Whilst slaving away on the new beds for the last week, it occurred to me that being ruthless with some of the plants and yanking them out was very well worth it. With so much space to fill initially, and so many problems with rabbits, pheasants and partridges etc., I tended to overfill the space with as many plants as I could grow.... and that needed to be corrected. All the Tithonias are out, as well as the Hollyhocks (they always get rust) and a few other varieties that just didn't ''sit'' right where they were planted. I have moved plants around to make a better display - hopefully - for next year, and give each plant enough space. Which of your plants have proved to be unworthy of the space they are given and why ?
My hollyhocks always get rust too. It's too bad, they would be nice here. Some others in the mallow family too, like mallow and lavatera. Okra doesn't like it here so I gave up on that. Some of my fig varieties never produce, but they dont take much effort and I have room, so I give them a chance for next year.
I will not give you the full list. I don't have time for that. Our plants should be fitted with wheels. I move a lot about every year because they either don't like where they are or like too much where they are. This year I have removed most of our Rodgersia podophylla. They were on a mission to conquer the world. We've kept a few to put in a corner where nothing else seems to want to live. I like the big leaves but not several square meters of them. Then five out of six Liugularia dentata moved to new homes. They are lovely and I like them so we kept one. We started out with three smallish ones that first killed and ate our Ligularia przewalskii and then divided and started moving towards our Hosta. I'm also fighting a losing battle with some small Oxalis depressa. They are cute and all that but I don't want them all over our rock garden. I have decimated a couple of Astilbe and a Polygala chamaebuxus since they also wanted to invade a rock garden. They are now planted toghether in a restricted area. I have found new homes for Hostas tagged with the wrong name. Can't always trust the nurseries it seems and I don't want Hostas without names unless they're super-special. These weren't. I have 20-30 Hostas that need dividing and I have to move a lot of Hostas next year. We just need to dig out the big Spirea hedge first. It's four meters wide and 20 meters long. It has to be pruned just after blooming in order for it to bloom next year. If we haven't got time it looks like some wild thing. It's deciduous and it doesn't even bloom for long. It's too much work and not worth it. This will be a joint-venture operation with our neighbour. We're going to put up a wood fence instead. A fence doesn't require pruning every year and does not take up a lot of space either. There's more of course. A lot more, but this will do for now I think.
Mmm the trouble is, we are vegetarian I actually missed one or two hollyhocks, and they are still blooming now, even in spite of the rust. As they have been so brave I'll leave them alone now and let them have another season.
