In spring, I'm always excited to see that my plants have spread. Sometimes, it's good excitement - who doesn't like free plants? In other cases, excitement is followed by a question - am I playing with fire?
A few observations about some fast spreaders in my garden.
Petasites palmatus 'Golden Palms' , Northwest native
This is the case when you should trust the label!
"Spreads rapidly" means one plant in fall equals ten plants in spring and still multiplying!
Tell me if I should dig it out and confine it in a pot OR should I just let it be and hope it won't escape its bed. It sure loves this spot with morning sun and moist soil!
I understand that it'll spread wildly, but isn't this what I want - a carpet of umbrella-shaped chartreuse yellow leaves?
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Euphorbia x martinii
I praised this plant so many times! In my garden, it's a perpetuum mobile, a profuse self seeder which provides additional plants every year.
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Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Ruby Glow'
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Romneya trichocalyx (Matilija Poppy)
I gave it loose sandy soil and full day sun, and it gave me a whole bunch of babies trying to run away from their parents as far as possible!
Should I be concerned?
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Lamium
It's confined to a dry bed under two big fir trees and not allowed to escape.
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Helleborus niger
Spreading of this self seeder in my garden is very welcome.
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And now, some other plants, spreaders and not spreaders.
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I praised this plant so many times! In my garden, it's a perpetuum mobile, a profuse self seeder which provides additional plants every year.
I am very pleased to see it spreading by seeds.
I have two plants in different locations. Observation: the bigger plant is the one having better soil, it looks bushy and showy.
But, the smaller one, which grows in poor sandy soil, has already given me a dozen seedlings.
But, the smaller one, which grows in poor sandy soil, has already given me a dozen seedlings.
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I gave it loose sandy soil and full day sun, and it gave me a whole bunch of babies trying to run away from their parents as far as possible!
Should I be concerned?
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It's confined to a dry bed under two big fir trees and not allowed to escape.
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Spreading of this self seeder in my garden is very welcome.
And now, some other plants, spreaders and not spreaders.
Dwarf Daffodils
Grape Hyacinth
Hyacinth
Pansy
Daphne
Edgeworthia papyrifera
A valuable addition to my garden.
Gunnera manicata
One of my gunneras was planted late in fall 2013 and didn't survive that wet winter.
I suspect that its roots had too much moisture.
This one, in the picture, was planted in spring 2014, had enough time to establish and came through the winter just fine.
Rose
Some roses never shed their leaves during the last winter which was very mild.
Among them: Mr.Lincoln, climbing rose Don Juan and Rose Regensberg Floribunda.
Mukdenia
Peony
Meconopsis
Lupin
I hope spring came to your garden!
Tatyana, Ruby Glow is a beauty! I want it in my garden!
ReplyDeleteThank you Irene! It's very attractive plant. I just wish my plants were more bushy. They are relatively small.
DeleteI've never heard about Petasites. It certainly has a lovely tropical look. Good luck with it!
ReplyDeleteBetty, I will watch it!
DeleteBeautiful spring images Tatyana!
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!
DeleteWOWEE!!!! Spring has sprung in your gardens with some real beauties. Thank you for sharing. Your photos are fantastic.
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring ~ FlowerLady
Lorraine, it's a very early spring! Thanks!
DeleteThanks for a great post, I am very careful about spreading plants in my tiny garden – any labelled ‘prolific spreader’ is a no-no! But plants that can be deadheaded are fine, so when I get too many hellebores I will just pinch off the flowers, but for now I am still letting them seed.
ReplyDeleteHelene, hellebore loves big family! I have a whole nursery around my oldest plant.
DeleteYour Mukdenia blooms?! Maybe mine isn't the type to bloom, or maybe it's just too cold for it here, but I've never seen blooms. How fun. Good luck with your spreaders. A start of lovely Anemone sylvestris self-seeded like mad all over my garden a few years ago, and I pulled it all out because I just couldn't keep up with it. It's hard to find the right answer with these vigorous plants!
ReplyDeleteVW, I planted Mukdenia last year (I think in spring). It has morning sun and average soil.
DeleteThank you for mentioning Anemone s. I will be watching my plants!
Oh you have so nice sprigtime there! And so beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteMaalaispuutarhan Marrketta, thank you! We didn't have any snow, and our spring came unusually early.
ReplyDeleteMukdenia, now, thats a new one on me Tatyana. I love your spreaders and non spreaders, especially the Hellebores. Several weeks ago a neighbour was describing Hellebores to me and asking what the name of it was, you know, that posh plant, she said.
ReplyDeleteAlistair, thanks! Mukdenia is a member of Saxifrage family, it's from China and Korea. Mukden - is a Chinese city's name (now called Shenyang). Mukdenia rossii 'Karasuba' has crimson hue on its leaves. Pretty!
DeletePosh? How interesting! I've never thought about Hellebore as a posh plant! Well, it does look chic!
Once you have a problem with a plant that spreads, you get a bit gun shy. Having had a number of issues with plants that spread, I always look for warning signs in plant descriptions.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat it was to see your spring flowers. Your photographs make even the emerging leaves look spectacular. Spring will arrive here soon I hope.
Thank you Jennifer! Actually, I like when plants spread, but not too fast!~
DeleteI hope you'll have warmth and sunshine very soon!
I have never grown euphorbia. I think I must try. I am not sure how it will like the Southeast! There are places, such as my woodland garden, where I am generally happy to let plants spread. But is that what the original owner of my house said when she planted English ivy, now the bane of my garden's existence?
ReplyDeleteThank you Deb! I'd be very interested in your experiment with euphorbia. As for the ivy.... I'm getting nervous when someone from my close neighbors is planting it... Good luck!
DeleteOh my! Those Euphorbias have my heart singing. Sigh. And the Hellebores. Yum. Mine are covered with a few inches of snow today, but it should melt in a few days. The Hellebores are just poised to bloom, but I'm keeping them covered until the weather clears. Thank you for this beautiful glimpse of spring. :)
ReplyDeleteSpring has visited your garden in a magical way! I don't worry so much about Romneya (with it's fancy new last name) or Petasides in my garden. When they spread farther than I want them, they get pulled or dug up and shared with friends. We have to deal with weeds anyway so why not beautiful ones? May spring continue to bring beauty and joy to you and your garden!
ReplyDeleteOh fabulous Tatyana...so many hellebores and bulb flowers...and lots of fresh foliage.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos!!! I need some hyacinths! And I wish my hellebores would do better.
ReplyDeleteWell, spring did come to my garden, but then it left again! It was so cold over the weekend, but I think spring is coming back this week. And this time, I think she is going to stay. Thank goodness!
ReplyDelete