Garden Flowers

[Valley Cat]

Dawn,

The example I cited was for illustration purposes only!

Here's the setup:

On both sides of the front of the house, I'll have the Kenaf Hibiscus. A very tall (8-15') plant. In the middle of the front, in front of the window will be a 4' tall and maybe 3-5' wide waterfall, water fountain. Behind it will be the Pink Angels Trumpet so that the flowers hang down over the top of the structure. Since the plants will be in containers (rather large ones) I need some flowers to hide the planters. Linda wants to keep the daisies and lavendar but they bloom late in the summer/early fall. I was thinking that the Giant Indiana Cockscomb would be one nice type and a couple of Double Bloom Peony Poppies would be another.

I should have a busy winter/spring between planting seeds, growing the seedlings, building a cold frame, replacing the barn with a metal shed and using the lumber from the barn to build a greenhouse. Bring on 2009!

BTW, I've already sown 150 seeds so far. Hope to sow another 250 before my first paper of the new year.

Mike

[Dawn Longworth]

My plant friend..you live in zone 5b-6a...most zone 3 plants will work for Canada but not Cincinnati.  I will drop off a couple of my favorite gardneing books for you to look at.  I am sure you will find some wonderfully unique plants that will fit your requests.

[Valley Cat]

HC,

I appreciate the idea but I have to say - the site is a database on steroids whose synapses have short-circuited. I typed in a simple request: Perennial, Full Sun Exposure, Zone 3, Deer repellent, Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and birds and is deer resistant - no matches.

The only thing the site has is flowers in a DB with different, generic characteristics. IMO, it's a decent site to possibly narrow down choices if one has no clue, but that's about its total value. I entered some of the basic aspects of a plant I found and it didn't list it. Like I say, a good link but nothing more.

Mike

[Holy Cow]

Holy Cow,

Thanks, but I don't want to do a cookie cutter approach. I want flowers that one likely will not see anyplace else in the Tri-State, at least not in a home garden. Not interested in winning prizes, just having people remark how they have never seen such a plant before. I can adjust the soil, including its pH for each individual plant if I need to, or grow them in containers.

Mike

You are welcome. I am sure some people will benefit from the Proven Winners web site this spring and summer.

[Valley Cat]

Holy Cow,

Thanks, but I don't want to do a cookie cutter approach. I want flowers that one likely will not see anyplace else in the Tri-State, at least not in a home garden. Not interested in winning prizes, just having people remark how they have never seen such a plant before. I can adjust the soil, including its pH for each individual plant if I need to, or grow them in containers.

Mike

[Holy Cow]

I'm looking for some stunning flowers I can plant in the front of the house. The back belongs to me and my veggies, but Linda gets the front. I found Pink Angels Trumpet, Indiana Giant Cockscomb and Kenaf Hibiscus that should provide a lot of color. If it's not likely to lead to me being arrested, I will also have some Double Black and Double White Cloud Poppys, though technically they can be grown to make opium. The hibiscus, which grows 10-18 feet tall looks like pot so the last thing I need is the cops digging up my garden.

But I'm looking for other unusual but colorful plants. They can be annuals or perennials. Any suggestions?

Mike

One of the finest web sites for chosing flowers and bushes for you home is located at Proven Winners. Just google it and it will take you to their site. You can enter your light conditions, water conditions etc. and it will professionally help you chose some wonderful plants for your home. The proven winners plants are the absolute best to buy at a nursery. They feature perennials and annuals. When I used to assist Bill Gearhart with the plants around St. Bernard we used a lot of the proven winners varieties.
Hope that helps.

[Valley Cat]

I'm looking for some stunning flowers I can plant in the front of the house. The back belongs to me and my veggies, but Linda gets the front. I found Pink Angels Trumpet, Indiana Giant Cockscomb and Kenaf Hibiscus that should provide a lot of color. If it's not likely to lead to me being arrested, I will also have some Double Black and Double White Cloud Poppys, though technically they can be grown to make opium. The hibiscus, which grows 10-18 feet tall looks like pot so the last thing I need is the cops digging up my garden.

But I'm looking for other unusual but colorful plants. They can be annuals or perennials. Any suggestions?

Mike