Re: Geraniums, Solomon's Seal

Margot,

I'd heartily recommend any of the G. macrorrhizum or G. endressii, although
I think G. macrorrhizum may spread a bit faster.  Makes great evergreen
(for me) tidy groundcover for shade or part sun (may take more sun farther
north).  Scented foliage and if sun hits the foliage, it will turn nice
reds in autumn.  

Polygonatum (Solomon's Seal) spread, but I don't consider them really
*fast*.  I'm not sure just what you'd consider a nice clump, but I'd start
with at least 3 to 5 plants...of course, also depends on just how much area
you're trying to fill.  I've got the variegated and giant varieties in a
small triangular bed, maybe 3 or 4 feet to a side, and after 7 years or so,
they are trying to eat the hosta that's in there with them and escape the
brick edge and come up in the cracks of the flagstone walk :-)  But this
escape mode has only hit them in the last couple of years.  Others, with
theirs planted in different conditions, may have different experience.  For
instance, I was just at the Heronswood site (total drool over their
listings...plant lust in earnest) and was surprised to see the description
for the variegated form say it got -- I think it was -- 3 or so feet tall! 
Mine are under 2' tall!  Maybe mine need more water?  Feeding (seldom do
this)....different climate?  BTW, the variegated one is my favorite....the
leaf is so lovely and pristine.  Looks to me like some garden sprite took a
narrow paintbrush and carefully outlined each leaf in white.

I did a series of articles on Suite101 on groundcovers for shade a few
months ago.  I think there were at least 4 or 5 of them.  The URL to my
front page is in my SIG and if you hit the 'articles' button on the left
column, it will take you to a list of articles.  Scroll down until you
start seeing the word groundcover or self seeders ( I think I titled them
something like "Covering Ground ......").    You may get some ideas from
some of the plants I talk about - all of whom cover ground for me :-)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
http://www.suite101.com/frontpage/frontpage.cfm?topicID=222
Gardening Topic Index for Suite101:
http://www.suite101.com/userfiles/79/gardening.html


----------
> From: Margot Kane <margotk@mindspring.com>
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: Geraniums, Solomon's Seal
> Date: Thursday, January 01, 1998 2:18 PM
> 
> We built a house three years ago on the East End of Long Island (zone 7)
for
> which we had to clear some oak and black pine woodlands.  This fall, I
> started landscaping along the driveway where there were woods before -
the
> weed were making me crazy.  I put in some hemlocks, autumn olives,
redtwig
> dogwood and some ferns that a friend upstate gave me.  I would like to
plant
> geraniums to be a ground cover along the front - it gets morning sun. 
There
> are so many varieties - anyone have any ideas as to which ones spread the
> best?  The descriptions in the Hersonswood catalog are all so beautiful
> (congratulations, Duncan) that I am completely confused.  
> 
> In other area, that I am reclaiming this year which is Northern exposure
I
> want to plant Solomon's Seal -  does anyone know how quickly it spreads?
> How many plants do I need to make a nice clump? This is the kind of
> information that is so hard to find in books.  In this area, I have
planted
> a lot of hydrangeas-oakleaf, peegee, macrophylla and lacecap, Viburnum,
> holly.  Any other suggestions - I need to fill in the space to cut down
on
> weeding - it is a border about 80 feet long so I would like something
that
> fills in quickly, otherwise, I will go broke!!!
> 
> TIA!
> 
> Margot Kane
> Margot Kane
> Zone 7
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index