Garden Rebel

18 years ago

A recent episode of Garden Smart highlighted a few Cape Cod gardens one of which was Heritage Museum and Gardens. Jeanne Gillis who has been at Heritage for close to thirty years had many interesting things to say, they of course have a large Rhododendron collection and she mentioned that rhodies benefit greatly from pruning. The more light you can get to the center of a plant the more top growth and bloom you will have. The best time to prune is either when it is in flower so you can bring the flowers inside and enjoy them or directly after it has flowered before the blooms for the following year have set. The tour included a look at the windmill garden which is a white mixed border of annuals, perennials, and small shrubs. They specifically planted a white garden to tie in with the white sails of the windmill the combination makes this garden a popular location for brides to be photographed as this creates a stunning backdrop for the brides dress. This same garden also brought up the issue of "breaking the rules" something I confess I love doing in most areas of my life but no where more than in the garden, Heritage broke the rules in this garden by planting HostaÂs and Astillbes in full sun. Jeanne Gillis mentioned that they were able to do this because the sprinkler system that waters the lawn daily (????) also watered these plants. The best HostaÂs to grow in full sun are those varieties that have some white in the leaf or a few of the yellow/green colors work as well, she did mention that they were totally unsuccessful growing any of the blue HostaÂs in full sun. This issue of "breaking the rules" made me think of the manyÂto be honestÂmany hundreds of plants I have brought into my garden convinced I would be the exception, that for some magical reason a conifer would thrive in shade, a shrubs mature size of 5Â would only be 2Â in my crappy soil, or anti desiccants will allow me to winter over those plants prone to wind damage. I have happily had a few successes over the years and those of course are the fuel that feeds the garden rebel inside of me, with thanks to irrigation I do grow Hydrangeas and Rhododendrons in full sun, a number of sun loving deciduous plants (bayberry, beach plum) I have grown in full sun until they were nearing maturity and transplanted to shady areas without receding of the plants structure. So garden rebels, share with us if you will some of your successes. kt

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Comments (5)

nandina
18 years ago
KT, the rule of thumb is that those hostas with Japanese sounding names will usually grow well in sun.

Here is a thought to keep your Butterfly Weed blooming all summer until frost. I was challenged by my customers to come up with a method because everyone loves this perennial. When the flower buds first appear remove 50% of them before they blossom. Deadhead spent blooms right away and keep removing 50% of the unopened buds all summer. Unable to set seed the plant will keep sending up multiple blossoms and thicken into a large clump.
grow_now
18 years ago
I see so many Hosta growing in full sun now, especially commercial property. They start the seasaon looking great but by mid July they are looking like they are too hot and sufferering badly from scorch I want to rescue them!

Is there an emergency plant rescue # to call?
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diggerdee zone 6 CT
18 years ago
Katie, I had to laugh. You've got me pegged - "...a shrubs mature size of 5Â would only be 2Â in my crappy soil..." That seems to be my main "rebellion"! Or maybe not so much a shrub's size, but an aggressive plant. I think it won't spread so much if I plant it in my poor soil or in shade.

I can't say I have had any successes gardening this way, though, as anyone who will be witnessing me moving my lilac bushes this coming week from the shade to the sun will see, lol.

I do have a few irises in my shade garden, though. They are doing surprisingly well. I also have a scraggly sedum Frosty Morn in almost full shade. Not sure I'd call it successful, though, lol.

:)
Dee
runktrun
Original Author
18 years ago
Nandina,
Your brilliant!! I can't wait to try that on some butterfly weed, actually I stopped growing it years ago for the reasons you mentioned. thanks for sharing.
grow_now,
You might be on to something just think of the turn around business you could have, rescue hosta...re-pot in White Flower Farm container...sell to Hosta Nut (and we know there are plenty of those types around)....split profits with kt.
Dee,
" maybe not so much a shrub's size, but an aggressive plant. I think it won't spread so much if I plant it in my poor soil or in shade."
Right now I am trying to convince my self that Itea won't colonize by underground runners because there would be too much root competition in the area I want desperately to plant not one but four in!!! Maybe you could lie to me and tell me you heard or read on some forum that Itea does not send out runners and by the time it happens I will have long forgotten who gave me that advise.
diggerdee zone 6 CT
18 years ago
Oh darn! Itea spreads by underground runners?! I am planning on planting some and didn't know this. I was actually running to the nursery this morning to price it. Hmm, maybe I should rethink this...

OR..., maybe I should pretend I didn't see this post and just think that it won't do that in MY garden because the soil is too poor, lol!

:)
Dee