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Monday, January 21, 2013

After Party Clean Up

Last January (2012) I posted a list of all the new plants I'd added to the garden in a post called Welcome to the Party. With the high tomorrow expected to be about 25 degrees here, the garden party is over.  Here's an update describing how they all fared. If a plant isn't accompanied by a photo, it either died before I took the picture or I just forgot.

Ornamental Grasses

Northern Sea Oats




Sea Oats and Solomon's Seal grow in the same bed. The Solomon's Seal grows in front of the sea oats.


These were so successful, I added two more clumps to another bed with too much dry shade. They were absolutely effortless to grow.

Variegated Northern Sea Oats


 I had originally placed them near an 'Etoile Violet' clematis but they needed more moisture. I like their new location better.


These grew less vigorously than their non-striped cousins but that's ok. Most perennials don't do much the first year, anyway. I ended up moving them to a moister spot near a big patch of spigellia.

Perennials

Campanula 'Summertime Blues'




Easy to grow in dryish soil, they were a big success.

Liatris ligustylis (Meadow Blazing Star)



This blossom was still emerging. The flowers remind me of sea anemones.

I killed these. Big sigh.... I put them in soil that was too heavy and they rotted. But I was so determined to grow these because of their ability to attract monarchs, that when I found several healthy plants at the garden center, I grabbed them and potted them up. It was a success! Hooray! They have become permanent residents of my container garden.

 Dracocephalum 'Fuji Blue'

These died, too, which is odd, because I've grown them for years and they're a super tough plant. I have no idea why. This one's a mystery. I'm blaming their disappearance on radioactive space weasels. These pests are often the culprits in all garden disasters.

Xanthoriza simplicissima (Yellowroot)

These are hanging on. They are planted under a massive viburnum trilobum and have to fight for nutrients and  water. Fortunately, they're in a moist spot and I baby them a bit. I think they're going to be worth the wait.

Chrysoganum 'Allen Bush' and 'Pierre'




Chrysoganum, also known as Green and Gold, has yellow flowers and grows alongside amsonia 'Blue Ice'. I have quite a bit of it throughout the garden.

Allen Bush and Pierre sounds like a cheesy band to me. But luckily, these two are strong performers. They aren't quite as drought tolerant as advertised but as long as they're given a bit of extra water when it's too hot and dry, they're fine. I'm very glad I added them.

Smilacina racemosa (Solomon's Plume)

I killed these, too. At least I think I did. There's a possibility they'll pull a Lazarus and come back from the dead, but I'm not holding my breath. They didn't receive as much moisture as they needed so the fault is all mine.

Porteranthus stipulatus (Western Indian Physic)




I love these! They are tough and beautiful, which is a winning combination. They came up early in the spring and only needed a little bit of extra water during heat waves.

Polygonatum odoratum (Variegated Solomon's Seal)



These are such easy plants, I added several more to the garden. The more shade they receive, the greener and more variegated their leaves. If they're planted in too much sun, they bleach out. I ended up moving a clump into a shadier spot this fall. These are super easy and have pretty little bell shaped flowers in the spring. Their roots look like big ugly toes, which cracks me up.

'Sunday Gloves' daylily




This was another big success. The creamy white flowers are huge and smell wonderful.

Hostas 'Twilight' and 'Grand Marquee'

I planted these in a spot that was way too dry and they struggled all summer. Oops! But the Soaker Hose Super Highway came to the rescue so I think they'll be much happier next summer.

Rubus pentalobus (Creeping Bramble)



Potted birdhouses are my favorite way to fill difficult areas. This bramble was much happier than the ones in too much sun.

This is a tough vine that I tortured all summer by giving them too much sun and not enough water. They enjoy afternoon shade and a weekly watering. They're great for containers but after the soil settles, add a bit of compost to the empty space between the plant and the soil for better performance.

Lespedeza yakushima 'Bicolor'



I'm in awe that this little beauty didn't die last summer. I planted them in my garden's version of the Sahara desert and they survived out of either sheer will or spite. I haven't decided. Of course, it was never my intention for them to die, I was just a bit brain dead when I planted them there. Last fall, I moved them into a partially shady, moist but well drained area and they literally shot their stems up as if they were singing 'Hallelujah!' I immediately felt guilty for not planting them there in the first place.


Aquatic Plants for the Muck Bucket Frog Pond

Oenanthe javanica 'Flamingo' (Variegated water celery)



This plant should be renamed Ghengis kahnus.


Dear Frog, I miss you! Come back!

This plant is a thug!! Oy! It turned my teensy pond into its own personal water supply and nearly killed everything else. Even my frog left, which really upset me. I pulled it up by the arm loads this fall. It's escaped into the dry soil around the pond, but so be it. The total lack of moisture should keep it contained.

Equisetum scirpoides (Dwarf Horsetail Rush)

Safe in their pot, these survived the water celery invasion. They're not a super spectacular plant, but I think they're cool.

Lobelia cardinalis 'Fried Green Tomatoes'




This needed way more light than my pond has to offer so they spent all summer growing sideways. They would be great in a hole-less ceramic container that can be kept moist. Easy, tough plant.

Roses

Peggy Martin

Easy and vigorous, I'm looking forward to having them trained along my fence for my neighbor and I to enjoy.

Jude the Obscure




Jude the Obscure is strongly fragrant.


Poor Jude suffered severe blackspot this summer but it put out a ton of growth anyway. Once I removed the roses that were were the source of the breakout, it improved. The flowers are gorgeous!

Graham Thomas



This climber tripled in growth! It was a good lesson for me in how well a rose responds to ample water. I am a total sucker for beautiful yellow roses.


Shrubs That Don't Seem Like Shrubs

Lespedeza thunbergii 'Spring Grove'





This is an unfabulous picture of a fabulous plant.

This is an interesting plant because it closes its leaves during the mid-afternoon and then opens them again in the early evening. It's a fall bloomer, which is a bonus. Tough and easy with beautiful flowers.

Bulbs

Belladonna lilies 'Fred Meyer Whites' 

These were a total bust. Argh! They put out lots of foliage over the winter, but never grew any flowers. I think my soil might be too heavy. I haven't given up on them yet, though, since they're teasing me with winter foliage as I write.

62 comments:

  1. Those roses are beautiful! I tried so many different times with a rose garden, but the beetles always won :(

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    1. Beetles are bastards! Grrr... If you ever want to try roses again, a product called milky spore will help control them.

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  2. Beautiful roses, I like Jude d'Obscure, shall put it on my wishlist. You have many the same plants as we have over here in Western Europe. I like the Lobelia cardinalus, I had it but died, because this plant is not enough hardy here. Also the Western Indian Physic looks beautiful and I don't know this one, I suppose it's not hardy either.
    Very informative post!

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    1. I'm not sure if you'd be able to find the Indian physic in Holland but I think there are other cultivars of porteranthus that you might be able to find. You would love Jude the Obscure and it would be amazing in your garden!

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  3. Hi Tammy, what a great idea to report about how plants are doing after they have spent one year in your garden! This is a very interesting post!
    I am glad that 'Graham Thomas' is doing well for you. It is such a beautiful yellow rose and I can certainly understand that you love it. I agree with you that roses appreciate ample of water. It is awesome that you could keep the black spot of 'Jude the Obscure' by removing the roses that attracted it originally. I loved the fragrance on my JdO, too, but unfortunately it died for no apparent reasons.
    You are really inspiring me to plant more perennials in my garden. I absolutely love your Campanula 'Summertime Blues' and if it is OK with dryish soil it might work for me as well. I am also very fond of your daylily 'Sunday Gloves'. A creamy white one would fit perfectly well into my White Garden Bed and I would appreciate a daylily with scent. Happy Gardening! I can't wait for spring!
    Christina

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    1. Campanula and roses are a classic combination that I think you would love. :o) It's such an easy little plant. I am in love with my 'Sunday Gloves' daylily. The flowers are huge and creamy white. It would also look great with all those roses. I once had a Jude die on me, too. I'm hoping Jude #2 has more lasting power.

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  4. AMAZING what a little water and sun will do, isn't it? I'm always shocked. What do you suppose might dance along on TOP of ivy ground cover, something flowery and white that will make the somewhat shady patch unboring. I'm too impatient to replace it entirely, just want to give it the jollies. And too old to let a climbing hydrangea splat across, though the concept enchants me. (Also too love that Jude rose, however. Water. Sun.)

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    1. The sun + water combo never fails to impress me. :o) Do you want something to lay on top of the ivy or just mingle in/around it? What size, etc? Shoot me an email and I'll send out some suggestions.

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  5. What an interesting and delightful post! I love reading about what has worked for you. I must get me a 'Sunday Gloves' Daylily. I'm not a huge fan of Daylily, except if the flowers are pink or white. I've got a few pink ones but no whites. And with a fragrance, it's become a must-have.

    I love that water celery but I appreciate knowing that it's a thug. I'll think twice about growing it. :) Lespedezias are fun but boy with such a weird growing habit, they really need the right spot. I'm still trying to find the best one for mine.

    Your roses look wonderful and yes I agree. They seem to really love water.

    Now if spring will just hurry up. :)

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    1. I can't believe what a thug that water celery is!! It's so pretty it just sucked me right in. I think the Sunday Gloves would be perfect in your garden. It's one of my favorite new plants from last year. My lespedeza was in a weird teen phase last year - all elbows and knees. I'm hoping it's a bit more graceful this year.

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  6. Your plant selection is fantastic! I like the blazing star as well. I actually just came across a picture of a garden full of blazing star...it was beautiful! Your garden is lovely! I'm looking forward to spring so I can see more!!

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    1. Thanks! If you have a hot, dry, well drained site, add some liatris (blazing star). The butterflies love it. :o)

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  7. I think that Oenanthe is a plant I keep admiring in my friend, Monique's garden. If it makes you feel better, she doesn't grow it anywhere near water and it's vigorous but not in a bad way.

    Ah, Lespedeza thunbergii...be still my heart! Last summer I devoted a whole blog post to that plant. Bring on spring!

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    1. The area around the pond is really dry so that should keep the water celery in check. I didn't think it could survive without water but not only is it chugging along, but it hasn't even gone dormant. I'm going to have to keep an eye on that one!

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  8. Jude the Obscure is a really great rose, one of my favourites. Yours is looking really lovely.

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    1. Thanks! I love its cup shaped flowers and the fragrance is amazing!

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  9. This was a great inventory of plants and your specific experiences. You know I am rooting for your yellowroot to succeed. Mine have been so prolific and spread so wildly and look so great. But others have said they couldn't get them to grow... I want yours to pick it up a bit! Should I talk to them?

    Jude the Obscure, oh my. Obscenely beautiful. And Graham Thomas too. Obscene.

    The red cardinal flower, in my experience, needs sun more than it demands wet soil. More sun, don't worry about the wet, and they will do well. At least in my northern garden.

    Looove your Spring Grove bush clover. Is there a long shot of its shape? I assume it arches and sways like most lespedezas. Funny plants.



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    1. I am definitely giving the lobelia another try this summer. Into the sun it goes! My Spring Grove bush clover is a bit smaller than Gibralter and just as sprawling, but in a good way. The Bicolor is a true dwarf at only 2 ft tall. It grows wider and more vertical than the big ones. I think it would be great in your garden. :o)

      I'm rooting for the yellowroot, too. As much as I can be a tough love gardener, I do baby it along. It's growing fine, it's just small. Those roses are beauties! Both came from Chamblees, an online nursery that makes me swoon and want to blow my budget in one fell swoop.

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  10. Very adventurous! Give the Chasmanthium a little time and if it is happy, you will have all the additional plants you need for you and your friends. "Graham Thomas" is absolutely my favorite Austin Rose.

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    1. I noticed quite a few seedlings last year that I was able to easily pull up. But I love the seed heads so much I didn't mind. Graham Thomas is a keeper. :o) I'm really looking forward to the River Mist putting on some size.

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  11. I'm so glad you did this follow-up...it's always interesting to see which plants fared well for others...I'm very interested in trying the Amsonia 'Blue Ice' :-)

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    1. 'Blue Ice' amsonia is an amazing plant! It thrives in super dry bright shade. Sometimes I only water it out of neurotic pity instead of need. :o) It always perks me up!

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  12. Oh, what a collection! Loved your Variegated Northern Sea Oats, I think that’s one for my list. I also got a kind of a Solomon’s seal, but mine is a Disporopsis pernyi, it is evergreen and almost indestructible! I managed to kill my Polygonatum, I had Polygonatum curvistylum, not sure what happened to it. Your Lobelia cardinalis looks great even if it is growing sideways, I have Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria' and it needs support to not grow sideways.

    These kind of presentation posts are great, we can all learn from each other! I have just presented all the roses in my garden so everyone can see what works and what doesn’t work in my garden.

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    1. Indestructible? That's my kind of plant! The sea oats are wonderful. I can hardly wait til I have a big clump of the variegated oats. :o) I'll be stopping by to check out your roses!

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  13. Tammy, your presentation style and honesty are so refreshing! That variegated Solomon's Seal is fantastic. And 'Sunday Gloves' is so aptly named. Your 'Jude the Obscure' Rose is dreamy. The potted birdhouses are a great idea! I have the perfect spot for one--thanks for the inspiration! Fantastic post!

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    1. Aww, thanks! The potted birdhouses are a serious life saver for all those crazy tough spots where all plants are doomed to die. Plus, the birds end up nesting in them and I have an excuse to buy more pots. :o)

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  14. This type of post is so useful - thanks for putting in the effort. It's great to know what plants do well in other people's gardens, and which plants need more water or more or less sun, etc.Thank you also for the warning about radioactive space weasels. An Agastache in full bloom just up and died on me this week, seemingly for no reason, and now I know who to blame.

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    1. Sudden death of a plant? Space weasels, I tell ya! Blogging loses its effectiveness when we aren't honest about what works and what doesn't. I've gardened for 19 years and still kill plants every year. Live and learn!

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  15. See what you've gone and done? Made me lust after more plants....why oh why would you do this to me? I'm in the middle of relandscaping a few areas in my garden, and you decide to showcase all these beauties....thanks Tammy!
    I ADORE that white butterfly ceramic pot too!!!
    Very informative post, I enjoyed it.

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    1. I love that pot, too! I saw it and thought: WANT!! Have fun with the relandscaping. I'm sure it will be beautiful. :o)

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  16. Tammy, Northern Sea Oats with purple clematis ---it's a wonderful combination, I love it. You have a rose that I love but can't grow here, it's not hardy,is Graham Thomas, nice yellow color!

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    1. I like the purple clematis with the sea oats, too but ended up moving them to a much moister spot by a clump of red flowers. That's too bad Graham Thomas isn't hardy for you. It's such a beautiful rose. :o)

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  17. Great idea! I keep a plant journal and record new purchases, deaths and growths. Writing it down helps in trying to figure out where you went wrong. I am not sure I would want to let the world know of all my failures of the past few years-what a list ;(

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    1. If I wrote down everything I've done wrong in the garden, the book would weigh a ton. I used to keep a journal but then my blog replaced it. I save my plant tags and go through them every year to pull out the ones for the plants that have died. It's always very humbling and slightly infuriating.

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  18. Looks like you had a lot of successes! I like how you reported on ones that grew well in shade, like Solomon's Seal. I need to do something with some of my shaded spots.I hope your frog comes back too. Stay warm today! :)

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    1. Solomon's Seal loves shade! It even takes our heavy clay. Plus, there is teeny dwarf Solomon's Seal that is killer. I thought today's cold temps felt good and am hoping for snow on Friday! :o)

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  19. This post was so helpful to me since I garden in a similar climate. I've been coveting campanula but have been afraid to try it because I thought it would expire in the heat. But you've given me cause to hope. I know Lobelia likes more sun in the north, but I've been told that in the south it will fry in the sun, unless it's in a really, really wet spot. I have no direct experience with this, though - mine was in a moist location in part sun and it did just fine until something ate it.

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    1. I'm definitely giving the lobelia another try. :o) Some campanula's do tend to melt in high humidity but the bell shaped ones seem to do the best for me. If you go to the Lazy S's Farms Nursery link on my side bar, they have an incredible selection of campanula and provide very realistic growing expectations.

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  20. How I enjoyed this post! The sea oats look interesting - and I love the idea of a shrub that doesn't seem like a shrub. There were a lot of successes in there, but what I admired most was your honesty about when things didn't go so well. I am still smiling about the cheesy band!

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    1. I'm so glad! I keep expecting Allen Bush and Pierre to start playing bad covers of 70's and 80's music. :o) I don't see the point in not being really honest about our gardens. It's when someone blabs about how perfect their garden is that I get suspicious.

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  21. It is so nice to meet you. Your blog is lovely and I love your garden photos and that cute frog too! I'm still making my way through visiting everyone from Vicki's Grow Your Blog party. I hope you will stop by to say hello.

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    1. Nice to meet you, too! I'll be stopping by to say hello. :o)

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  22. You know I'm not terribly fond of daylilies but when I saw the photo of yours my heart went flip flop. Now there's a daylily I can get down with. I'm marking that one down to remember. Love the photo of the frog pond, I know that plant took over but how great does it look there! That little pond has turned out to be really eye catching.

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    1. Even though I like day lilies, some aren't my taste. But I love how creamy white these are. Plus they're fragrant and a tiny bit ruffled, but not too much. I love the pond and hope the frog comes back. :o)

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  23. 'Sunday Gloves' is lovely! I've been wanting to try Yellowroot and Indian Psychic for a few years so I appreciated the report on how they've fared in your garden. You have a lot of great plants!

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    1. I have faith in my yellowroot. I think it just needs time. Laurrie at My Weeds Are Very Sorry has tons of it and it's fabulous. Indian Physic is similar to another porteranthus I have called called Bowman's Root. Both are champions of dry shade. I bought my Physic from Prairie Moon as bare roots but they also sell plants. I have better luck with bare roots when I plant them in the fall. My Bowman's Root came from Lazy s's Farm Nursery.

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  24. Lots of hits there Tina. I had no idea there were variegated forms of Solomon's Seal. Am wondering about Chasmanthium for my own garden, so it was good to read about your experience. The roses look amazing.

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    1. The variegated Solomon's Seal even has a dwarf variety that is incredibly cute. The chasmanthium is so easy to grow. It does self seed but the seedlings are really easy to pull. I give the roses dried and crushed banana peels every spring to perk them up. :o) They like the extra potassium.

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  25. What a great exercise this is Tammy! It is so helpful for the rest of us to know what worked, what didn't and why. I love the Variegated Northern Sea Oats. It looks terrific at the foot of your clematis. I have a Graham Thomas and love it. It's a perfect shade of yellow. Jude is stunning too. I took a detour to check on the hardiness of Lespedeza thunbergii 'Spring Grove' and it isn't hardy this far north. Too bad! It's gorgeous!!

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    1. Lespedeza has a crazy growth habit but the flowers remind me of sweet peas, which remind me of being a kid. :o) I read somewhere that Graham Thomas is the most often purchased yellow rose. I'm so glad it's in my garden. It bloomed nonstop.

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  26. Wow, that is quite the inventory of plants. I have to admit, I don't learn any of my plant's names until they've returned for a couple of years in a row. I admire your attention to the survival of each one :)

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    1. I love the observation facet of gardening, especially when combined with understanding the cause and effect of the factors that help plants thrive or die. When a plant dies or is miserable, I want to know why, why, why. I like the environmental/botanical detective work involved. :o)

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  27. Wonderful post.

    I killed Polygonatum odoratum last summer. It baked in our 100+ temps. I couldn't keep it moist enough.

    Killed Liatris too. (Same reason as you -- soil too heavy, rotted it out)

    Planning to add Chrysogonum virginianum this spring. I have high hopes. I've heard there is a variety called Quinn's Gold that looks cool online but I've never seen it in person - http://www.nichegardens.com/catalog/item.php?id=2658&PHPSESSID=2cdc86b261d7cfd836e00529a578efb6

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    1. Quinn's Gold is great! I bought mine from Niche. I killed mine when I moved it in a redesign. :( I don't think it wanted to be moved.

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    2. Actually, it probably would have survived being moved if I had moved it into a less severe spot and then had remembered to water it. Oops!

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  28. Thanks for your great review! I always have high hopes for plants, then am so disappointed when things don't work out. One plant you mention that also has not disappointed me is the variegated Solomon's Seal. I planted it where several other plants had perished, and it not only survived beautifully but is multiplying!

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    1. I've been really impressed with how well the Solomon's Seal has done. I have one chunk growing in deepish shade with no water that have done superb! I'm really glad I added them to my garden.

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  29. So many lovely flowers and plants!

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  30. A lot of plants to comment on. First, I love the variegated foliage! Secondly, I planted Solomon's Seal last year. It died. :( Thirdly, I have a new Peggy Martin rose in my garden, too. The thought of it in full bloom is so exciting! And last, that "unfabulous" picture looks pretty fabulous! If it looks better in real life, it must be a true winner!

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  31. Solomon's Seal is such a stellar plant, so much tougher than it looks. I also really like its blond color in the fall. If you like yellow roses, try David Austin's "Golden Celebration,' which bloomed heavily for me in our old Bethesda garden. Interesting about the Northern Sea Oats -- I have heard that they can do too well and spread. Please give us a report this summer.

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  32. Useful info about the Variegated Solomon's Seal. I'll definitely move mine.

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  33. Ok - let's see how well I can remember all I just read. Wow, great wrap up!! First, I lost my Solomon's Seal, think some subterranean critter got it. Still crossing my fingers it might return. I think I might add some of the River Mist River Oats, I have a spot it can grow and expand as much as it wants.
    I saw some Yellowroot at a herbal store and knew I had heard of it from one of the great blogging buddies. Glad you gave a recap on it.
    Remember I told you that Variegated Celery was a bit a of thug. Hope you can keep it under control.
    I do need to think of a place for the Lespedeza, what a great color on a nice shrub.

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