'September Charm' doesn't need wetter ground, Fairygirl. It's rampant in my front garden which is south facing and very dry for most of the growing season. I'm also in an area of low rainfall in North East England.
Maybe keep em in pots. Mine is looking lovely right now (thanks to @Fairygirl 's advice).
The bees are loving it too.
Get some big, deep troughs and put them towards the back of your border so that the pots can be hidden by the plants in front. I can keep a close eye on the runners and snip them off. 👍🏻
I think you've misunderstood me @Andyman. The pink ones definitely run more in drier conditions, but I was referring to @Big Blue Sky's comment about his white 'Whirlwind' variety. The whites are much better behaved in general
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I find Whirlwind delightful here. I think your conditions are probably unsuitable @Big Blue Sky - they prefer wetter ground. Mine have been flowering for a while, and still plenty to go. They make a big clump. I have a taller one [ Andrea Atkinson] which is also very nice.
Definitely, it’s too dry and too sunny for it here in my garden - it was one of the first plants I bought after we moved in, so I was not really checking if the conditions were right. Nevertheless it’s quite a trooper, having survived for four seasons now, and even has a few flower buds right now. We’ll see, I might change my mind and keep it 😂
I think you've misunderstood me @Andyman. The pink ones definitely run more in drier conditions, but I was referring to @Big Blue Sky's comment about his white 'Whirlwind' variety. The whites are much better behaved in general
Sorry about that. I thought that you were referring to all varieties when you said 'they', but now I realise that it was just your 'Whirlwind' plants. I think that I may give 'Whirlwind' a try myself, and grow it in a large container so that I can keep it well watered.
Could you treat them like mint? I have mint growing an a huge concrete ring, that was meant to be the entrance to a septic tank or field drain so it's 1m in diameter and around 50cm deep it keeps the mint in check since it can't run under the ground, but since it's open at the bottom it doesn't dry out like a pot would. I quite fancy a few for my front beds we had them at my grans but there they were between the house and the tarmac drive so very limited spreading opportunities.
Once they get established they can grow through tarmac! But I think a concrete ring would probably contain them.
There are lots of apparently stable clumps of JA in front gardens round here. If you have space for a good size clump and don't mind if that clump gets a bit larger than you were anticipating I would just plant them.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
No problem @Andyman To be honest - none of them are an issue here, but that's most likely down to our climate and conditions. Just listening to comments on this forum alone over the years, the pinks tend to be a bigger problem with spreading, and don't mind a drier spot.
Whirlwind is a lovely variety. If you have a drier garden, then it might be worth trying it in a big pot with some decent soil, although I'm not sure they make good pot specimens. The other alternative is to create a damp area, using the method for making a bog garden. Like making a small pond, but holes in the bottom, and some gravel, so that there's drainage, but moisture is retained.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
"The other alternative is to create a damp area, using the method for making a bog garden. Like making a small pond, but holes in the bottom, and some gravel, so that there's drainage, but moisture is retained. "
I have a large raised koi pond in my back garden and also a small wildlife pond and a bog gaeden. 'Honorine Jobert' grows really well here without getting out of control. It sounds like 'Whirlwind' would also do well in this area of the garden.
In sharp contrast, my front garden is very dry, which probably wouldn't suit 'Whirlwind', especially as it would have to compete with 'September Charm'.
Posts
The bees are loving it too.
Get some big, deep troughs and put them towards the back of your border so that the pots can be hidden by the plants in front. I can keep a close eye on the runners and snip them off. 👍🏻
The whites are much better behaved in general
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think that I may give 'Whirlwind' a try myself, and grow it in a large container so that I can keep it well watered.
There are lots of apparently stable clumps of JA in front gardens round here. If you have space for a good size clump and don't mind if that clump gets a bit larger than you were anticipating I would just plant them.
To be honest - none of them are an issue here, but that's most likely down to our climate and conditions. Just listening to comments on this forum alone over the years, the pinks tend to be a bigger problem with spreading, and don't mind a drier spot.
Whirlwind is a lovely variety. If you have a drier garden, then it might be worth trying it in a big pot with some decent soil, although I'm not sure they make good pot specimens.
The other alternative is to create a damp area, using the method for making a bog garden. Like making a small pond, but holes in the bottom, and some gravel, so that there's drainage, but moisture is retained.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...