I'll send some along. The leaves are very much like Shasta Daisies I've seen, thick and almost succulent, no fuzz I think. Will check in the AM. I don't know about drought tolerance although they did well last year in "near drought" per NWS and bi-weekly watering.

Neal, cmail me you address.

Neal, here's an image of 1 group of last years cuttings plus 1 planted separately on the left.

Gorgeous! And lovely combination of other plants with them! They look so fresh and bright, not at all like the browning dullness I usually associate with late summer and fall. I've always loved classic daisy type blooms.

'Design' doesn't work well as I didn't allow for mighty increase in some red daylillies & the leaves are hiding the red astilbe.

Lucy, Being fairly new to this gardening with perennials I actually find it encouraging to hear that folks such as yourself are sometimes surprised by a plants growth. This is one of my greatest challenges, judging size and growth rate after even a single year. 40% - too close to something, 40% - too far away, 10% - just right, 10% - I just don't know.

Polly, The C. Lucifer will begin bloom in about a week. The Emberglow is only just starting to put up bloom stalks so I think a week or 2 ahead of last year.

It took me 4 years to realize gardening design and planning wasnt an exact science.
I guess thats what its about unless anyone has a degree in landscaping and mastergardener planning.
I like the trial and error method. It keeps me busy.

JoAnn, you're so right, and I don't even think a degree or extensive training take the trial and error out of it.

I agree to all that. Before I started my on line business, I sold to landscapers, and would often hear how their plans turned out to be not quite right. That's one reason they came for the ornamental grasses I sold, I think. They're always about the same. A lot of use of grasses in this area.

This is a good topic and I have read the posts with great interest. It does seem that you can't count on things coming back and blooming "when they used to" with nearly as much accuracy these days. Nor is the weather the same.

I am marking this forum to follow and glean more information as it is posted.

Do weeds count as plants? I hope that everyone is doing well in this heat.

Thanks, Tee, glad you've joined us!

Lucy, it sure seems most of the plants we love don't grow much in heat like this, but the weeds sure don't mind it. This is the time of year I lose control- I just can't stand to be outside for long. Once the sweat starts dripping in my eyes and onto my glasses, which is after about 5 minutes, I'm so frustrated and over it.

We've gotten more regular rainfall than usual this summer, so the heat isn't making the garden look as cruddy as in previous years at this time.

We are in a heat advisory for the 4th day. The weatherman hasnt gone all the way to drought.
I am peddling hard and fast to keep new iris plants from whisping away.
September temps and rain would be welcome now.
I must make a note to myself to add watersorb crystals to planters. Just lazy last spring, noe I am paying for it watering everyother day.

Hate to say it but I wont miss the end of the season.

Jo Ann, I've been thinking the same thing, knowing I'll be aching for warm weather again this winter. But this heat keeps me from enjoying the outdoors and garden at all.

hy arent we ever satisfied?
I am excited from March until July,then I want the cool days and cold nights of September to January. No point in mentioning Feb .Its a dreadfull time and I know its 4 to 5 weeks until I see life comming back to the garden.

I have to agree with the extreme heat keeping us from enjoying our flowers. I also find it impossible to be outside for long in this extreme heat watches and warnings. Then we got a bad storm two days ago that split a couple of my dahlia plants just as they were getting ready to open as well as broke down some zinnias. Really disappointing.

The Cottage Gardening "look" HAS to be the hardest one to "get right" as opposed to just regular "landscaping". It's definitely "trial and error" for me and I still haven't gotten mine the way I want it to be, and more than likely never will !
It seems like I'm forever moving plants around, re-doing certain sections, choosing the wrong plants for the locale etc.,and it never ends. Then again, I get bored with things always looking a certain way for too long, then I get the bug to change things around.

The biggest frustration is wanting MORE plants than I have room for. It can become a sickness if you let it ! (been there...done that...STILL doing it.......lol )

Something tells me I need to STOP looking at on-line nursery websites........

That sounds like a plan.
I call my style "random perennial garden"



There are traditional "cottage garden" plants I jut dont care for.

Me, either. Or they require lots and lots of water. Mine is confined chaos?