top 5
auntie betty
Posts: 208
What are your top 5 plants you'd never want to be without - because you love them for themselves as individuals or because they're indispensable as part of a group? Thought it'd be interesting to hear what other people are mad about and maybe get some ideas for things thata might not have come naturally. Mine are:
bergenia, because its huge evergreen leaves show everything nearby off brilliantly (and snails eat my hostas). You do need huge clumps though.
hardy geraniums, because they grow anywhere, flower for ages and are generally a nice polite green clump the rest of the time. Very very useful.
pyracantha, because they wilingly clothe my shady walls and fences with evergreen leaves, plus flowers, plus berries, so work really hard.
irises, because there's one for almost every situation, and sometimes you just need that leafy spike in your scheme. And the flowers are a bonus.
heuchera, because a well-behaved, evergreen (or silver, or purple, or orange, or lime) clump of something that flowers for an age is truly indispensable front of border plant.
And smoke bush. Because I love it. Especially with the sun behind it. I know thats 6. I don't care. I'm not leaving out smoke bush. And bamboo. And ivies. And ferns. And aruncus. And darmera... Ha! I'm an addict.
Posts
bush rose i love them so much ther great i love them all
climbing rose there great the sent of the flower is just amzing
Japanese Maples there just amazing really lovey in autum
virginea creeper just great that all i can say
afican lily love them so much
Lavender for scent
Pelargoniums for coping with the dry conditions
Dahlias for the outrageous flowers
Euphorbias great foliage
Violas for winter colour.
Hellebores, for lovely classy blooms in winter and spring.
Quince tree (proper quince, not the climbing Japanese quince) because it's one of the first to come into leaf and the last to drop its leaves. It's lovely when in blossom, and we even get a few quinces as a bonus.
Snakeshead fritillary - I mean, a check-patterned flower? Magic!
Lavender for instant aromatherapy.
Clematis of various sorts, for their profuse blossoms.
Ask me again tomorrow and I'd think of five more, no problem. And that's just the ornamentals, I could start all over again when it comes to vegetables and herbs.
Yeah, forgot euphorbias... Wulfenii and martinii and robbiae for me, though it tends to wander off in my garden. Do fancy a quince, y'know.... may have just the spot.... what soil conditions do they prefer?
If I had a garden filled with Acers, Hostas, Ivies, Tulips and Alliums...I would be content.
My top five are as follows ;-
Oh dear, I left out ferns
What would I do without ferns???
Honeysuckles particularly fragrantessima
Clematis particularly armandii
Hardy geraniums - can't single one out!
Lavenders particularly Hicote
Cornus particularly kousa
and trees......
So many favourites! But how about dierama, which I fell in love with at The Garden House, in Devon. It doesn't like being moved and sulks, though. I am hoping the one I planted after moving it two years ago might favour me with one stem of flowers at least this year. Fingers crossed.
hyacinths for that springtime scent
pinks for their toughness and scent
lilies for their bright colours and scent
lavender for.... guess what
hebes for their many varieties, a shape and size for anywhere
and of course clematis, because they love to show off!
OOps! that's 6 but I could go on all night. I think I see a pattern there somewhere!