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I knew when I decided to go I didn't need any more plants. I also knew that if I went - I MIGHT not be able to NOT buy. Of course I always HOPE I'll go and be able to resist...but I also know it's NOT that likely.
So now my porch will be more pots that porch!
Between two nurseries I like, Walmart and Home Depot -- I got eight plants and a bag of alium bulbs. The perennials (which will all be potted) include:
- red hot poker - the last one I bought very late in the season and it never grew
- variegated Iris - a couple I put on an apparently too shaded hillside haven't done much
- thread leaf blue star -- new to me - I like the foliage so I bought it
- bee balm - don't know which but it's bluish/purple
- another gaura - this one pink fountain
- salvia - wendy's wish - tall deep pink kind of leggy not like the shorter purple ones I've seen
- agapanthus - which I'm praying will come back although the last one didn't
- lavender - couldn't resist the smell
I am avoiding the perennial sections LOL in order to avoid buying plants. But in the past couple of weeks, I too was "weak" and bought:
liriope - I can't remember the name, but it is the really short "mondo grass." I split it and made little "shrubs" for the house in my fairy garden. My excuse is that I needed groundcover for that area, anyway.
Panic Grass - It wasn't even on SALE...but it is a native grass...and it is going to look great in my front privacy border...I hope.
Gaura - I too bought another gaura. It is a pink one, but I can't remember the name. I put it in the slope garden so it can get sun and drainage.
I generally make a design before I start purchasing plants for a particular garden, and I try to go the the garden center or nursery w/ a list, but is is really difficult to avoid temptation.
Had to read both posts before I eat lunch and get to work on the back area. I just got back from the nursery and went yesterday, also.
Ah, fall. It is gorgeous today and I have had the best time wandering around this morning. At first I was going to a market but decided to go to the one tomorrow because they have music. Also, there was supposed to be a plant seminar or class near me and I headed there first. I had expected a class type thing but they just answered your individual questions and without much enthusiasm. (National business). I was very good at this stop -- didn't buy anything but made notes for later in the week and next weekend. Next I headed to three yard sales and then the small nursery I love!
Bought mums and pansies there yesterday. I went back for some more pansies and a grass for the winter.
So much help and interest! I chose perennial fountain grass. The woman at the nursery called it "bunny" grass. Started to get some wave pansies but they will be on sale next weekend. Yeah! I'll get some ornamental cabbage then also and the cyclamen I forgot.
Selhars, I like the "more pots than porch"! Your perennials sound beautiful. Salvia is one of my favorites.
Kinky toes -- what is "panic grass"?
What part of the country are both of you in and what zone?
Had to read both posts before I eat lunch and get to work on the back area. I just got back from the nursery and went yesterday, also.
Ah, fall. It is gorgeous today and I have had the best time wandering around this morning. At first I was going to a market but decided to go to the one tomorrow because they have music. Also, there was supposed to be a plant seminar or class near me and I headed there first. I had expected a class type thing but they just answered your individual questions and without much enthusiasm. (National business). I was very good at this stop -- didn't buy anything but made notes for later in the week and next weekend. Next I headed to three yard sales and then the small nursery I love!
Bought mums and pansies there yesterday. I went back for some more pansies and a grass for the winter.
So much help and interest! I chose perennial fountain grass. The woman at the nursery called it "bunny" grass. Started to get some wave pansies but they will be on sale next weekend. Yeah! I'll get some ornamental cabbage then also and the cyclamen I forgot.
Selhars, I like the "more pots than porch"! Your perennials sound beautiful. Salvia is one of my favorites.
Kinky toes -- what is "panic grass"?
What part of the country are both of you in and what zone?
I'm in the southeast in Zone 7
Happy planting!
I am in zone 7, as well. Panic grass is "panicum virgatum." It appears it is also called switchgrass. I think I'm being brave (or stupid) by incorporating grasses into my garden. I hope it doesn't seed all over the place and make me regret my purchase.
Hee hee hee. I need to go to the nursery to get stones and a ton more mulch, but I'm currently checking out the stuff I wanted for Autumn planting online.
I'm in Maryland half way between DC and Annapolis...Zone 7.
I potted everything today -- all in 16 inch pots on roller caddies....in a mixture of potting soils (part moisture control, part organic, part regular Miracle Gro)
The red hot poker, bee balm (pink), lavender and guara (pink fountain) are alone in pots..... the variegated iris and agapanthus are together, and the threadleaf blue star and salvia are together.
I think it's still to warm for the aliium bulbs I bought. Will do those around the stand alone plants next month.
I need to go but I have to stay away from the perennials! I have plenty to divide and move around when it gets a bit cooler. What I need to force myself to focus on are some shrubs for a bed up front. I put in fringeflower last spring but despite my carefully handwatering, they did not survive to become established. I really should have waited for fall.
Since my plants are on a covered porch the sun only comes in from one side -- and so, naturally the flowers and plants lean into that direction -- a lot.
How often do you think I need to turn them to make sure they don't 'lean?' You think once a week is enough?
I envy most of you that are in Zone 7 and can have a bigger variety. I am in 5 - 6. I have luck with some zone 6 stuff. I saw in a recent magazine the idea of planting tulips, daffodils and crocus in a pot that will come up in the spring and then I can move it where I want it for a burst of color. I always assumed they had to be right in the ground. I think I will try this along with planting some in the ground too. I just received my tulip bulb order from Dutch Bulbs but will wait another few weeks before planting them. They warn if you plant too early in the fall they will begin to grow and then when the frost comes they will be damaged.
Selhars - do you use hanging pots on your porch? I love to do that and this years favorite of mine was "Swingtime fuchia with white baccopa". I brought it in overnight last night as they predicted a dip in the temp. but it will go back out this morning.
Last edited by Newdaawn; 09-16-2012 at 06:20 AM..
Reason: addition
No, no hanging.
You think rotating my pots once a week is often enough for even sun exposure so my plants don't lean?
Good luck with the bulbs.
When I first got into plants, I'd just walk around nurseries, ask a lot of questions, go back home look up the names online, bought/checked out lots of books.
First for me is do I like the flower or foliage, then is it super easy to grow with no pests, then non-finicky site/watering needs. I don't do anything that takes much more work than watering.
When I tell myself I want to do more...I water with plant food twice from spring to summer.
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