Re: Fw: Penstemons
> Bette McTigue wrote:
>
>
>
> Have just come back from a holiday in U.S.A. Apart from having my
> socks knocked off with the scenery, fell in love with the wildflowers
> - esp some lovely blue penstemons. Not sure if they were strictus or
> alpinus. Although they grow in areas where there is heavy snowfall
> and I was told germinate best in cool conditions, apparently they need
> great drainage in the summer and were growing in hot dry places. I
> wonder if they would succeed in 'mediterranean' type conditions?
> Anyone tried them? So often 'wild' flowers are such a
> disappointment when grown in the garden - have just finished hacking
> down rampant 8' tall foxgloves and chin high oxeye daisies which took
> over in my absence!
Bette
When you are looking for advice on growing plants it would be a help if
you could give some indication of where in the world you live. One can
presume from your posting that you don't normally reside in the USA, but
you give no other clue.!
Living in central NZ, where we have a modified Med climate (most of our
rain in winter, but summers not very hot), I have had very little luck
with American Penstemon species, even growing them in a rich scree. P
pinifolius survived many years but never condescended to flower, while
several different blue-flowered species have flowered well their first
summer and then faded away. The only type I have success with is the
garden forms of P gloxinioides, which are rampant in my summer borders.
I suspect that most of the species are geared to a hotter summer than
mine.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand. (on the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
Lat. 41:16S Long. 174:58E. Climate: Mediterranean/Temperate
