Reply
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,652
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

For me, it was the butterfly bush.  It eventually succumbs to our winter.  I haven’t tried one for at least 5 years.  Maybe I should try again as our zones have shifted to the warmer.  LM

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,865
Registered: ‎12-02-2013

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

Last year I fell in love with yellow and orange calibrachoas.  They beautifully spilled over a tall urn I had at a sharp point on the edge of a patio.

 

This year I picked up a hanging basket at Lowe’s and a similar one from Walmart.  The WM one is growing and spreading wonderfully but the Lowe’s one has shrunk and most of the flowers are done ( lots of straggly, almost dead branches ).  Both were transferred to same soil-filled planters and sit side by side, getting same amount of sun.

 

Very frustrating...tried talking to it but I don’t think it liked what I said, lol !

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill
Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,482
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

Hydrangeas.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,775
Registered: ‎07-09-2011

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

I feel your pain!  We can grow huge beautiful Hosta here, but the deer think they are nummy nummy, so they are out.  

 

For some reason can NOT grow gardenias,  I think they start dying as soon as I put them in the car.  DH loves the scent, so I’ve tried and tried to grow them even though the scent gives me a headache.  

 

DO YOU THINK THEY KNOW I REALLY DON’T LIKE THEM?

.

"Animals are not my whole world, but they have made my world whole" ~ Roger Caras
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,519
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

@Lilysmom

 

I just bought 3 butterfly bushes from a local gardening center about 2 weeks ago and I don't think they are doing well.  I have never seen them before, but I did a bit of research on them before I bought them.  They seemed like they would be easy enough to grow.  Well, they aren't.  They look like they are dying already.  I feel your pain.  I am very disappointed!

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,519
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

@jlkz

 

This is my second year using calibrachoa in my gardens.  I bought a flat both times, so I had quite a few. Although they are beautiful when they are growing well, I do not find them to be very consistent.  They are doing beautifully in my containers (blooming and spilling over to the ground), but the ones I planted in the ground aren't doing nearly as well.  Some are just small clumps, others are growing, but they are "leggy" looking with barely any blooms.  Some just disappeared into the ground.  I'm not sure why this is, but I might be done buying them in flats for a while.  I just might buy a few here and there for container planting.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,865
Registered: ‎12-02-2013

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

@Grade1Teach

 

One small container of the calibrachoa seemed to be leggy and dying.  In frustration, I yanked all but a small stub protruding from the dirt and forgot about it.  Yesterday I saw that there was a small fist-sized clump of dense green leaves and in another area, the start of another potential clump.

 

Most of the success ( ha, ha ) I have had comes from dividing the hanging baskets I got from WalMart.

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,645
Registered: ‎03-28-2015

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?


@Drythe wrote:

I feel your pain!  We can grow huge beautiful Hosta here, but the deer think they are nummy nummy, so they are out.  

 

For some reason can NOT grow gardenias,  I think they start dying as soon as I put them in the car.  DH loves the scent, so I’ve tried and tried to grow them even though the scent gives me a headache.  

 

DO YOU THINK THEY KNOW I REALLY DON’T LIKE THEM?

.


I agree about the Gardenia...I had a beautiful one in a pot and it just never bloomed. My coworker at the time got one from her kids for Mother's Day and just put it under a tree on the side of the yard and hers grew like a weed!!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,062
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Have You Ever Had To Give Up On Something You Really Wanted In Your Garden?

I'll tell you, I'm having such a hard time with about 4 rose bushes because of constant rain.  Three of them were strategically planted along my front porch area for privacy and alluring fragrance.  I'm contemplating whether they're worth all the time and money trying to keep blackspot and yellowing leaves under control .  Many of the canes are all bare, with very few blooms.  I'm trying to wait it out because before this weather  they were looking green and gorgeous.  Very annoying...I pick off all the bad leaves, spray, etc...then same afternoon  THERE'S MORE!!