered native. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Wow ONG, what a great selection. I’ve nicked a few ideas – that Northern Sea Grass and the baptisia for starters! I’m not sure if I can get them over here, but if I can I’ll be laughing!!!
Some encouragement for you: my amsonia tabernaemontana has been beautiful (took 3 years to get going). Nice blue starry blooms, although only for a brief time in May. Beautiful yellow foliage in fall. The foliage sways and waves around in a breeze. Nice.
A little discouragement for you: baptisia Twilite prairieblues is the oddest weirdest rustiest color in bloom. But a nice foliage plant. See my post: http://laurries.blogspot.com/2010/05/what-color-is-this-anyway.html
Siberian irises? I can’t do anything with them. They were big disappointments for me, for three years running now. Tell me yours do better this year!
I can commiserate. I’m just starting a new garden and waiting for plants to get big and start producing blooms is like watching paint dry some days. Here’s hoping all your plants grow big and strong this year!
Dawn – I agree, any reference to snow is not appreciated this time of year. Thanks for reading and hope I can share even more as the season progresses.
Paula – You are never out of place here, view all you want. Thanks for stopping by!!
Texwis – thanks for the compliment, I have a few photos of bees and butterflies on the Fragrant Angel plants and will be sure to share.
Meems – the Iris is short lived but damn beautiful.
Patsi – you’re right on the native definition, although I guess it can mean native to US, native to the northeast, etc.
Nutty – nick all the ideas you want, just make sure to share how they do for you.
Laurrie – love, love the news on the amsonia. The baptisia is actually planted at my parent’s house so if it’s ugly I’m Ok with that, j/k. I will definitely share the success on the irises (thinking way positive!)
Marguerite – thank you for the encouragement, grow big is the theme for this year!
I’ve no experience of any of them, but I’m willing to bet that after that little pep talk, they’ll pull their socks up and behave this year :D)
The miscanthus super stripe is a beauty.
ha ha, well, hopefully your parents will like the Baptisia anyway. Although really the color is just kind of strange. Mine didn’t turn a rusty color, rather more a smoky lavender.
I think your Amsonia is hubrichtii and not tabernaemontana, since the leaves are so fine. The main difference between the two is that hubrichtii looks great with full fun and tabernae does not. But both can take both a lot of wet and a lot of dry. Like Laurrie said, Amsonia can take a while to get started. Blooms best if fed heavily in spring.
I have No. River Oats and it will seed in. I wouldn’t think it’d spread too far unless it was in a wet place. It grows wild by the creek that borders our property, and I grow some in a bed that’s next to a big drainage ditch.
beautiful flowers! You have beautiful garden!
I luv Kopper King. So much that I purchase it every year cuz it never comes back!!! GRRRR!!!
Echinacaea ‘Fragrant Angel’ is a fantastic choice for the border the flowers are compact, quite short and as its name suggests fragrant, we have been selling these at floraselect for the past couple of years with great success.