@gardenerSuze I had to look up that plant. The only lobelia I've ever grown was the blue trailing type that @borgadr mentioned. It looks like it would do well in my climate. They might be a good replacement for the hollyhocks that were gorgeous in bloom but were a never-ending battle with rust. Thanks!
@Alan Clark2 in Liverpool I always thought daphne was a one-and-done spring bloom. This changes everything!
@Loxley I can certainly understand that sentiment! I like a lot of variety as well. I try to plant for all seasons and let the focus shift through the year, but I appreciate some rugged long-performers to tie everything together too. I've got a lot of space to fill!
@gardenerSuze I had to look up that plant. The only lobelia I've ever grown was the blue trailing type that @borgadr mentioned. It looks like it would do well in my climate. They might be a good replacement for the hollyhocks that were gorgeous in bloom but were a never-ending battle with rust. Thanks!
This is how it looks now. Pretty much exactly how as it looked through most of last year. In the adjacent pot you can see small plants where it self-seeded (not in flower yet)
There are so many different Lobelias for different conditions. @borgadr A true blue flower always popular here. I think it is much better colour than the pale L Cambridge blue.
@SYinUSA A friend had a border with L Tupa and Ribes Speciosum together they were long flowering. You mentioned hummingbirds I believe they pollinate L Tupa? Not something we have alot of here!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@GardenerSuze Yes, we have hummingbirds like mad here. I keep a feeder for them but add plants whenever I can! Looks like lobelia tupa and ribes speciosum are both good for them.
@borgadr - Fantastic color! I planted some Georgia speedwell that has a similar form, but unfortunately the flowering period was quite short. That might be just what I need. I'm always afraid of reseeders getting away from me, but that looks manageable.
Annual, including the ones that overwinter and aren't really annuals. My favourite is nemesia, flowers almost nonstop.
Lavenders are good. English lavenders June - August and then continuing into autumn (I usually don't chop them in August, I only lightly deadhead and do it properly later in autumn or in February). Dutch lavenders are better but they start late - July - October, sometimes to November (I chop them in February). French ones start early but they are unreliable for me.
Parahebe Scabious 'Butterfly Blue' Erigeron k. Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer'
Some geraniums are good. 'Ann Thomson' is my favourite. 'Rozanne' starts significantly later (around this time).
Roses go on and off in flushes but later flushes never look as good as the first one. Also with the disease pressure, they are not the stars of late spring/autumn.
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@Loxley I can certainly understand that sentiment! I like a lot of variety as well. I try to plant for all seasons and let the focus shift through the year, but I appreciate some rugged long-performers to tie everything together too. I've got a lot of space to fill!
@borgadr A true blue flower always popular here. I think it is much better colour than the pale L Cambridge blue.
@SYinUSA A friend had a border with L Tupa and Ribes Speciosum together they were long flowering. You mentioned hummingbirds I believe they pollinate L Tupa?
Not something we have alot of here!
@borgadr - Fantastic color! I planted some Georgia speedwell that has a similar form, but unfortunately the flowering period was quite short. That might be just what I need. I'm always afraid of reseeders getting away from me, but that looks manageable.
Lavenders are good. English lavenders June - August and then continuing into autumn (I usually don't chop them in August, I only lightly deadhead and do it properly later in autumn or in February). Dutch lavenders are better but they start late - July - October, sometimes to November (I chop them in February). French ones start early but they are unreliable for me.
Parahebe
Scabious 'Butterfly Blue'
Erigeron k.
Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer'
Some geraniums are good. 'Ann Thomson' is my favourite. 'Rozanne' starts significantly later (around this time).
Roses go on and off in flushes but later flushes never look as good as the first one. Also with the disease pressure, they are not the stars of late spring/autumn.