On Wed, 6 May 2009 19:05:40 +0100, Sacha wrote:

Bob, I'm sorry to intervene here but I would caution you about taking
gardening advice from this man. He is one of urg's long-time trolls
with no gardening knowledge, though he claims his wife (who does not
post here) has some. You're being caught up in his current campaign to
get attention at any price. Lily of the Valley does NOT grow anywhere
by any means. Quite the contrary - some people find it very hard to get
established. Having planted over 2 dozen plants here over the last
couple of years, we had one solitary flower this year. If ease of
growth were the case my husband, a nurseryman of 60 years standing, Bob
Hobden, a highly experienced gardener and allotment holder and I, with
some years of gardening under my belt, would not be saying how
difficult it is for us to grow it in our gardens. You will become
accustomed to the people who post here and soon be able to judge the
value of their advice for yourself but the above is really, seriously
wrong and possibly discouraging to others. Sadly for urg, it's also
par for the course from this particular nuisance.

Oh, what a pity. Yes, usenet is of its unmoderated nature prone to
trollery. Is there any newsgroup that doesn't have at least one
troll?

I'll take your advice and deny him the oxygen of my attention...

On Wed, 6 May 2009 19:14:35 +0100, "Jeff Layman"
wrote:

bob wrote:
A little while ago a friend told me he was having trouble establishing
LotV in his garden (like me he's a beginner) and it was only after
reading up recently that I've discovered how invasive this plant can
be.

It is slowly invasive and grows in areas where other plants have problems
(like under rhododendrons), but I've never seen it crowd out anything else.
It flowers early, and a few cut sprigs will scent a room for a day or three.
Unless you don't like the scent, I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't like
it. But if you are worried it is too invasive, then try the variety known
as Vic Pawlowski's Gold. Possibly the best variegated leaf of any plant
(see photo he
http://www.rowdengardens.com/Convall...is%20Gold.jpg).


Thanks for the pic - nice leaf, as you say.

I might give it a try at some point . Will certainly suggest it to my
friend - perhaps he'll do better with this variety.


It grows much more slowly than the species, and is said to prefer some sun.
Mine grows happily enough in a pot in total shade.


Now I'm beginning to harbour similar qualms about JA which seems to be
spreading out on all sides with gleeful haste.

Do these propogate themselves in a similar fashion - as I understand
it through a network of rhizomes?

Is there a tried and tested way of keeping these under control?

Thanks for any advice

JA also slowly invasive, but flowers late when there often isn't much else
about. It's quite simple to dig up the young plants which appear where you
don't want them.

Yes, I've come to terms with the slow invasion and I do appreciate
them when they're around.

How so terribly terribly sad.

On Wed, 6 May 2009 18:59:17 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2009-05-06 18:31:49 +0100, bob said:

On Wed, 6 May 2009 16:27:26 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2009-05-06 12:08:46 +0100, bob said:

A little while ago a friend told me he was having trouble establishing
LotV in his garden (like me he's a beginner) and it was only after
reading up recently that I've discovered how invasive this plant can
be.

I've yet to get LotV to grow successfully in any garden I have ever had
and by now, that's quite a few!

It was already here when I arrived so I can't claim to have a gift.

Now I'm beginning to harbour similar qualms about JA which seems to be
spreading out on all sides with gleeful haste.

Do these propogate themselves in a similar fashion - as I understand
it through a network of rhizomes?

Is there a tried and tested way of keeping these under control?

Thanks for any advice

Japanese Anemones do spread rapidly but dig up the ones you don't want.
Personally, I'd leave them to do their own thing because I think
they're of great value in the garden, especially later in the year. So
unless they're smothering other things, can you live with them?
--

You're right, they're attractive and they seem to be amongst the last
to leave. I'll just try and keep them within bounds.

By the way, they get very tall and floppy, especially after rain. Is
there some sort of thingy you would recommend for support. Some time
ago I bought (have since lost) a bunch of stiff right-angled
plastic-covered wire things with an interlocking hook so you can build
several up into a polygon framework. Is there anything more
ingenious these days?

I know the things you mean but I don't know if they're still made or if
there's something better around. We don't seem to have that problem
with our Japanese anemones - no idea why. Perhaps you could get hold
of some pea sticks and jam them into the ground before the new growth
really takes over. That way, they'll grow up amongst them and
effectively will hide the sticks.

thanks - will improvise something like that.
--

On Wed, 6 May 2009 19:33:15 +0100, "'Mike'"
wrote:

How so terribly terribly sad.

'Mike', I don't wish to offend, and I agree with you, it's depressing
when folk become ostracised.

Can't you make an effort to reconcile here? I know from so many other
ngs how corrosive trollism can be. If everyone's peed off with you,
it has to be down to you to accommodate the flow, surely?

Anyway, I'll sign off on this for now...

Lily of the Valley is picky about where it settles, and I tend to leave it be. If it interferes with something else, then hefty digging out of roots is the only solution I have found - and it immediately sits up and says "Thanks - lovely soft bed for me".

Japanese anemone is intolerable! I dug it all out of a largish bed, and am still digging out little offsets. But apart from weedkiller this is the only way I know to get rid of it. The white one seems less invasive than the basic pink.

On Wed, 6 May 2009 18:07:37 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
I've yet to get LotV to grow successfully in any garden I have ever had
and by now, that's quite a few!

Thank goodness for that I thought it was just me.

I've also had trouble. I've planted several lots over 20 years in this
garden, and still only have a few coming up this year.

Pam in Bristol

On May 6, 4:48*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-05-06 16:45:17 +0100, moghouse said:



On May 6, 4:27*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-05-06 12:08:46 +0100, bob said:

A little while ago a friend told me he was having trouble establishing
LotV in his garden (like me he's a beginner) and it was only after
reading up recently that I've discovered how invasive this plant can
be.

I've yet to get LotV to grow successfully in any garden I have ever had
and by now, that's quite a few!

I put mine up against a North facing wall in the worst clay/soil/
builders rubble imaginable. They *increased like wabbits. Every spring
I dug out the ones that were sneaking towards the front of the border,
potted them up and sold them at boot sales - they were very popular
especially when in flower.

I have even resorted to getting someone else to plant them for me,
convinced that it's me they won't 'do' for. *even that didn't work. *
We've put them in all sorts of places here but with no luck so now I'm
going to do as you suggest and find the most inhospitable place I can
and try them there!
--
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon

Do you remember? many years ago, when we met, you gave me LOTV? I
planted them, loved them, cherished them - all to no avail!!!!! They
certainly went green, but they didn't flower and the following year,
they only just emerged, the following year - nothing!!!! sob!

Judith

On 2009-05-06 21:16:53 +0100, Judith in France
said:

On May 6, 4:48*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-05-06 16:45:17 +0100, moghouse said
:



On May 6, 4:27*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-05-06 12:08:46 +0100, bob said:

A little while ago a friend told me he was having trouble establishin
g
LotV in his garden (like me he's a beginner) and it was only after
reading up recently that I've discovered how invasive this plant can
be.

I've yet to get LotV to grow successfully in any garden I have ever ha
d
and by now, that's quite a few!

I put mine up against a North facing wall in the worst clay/soil/
builders rubble imaginable. They *increased like wabbits. Every sprin
g
I dug out the ones that were sneaking towards the front of the border,
potted them up and sold them at boot sales - they were very popular
especially when in flower.

I have even resorted to getting someone else to plant them for me,
convinced that it's me they won't 'do' for. *even that didn't work. *
We've put them in all sorts of places here but with no luck so now I'm
going to do as you suggest and find the most inhospitable place I can
and try them there!
--
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon

Do you remember? many years ago, when we met, you gave me LOTV? I
planted them, loved them, cherished them - all to no avail!!!!! They
certainly went green, but they didn't flower and the following year,
they only just emerged, the following year - nothing!!!! sob!

Judith

I must admit I'd forgotten that. I have tried the white ones and the
pink ones and gnash my teeth over both. I think I have bad mojo for
them!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon

On 2009-05-06 18:59:20 +0100, K said:

Bob Hobden writes

"Sacha" wrote
I've yet to get LotV to grow successfully in any garden I have ever had
and by now, that's quite a few!

Thank goodness for that I thought it was just me.

I don't think I've ever managed to plant it, but it is growing well in
my garden. Heavy clay and total shade seems to be the key - under a
whitebeam (along with Cyclamen hederifolia), under a Magnolia stellata,
and under a japanese maple - though now the maple is spreading, the LoV
is trying to escape and reestablish under a weeping crab.

This is interesting, because of the two places I know it growing
abundantly in the wild, one is a wood, but the other is in clearings on
a limestone pavement - about as far from deep shade and heavy clay as
you can get!

That's exactly it - it pleases itself. We have planted it in many
different areas of the garden, from deep shade, to part shade, to sun,
to good soil, to very shallow stuff that gets no attention etc. A
friend of ours has a narrow border in a lot of sun and it is full of
LotV which is now migrating across the path and threatening an assault
through her front door and up the stairs, as far as I can see. She
does nothing to them but enjoy them!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon

"'Mike'" wrote after "Bob Hobden" wrote
"Sacha" wrote
I've yet to get LotV to grow successfully in any garden I have ever had
and by now, that's quite a few!

Thank goodness for that I thought it was just me.

Is it the variety? Lilly of the Valley grows as a weed in our garden and
is creeping across the gavel path

I doubt it, more likely the plant has some specific needs/wants that it
doesn't get in our garden. Not having to compete is one possibility.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

A
friend of ours has a narrow border in a lot of sun and it is full of LotV
which is now migrating across the path and threatening an assault through
her front door and up the stairs, as far as I can see. She does nothing
to them but enjoy them!
--


??????????????

How odd, when I say it, it is lies!!!!

Kindest possible regards

Mike

'Mike' wrote:
A
friend of ours has a narrow border in a lot of sun and it is full of LotV
which is now migrating across the path and threatening an assault through
her front door and up the stairs, as far as I can see. She does nothing
to them but enjoy them!
--


??????????????

How odd, when I say it, it is lies!!!!

Kindest possible regards

Mike

With all respect Mike, but what you said was
"Lily of the Valley grows anywhere and anyone can grow it", which is
very different to the message in Sasha's post.

I think you owe the group an apology.

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-06 18:59:20 +0100, K said:

Bob Hobden writes

"Sacha" wrote
I've yet to get LotV to grow successfully in any garden I have ever had
and by now, that's quite a few!

Thank goodness for that I thought it was just me.

I don't think I've ever managed to plant it, but it is growing well in my
garden. Heavy clay and total shade seems to be the key - under a
whitebeam (along with Cyclamen hederifolia), under a Magnolia stellata,
and under a japanese maple - though now the maple is spreading, the LoV
is trying to escape and reestablish under a weeping crab.

This is interesting, because of the two places I know it growing
abundantly in the wild, one is a wood, but the other is in clearings on a
limestone pavement - about as far from deep shade and heavy clay as you
can get!

That's exactly it - it pleases itself. We have planted it in many
different areas of the garden, from deep shade, to part shade, to sun, to
good soil, to very shallow stuff that gets no attention etc. A friend
of ours has a narrow border in a lot of sun and it is full of LotV which
is now migrating across the path and threatening an assault through her
front door and up the stairs, as far as I can see. She does nothing to
them but enjoy them!

I had some LoV from a friend 2 years ago. I split it and planted it on
either side of the garden - one side in sun for most of the day, the other
only getting a little sun for about one month a year. Last year there was a
total no show. This year both clumps are up and flowering!

--
Kathy

It's pointless to try and discuss ethics with a spider.

On 2009-05-06 23:31:44 +0100, "Kathy" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip

That's exactly it - it pleases itself. We have planted it in many
different areas of the garden, from deep shade, to part shade, to sun, to
good soil, to very shallow stuff that gets no attention etc. A friend
of ours has a narrow border in a lot of sun and it is full of LotV which
is now migrating across the path and threatening an assault through her
front door and up the stairs, as far as I can see. She does nothing to
them but enjoy them!

I had some LoV from a friend 2 years ago. I split it and planted it on
either side of the garden - one side in sun for most of the day, the other
only getting a little sun for about one month a year. Last year there was a
total no show. This year both clumps are up and flowering!

Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be happening for us. We've
planted it over a number of years here and in previous years I've
planted I don't know how many in different gardens, with no success.
In the days when they were quite rare here, my ex-mil gave me some of
the pink ones - back over 20 years ago - and not one came up. In her
garden, pink and white flourished in both sun and shade in a rich soil.
I don't think I've ever met anything so damned temperamental - or not
in the 'ordinary' run of plants!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon