Re: Plants not yet discussed

At 12:16 PM 6/27/98 -0700, Anne Long wrote:
>I have some favorite plants that I've not seen discussed by the group
>and would like to know if you know them, how you grow them, what you
>combine them with, any warnings or good- or bad-luck stories.  My list:
>
>1. Astrantia (masterwort) - I have 3 clumps of the white and have just
>put in 3 of the red (rubra).

This is one of my all time favorites.  Can't be beat for a long lasting cut
flower that goes with everything.  You might also enjoy A. major 'Shaggy',
sometimes sold as 'Marjory Fish'. It has white longer, shaggier petals than
the species.  Also A. maximum, a bright candy pink with more finely cut leaves.

>2. Nepeta siberica - I was surprised how well this did in part shade!

  There are 2 newer cultivars for Nepeta fans 1) N.'Walker's Low'  trails,
purpley-blue blooms all summer and 2) N. 'Souvenier d' Andre Chanson',
upright with intense cobalt blue flowers - a show stopper.

>5. Thalictrum -- I've only grown the tall airy davideum or
>rochebroneanum (sorry, I'm not stopping to check spellings today!) and
>they always need staking, though I love them in part shade. Any other
>varieties you'd recommend?

I also grow T. aquilegifolium - 3' with very fine foliage that looks like
maidenhair fern and masses of dainty pinky-lavender flowers that bloom early
April here. T. rochebrunianum is just starting to flower now.  It is taller,
5' with coarser leaves and larger flowers spaced further apart. It is
growing with tall airy Campanula 'Lodden Anna' (5-6') Geranium psilostemen
(hot magenta with a black eye) and the above Astrantia.  I grew some T.
delavayii from seed last winter and it also has the very fine foliage but I
haven't seen the flowers.  All do well in part sun/part shade.

        My favorite perennial that is blooming right now is Dierama
pulcherrimum, called Fairy Fishing Rods or Angel Fishing Rods. Tall long
wands (to 6') growing from clumps of wide grass-like leaves covered with
bright magenta-pink bells that hang down from the wands.  To die for!  They
grow from a small tuber and take 3-5 years to bloom from seed.  My long wait
has finally paid off.  If you can find them in pots, don't pass them by!  :)
Marilyn




>6. Amsonia (blue stars) -- I love this as a background foliage plant! 
>What other perennials do you all use that have great foliage to set off
>flowers in front?  Echinops is also great and also does better in part
>shade than I'd have thought.
>
>What about your own personal favorites we haven't discussed recently?
>
>Anne - Chicago
>
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Marilyn Dube'
NATURAL DESIGN PLANTS
Hardy Perennials, Choice Tropicals
Portland, Oregon,  Zone 8b


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