Re: Half-hardy Perennials





Valerie Lowery@ZEON
04/15/99 09:30 AM

Jerry,

I'll start with just a couple of my faves here in zone 6a, Kentucky.

DAHLIAS
Blooms in all shades except blue.  Sizes can range from less than 12" in
height to over six feet, depending on what variety you get.  The blooms are
classified into different categories, with blooms ranging from 3" to over
12" in diameter.  I grow these for the "shock" factor (makes quite a punch
in the border) and also for cut flowers.  I have to dig these every fall,
but I would not be without them for late summer blooms.  Store in a
frost-free area (basement, garage, etc) in peat moss over the winter.  You
can get "ho-hum" varieties anywhere, but go to the specialty catalogs for a
selection that will knock your socks off.  The plants are drought tolerant,
but will wilt.  It's best to keep them well watered during the summer.
They love full sun and heat.  Heavy fertilization is necessary for top
blooms; use a time-release fertilizer along with rotted manure.  Very few
pests bother the plants except for slugs that love young leaves and aphids
that will visit if you stress your plants.  I spray with a insecticidal
soap because it's so mild.  Be prepared to stake the larger-blooming
varieties.  For more info, check out the Dahlia Society's web page at:
www.dahlia.com.

BRUGMANSIA or "Angel's Trumpets"
Blooms in pastels and lovely deep shades of gold and orange.  This is a
tropical tree, so be aware that it will grow as such!  You will need to
keep it pruned in order to keep it manageable.  The long pendulous blooms
(up to over 12" long) open at night with a heavenly fragrance guaranteed to
perfume your yard and amaze your guests.  I have several varieties -- one
being about 6 foot tall after pruning -- that I keep in large pots.  Brugs
like to be root-bound, so you don't need a mammouth-sized container.  Keep
well watered during the summer or the leaves will droop and then drop off.
Repot with fresh soil every year and mix in some time-release fertilizer
and rotted manure.  They like full sun to light shade to bloom well.  Mine
start blooming mid-summer and will continue to bloom year around if you
keep it in a sunny window indoors.  Since I don't have the room, I let mine
go dormant in the winter in a frost-free room (basement).  The leaves will
drop but if you water once a month, you'll keep it alive until spring.
This plant roots easily from cuttings.  I bought mine from White Flower
Farm and Logee's Greenhouse, both of which have web sites.

I also like acidentra (I think they are commonly known as butterfly or
orchid gladiolus) for the fragrance and cut flowers, lily of the nile (I
forget the latin name) for their gorgeous blooms and glossy strappy green
foilage that draps so well over the edges of pots,  and licorice plant,
because it combines with anything in a flowerpot to make it look special.

Val in KY
zone 6a


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