Mine died 2 years in a row, so I gave up. I just updated the coreopsis zagreb vs moonbeam thread, so see that for photos of how those ones run rampant in my garden. It's just the pink ones that are not hardy.

The consensus here (and among gardeners in general) is that 'Limerock Ruby' was not adequately field-tested, so its hardiness on release to the public was overstated (originally it was claimed to be hardy to zone 4; later that was revised to zone 7). Some people have had it overwinter in colder zones, but reliability is relatively poor. If you can find it cheaply in the spring, it makes a very good annual/temperennial.

Hardiness should be pretty good in zone 8. Another factor you may have to contend with is winter dampness, so checking the plant out with other PNW gardeners is a good idea (choosing a spot with very good drainage would be recommended in any case).

Unfortunately it didn't return in my zone 8 garden. :( Other coreopsis did just fine for me.

-Sharon

We had the worst drought in history last year. Limerock Ruby didn't return...neither did 'Heaven's Gate' and a I lost 1/3 of the 'Creme Brulee'. Meanwhile, my old 'Zagreb' is looking great in the 3rd year.

Thanks for the feedback--that's kind of what I was afraid of! Oh well, good suggestions, though--I will enjoy this one plant, try to keep it well drained, and buy inexpensive four-inch pots next year and plant as annuals (if I can find some). It really is part of the enjoyment of gardening...the surprises you get the following spring when you venture out to see what made it and what did not. I just wish my memory was better than it is...Thanks again!

Last year was my first my year gardening and late last summer I planted two Limerock Ruby plants in amended clay soil. The garden faces south and gets many hours of sun close to 10 in the summer and perhaps 7-8 in the winter. I had heard that they are tender so I took precautions to save them. I did not trim back the dead foliage in the early winter so as not to create entry points for water. I mulched them and on nights we were having hard freezes I placed an upside-down pot over them. They both came back this year beautifully. They took the longest (of my three coreopsis varieties) to emerge from the ground in the spring. This was only one winter, but one of the worst winters this area has seen in a few years. We had two ice storms and two real accumulations of snow. I realize that this just one winter and that my environment is different than yours, but maybe it will give you a little hope.

Uh Oh...I just bought two of the Heaven's Gate coreopsis. Are they more cold hardy than Limerock Ruby? Does anyone know what it is that keeps them from overwintering? I havent planted them yet but the place I want to put them is practically IDENTICAL to kimnc7's (amended clay soil, garden faces south, first year in the ground, planted during summer). Only differences being....

(1)I will be planting mine now instead of LATE summer and
(2)Mzone is 6 instead of 7.

Should I take the same care as kimnc7 did or even more so due to the colder winters in my zone? They weren't grossly expensive, only about seven bucks, so I guess I could treat them as annuals but I'd rather try and save them if I can. Any suggestions on "preventive" action I can take now before I put them into the ground? What about seeding in the spring? (please forgive me if this is a "duh" question but Im a newbie gardener and am still learning)

Thanks :-)

bump

I have lost 'Moonbeam' more than once and 'Autumn Blush' once. Asking at Terra Nova when they were open for a tour, they said they need excellent drainage or they rot out here in winter. That cold isn't really the problem. My soil is amended clay but still clay so I give up on them.