Re: Winter interest
- To:
- Subject: Re: Winter interest
- From: G*
- Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 09:24:40 -0500
Hello Ann,
This area is always of interest to me as I try to have something in bloom
all twelve months of the year in my garden. sometimes I am more successful
than others, but generally there is something out there. I will skip the
backbone plants such as colorful dwarf conifers and shrubs with colorful
berries .Also evergreen ferns, etc.
Hardy cyclamen are good bets for the garden in fall and winter. C. coum is
in leaf and just waiting for a spell of weather warm enough to bloom. C.
purpurascens was in bloom from May until December and is still in leaf. C.
hederifolium completed its bloom in December and the leaves are unaffected
by the ice and snow and then warm cycles. Leaves of silver and deepest
green are lovely.
Arum italicum is lovely with hellebore foetidus right now. H. foetifus is
in bud and has a couple of blooms open. Leaves are a bit broken over from
the ice on the A. italicum, but new ones are already emerging. Hellebores
are in bud and ready to open although the foliage is burned on the X Garden
Hybrids and niger. There are deciduous versions of Hellebores... H.
odorus... for those that foliage will not make it through winter.
Primula vulgaris and veris are bright green and in bud waiting for a few
warm days. They will bloom some in February.
Heather is a good one to try. Select the winter blooming varieties and
ones that change color in foliage during the winter months. They do not
perform as well here as some other milder places, but are attractive. H.
vulgaris is an easy species or hybrids from this one can be used beneath
deciduous trees and shrubs for protection from winds.
Nothing there now but the brown stalks, but Gentian saponaria and
andrewsii bloomed well into December.
Gene Bush Southern Indiana Zone 6a Munchkin Nursery
around the woods - around the world
genebush@otherside.com http://www.munchkinnursery.com
----------
> From: Anne Long <along@ameritech.net>
> Here's a new topic: What are those of you in cold climates growing that
> provides winter interest? Apart from the woodies (deciduous and
> evergreen shrubs & trees, hollies, rhodos), I have some heuchera
> varieties that are still decorative even after being covered with feet
> of snow (now pretty much melted). A few clumps of epimedium are dried
> but still decorative. The 3x3 clump of helianthemum trailing over rocks
> is still dark green and cute. A couple of tall miscanthus with creamy
> dry flower heads are poking bravely above the snow and some stands of
> sedum Autumn Joy and the newer Frosty Morn are not too shabby. The
> hellebores, however, look pretty beat up, as does the oakleaf hydrangea.
> The vinca minor (I guess people fall into the love it or hate it
> categories on this; I love it) looks good and looks like it would like
> to bloom. The iberis needs a trimming but is still green. What's the
> view in your
> gardens?
>
> Anne - Chicago
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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
