"It's ALIVE !!"
NEVER give up on a plant! Just when you are completely sure that a plant has gone to the great "Garden in the Sky"- without doubt, no turning back, 'Give it up, Dude!' - it might just surprise you! Case in point:
Example #1: My Vicary Golden Privet ...
After the "Bunnies" nawed on the Privet this winter, like pitbull on a rawhide bone, I literally pulled it out of the ground with a quick spade and one hand. It was crispy - like potato chips - DOA! ..No hope!!... Now look what I found in my make-shift compost pile.....
Before......
Example #2: the Hibiscus/Rose Mallow
It was an impulse buy at the end of last season. I figured I'd stick it in the ground, see how it wintered, and maybe I would have those gravity-defying 'plate-sized' flowers gardeners spoke of? But alas, this spring it was nothing but a bent remnant stalk that snapped in half with a nasty *crack!* ...
Lo and behold....
Example #3: the "Berri-Magic Prince & Princess" Holly
While not a complete loss, it suffered significant winter windburn. Ten percent of last year's growth had turned black from a wicked northwestern exposure - and my inexperience to prepare the evergreen for the dormant season. Yesterday, I was delighted to see all this brilliant lime green new growth....
Now for my 'problem children' - who don't have growth issues, but bring challenges to the table none the less...
My Ajuga 'Black Scallop'... has turned into a bit of a garden hog! I had read somewhere (AFTER I became enamored with and purchased 3 little plump puffs of color) that Ajuga could be invasive. I try my hardest to avoid any plant with that reputation! They looked so harmless last year - their 'freshman' appearance in the 'Shade Garden'. This year I'm going to have to keep after them with a pair of nippers - to give my Japanese Painted Fern some space!
Naughty boys!!
Then there is the "Center Glow" Ninebark, which from a distance looks fantastic!
But upon closer look, the leaves are marked with white 'powder-like' splotches? I've "Googled" Ninebark 'diseases' but found this comment on a number of garden (.org and .edu) websites:
"Problems:
No serious insect or disease problems. Fireblight and leaf spots may occur. Reportedly has good resistance to powdery mildew."
Any and all feedback is welcome!
I may print copies of these pictures and take them to the nursery where I bought the plant to see what they have to say? The plant did have the same 'condition' last year, so I cut off the worst looking growth and hoped for the best. All looked so promising this year, until this week...
Are you sure that isn't spittlebug mess? Try hosing the shrub down, then see how it looks.
ReplyDeleteSorry I can't help with any advice on your Ninebark ... that's a plant I am not at all familiar with!
ReplyDeleteAs for all your resurrected beauties ... isn't it a lovely surprise when you find survivors like these. They are obviously tougher than you expected! I do hope they keep on thriving for you.
Thanks for popping to visit my 'Sunrise in the Bush' post. I'm glad you liked the photos ... they were straight out of the camera!
As for our Winter ... here it's like a delightful breath of fresh air. Our temps only get down around the 20, maybe 18 deg C during the day ... which is just glorious after the horrible summers we have. I probably only wear a jumper for maybe a week or two during the whole of Winter ... so, the answer is: our Winter does not get dramatic at all ... they are just the best time of the year!
Ms.McG - I will definitely give your suggestion a try! I thought of you last Friday -- I stopped by 'A Growing Place'; the plant variety was spectacular. It was everything I could do to keep my 'buying mojo' in check!
ReplyDeleteBernie - Always great to hear from you! I am having trouble with Blotanical right now - the post feed is giving me a 'fatal error', so I'm visiting my friends via their links, and my blog RSS feed on Blogspot.
It's always great when a plant lives on, despite evidence to the contrary. Give thanks for good roots! This year I had a hydrangea come back after two years! It is small but has nice blooms already!
ReplyDeletedebsgarden I had the SAME thing happen with my hydrangea...came right back after I pretty much gave up on it in my garden.
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem with my coppertinas last year, my best guess is it is powdery mildew. Then the snowplow dug them all up this winter...so we replanted them and hacked them back by 1/2 this spring. The white powdery mildew started to come back but I've sprayed them a couple times with horticultural oil/ baking soda and so far they seem OK.
ReplyDeleteMy Ninebark is doing the exact same thing. I had high hopes as well for doing good this year until 2 weeks ago it came back.
ReplyDeleteGood joob
ReplyDelete