Climbers & ground covers & pansy companions

[FarmGirl]

I just purchased a Virginia Creeper to plant along one wall of our house, and I can't wait to see how fast it grows. I'm also really looking forward to seeing the colors of it this fall :D Has any one had any experience with this so-called invasive plant, or is there anything I need to be aware of?

About periwinkle - there is some planted along one side of our house, and its just beautiful. The tiny purple flowers just take my breath away nestled in with all of the ivory egded green leaves - its my favorite part of the house. But... its only a foot tall! It was here when we moved in, and it has never grown, lol. It's not grown taller, its not spread out on the ground at all, it hasn't shrunk any either though, so thats good at least. I admit to being a bit dimwitted when it comes to plants (I'm trying to brighten up), so I'm not quite sure what to try to get the periwinkle to grow a bit more. I've love to see it grow taller, so does anyone have any ideas on what I can try? The plant is very thick, so should I try and thin it out maybe? I would hate to do that though - its soo pretty.

Also... I love pansies! I plant them every year! LOL This year I would like to try and have something with them, but, again, I'm a dimwit about this, and don't really have any idea on what to plant with them. The ones I have are all different colors, from blue to yellow to purple, but with an abundance of white. Any ideas on what to plant with them?

Wee... its planting season! I'm so excited! I also got some beautiful Coleus to plant as a border around our evergreens - we went with just a wide mixture of color. I think they will look so nice! LOL - I also got some hen & chicks - I have always been in love with those. My great-grandma always had them growing in her yard, and she also had this strange fascination with them. I guess thats why I do, lol, plus it just makes me feel closer to her, and helps me remember her (she passed away in 2000).

[Mel-icious]

Originally posted by FarmGirl
Has any one had any experience with this so-called invasive plant, or is there anything I need to be aware of?

VC is invasive, but since its a thinner plant its easily controlled, just rip out what you don't want. ;)

Originally posted by FarmGirl
The plant is very thick, so should I try and thin it out maybe? I would hate to do that though - its soo pretty.

Where is the location of the plant? Sun? Shade? Partial Sun? Partial Shade? I read they love sun and thrive in it, so if the spot isn't that sunny, maybe that's why? Don't thin it, periwinkle/vinca is hardy and will take care of itself. ;)



Originally posted by FarmGirl
Also... I love pansies! Any ideas on what to plant with them?

Since they like the cold I read to plant with Irises, Tulips, and Daffs. In the spring they fill up the bed before the tulips and daffodils bloom, then in the winter they fill the bed before Irises. Also good with ornamental kale, parsley or ivy in containers.


Originally posted by FarmGirl
I also got some hen & chicks - I have always been in love with those. My great-grandma always had them growing in her yard, and she also had this strange fascination with them. I guess thats why I do, lol, plus it just makes me feel closer to her, and helps me remember her (she passed away in 2000).

That is a very sweet memory, and I know how you feel, its the main reason I do garden. My times spent with my grandfather were harvesting his veggies, and they were some of the best of my childhood memories. ;)

Oh and that coleus is easily propogated, from that small plant you can propogate lots more. ;)

[FarmGirl]

Originally posted by Mel-icious
Where is the location of the plant? Sun? Shade? Partial Sun? Partial Shade? I read they love sun and thrive in it, so if the spot isn't that sunny, maybe that's why? Don't thin it, periwinkle/vinca is hardy and will take care of itself. ;)

It's in the shade, and gets no direct sun :( I read that it prefers shady areas, so I don't know - conflicting stories *Ack!*. It's soo pretty, I wish it would grow, lol. It covers about a 15 foot section of the house, but you really can't see it from the road since its only 1 foot tall. Maybe I'll transplant some of it to a sunnier area. I do have to admit that there are more flowers on it so far this year - last year I only got a couple of flowers all summer, and now I already have about 25 - they look so nice!

Thanks for the ideas with the pansies - I love all of those! :D

When we moved in, the lady who lived here before already had the yard lanscaped - but, the last couple of years she was here, she neglected the yard (not her fault, she was dying of cancer), and her son (the @#^&*$) didn't do anything except cut everything down. Our backyard is a mess - she had these lovely hedges used as a windblock/screen, and this guy just cut them completely down - now hubby and I can't get them to grow, so all thats there are dead stumps, and we're going to have get the roots ripped out.

Our front yard is edged in the same type of hedges (Forget the name, I'll have to look them up again), and we're wanting to entwine some sort of flower vine into them, so that they have some color. Yikes! I'm such a dimwit, LOL - I hope I find something that won't kill the hedges.

Good news though - the whole backside of my house is just covered in these gorgeous yellow day-lilies. So every summer I get a good 25 - 30 feet of yellow blooms, its so pretty.

[Mel-icious]

Originally posted by FarmGirl
It's in the shade, and gets no direct sun :( I read that it prefers shady areas, so I don't know - conflicting stories *Ack!*. It's soo pretty, I wish it would grow, lol. It covers about a 15 foot section of the house, but you really can't see it from the road since its only 1 foot tall. Maybe I'll transplant some of it to a sunnier area. I do have to admit that there are more flowers on it so far this year - last year I only got a couple of flowers all summer, and now I already have about 25 - they look so nice!


Good news though - the whole backside of my house is just covered in these gorgeous yellow day-lilies. So every summer I get a good 25 - 30 feet of yellow blooms, its so pretty.

Lucky girl, I love lilies. We have the regular old orange ones here. I did just plant 2 Stella's and I love them, but have to wait to see them bloom, they were bareroot plants.

Periwinkle LOVES the sun, so that is why you aren't getting the blooms. Just dig up a clump and put it in the full sun, it will take off on its own, keep it well watered till established. ;)

[FarmGirl]

I was just reading about my periwinkle, and I read that it only gets to be about 4-6 inches high! Maybe mine is doing pretty well afterall, lol. I've also read that it climbs, and that it doesn't climb. Or that it does best in complete shade, and that it does best in complete sun. Talk about conflicting! I did find out that the variety I have is called Sterling Silver... it looks just like this picture here....

http://www.galyeannursery.com/sterling-sm.jpg

About the day-lilies - I swear, these are the easiest plant in the world to grow. I keep them weeded, watered, and dead head them everyday... thats it. In the fall when they die off, I do nothing... the dead plants protect the bulbs through the winter, and in the spring turns into its own mulch... I really do nothing. Which is great! This is my third summer of watching them bloom, and I swear each year they just get thicker and thicker and more beautiful. I also have a small grouping of purple day lilies, but they don't do as well... the dogs runs through them.

[Mel-icious]

You know you can divide those lilies and plant them elsewhere. ;)

[FarmGirl]

Originally posted by Mel-icious
You know you can divide those lilies and plant them elsewhere. ;)

Well yeah, but I really don't have anywhere to put them is the problem, lol.

What I would like to do, but won't be able to, is pull out a giant evergreen shrub that is directly underneath my front window, and replace it with the day-lilies. Removing that size of evergreen (about 7 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet tall) isn't easy - there's a lot of roots coming from that. Plus there's this huge metal awning right above it, and we dont know if we can remove that without damaging the mortar on the house. So many complications, I swear. :D

[Mel-icious]

Awwww poor Farmgirl, she has soooo many lilies she doesn't know what to do with them. :p

I love lilies and there are so many beautiful kinds. I was lucky enough to have that lady trade a Stella for some of my lilac shoots on the garden web. I love the mini ones.

As for the shrub, sorry can't help you there, I know NOTHING about that stuff. T is the one who helps me out there, since he's in the construction biz he always knows better about that kind of thing. :D

[FarmGirl]

Originally posted by Mel-icious
Awwww poor Farmgirl, she has soooo many lilies she doesn't know what to do with them. :p

You won't find me complaining - I love my day lilies! :D

I'll have to get a picture of them when they are all in bloom. It's quite a site.

As for the evergreen, we're not going to do anything with it. If we were planning on staying in this house longer then a couple of years I probably would, but it's to much trouble to bother with otherwise.