Re: Advice

Rob,

I see no reason why they won't work together if you plant the daylilies far
enough from the Rudbeckia so they don't swamp it.  Their foliage is
generally pretty robust!  They also emerge fairly early, but I think the
daffs should get enough of a headstart to make a show before the daylily
foliage gets too tall and hides the flowers.  My daylilies tend to recede
after bloom foliage-wise, but the foliage flops badly, so you need to keep
that in mind when you plant.  Oddly enough I have pulmonaria self seeding
amongst some of my daylilies -- it doesn't mind being shaded out at all.  I
also have some native asters that compete successfully as well as an
un-named white phlox -- they get taller than the daylily foliage. 
Rudbeckia foliage rosettes are not all that tall -- of course this depends
on which variety you plant.  Debbie Green gave me one that gets about 6
feet tall and bloomed for me all summer until frost with a lovely clear
yellow flower...now, if I could remember the name of it.  I think, however,
it prefers really moist soil and may not do well in your sand.

Only other thing is you will have only foliage from the time the daffs go
over until at least end of June, if not into July unless you get some
really early flowering daylilies.  None of my Rudbeckia start flowering
much before end of June, early July....but, all of mine are in at least
light shade, so a really sunny spot may get them going sooner.

Have you considered sticking in some Canna?  Might be interesting,
especially the one with the purple foliage (of which I am quite fond).  Of
course, those need to be lifted each year in our climate.

Boltonia would do nicely for late season bloom, also, as it gets taller
than daylilies and likes sun.  So would most of the asters.

Things may tend to get pretty dry in sandy soil on a slope in our summers,
so I hope you can water.  If not, consider some of the Echinops who would
like those conditions -- mid summer bloom for me (E. ritro), but
interesting seed heads.  There are a number of them, but old E. ritro is
the only one that sticks around in my basic clay.  Your sand would make
them happy.

Or, consider Acanthus balcanicus, who is hardy to z.6 and wants really good
drainage.  Flowers early to mid summer in our area.  A. spinossisimus is
another possible.  Slightly less hardy, but hardy to our zone 7.

A plant that would look good with the daffs would be Euphorbia characias
characias or spp. wulfenii.  Flower heads are early, but they make
impressive stands of foliage that looks good in all but bitter winter. 
They like good drainage, too, and sun.  There are also more euphorbias that
would do as well.  They are all evergreen in our climate unless we really
have a bad winter when they will fold up and flop.

For late flowering, another good one that would like your conditions is
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage).  Also, yucca would be good.  Bone
hardy and puts up with a lot.  When it flowers, the 6 or 8 foot candelabras
of white bloom are a real exclamation point!  And,  it is evergreen. 
Everybody you're considering disappears for the winter.  

Oh, well, here I go running on again....Try your combo and see if you like
it.  If not, branch out and add some other things ;-)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Robs Gardn <RobsGardn@aol.com>
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: Advice
> Date: Friday, December 05, 1997 10:34 AM
> 
> I need some general advice from some of the more proficient out there. I
have
> been toying with the idea of starting a new perennial bed with Daffodils
in
> the spring, Daylilies in the summer and Rudbeckia at the end of the
summer. It
> would be in a sunny spot, zone 7, kind of sandy soil, slight slope facing
> North. Is this reasonable? Do they mix? Are they compatible? Are there
any
> problems I should watch out for? What is the opinion of the general
population
> out there? Any suggestions for other plants to replace or in addition to
> these? Thanks
> 
> Rob Smith
> Robsgardn@aol.com
> 
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