Comments on: Fall Perennials http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/ Hardy plants for hardy souls Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:24:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lloyd Hawkins http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/comment-page-1/#comment-18070 Lloyd Hawkins Sat, 30 Jun 2007 01:21:44 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/#comment-18070 <strong>Lloyd Hawkins...</strong> Wow! We see little bits and peices here and there but don\'t really get a sense of how lovely the whole thing is overall.... Lloyd Hawkins…

Wow! We see little bits and peices here and there but don\’t really get a sense of how lovely the whole thing is overall….

]]> By: Craig Levy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/comment-page-1/#comment-5234 Craig Levy Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:48:36 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/#comment-5234 The link is fixed I hope, probably got too fancy and cocky leading to sloppy and careless. Although Bluebird is a wholesaler, they are very useful as an on-line reference. Their collection is vast and includes many unusual and uncommon plants. They are also committed to introducing plants from the most northern range of native populations, seeking the most cold hardy. They have a great relationship with the Denver Botanic Garden who have been instrumental in introducing plants collected from high mountains of South Africa. I am dying to try some of them and, like you, will need to create a special area for them. To be able to grow Gazanias again would be wonderful. The link is fixed I hope, probably got too fancy and cocky leading to sloppy and careless. Although Bluebird is a wholesaler, they are very useful as an on-line reference. Their collection is vast and includes many unusual and uncommon plants. They are also committed to introducing plants from the most northern range of native populations, seeking the most cold hardy. They have a great relationship with the Denver Botanic Garden who have been instrumental in introducing plants collected from high mountains of South Africa. I am dying to try some of them and, like you, will need to create a special area for them. To be able to grow Gazanias again would be wonderful.

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/comment-page-1/#comment-5232 Kathy Purdy Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:23:46 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/#comment-5232 I know, like you, that zonal information can be inaccurate. I also know that a lot of plants will winter over with good drainage (which I have to artificially provide, since soggy is closer to the native conditions). At present, your link to Bluebird Nursery doesn't work, but I assume if they're wholesalers they won't be selling to individual gardeners anyway. The more you know about a plant, the more likely you'll be able to be successful with it--no matter what zone it is. I know, like you, that zonal information can be inaccurate. I also know that a lot of plants will winter over with good drainage (which I have to artificially provide, since soggy is closer to the native conditions). At present, your link to Bluebird Nursery doesn’t work, but I assume if they’re wholesalers they won’t be selling to individual gardeners anyway. The more you know about a plant, the more likely you’ll be able to be successful with it–no matter what zone it is.

]]> By: Craig Levy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/comment-page-1/#comment-5231 Craig Levy Wed, 25 Oct 2006 11:53:20 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/#comment-5231 Bingo Kathy, I think you’re right. My soil is a mix of clay and rock and doesn’t hold moisture. The rainy summer has kept the soil wetter than normal. This was great for new plantings and most established ones but could be setting me up for losses with wet soil during the winter. Excessive moisture during some plants’ dormancies can spell disaster. Zonal information can be inaccurate. Most publications and nurseries are cautious and select the safest information. They want gardeners to achieve success and not discourage them. Other times it’s obvious the content writer does not have experience with the plant in colder climates – not like here! Another element is where my plant came from. The Salvia (and Allium) originated from <a href="http://www.bluebirdnursery.com/default.asp">Bluebird Nursery</a>, a wholesaler from Nebraska. They're claiming it is zone 4 hardy and even offer a white flowered form. But their zone 4 winter is dryer than ours so this is another plant that you take a risk growing, knowing it may not make it through every winter. Mine was agonizingly slow to start growing - even the Hibiscus were up before I noticed anything. It is also less vigorous than I wished. I like Salvias a lot and the color is so alluring that I had to try it. Bingo Kathy, I think you’re right. My soil is a mix of clay and rock and doesn’t hold moisture. The rainy summer has kept the soil wetter than normal. This was great for new plantings and most established ones but could be setting me up for losses with wet soil during the winter. Excessive moisture during some plants’ dormancies can spell disaster.

Zonal information can be inaccurate. Most publications and nurseries are cautious and select the safest information. They want gardeners to achieve success and not discourage them. Other times it’s obvious the content writer does not have experience with the plant in colder climates – not like here!

Another element is where my plant came from. The Salvia (and Allium) originated from Bluebird Nursery, a wholesaler from Nebraska. They’re claiming it is zone 4 hardy and even offer a white flowered form. But their zone 4 winter is dryer than ours so this is another plant that you take a risk growing, knowing it may not make it through every winter. Mine was agonizingly slow to start growing – even the Hibiscus were up before I noticed anything. It is also less vigorous than I wished. I like Salvias a lot and the color is so alluring that I had to try it.

]]> By: Sissy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/comment-page-1/#comment-5209 Sissy Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:16:03 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/#comment-5209 Gosh! What a beautiful allium and a stunning picture! Another one added to my gotta haves!! Gosh! What a beautiful allium and a stunning picture!
Another one added to my gotta haves!!

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/comment-page-1/#comment-5199 Kathy Purdy Tue, 24 Oct 2006 20:47:11 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2006/10/24/fall-perennials/#comment-5199 So that salvia wintered over for you? In my A-Z Encyclopedia it's listed as hardy to USDA zones 7-9, and subspecies pitcheri is zones 9-10. Does it have good drainage where you've planted it? So that salvia wintered over for you? In my A-Z Encyclopedia it’s listed as hardy to USDA zones 7-9, and subspecies pitcheri is zones 9-10. Does it have good drainage where you’ve planted it?

]]>