Wow!
Is it really that purple? And in full sun?

Gotta get me one of these. It would look wonderful in front of our long fence :)

I don't have that variety and the one I have is in shade - and doesn't do well. All the best-looking ones I've seen are in sunny locations! I really need to remember to move mine too...

Rouge,
Love that Thalictrum "Splendide" and your garden combination. Now I need to find one. I have not seen them here in our local nurseries. Is there an online place people would recommend?

Those hydrangeas are lovely too. Are they hydrangea Bobo?

Thanks
Vivian

Good pickup Vivian as they are "Bobo" (3 of them).

Now full sun for myself and twrosz may not be nearly as intense as those of you in zone 6 and beyond. All I can say is that in my full sun location it has done very well and I haven't seen much wilting during hot dry spells. I am always surprised at how long these delicate flowers last.

Molie, they are not purple (must be my poor photography skills). I would consider them pink. Here is a close-up of these same blossoms.

Thanks, rouge21, for the head's up --- I have full, intense all-day-long sun in the back yard AND those are beautiful even though they're more pink than purple. In any case, don't blame your photography skills. Sometimes it's just the camera you use or even the kind of sun when the photos are taken.

I still think those would look wonderful in the back yard along our gray fence. Splendide certainly creates an elegant bouquet!

rouge, love that that airy look!

That is stunning! Love the frothy color. I wonder how it would do in my dry heat.

Cheryl

Cheryl, given your more intense sun you might consider planting one in a part sun location?

Rouge, yes that would be a good idea. We don't have a lot of shade (very few trees), but I could try it next to a wall. Your Splendide makes such a dramatic statement. I used to grow Boltonia Snowbank for the same effect, and it was nowhere as big.

Cheryl

Very nice, Rouge.

Thanks for the useful information.

Thanks SB. But it is twrosz that showed me the way as I didn't realize Thalictrum could be so successful with lots of sun.

Anyone with Splendide Album? Is it smaller or the same size? Is it supposed to be pristine white or very pale violet?

This post was edited by wieslaw59 on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 9:34

That is most definitely a magnificent plant!

My Thalictrum rochebruneanum is a bit similar in growth habit and flowers, but not quite as dense as yours. For the first few years I grew in in partial shade, but then tried it in full sun and WOW - what a difference that made. Maybe it has something to do with what part of the country or world you live in? Farther North more sun, farther South less?

I've also found these to be pretty intolerant of dry soil for extended periods of time. How about yours? In last years drought, mine really suffered. In fact, all the foliage disappeared by mid summer. It did come back this year however.

Kevin

I do not have "Album" 'wieslaw'. Taking inventory I have "Splendide", aquilegiifolium "Sparkler", "Evening Star" and I think the last one is "Hewett's Double". This is a great genus.

'wieslaw' what Thalictrum do you have in your garden?

Rouge, at the moment I have 2 Splendide, 2 flavum glaucum , 2 delawayi album(of which one rebounds after being eaten to the ground by a chicken), T. polygamum and a delawayi Ankum.

I have had several which failed here and several I got rid of

Fails:
Perfume Star- Survived the first winter to die in the summer (probable cause of death- too dry)
T.reniforme-as above
T. delawayi Hewitt's Double- tried twice, never survived the first winter

Got rid of:
T. Elin- the foliage was nice , the plant robust and erect, but the flowers were not showy at all here
T. aquilegifolium: too floppy, aphids and mildew magnet.
T. aquilegifolium Thoundercloud: from tissue culture, did not fit to the description, only half the height(dwarf), and not particularly heavy bloomer.
T. Black Stockings: from tissue culture, the stockings were green not black, and the plant very floppy

I'm willing to try T.aquilegifolium again if I find a clone more fluffy than I had.

I've had one for four years and the other in it's second year in about eight hrs of sunlight, both doing fine. The only problem, if not staked, that might occur is that a sudden wind gust might break some stems due to the extensive top spread.

The only problem, if not staked, that might occur is that a sudden wind gust might break some stems due to the extensive top spread.

Yes for sure this plant needs staking. I generally try not to choose plants that need permanent support but I make an exception for "Splendide". I personally put a couple of stakes early in the season, well before it needs it. I may well keep these 8 foot stakes in the ground for good (although now I recall that snow gets piled near there).

This post was edited by rouge21 on Fri, Aug 9, 13 at 18:03

I've also found these to be pretty intolerant of dry soil for extended periods of time. How about yours? In last years drought, mine really suffered. In fact, all the foliage disappeared by mid summer. It did come back this year however.

Kevin, for sure they are not drought tolerant but I have other plants that are more water needy than "Splendide". This season with all the rain we have had I haven't had to give it much supplemental water.

This post was edited by rouge21 on Fri, Aug 9, 13 at 18:08

UPDATE:

Here is this same "Splendide" 5 weeks after my first posting:

Beautiful plant!
I don't think I've ever seen it for sale or in a garden around here.

So true franelli.

I posted the updated picture to show people that this plant is is a 'work horse' with respect to the length of bloom...easily 5 weeks.

As well it is very hardy + it takes up very little horizontal space nearer the ground and so most gardeners could find a place for it.

That is amazing....thank you for sharing the update. I have never heard of it or seen it for sale here in KY. it really makes an outstanding garden addition. Lesley

UPDATE:Here it is in full ICE :(

{{gwi:260018}}

That is amazing, Rouge21! I guess the stake is what is holding it up with all that ice on it. It's very pretty. I'm imagining a whole bed of those on either side of a walkway covered with ice. It would look like a real fantasy landscape. :-) You also did a great job with that stake because you could hardly notice it when it was in bloom and if it weren't taller than the plant now, you might think it was part of the plant.

UPDATE 2017:

Not sure if it will continue to develop to be as showy as it was in September 2013 (as pictured above) but it is looking better than what it was the previous 2 years.

As of today (7 feet from the ground to the top of the blossoms)

I am sure that there are GW members out there besides Twros that have this particular thalictrum in their garden. If so, how has yours this year?

As another year goes by and I have still not acquired a Splendide, I am telling myself to cease and desist with the chasing species down the rabbithole, and just stop being such a cheapskate and cough up the cash for one. Especially since my expensive t.diffusiflorum vanished without trace. Thalictrums are generally easy from seed (my downfall) so although no Splendide, I do have rochbruneanium, pubescens and reniforme growing away this season, as well as more seedlings of my only alternate to White Splendide, t,delavayii album. I love this genus. A lot.

Alas, my Splendides are proving to be extremely disappointing this year. Three did not return and the others are nowhere near what they had been last year. One is just a foot tall (why? WHY??) and the other two are no more than 3 feet. Waaaahhhh!

Thanks for sharing your gorgeous photo, rouge, tho it is making me very depressed and envious. =(

the others are nowhere near what they had been last year.

roxanna, how has the weather been for your garden this season as compared to last? How much sun do these plants get? How many seasons old is the most established one?

Thanks for sharing your photo of this year's bloom. I regret that I did not order one when you first started posting about Splendide. My seed grown varieties are not so splendid.

'rosa', I have another older Splendide which is planted in a location where it gets lots less sun. It consistently does well but never great. I am not sure why, but it flowers lots sooner than the full sun specimen.

First year Splendide in a full sun juvenile bed, but don't seem to have a great shot of it that you don't lose it to the background. I'll have to try harder. Loving it so far: