This is one of the most difficult spots I have in my San Juan Capistrano garden. It is along a north facing garage wall and it get hours of full sun during the hottest days of summer, then full shade during the cool days of winter when the sun sinks low on the horizon. A few plants seem to be thriving there, but the Lady Banks Rose that is climbing up the pillar on the left did not have a single blossom last year and if it doesn't bloom this year it is going to be moved. There is also a passion flower vine in the back that does not bloom either, but I will probably leave it for the butterflies. The lavender verbena does okay and the heliotrope doesn't seem to ming the fluctuations in light and then everything else is primarily foliage plants that I don't care it they bloom or not. These types of places are always a challenge to plant with perennials. Seasonal annuals may be the answer.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sun, Sun, Sun, Shade, Shade, Shade
This is one of the most difficult spots I have in my San Juan Capistrano garden. It is along a north facing garage wall and it get hours of full sun during the hottest days of summer, then full shade during the cool days of winter when the sun sinks low on the horizon. A few plants seem to be thriving there, but the Lady Banks Rose that is climbing up the pillar on the left did not have a single blossom last year and if it doesn't bloom this year it is going to be moved. There is also a passion flower vine in the back that does not bloom either, but I will probably leave it for the butterflies. The lavender verbena does okay and the heliotrope doesn't seem to ming the fluctuations in light and then everything else is primarily foliage plants that I don't care it they bloom or not. These types of places are always a challenge to plant with perennials. Seasonal annuals may be the answer.
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5 comments:
You've done a good job with such a challenging site. It's difficult to find plants that take those extremes. The foliage looks nice, while the verbena adds colour.
The urn in the middle makes a great focal point for the vignette. The metallic blue green colour looks lovely with the surrounding foliage.
It looks beautiful to me the way it is(-: I do understand though when something that is suppose to bloom does not.
It looks really pretty nonetheless. I like your urn as the focal point in this garden.
I have a yellow Lady Banks Rose, just in case you don't know, this rose is unusual in that it flowers in spring (May here) on old wood. So if you have been pruning your rose in winter or spring you will get no flowers. Banks rose needs to be pruned after flowering and needs the sun in summer to ripen the wood to produce more flowers.
While we don't get very hot summers (or very cold winters) my rose is in a similar position and flowers. If you have been pruning it at the wrong time of the year I suggest you give it another chance.
Hope this helps. Best wishes Sylvia (England)
Sylvia, Thanks for the advice on pruning! Lady Banks blooms here starting in Dec. and Jan. which is one of the nice things about them, they are pretty when most everything else is dormant (except for some of our native plants). I have not pruned this one yet, so we'll see this year!
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