08-07-2004, 05:02 PM
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delphiniums
In article ,
(GrampysGurl) wrote:
Scabiosa is another flower that does not seem to like me.
Françoise.
They don't like anyone lol. I treat them as an annual here. I put them in for
the butterflies but never expect more then a sparse one year from them.
Colleen
Zone 5 CT
Can't make single assessments for all scabious species. I find all that
I've tried to be very easily grown, but not if the measure is their
ability to perennialize for years. Some (such as S. atropurpurea, my
favorite) really are biennials & will do super well for two consecutive
summers, then they're done. Others like S. stellata often bloom themselves
to death in two seasons but are wonderful for the time being. Others (such
as S. columbaria) will perennialize but are shortlived even in the best
case scenario & need to be restarted at intervals. The sturdiest perennial
pincushion flower is probably S. caucasus, but even this tires after a
very few years & needs to be dug up, the thick woodier parts of the root
trimmed out of it during division, thus revitalized for a couple more
years -- so few people bother to do this that it ends up being a poor
plant after a very few splendid years.
As for delphiniums, some are likewise biennials or in cooler zones defacto
annuals, & the hardiest that do perennialize nevertheless tire out after
a very few years so could be considered shortlived or at least not long in
their prime, & many varieties are so prone to tipping over they might as
well die they're so annoying. A lovely substitute for them in cool
temperate gardens is monkshood, many species of which live long lives &
rarely need (& usually dislike) division.
-paghat the ratgirl
--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com
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