Help me design my front yard!

[Lyoshka]

@JBtheExplorer, those are so lovely! I have to find space for them, ZERO doubt. thank you!

 

[Lyoshka]

@MaryMary, super cute! I think i would add this, if i have some space somewhere in the back. Probably not the front. too many contenders already Have you ever seen this beauty? I had them in Chicago and they are super compact, happy as can be and change colors as the flower matures. Adorable doesn't begin to describe it. Only Jackson&Perkins sells it and I remembered about it too late-sold out. Come fall, though, I'm buying them and they are going under my dwarf magnolias.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs...=Lkry&hsimp=yhs-SF01&type=Tarrv_A02FD_set_bsf

 

[Lyoshka]

Hey guys! a friend of mine back home is a landscape expert and she made some awesome suggestions about where to put what in the front yard. So, i'm fairly certain i'll have clematis going up the three brick columns up front. I'll translate her drawing and will put it up here later. Liking most of her suggestions

So, I love Clematis Jackmanii. Does anyone have it and can you comment on whether it's as happy and easy to grow a plant as the reviews seem to say? (and best of all, Walmart.com has them for $10 a pop!)

 

[alp]

Not going anywhere, Alp! I need you people to help me make this beautiful!)))

Can you tell me more about Bartzella? I bought mine back when bc of how they were described to have so many blooms on one plant, once matured. I had 3 and boy, they just kind of sat there for probably 4 years.. once they did bloom, I had maybe 3-4 blooms? But I do realize we probably moved as they were gaining maturity. How are yours doing? Do they like it hot and dry and not disturbed, like other peonies? Do you have pics of yours?

I'm afraid I have no information. It's still in a pot, thinking about whether to have leaves or not. I bought it last September, so far one has died and the others are very slow. Having said that the weather here has been exceptionally cold. I think it is an intersectional. My neighbour's intersectional has huge flowers - a pink one, but it has blocky root, very difficult to take a bit of root. I bought mine and upon receipt, promptly cut the tuber into 2. Hopefully, I will have 2 plants. I bought another peony and it has been 7 years, it's still thinking and has only one bud. I bet it will drop for no reason! LOL!

Don't move the plant unless it is very large. Having said that I kept chopping up mine and they are everywhere. But these are Sarah Bernhardt that we are talking about. I also dug up a Ludlowdii Lutea - yellow flower as it was planted in the wrong place. I had half a heart to kill it. But the enormous root kept staring at me and after 2 weeks, it's showing leaves. I felt like a cruel mother, picking it up and removing some bits and plonking the huge part into a big pot. Now they are all showing leaves. This is after leaving the clump 4 week in the cold ... Hope nobody reports me to the Society for the Protection of Plants. Another reason that I didn't want to keep it is that the branches are everywhere and looked very unsdightedly in winter.

 

[Flatlander]

Did someone mention Bartzella peonies?

 

[alp]

We did. Please give us more info. Where are you based roughly please?

 

[Flatlander]

We did. Please give us more info. Where are you based roughly please?

I'm not an expert by any means, but will try my best to answer any specific questions. As well as hope other members chip in if I'm wrong.

 

[alp]

@Flatlander - Where have you sited the plant please? Is it semi-shade or sunny please? What aspect please? West, south?

 

[Flatlander]

@alp they run east to west and are in full to semi shade.

As Bartzella are Itoh hybrids, they can sometimes be difficult to grow. At least, according to what I was told last year. The trick seems to be have plenty organic material in the soil. I used the shredded remains of the stumps of 11 pies, firs and other coniferous trees to boost the soil. Leaving everything 12 months to decompose/eliminate possible toxins before planting.

If I use feed, its always a low nitrogen one, applied once only in late winter/early Spring. Rose fertiliser seems to work well.

Although my soil is generally alkaline, probably due in part to adding the coniferous shreddings, its slightly acidic just where they are. I try to keep it tht way by adding peat.

 

[alp]

Thank you, @Flatlander ! Now that I'm cooler, I'm going out to look for the pot. I have so many pots, so many that stunned my friend! Ever since I got them through the post, I have not changed the pot. I wish I could pinch some root from my neighbour's insectional pink one. HUGE flowers and so pretty. He chopped it down.. and that his so-called gardener kept an area for grape hyacinths! I am so mad to see them in my front garden.

 

[Lyoshka]

@Flatlander , thanks for that info on Bartzella. I want to plant three in my front yard. Trying to figure out where to get them and whether the size makes a huge difference. The 3 I had in Chicago all made it, but sat without blooms for like 4 years, I think.... then took off. Then we moved and i killed them

I think i'll go ahead and order them now and will amend the soil with peat, manure and feed them same stuff as roses. Mine will be in full sun. Wish me luck!

 

[Flatlander]

@Flatlander , thanks for that info on Bartzella. I want to plant three in my front yard. Trying to figure out where to get them and whether the size makes a huge difference. The 3 I had in Chicago all made it, but sat without blooms for like 4 years, I think.... then took off. Then we moved and i killed them

I think i'll go ahead and order them now and will amend the soil with peat, manure and feed them same stuff as roses. Mine will be in full sun. Wish me luck!

@Lyoshka good luck! Make sure you have plenty space between the three. 3 1/2 feet or so is about right.

 

[Lyoshka]

@Lyoshka good luck! Make sure you have plenty space between the three. 3 1/2 feet or so is about right.

yikes! i was going to plant them closer together. Are they space hogs?

 

[Flatlander]

@Lyoshka My two Bartzella are in a border 80" x 40" and fill it completely. At least it cuts down on weeding!

 

[alp]

Yes, it can be massive! But there might not be leaves in winter!