what plants done really well or have been duds for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking for shrubs or perrennials? Peonies also do well for me, and day lilies and all other kinds of lilies. I've used a lot of edibles in my garden, and am having success with strawberries, asparagus, raspberries, currants, and grapes. You need to amend the clay for all of these, of course, but its doable - I garden on a fifth of an acre of pure clay.

Do you amend the clay each year, or initially when you are putting in new plants?

In addition to others mentioned here, we've had good luck with a lilac and a perennial (hardy) hibiscus.

You can if you want to. Most people use mulch for that and supplement with some fertilzer. It is the FIRST amend that is near the roots which is the most important. The first year they need babying. After that many plants do well with just some mulch and water in July and August.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mint. It takes over you whole freakin' garden. Forget tee-peeing people's houses, just drop mint into their yard and it will take over.

This is my kind of vandalism!

I'd say hydrangea is a dud around here. It might survive the heat, but it looks like crap most of the day, most of the summer. Sure is pretty when temps stay under 85, but how much of that do we get in a summer??

[Anonymous]

I live in upper NWDC. in our new (and first) home we found a fantastic camellia tree, doing great even though it is not really shaded and takes some afternoon sun. also a really nice climbing rose, very vigorous, mighty torns, clusters of very pale pink roses (maybe a new dawn? it must be very old), we do not spray anthing, and it still does great. we do not like spending $$$ for annual, so I experimented with seeds. great success with nasturtiums. put the seeds down at the end of April, and in two weeks the plants are out. some are just 18", but I used some as long as 8 yards, very beautiful leaves (edible), flowers, and they last well until frost, even in full sun and I never water them. also spider flowers (you just need to buy the seeds one year), but they reseed like crazy so be careful.

no success with blueberries, we have two plants that are still alive but look realy bad. also azaleas are not doing good. we have hydrangeas buyt they are in the sunniest spot, I may try to move them somewhere else. I bought a Meyer lemon tree that is doing great, but I will have to put it inside in the winter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mint. It takes over you whole freakin' garden. Forget tee-peeing people's houses, just drop mint into their yard and it will take over.

This is my kind of vandalism!

I'd say hydrangea is a dud around here. It might survive the heat, but it looks like crap most of the day, most of the summer. Sure is pretty when temps stay under 85, but how much of that do we get in a summer??

OP here--My hydrangeas have done really well in spots with part-shade--less time baking in the sun. They droop when it's in the high 90s, but revive when I water them.

[Anonymous]

To the person whose sedum isn't doing well - it needs full, baking sun.

To the person whose hydrangeas aren't doing well - they need some shade to be happy, at least most varieties. I have a row of oakleaf hydrangeas as a hedge in front of my house along the sidewalk, and they don't get any shade but still look lovely.

To the person whose blueberries and azalaeas are suffering...they need acid soil, and the soil around here is the opposite. I grow both those plants, but you have to add tons of peat or other acidic ammendment to the soil first.

Is anyone having success with apple or pear trees? My trees are healthy enough, but I lose the crop every year to bugs and fungus and other yuck.