Thank you all! How wonderful that so many are giving good advice about Penstemons. Thank you for the photos Papu Jo - how beautiful. Am going to see how I go with Raven. Do they self seed? Will the one I have eventually produce more?
I think the trick with Penstemons is to prune them quite hard back in late spring so that strong shoots appear from the base. When I haven't done this the flowers have appeared on the ends of last years stems which are floppy and even dangling horizontally. Then as soon as shoots are a few inches tall I start feeding with a weak solution of tomato food. Mine are in full sun and put out long stems of flowers for many weeks.
I have Sour Grapes which is looking absolutely fantastic at the minute. Also, I love the oriental poppies - big and blousy. In fact, I found one in the B&Q plant casualty dept today for 50p and a geranium for 50p. Worth keeping an eye on B&Q and Homebase now as they seem to be drowning in bedding plants and I'm sure they'll start reducing them soon to get rid of them.
I have Garnet - cuttings from a friend a few years ago and it does very well for me.
Last year I bought Sour Grapes and it has come thru the winter OK but is not yet in flower - too cold and wet. In future I shall be sowing seeds as it's cheaper, more satisfying and I can swap spares with gardening friends.
The narrow leaved forms are hardier that the broad leaved forms.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Wakeshine : I love penstemmons. A slug free alternative to delphiniums is Aconitum (poisonous so wear gloves) summer, autumn varieties in shades of blue plus white.
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Thank you all! How wonderful that so many are giving good advice about Penstemons. Thank you for the photos Papu Jo - how beautiful. Am going to see how I go with Raven. Do they self seed? Will the one I have eventually produce more?
I think the trick with Penstemons is to prune them quite hard back in late spring so that strong shoots appear from the base. When I haven't done this the flowers have appeared on the ends of last years stems which are floppy and even dangling horizontally. Then as soon as shoots are a few inches tall I start feeding with a weak solution of tomato food. Mine are in full sun and put out long stems of flowers for many weeks.
Thanks Erics Mum, great tip
I have Sour Grapes which is looking absolutely fantastic at the minute. Also, I love the oriental poppies - big and blousy. In fact, I found one in the B&Q plant casualty dept today for 50p and a geranium for 50p. Worth keeping an eye on B&Q and Homebase now as they seem to be drowning in bedding plants and I'm sure they'll start reducing them soon to get rid of them.
I have sour grapes too, now in it's second year and I love it to bits
Last edited: 21 June 2016 08:45:22
We have hard pruned Garnet every Spring and have divided it many times, so now we have lots. Agree it's very reliable, no fuss and the bees love it.
Lovely specimen!
Last edited: 21 June 2016 14:56:21
I have Garnet - cuttings from a friend a few years ago and it does very well for me.
Last year I bought Sour Grapes and it has come thru the winter OK but is not yet in flower - too cold and wet. In future I shall be sowing seeds as it's cheaper, more satisfying and I can swap spares with gardening friends.
The narrow leaved forms are hardier that the broad leaved forms.
OMG keen that is soooo beautiful. Now I am a penstemon fan.
Unfortunately I have never managed to grow delphiniums in my garden. The nursery girl suggested I try aconitum instead, and they are terrific.Yes, aconitum are reckoned to be poisonous, but no need to go paranoid about them. See http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/category/plantae-en/ranunculaceae-en/aconitum-en/