Yes I keep wondering where I can put some of these plants.. I've just seen a few more I'd like there..
@Meomye thanks.. I try to plant mildew resistant varieties, only one of mine 'Rembrandt' goes a bit weird. Otherwise I don't have issues with them. I know nothing about sprays so cannot advise on treatments for mildew..
Some good Phlox to look out for that I have no issues with are the Sweet Summer series which are readily available including from the Secret Garden Club, and the 'Bar' series of Phlox... these are produced in Holland by Bartel-Stek and all have the code name 'Bar' usually included on the label.. for example the Phlox sold as 'Purple Flame' is also sold as Phlox 'Barfourteen'... 'White Flame' is also sold as Phlox 'Barsixty'... there is a whole series of these Phlox with Bar numbers and they are bred for mildew resistance.
@Wildlifelover ..that's ok, ask whatever questions you like, I'm sure other members will advise. We all tend to give different answers I think. What I will say is that we all make mistakes, everybody does, even the Professionals, planting too close together or wrong combinations. I try to imagine what colours work together but I often get it wrong, then it's a question of moving things around.. that's perennial gardening for you.
A little advice about planting, if you can afford to, try to plant perennials in a group of 3, in a kind of triangle formation. They grow together and make it look like one large bushy plant. Unless it's a really big imposing perennial like some on this thread, then you might only need one. Also if you have the room, planting 5 or 7 of the same gives an even better display. Here are a couple of examples I've just taken. These are 3 Veronicas of the same variety, planted initially about 1 foot apart.
..these are 3 of the same Phlox variety..
...have fun !..
Many thanks!
Ive noticed that many of the beds in this thread seem to be topped with gravel - I have really terrible trouble with Blackbirds digging in my beds (they expose roots and often tear off new shoots etc), which are mulched each spring/autumn with well rotted manure. Owing to the size of the garden and number of beds, going round repairing each bed is a nightmare and I’ve currently got plastic mesh around every plant (which is pain to do and looks awful).
Is using gravel as a ‘mulch’ ok in terms of retaining moisture? If gravel is used, when a plant is described as ‘needing mulching in spring’ how does one do that?
As this is just the second year of me gardening, I’ve a lot to learn!
@Wildlifelover .. well you can mulch with gravel but it doesn't have any nutrient value for the plant. Yes it will help retain moisture. I like gravel and use a lot of it, sometimes I might mulch with it, depends on the plant.
You already mulch with manure - I tend to use compost otherwise. Mulching in Spring usually means using manure or compost. The usual practice is to apply a thickish layer, maybe 2 inches thick around the base of the plant, about a foot wide or so. I prefer compost because manure can damage stems if it gets on them.
I've no idea about keeping blackbirds off... sorry I can't help with that.
Thanks. If I used gravel to top all my beds, just to keep the birds from ruining them, is it a case of still mulching with manure but removing the gravel beforehand around each plant and then replacing it once the manure is down? I’m so fed up with not been able to have mesh free beds, I’m keen to find a solution!
Dwarf form of 'London Pride' sedum. Not as loose growing as the usual one, it forms a dense firm mat. I don't deadhead it as the faded flowers and stems are a nice russet colour.
An apology required from me. The plant is of course a saxifrage. I checked online a short while after posting but for some reason still thought I read 'sedum'. I blame the cold wind.....
I wasn't sure of the name, but descriptions of saxifraga urbium 'Primuloides' seem to fit, except that I grow it in full sun, not the shade recommended.
Yes, I was just looking that up too, it appears to be the same..
I've just been admiring Pitter Patter's photo of the dark Penstemon with the red geum and dark allium seedheads. I thought it was rather a good combination.
Any tips on how to tell milk parsley from Baltic parsley? I have planted both at various points (and all sorts of other umbellifers in the wild carrot family) but don't know which have survived. Both are gorg.
Posts
@Meomye
thanks.. I try to plant mildew resistant varieties, only one of mine 'Rembrandt' goes a bit weird. Otherwise I don't have issues with them. I know nothing about sprays so cannot advise on treatments for mildew..
Some good Phlox to look out for that I have no issues with are the Sweet Summer series which are readily available including from the Secret Garden Club, and the 'Bar' series of Phlox... these are produced in Holland by Bartel-Stek and all have the code name 'Bar' usually included on the label.. for example the Phlox sold as 'Purple Flame' is also sold as Phlox 'Barfourteen'... 'White Flame' is also sold as Phlox 'Barsixty'... there is a whole series of these Phlox with Bar numbers and they are bred for mildew resistance.
So it's worth looking out for those..
Ive noticed that many of the beds in this thread seem to be topped with gravel - I have really terrible trouble with Blackbirds digging in my beds (they expose roots and often tear off new shoots etc), which are mulched each spring/autumn with well rotted manure. Owing to the size of the garden and number of beds, going round repairing each bed is a nightmare and I’ve currently got plastic mesh around every plant (which is pain to do and looks awful).
Is using gravel as a ‘mulch’ ok in terms of retaining moisture? If gravel is used, when a plant is described as ‘needing mulching in spring’ how does one do that?
As this is just the second year of me gardening, I’ve a lot to learn!
.. well you can mulch with gravel but it doesn't have any nutrient value for the plant. Yes it will help retain moisture. I like gravel and use a lot of it, sometimes I might mulch with it, depends on the plant.
You already mulch with manure - I tend to use compost otherwise. Mulching in Spring usually means using manure or compost. The usual practice is to apply a thickish layer, maybe 2 inches thick around the base of the plant, about a foot wide or so. I prefer compost because manure can damage stems if it gets on them.
I've no idea about keeping blackbirds off... sorry I can't help with that.
The plant is of course a saxifrage.
I checked online a short while after posting but for some reason still thought I read 'sedum'.
I blame the cold wind.....
I wasn't sure of the name, but
descriptions of saxifraga urbium 'Primuloides' seem to fit, except that I grow it in full sun, not the shade recommended.
I've just been admiring Pitter Patter's photo of the dark Penstemon with the red geum and dark allium seedheads. I thought it was rather a good combination.
Schizostylis coccinea 'Alba' (forgot to add this under Hesperantha earlier!)
Selinum wallichianum, like a long-flowering, late summer cow-parsley.