Re: Lobelias
Hello Valerie-Anne,
No one gardener, no matter how revered or "expert", gets it right 100%
of the time. Also he may simply be writing from personal experience and not
checking in with others and their experiences.
Lobelia cardinalis happens to be a bit quirky with transplanting...
nothing more and nothing less. It IS hardy in England... both to cold and
heat. Its preference is for moist spots in nature, but it can and will grow
elsewhere when seeding about. There is no need to keep it in moisture
(extra) over winter.After blooming and setting seed it can dry out a bit on
occasion as that usually happens around here in nature.
Mulch with your preferred material, just do not smother the crown as
that is where next years plants come form.
Good luck with your experimentation. Gene
----- Original Message -----
From: Valerie-Anne Mullett <valerie-anne@lineone.net>
Subject: RE: Lobelias
> Thanks Dean.
>
> I have just found L. cardinalis mentioned in The Well-Tempered Garden by
> Christopher Lloyd, who says
>
> 'We tend to treat this as a tender perennial, but there are hardy
> geographical races. It grows, after all, in the stream beds of some of
the
> coldest areas of New England. I find that the smooth purple-leaved
strain
> which I grow is absolutely hardy.'
>
> And then, further on
>
> 'The lobelia [L. cardinalis] needs frequent splitting and replanting in
> spring; in some districts it has to be overwintered under glass.'
>
> I wonder if L. cardinalis is, therefore, hardy in some gardens in the UK
> because of the micro-climate that is or has been created in that
particular
> garden?
>
> I will be experimenting this winter and will pass my results to the List.
>
> Valerie
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
