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Questions
& Answers - Flowers V - Z
Verbascum
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From: Karen S, UK |
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I am a new gardener and have planted a new raised flower bed with perennials. My favourite is verbascum. All the books say that this is 'short-lived'. Does this mean that the flowers will quickly fade or that it will not flower at all next year? Thanks for any advice. Karen. |
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From Jo, Devon, UK
My RHS Book says: "" Individual flowers are short-lived, but they are very numerous and flowering takes place over a long period i.e. Verbascum "CL Adams" , "Gainsborough", and "Pink Domino" flower from early to late Summer.
A lot of Verbascum are perennial (grow, flower and set seed in one year, but do it year after year), but some are bienniel (grow in the first year, and
flower and set seed in the 2nd, etc.), so check each one when you buy it so
you don't end up with one that you think is not flowering at all!
They are mainly found on dry, open hillsides and wasteland in Europe, North
Africa and Asia. Grow them in poor, alkaline, well-drained soil in full
sun. In fertile soil they will grow very large and need staking. Protect
from Winter wet. ""
Good luck with them - they are beautiful plants (of which there are 360
species by the way) !! Jo, Devon, UK
From Anthony M, UK
Karen, I have grown from seed a number of Verbascum last year, they are flowering in profusion at this very moment, with a load of flowers still to come.
The bed they are in is south facing under a 5' hedge, mixed with other perennials. Good luck, Tony
From Alex M, UK
All the books say that this is 'short-lived'. Basically what the books are saying the plants need replacing quite regularly so it might be advantageous to grow it as a 'biennial' from cuttings to replace your stock.
How this is done is to take 3" long root cuttings in Feb/March and place in a 50-50 mix of sand and peat and place in a cold frame to root. Grow them on till they have three or four leaves then place them in a nursery bed until September when you can plant them out into there flowering position.
Hope this answers your question..........A
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Violets
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From: Nita R, UK |
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Could anyone tell me where I might be able to obtain violet plants
from, I saw a gardening program on tv it featured a grower in Devon
but I did not write down the address, I live in the West Lancashire
area and would love to be able to get some of these sweet smelling
plants, can anybody help?
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From Carole C, UK
I have violets growing in my garden like weeds, they are only the common variety probably bought in originally by a bird or such like, if you would like to email me your address, I will gladly send you some roots when they have finished flowering. My email address is carole.carr50@hotmail.com
From Alex M, UK
There are a number of 'Violet' types so you may have to look under 'Viola odorata' or 'erythronium'.
Try looking in ; http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/nurseryfinder.asp
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Waterlogged
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From: Jane R, UK |
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I have a patch at the front of my house which tends to get really
waterlogged (i.e. small puddles form every time it rains!). It is
about 3ft by 4ft, and only about 6" of soil on top of hardcore.
I know its a real gardening nightmare, but does anyone have any
ideas for plants which would grow in this type of situation? It
is North facing, but gets a lot of morning sunshine.
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From Alex M
Try any of these:
Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon)
Wax Begonia 'Olympia Salmon Scarlet' (Begonia semperflorens)
Carpathian Harebel Bellflower (Campanula carpatica)
Carpathian Bellflower 'White Clips' (Campanula carpatica)
Double Flowering Mar Marigold 'Flore Plena' (Caltha palustris)
Fairy Slipper (Calypso bulbosa)
Carex siderostica 'Variegata'
Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
Cockscomb 'Kimono Yellow' (Celosia argentea plumosa)
Water Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis scorpioides)
Louisiana Hybrid Iris (Iris x louisiana)
Bethelem Sage 'Pink Dawn' (Pulmonaria saccharata)
Pansy 'Jolly Joker' (Viola x wittrockiana)
Pansy 'Sorbet Mix' (Viola x wittrockiana)
Piggy Back Plant 'Taff's Gold' (Tolmiea menziesii)
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Wisteria
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From:
Lee, UK |
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I have a 4 year old Wisteria which produced 3 flowers this year.
Unfortunately last week the Wisteria started to wilt. I thought
it might be lack of water, so I watered it but it didn't improve.
Then all the leaves started to drop off and also the flowers. Now
I have just bare branches - can you please tell me what went wrong?
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From Rufus, USA The
most commonly asked question about wisterias is why some individuals
do not bloom satisfactorily. There is more than one possible cause.
In very cold climates the flower buds, which form in fall, may
be winter-killed. Plants raised from seeds do not flower for many
years, often twenty or more. Because of this, seedlings should
not ordinarily be planted. They are not sold by reputable nurseries.
To bloom well, wisterias must not be shaded for more than a minor
part of each day. They grow, but do not flower in shade. A common
cause of nonflowering is the production of excessively exuberant
vegetative growth induced by faulty pruning or fertilizing. It
is too much to expect the vines to make a rambunctious growth
of stems and foliage, aswell as an abundant bloom. To flower freely,
vegetative growth must not be more than moderate. Unfortunately,
the usual means tried to curb exuberance, heavy pruning in winter
or spring, is self-defeating. Such treatment merely encourages
vigorousshoot growth, as does fertilizing and watering.
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Wisteria
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From: Martin B, UK |
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Dear all at Gardeners Club, Me again!!! I have a large Wisteria
on a south facing wall at the front of my house. Lived in the house
2 yrs and no flowers but profusion of leaf. Tried pruning as advised
by all good books and friends etc...too no avail. I know they are
quite temperamental plants but I'm impatient on this one because
it is obvious that all plants both front and back were severely
neglected for perhaps more than 4 yrs ....at a guess . Is it worth
me waiting for this Wisteria to flower knowing how wonderful they
can be or does it sound to any of you that I'm fighting a losing
battle. The poor thing has been strangled by the supporting wires
cutting into the branches and trunk....it obviously didnt get pruned
correctly judging by the huge growth of it when I moved in. No flowers
just masses of leaves. Is it worth my while cutting back as far
as the main trunk...which i might add is much larger than most Ive
seen in the area.Would new growth and nature right itself to flower
next Yr???? Glad of a few opinions . Martin B
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From Alex M, UK
Hi Martin, Question :- 1) Have you ever seen any buds before the foliage fully
develops?
2) Does your plant get the early morning sun?
The reason I ask is, the buds are susceptable to frost and if they get
frosted and the early morning sun gets on them then the bud aborts.
Pruning should be done in February by cutting back to two or three buds
of the previous years growth.
If the plant is getting a bit out of hand cut back the new seasons
growth in July towithin five or six buds of the old growth.
Hope this helps.........A
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Wisteria
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From: Jason, UK
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What is the best way and when to cut back a wisteria that
is going a bit mad?
(cut back last year and didn't flower at all this year).
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Now is the time to do it. Firstly cut back all new growth to 5 or six buds.
In February cut these shoots back further to 2 or 3 buds. At the same time you can thin out any branches that are not required. Look for short stumpy stems, these will be the ones that will be flowering.
Cut them out if not required, but leave some or no flowers.
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Wooded Garden
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From: Mollie W, UK |
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My son wants to start a wood area at the bottom of his garden. He
has put in
bluebells...transfered actually.To add to this I thought maybe Anemonies,
does anyone have any other ideas?
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From Alex M, UK
Glad to hear of a youngster getting involved with gardening. A lot depends upon the type of woodland i.e.deciduous/evergreen. If its deciduous most of the Spring flowering bulbs would naturalise e,g Snowdrops, Crocus, Daffodil/Narcissus before the tree canopy develops. However in the summer time when the trees are in full leaf very little will flower due to the shade. If it is in semi shade then thats another matter there are a few that might fit the bill. Get back to us with a bit more detail and perhaps we can give some more advice.
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