Re: [SG] acanthus + sand bed
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] acanthus + sand bed
- From: M* T* <m*@CLARK.NET>
- Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 03:51:17 -0400
Hmmm, Nancy...if that old, it is unlikely to bloom, I think. But, it could
surprise you - plants have minds of their own.
Re: 'Med' garden or sandbed - not actually strictly shade gardening, but it
does not get "full" sun; about maybe 4 hours of direct sun, but is open to
the sky with nothing overhanging it directly.
Well, my chief desire (and why I tried this sand bed) has been to grow
Dorycnium hirsutum, at which I have been failing for around 6 years.
Usually kept taking cuttings "just in case". Thought I'd nailed it with
the sand bed and did not take a cutting. Guess who did not survive the
winter? Sigh....not easy to find, either; had grown it from seed.
Other occupants are:
-Lavender - quite happy, virtually no winter die back
-Rosemary Arp - ditto
-Salvia o. purpurea - ditto
-Salvia o. 'Berggarten' - happy and not dying out from some sort of rot as
it did in the ground
-Thymus x citriodorus 'Silver Queen' - happy
-T. vulgaris - actually blooming for me - a first, as thyme in the garden
never does, if it lives.
-Woolly thyme - being tried yet again this year, as it usually rots out -
we shall see how it does
-Genista sagittalis - returned from practically dead. Had for years and it
kept receding until it was a minute scrawny bit...it is really happy
-Calluna ‘Silver Queen’ - also returning from a near death experience
-Euphorbia cyparissias - grown from seed; supposed to spread viciously but
so far has not
-Euphorbia characias - almost too happy
-Euphorbia myrsinites - very happy; only grows here and in the gravel drive
for more than a season.
-Artemisia 'Powis Castle' - grows well elsewhere, but I wanted the foliage;
needs continual haircuts to keep in bounds - quite happy and without some
of the winter dieback the ones in other parts of the garden have.
-Teucrium polium 'Aureum' -new; had one years ago and lost it; marvelous
white fuzzy foliage
-Teucrium chamaedrys - good dark green foliage for contrast with all the
greys; doesn't bloom as I keep giving it haircuts
-Santolina virens - lost my old ones; these are newly planted. Thought it
would manage to survive in sandbed, but could be they were too old to start
with.
-Lychnis coronaria 'Alba'- quite happy
-Llychnis viscaria 'Splendens'- quite happy
-Armeria maritima - new, but seems happy
-Allium roseum - happy
-Chrysanthemum pacificum 'Gold and Silver' - not particularly happy, but
just stuck the remnants of my plants in as I got disgusted with them anyway
- leggy and slug infested - they can live or die as they choose
-some cute little mat plant that I either grew from seed or cannot remember
where I got or what it is...
-Nectaroscordum siculum - not happy. Will be moved after bloom as I
discovered they much prefer woodland type conditions with a bit of sun.
Others in those conditions quite happy. Lovely bulb, highly recommend for
those who like subtle and intricately marked flowers. Also known as Allium
bulgaricum.
-Stachys byzantina ‘Helen von Stein’ - not happy. Did beautifully last
year and is a mere shadow of her former self at present for some reason I
cannot fathom.
Think that's it...fairly crowded...not all 'Med' plants, but mostly those
I've had problems with in the regular garden beds. Things with grey leaves
do not generally like hot, humid climates, esp. winter wet and I love grey
leaves! Wish bed were four times the size it is as there are a lot more
children I'd like to try in there. Am fairly hooked on sandbeds:-)
On a more shady note, but still on sand beds, discovered from Primrose Path
that wet sandbeds are how they grow their Primulas....mean to try this one
day. Have article from them on building same up on the Suite if anyone is
interested, let me know and I'll dig up URL.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> From: Nancy Stedman <stedman@INTERPORT.NET>
> Date: Thursday, June 03, 1999 7:19 PM
>
> Marge: My acanthus is three, maybe four years old. I would love to have
> blooms but I've gotten more realistic in my expectations as I spend more
> time in the shade.
> Would love to know what you're going to put in your "Med" garden.
> Nancy
