Thanks everyone. Some interesting suggestions, some of which I'll try once I've made some space. My family (for once) listened to me when they asked for birthday suggestions, and gave me tokens for the local nursery, which only grows perennials which survive the conditions here without protection. I'll be paying them a visit soon, I think.
Thanks too to @borgadr for the Piet Oudolf book suggestion. Definitely one to look out for.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
It's the conditions and climate that make the difference to how plants behave though. V. bonariensis for example - often doesn't survive winters here, unless it's right up against a wall or fence and getting protected by shrubs or things like Euphorbias. It's why I always take cuttings to grow on. They rarely seed successfully, apart from the last couple of years, and even then, only into the gravel paths in sheltered parts. I've never fed anything once planted either, apart from clematis, and tomatoes and heavy annual feeders [things in pots] but I can't change the rich clay soil and the rainfall, so plants often grow larger. It's how it is, so taller perennial plants have to be staked. Acteas are good for shady damp spots though, and Ligularias for sunny ones [if you can keep the slugs away] as neither need staked. Your conditions over there will be very similar to mine @Liriodendron, but maybe slightly warmer, although this year and last year have been much warmer here.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think you're right about the growing conditions being similar here to yours, @Fairygirl; the main difference seems to be that our winters are warmer. The lowest we've had since moving here is minus 6.8, which neighbours described as unusually cold. (For that reason I always look out for your posts because I know I'll learn something useful from them!)
Thank you for your suggestions. I'll definitely look out for an Actaea, and that dark-leaved Ligularia is lovely... though I suspect the slugs might agree!
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
I have to tie up sedums, even in hot sunny Dordogne. I've heard you can Chelsea chop them but I have never dared. I only have them in OH's garden in Norfolk now, haven't planted any in my new Dordogne garden as I don't really like them.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
This year I accidentally found an unusual way of supporting my 'Autumn Joy', @Busy-Lizzie. I was incapacitated at the time I should have been cutting back last year's dead stems, so this year's flowers are growing up on the inside of the ring of old flowered stems, and it's looking ok-ish... slightly odd, maybe, so I don't think I'll repeat it this year!
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Given the right wind conditions any perennial that grows more than a couple of feet is liable to at least lean over if not flop. I think small gardens are even more of a challenge than open sites, because of the way the wind gets buffeted around. I've got a spot where the wind seems to be directed downwards at the ground and the plants end up leaning outwards from it. There is a Miscanthus at the epicentre, and it is totally upright; but all the leaves are arranged on the leeward side of the stems.
Decent performers for me are Verbascum chaixii 'Album', which stays upright for me. Liatris spicata, Sanguisorba 'Raspberry Coulis' don't flop as such but end up growing at up to 45 degrees, I support the base of the Sanguisorba and that takes care of it, the Liatris I don't mind growing eccentrically (and it would be silly to stake them).
V. bonariensis was similar, never collapsed, but always ended up leaning away from any fences etc that caused turbulence.
Suprisingly Allium spaerocephalon seems relatively self supporting considering what it is (a big bobble on a spindly stem).
Sedum 'Matrona' and Stachys 'Hummelo' seem rock solid, and none of my Persicarias seem prone to flopping.
My soil is sandy loam with plenty of organic matter, but is shallow and prone to drying out.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
The only perennials in my garden that haven't needed staking this year are Nepeta, Salvia Caradonna, Salvia Armistad, Lythrum, hardy Geraniums, Astrantia, Coreopsis and Erigeron Karvinskianus. None of my grasses need support, including several Miscanthus varieties, Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, Stipa tennuissima and Panicum Northwind. There's a couple of clumps of Helenium Sahin's Early Flowerer which have needed just a minor bit of support - I like them so they'll be allowed to stay! Anything else that flops or needs serious staking will be relegated to the garden waste bin as they become too unsightly! Goodbye to Achilleas (shame!), Helianthus Lemon Queen and other varieties of Helenium.
I find that for such a delicate looking tall plant, my thalictrum 'Hewitts Double Purple'? doesn't seem to need staking although it's usually windy in this garden. The westerly winds seem to bucket up the Bristol Channel, hit the hills to the west of us then roar down through our valley. Phlox seem to be okay, V.bon falls over sometimes, roses stay upright as do most grasses and to my surprise, the delphiniums stayed mostly upright (I hadn't been able to get out to them to tie them up as they grew).
Last year I bought 3 rusty iron, delicate looking, freestanding trellis panels from the National Trust, about £18 each which I placed in front of the thalictrum for support if they needed it. So easy to do as each panel spikes into the ground and looks attractive throughout the winter. They also had the advantage of reminding me where the thalictrum grew as it dies right down in the winter of course. I'd like to get some more, they're good suggestions for birthday presents!
Thank you for your input, @Loxley@Plantminded and @Lizzie27. It's so interesting to find there are plants which are fine for some people but flop for others - growing conditions must be very important, I suppose.
I'd generally agree with you, @Loxley, that perennials more than a couple of feet tall are pretty likely to flop; but a few here seem fairly wind- and rain-proof; I forgot to mention Aruncus dioicus in my initial list (it gets to at least 4 feet), and the Cephalaria is around 7 feet. I wonder whether in these two cases, the basal leaves are so dense close to the ground that they provide stability for the more airy top growth...
I've noted that there are some plants which have regularly appeared on people's "no need to stake" lists, and will definitely give them a try.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Posts
Thanks too to @borgadr for the Piet Oudolf book suggestion. Definitely one to look out for.
V. bonariensis for example - often doesn't survive winters here, unless it's right up against a wall or fence and getting protected by shrubs or things like Euphorbias. It's why I always take cuttings to grow on. They rarely seed successfully, apart from the last couple of years, and even then, only into the gravel paths in sheltered parts.
I've never fed anything once planted either, apart from clematis, and tomatoes and heavy annual feeders [things in pots] but I can't change the rich clay soil and the rainfall, so plants often grow larger. It's how it is, so taller perennial plants have to be staked.
Acteas are good for shady damp spots though, and Ligularias for sunny ones [if you can keep the slugs away] as neither need staked.
Your conditions over there will be very similar to mine @Liriodendron, but maybe slightly warmer, although this year and last year have been much warmer here.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you for your suggestions. I'll definitely look out for an Actaea, and that dark-leaved Ligularia is lovely... though I suspect the slugs might agree!
Decent performers for me are Verbascum chaixii 'Album', which stays upright for me. Liatris spicata, Sanguisorba 'Raspberry Coulis' don't flop as such but end up growing at up to 45 degrees, I support the base of the Sanguisorba and that takes care of it, the Liatris I don't mind growing eccentrically (and it would be silly to stake them).
V. bonariensis was similar, never collapsed, but always ended up leaning away from any fences etc that caused turbulence.
Suprisingly Allium spaerocephalon seems relatively self supporting considering what it is (a big bobble on a spindly stem).
Sedum 'Matrona' and Stachys 'Hummelo' seem rock solid, and none of my Persicarias seem prone to flopping.
My soil is sandy loam with plenty of organic matter, but is shallow and prone to drying out.
Last year I bought 3 rusty iron, delicate looking, freestanding trellis panels from the National Trust, about £18 each which I placed in front of the thalictrum for support if they needed it. So easy to do as each panel spikes into the ground and looks attractive throughout the winter. They also had the advantage of reminding me where the thalictrum grew as it dies right down in the winter of course. I'd like to get some more, they're good suggestions for birthday presents!
I feel a visit to an NT place coming on 😁
I'd generally agree with you, @Loxley, that perennials more than a couple of feet tall are pretty likely to flop; but a few here seem fairly wind- and rain-proof; I forgot to mention Aruncus dioicus in my initial list (it gets to at least 4 feet), and the Cephalaria is around 7 feet. I wonder whether in these two cases, the basal leaves are so dense close to the ground that they provide stability for the more airy top growth...
I've noted that there are some plants which have regularly appeared on people's "no need to stake" lists, and will definitely give them a try.