Bergenia and humidity..
Hi Marge and everyone,
Found this thread interesting as I put in 'Bressingham Beauty'last fall and to
date it looks fine(but time will tell)..
This is one of those plants that I observed growing with abandon in N.
Calif.often in the Adobe clay of the the area, in full sun baking away in a
southern exposure..Never,failing to bloom and wearing the pink color of winter
temps. (which by the way was no big deal).Easy to say in Calif.right?
Well,I think the real secret is the lack of humidity that you all have in the
east..Meaning that our nights in the west are seldom very hot to warm...Few
areas in the west receive much rain in the months May to Oct(even Seattle only
gets 10-11"in these months compared to east of the Rockies with 20"+).and when
we do, the evaporation rate is so great(here we frequently get what's called
'Virga'meaning that its raining but it never even reaches the ground) that it
just doesnt stick around long enough to create the sticky/warm nights of the
east..You know the old adage moist air is easier to heat than dry air..?Hence
for much of the season you will need a sweater at night in the west..(yes,I
know ,Arizona and southern Calif have summer warm nights but they are
exceptions due to elevations and temps.but they are still non-humid deserts
except during monsoon season)
Marge you mention how well they do in England and it seems they dont regenerate
much heat there period,hence they are always seeking tomatoes,etc. that perform
well in their cool climate ....I havent been there but all I read indicates
they tend to be on the cool side year round..Just a theory but they do very
well here in the west that is a fact (Which leads me to wonder about the ph
factor as well but doesnt seem to hold up when you consider how well they do in
England as they have alot of Acidic soils(with some chalk areas as well)in
general.)..So I think you have figured it out or at least I agree with you that
night humidity and lack of evening cool is the main reason they fail in your
growing climate..
BTW I find it very interesting that we seem to have very different
attitudes(east to west) regards plant foliage coloration,..I have read that the
Aurea or yellow-gold colorings are gradually being accepted in the east(it was
thought to look ill or diseased) but here they were admired from the onset.As
for the pink winter color which some associate with a soil defieciency here its
just a commonplace color of which we appreciate to 'color'up our winters.But
assume that is changing as well..
As for Ber.'Bressingham Beauty',and the high desert (zone 6)garden I have
invited them into,will keep you posted..
Connie
Marge Talt wrote:
> Now that Claire has jogged my memory, I realize that I have also read they
> come from Siberia. This gives me pause because I have found that a number
> of plants who originate in cold climates do poorly in mine....Cornus
> canadensis comes to mind; just melts away come hot summer as do Alchemilla
> alpina and A. erythropoda, tho' I can grow regular old Lady's Mantle fairly
> well if I can keep the soil moist. I'm really beginning to think that
> the hot, *humid* summer nights may be part of my problem.
>
> So far, nobody from south of the Mason-Dixon line, on the east coast or in
> the south, has piped up to gloat about how well they are growing this
> genera....maybe I should listen better to the silence.
>
> I have seen Bergenia used extensively with grand effect in the UK and,
> being a leaf lover, would like to be able to do the same in my
> garden...irks me to have such lousy success......humph!
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@clark.net
> Editor: Gardening in Shade
> current article: Mailorder Nurseries - On and Off Line, Part 7, Underwood
> Shade Nursery
> http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222
> All garden topics welcome page:
> http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/3425#top5
>
> ----------
> > From: GeneBush <genebush@OTHERSIDE.COM>
> > Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 9:07 AM
> >
> > Hello Marge,
> > I had Bergenia in the garden for a few years and finally gave up
> on them.
> > It was not they did not live and multiply... that they did. The large
> > leaves look lovely in early winter or late fall when they turn color, but
> > then they get beat up something terrible here without snow cover. In
> early
> > spring they come out of semi-dormancy too early and just as they are
> about
> > to bloom they get hit by freeze hard enough to kill the bloom stalk. I
> saw
> > blooms one year out of all the years they were in the garden. Just though
> > there were too many other plants that performed much better at that time
> of
> > year.
> > Mine were in open shade with plenty of light and heavy clay soil
> on a
> > ridge. Some were in quite shallow soil over limestone rocks where a ledge
> > was formed. I mulched with chopped leaves same as in the rest of the
> > garden.
> > Only place I have really seen these babies perform as advertised
> is in
> > nursery pots and the greenhouse in early spring.
> > Gene Bush Southern Indiana Zone 6a Munchkin Nursery
> > around the woods - around the world
> > genebush@otherside.com http://www.munchkinnursery.com
> >
> > ----------
> > > From: Marge Talt <mtalt@CLARK.NET>
> >
> > > Subject: Re: [SG] dry shade---Bergenia
> > > Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 2:02 AM
> > >
> > > Thanks, Lillian...now, I'm wondering if humidity is a real factor here?
> > > Any thoughts you successful growers out there?
> > >
> > > Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> > > mtalt@clark.net
> > > Editor: Gardening in Shade
> > > current article: Mailorder Nurseries - On and Off Line, Part 7,
> Underwood
> > > Shade Nursery
> > > http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222
> > > All garden topics welcome page:
> > > http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/3425#top5
> > >
> > > ----------
> > > > From: Lillian Champion <Liliaceae4@AOL.COM>
> > > > Date: Thursday, February 25, 1999 10:50 AM
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Marge, I tried one, but didn't grow much. It was in full shade. I
> > moved
> > > it
> > > > to where it will get 2 or 3 hours sun a day, so will see this spring
> if
> > > it is
> > > > doing more. (I am in zone 7)
> > > > In Redlands & San Bernardino (zone 9) where I see them going wild and
> > > really
> > > > spreading, it is semi-desert land. I usually see them planted in
> shade
> > > > gardens along with other shade lovers, but where they get filtered
> sun
> > or
> > > 1 or
> > > > 2 hours sun a day. The air is pretty dry and the summer temperatures
> > > > frequently get to 110F.
> > > > Hope this helps
> > > > Lillian
