Goldenrod v. Yarrow
 

Hello,
Last year I grew some Canadian Goldenrod ( Solidago Canadensis ) in a
new perennial border I've made up, and it's OK, tall, bright yellow brushes
of tiny flowers, but on the downside they really need staking, the flowering
period is not all that long, they would not flower again even after I
deadheaded the flowers that had gone off, and the foliage isn't really
architectural.

I'm thinking of replacing them this year with Yarrow, which looks to
me as giving a similar visual effect, but a long flowering period than the
Goldenrod ( which goes on for about, what, four weeks in late August/early
september? ). I also understand the foliage is more interesting.

Does anyone out there have a personal preference between these two
plants/opinion? I'm on heavyish clay soil, and there's nearly full sunlight
available.

Andy.

"andrewpreece" wrote in message
...
Hello,
Last year I grew some Canadian Goldenrod ( Solidago
Canadensis ) in a
new perennial border I've made up, and it's OK, tall, bright yellow
brushes
of tiny flowers, but on the downside they really need staking, the
flowering
period is not all that long, they would not flower again even after
I
deadheaded the flowers that had gone off, and the foliage isn't
really
architectural.

I'm thinking of replacing them this year with Yarrow, which
looks to
me as giving a similar visual effect, but a long flowering period
than the
Goldenrod ( which goes on for about, what, four weeks in late
August/early
september? ). I also understand the foliage is more interesting.

I hate to let you know that Yarrow also needs staking - at least that
is so in my neck of the wood. Having said that, I would grow a
Yarrow rather than a Golden Rod

Does anyone out there have a personal preference between these
two
plants/opinion? I'm on heavyish clay soil, and there's nearly full
sunlight
available.

There is a large range of shades of Yarrow in cultivation, rather than
the boring yellow of Golden Rod.

Franz

"andrewpreece" wrote in message
...
Hello,
Last year I grew some Canadian Goldenrod ( Solidago Canadensis ) in
a
new perennial border I've made up, and it's OK, tall, bright yellow
brushes
of tiny flowers, but on the downside they really need staking, the
flowering
period is not all that long, they would not flower again even after I
deadheaded the flowers that had gone off, and the foliage isn't really
architectural.

I'm thinking of replacing them this year with Yarrow, which looks
to
me as giving a similar visual effect, but a long flowering period than the
Goldenrod ( which goes on for about, what, four weeks in late August/early
september? ). I also understand the foliage is more interesting.

Does anyone out there have a personal preference between these two
plants/opinion? I'm on heavyish clay soil, and there's nearly full
sunlight
available.

Andy.

The short forms of Golden Rod like golden baby are good but I like yarrow as
well, Golden Plate is good but I have to give some support as its quite top
heavy.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

there are lots of goldenrod cultivars some more compact than others one i recall extremely tall...the need to avoid staking can be got around in some groups of perennials by removing a proportion of the stems down to ground level in mid to late spring...say two thirds ...the remaining stems grow more upright...

flowering can be prolonged in some perennials by reducing the hight of some of the stems by about a third in late spring/early summer..those cut will make flowers but later than those untouched...gather a group of children near your borders and give them a frizzbee to chuck about to get a truly random effect !!!

finally do dead-head achillea near lawns to aviod self-seeded llawn weeds in the furure.