Re: Salvia for shade?/ dividing & passing on

Hello Claire,
    We seem to be in agreement, the three of us. I am down to one Siberian
iris that I truly like in the garden. It may have to get moved to a better
spot as it is not producing the blooms it should... probably too much shade
now. I dug mine out a few years back, gave JoAn quite a few for her garden.
She just dug the all up, divided and passed on most to her daughter is new
to gardening. Kept a few of the divisions for herself and moved those to the
area where she has her grasses.
    My little mini-bog is growing crowded and I do not want to make another
one now, so pulled out the primula japonica to make room for some native
orchids. I go through the garden about every 4 years or so and dig out
bushels of columbine. Looks good up to a point and after that they are just
too much.
    With the "global warming" or whatever is going on, we have been having
zone 7 or 8 winters the past 3 years or so. Everyone is already shifting
gears in their gardens, bringing in stuff that did not have a chance just a
few years back. If we drop back to the old "normal" temps there may be a lot
of stuff quickly go back out the window. Meanwhile looks as tough we are
having fun.
    Gene E. Bush
Munchkin Nursery & Gardens, llc
www.munchkinnursery.com
genebush@munchkinnursery.com
Zone 6/5  Southern Indiana
----- Original Message -----
> JoAn has it right.  I think it took me years to make decisions on
something
> that I grew from seed or hunted down with anticipation.  Some things don't
> like your conditions or you decide you are not really pleased with them.
> There is no reason to go on with valuable improved space being occupied by
> plants that do not please when so many others are waiting in the wings.
Some
> perennials have such a short season of bloom, Siberian irises for example,
> that you need a good reason to grow them.
>
> I have composted many Siberian irises keeping only a dozen that do well
and
> have good foliage.  One walks around the garden and it strikes you that
you
> really do not find a plant satisfying.  In recent years, I will pull it
out
> right on the spot before the mood passes and I have never been sorry.
Some I
> like so much that I divide and plant large drifts of them.  Overtime the
> gardener changes but I think one of the most important qualities you can
have
> to keep it all fesh and interesting is to know when to put a plant on
compost
> pile.
>
> One more word on Salvia that does not do well in the North or in wet
> climates.  A friend with his zany collection in pots, an entire garage
full,
> keeps several Salvias over the winter potted.  Some adapt well to
containers
> and live for years that way if you are succesful in keeping them dormant.
I
> guess I will throw in that Nicotianas will also remain dormant in a pot
and
> be in bloom in the North in May.
>
> Another Salvia/Nicotiana trick I learned by accident is to plant one of
these
> immediately adjacent to the foundation wall, under the eaves.  The roots
will
> go quite deep in this dry area against the warmest wall and to my
amazement
> live over the worst winters in zone 4.  This occured when these plants
seeded
> themselves into the foundation and in the case of Nicotiana alata, have
been
> growing as perennials there for many years.
>
> Claire Peplowski
> NYS z4

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