Ok, so thus far, I suck at seeds. Sorry. But that’s the ugly truth. My seedlings (round 2) are still alive, but I’m not holding out too much hope for them. So, I’m going to toss the seed catalogs, because tonight, I let my fingers do the walking at a Daylily farm!
Wow. I’ve always been partial to them, but never had a great place to put them. I collect a new one or two each year at the Zilker Garden Festival, but most of them have been over-run or eaten.
But now, I have a NEW bed – an empty bed – just outside the breakfast window, that needs something. And while it isn’t all-day sun – it is all afternoon sun and I am hoping that’s enough. (Cross your fingers)
I got purple and orange and yellow, short and tall, and early and late bloomers. And the bed is inside the privacy fence, so they will be safe from the deer.
(I’ve been looking at this bed for years, and just removed the two sad olive trees that the previous owners planted in a stupid place so tight they couldn’t even stand up straight any more – against the fence, against the house and bordered by a sidewalk — and two of them in 12 feet X 14 feet or so. Sheesh – I guess they were cute when they were 3 feet tall – aargh)
Pssst…don’t tell anyone – but I rush shipped them because I need them NOW! Inspiration came to me tonight and even drew out a plan!
So, now I need a nice but not too invasive vine to grow up the fence behind them … suggestions anyone? I already have cross vine, trumpet vine, Mexican Flame vine, morning glories and wisteria climbing around — I’d like something new. Pam — what was that white flowering vine you posted a week or so ago? Send me your ideas!
How about coral vine (Antigonon leptopus)? It blooms so beautifully! I bought one at the Natural Gardener several weeks ago, and I can’t tell whether it’s growing yet, but I’m holding out hope.
Rachel @ in bloom
Hi, Diana
Maybe we should start Liveoaks Anonymous. I did a massive cleanup this w/end and now another whole shift of leaves has dropped. I’m in despair!
B Spgs Nursery has lots of good vine ideas. I always like their potato vine. Another easy to grow is star jasmine, evergreen, white pinwheel flower that smells great. Also coral honeysuckle, pretty effortless.
Libby
I’ve an angel wing star jasmine that has lovely dark green, glossy leaves and beautiful flowers. And it’s grown fairly slowly.
No suggestions on the vine, but I thought I would see if I could talk you into giving seeds another chance!
Rachel — they are beautiful – good luck with your vine and thanks for the suggestions. And I know they have a great selection there, too.
Kiwi — I love it. L.I.A. Are you talking about the potato vine with a white flower? I’d like that. I love the sweet potato vines, which I grow in pots every year, but I do want something flowering, but not too invasive. (I HAD a cypress vine there last year and it wants to choke everything in sight, so I will have to watch for it to keep it from coming back!)
Nancy – the jasmine sounds great – I like the idea of dark, glossy leaves. Are the flowers white? How long do they bloom?
Ah, Carol. I will keep trying seeds because I just can’t give up. Isn’t that what defines me as a gardener? That I’m willing to beat my head against the wall so readily??!! LOL. I’m too competitive to let some little seedlings beat me!
Diana this time of year reminds me of the Passion Vine it has such pretty complex flowers. Also the Dutchamans Pipe vine is so unusual I am sure all the children, young and old will be admiring it.
Don’t worry I won’t tell that you rush ordered a thing. You can tell me anything I wouldn’t tell a soul.
I too love daylilies. Which farm did you go to? My suggestion is that you have a little something else that won’t take away from the daylilies when they bloom, but takes over the show when they’re done. Can you do crapemyrtles in your area? If so, how about Tightwad Red? It’s little, and I grow it with my daylilies. Other stuff comes to mind too. I’m glad you had happy hunting. With seeds, I hate starting them indoors, so I do the ones I can seed directly outside.~~Dee
Lisa – I love the Passionflower vine, too. The last one I had took over my whole garden though, and tried to choke plants and climb trees and I had volunteers popping up everywhere! Since this space is small, I’d better not, but I do wish I had someplace to plant one and let it go wild! I don’t know Dutchman’s pipe – I’ll have to go look that up. It’s always fun to learn about something new – thanks. And, I knew you’d keep my rush order secret safe — you and a million other people on the internet!!
Dee – Do we do Crepes here? Hmmm — I’d say just about every house in Austin has at least one or two! They are almost like our state tree – everywhere. I love the dwarf deep red ones, too. Thanks for reminding me to plant other things in there, too — I was also planning on some height in the back corner and some ground cover like plants in the front. We have 6 large Crepes lining our driveway, (previous owner planted) but they are all white – so I would love to have a colored one, too.
Dee – sorry, I forgot to answer your question – I ordered from Olallie Daylily Gardens online. It’s http://www.daylilygarden.com
Diana, you’re probably thinking of my white potato vine, which does just fine in a partly shady location. It’s pretty in a dainty, not showy, way. All parts are poisonous, if that’s a concern for your little ones.
There’s also gallinita, or butterfly vine, which has lovely yellow flowers and seedpods that look like tan butterflies. Enchanting for children. It wants sun.
You didn’t mention coral honeysuckle, did you? That’s always good.
I love the evergreen, glossy foliage of star jasmine (also called Confederate jasmine). The white flowers in spring are very fragrant.
Then there’s the fall-flowering white blooms of sweet Autumn clematis.
And last spring I tried a purple-blooming Mexican snapdragon vine in full sun that did beautifully. It does die back in winter though.
Thanks, Pam — lots of suggestions and several I haven’t tried or didn’t think of. I have ruled out the honeysuckle and jasmine – I was thinking of clematis, and I’ve never seen butterfly vine or Mexican Snapdragon vine. I’ll have to go a-vine-hunting! I do like your potato vine and am glad to know it would do well there. I’m now officially very excited about this project – especially now that I’ve been given all these great ideas. I feel like someone POPPED me upside the head in the V-8 commercial! Besides, planning and planting are SO much more fun than the weeding I Really need to be doing. Otherwise I will have thousands of little elm trees growing all along and in my beds… Happy Easter!
I’m sorry about your seedlings, I wonder what’s wrong. It really is easy. Don’t give up!
Ooh, I think you just found a good place for a white potato vine. They’re good growers, do well with a good amount of shade, but are in no way invasive.
Where did you get your variegated Meyer lemon? I want one! 🙂
Hi Diana, lucky you to be seized by an idea so strongly that you had to act on it now! We have lots of daylilies here, but remember that their season is, for us, June into July, there needs to be something before and after, to keep the spot interesting. Spring daffodils are perfect daylily companions, as are tall garden phlox and Autumn Joy sedum to take you into fall. Do those grow there? For the vine, how about miniature climbing roses?
Frances at Faire Garden
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Diana, you’re such a joy to read. I hear you on seeds, because they challenge me too-well, mostly it’s because my LongSuffering Spouse forgets to water while I’m away, and in April and May I’m on the road a lot.
You said you can’t get a photo in your title bar, and I can NOT remember how I did it. But Kylee did two interesting posts on giving our blogs a makeover, back in January. The first one is http://ourlittleacre.blogspot.com/2008/01/give-your-blog-makeover-part-i.html and the second one is the next post. Plus if you contact someone like Crafty Gardener, or Ewa in the Garden, they can probably tell you exactly how to do it.
Robin – I’m not giving up on the seedlings – I’m going to try to put some tomatoes in the garden this weekend. Cross your fingers!
Lori – I know – the white potato vine sounds very appealing to me…it’s in the lead for now! I’m afraid the previous owners of the house planted that meyer lemon – so I don’t know where it came from. But I’ll let you know if I ever run into one — it’s really cool.
Frances -Thanks for reminding me – I was planning on some lantana in there as well as something tall in the back corner. Since this is in the back yard inside the fence, I thought I’d get out my deer proof lists and try to plant some things that are NOT on it – because the deer won’t get back there. I will definitely add daffodils to the list — and I have some bulbs STILL in the garage! The leftovers that I planted in January are coming up now – can you believe it?
What a nice dilemma, Diana! Pam’s potato vine looks pretty on her blog but I’ve never grown it.
I’ve had pretty good luck with clematis where it gets only morning sun and has low plants shading the roots. Have you considered giving seeds another try and planting an annual vine like Moonflower Vine or Blue Pea Vine or Hyacinth bean Vine?
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Oooh – good idea, Annie – Hyacinth bean vine. I love them. They are so beautiful and I haven’t grown one in a long time. So many choices, so little space and time… 😉 And I’d still like to try the clematis – I don’t think I’ve ever grown them. They bloom later in the season, don’t they?
Diane, the two clematis near my back door bloom in late spring. They look pitiful in mid-summer, but the plumbago at their feet gets so tall it sort of covers the mess until fall, when there’s usually a second flush of bloom.
Annie
Ah -thanks, Annie. I’d probably not pick the clematis, then. I’d prefer a longer-lasting vine because it’s a small space and I won’t have room for much but the daylilies and a few other flanking perennials. I’m hoping the lilies are here by Tuesday!
I think someone already mentioned passionflower. That is one of my favorite vines here since I can actually grow it.
Good for you for rush-ordering. Life’s too short to wait. 🙂
Jodi – thanks for the tips. I’ve got “figure it out” on my to-do list, but it’s kind of daunting. I’ll check out your suggestions and see what I can do. I don’t want to bother anyone about it, either. I’d like to have more design options – it’s in my blood, but then it becomes more work on that and less about gardening, so I am trying to be reasonably content with something that’s fairly simple.
Dawn – You’re right – life is too short to wait! Thanks for reminding me of that. I do love passionflower, but my experience with it was extremely invasive and this space doesn’t lend itself to that very well. I might have to find another spot for it though. I do have a big fence far away that it could climb with abandon – just won’t get watered there…maybe I’ll try that, now you’ve made me want one 🙂