Thanks Karen-- I will look Springwood up and go see it. I haven't yet tried to buy plants from anyone on ATP SO I'm not sure how it works.
I have had the plain green brunnera for several years. They don't seem to be as large as they once were -- I wonder if they are short-lived perennials? These are in a very tough place under a giant double trunked cedar...a lot of things don't make it there. I have Emerald Mist in another spot and they are doing well, although I haven't had them as long.

Jeanie I looked up the Repellex and am probably going get it at some point..What I am wondering is if it does anygood to plant it with a plant that is already up and growing..I can see how you could put it in the ground with a transplant but do you just dig a hole beside it and put the tablet in the hole? They are kind of pricey but I am kind of mad about all this..I am still going to get some cats but I have a problem. Our old barn got badly damaged in a storm and we are going to replace it..Then there won't be a barn for them to live in. Iguess I could get a dog house and they could just go in there...I d on't want any pets..Just hunters.

Veronica, yes, I use them for existing plants. I take a large slot screwdriver and bore a hole (or two or three, depending on size of the plant) down at an angle right next to the plant and drop a tablet down, cover the hole and then water it. I do this once a year. The plant must be actively growing so it can absorb the stuff, and it takes a week or two to become fully effective. I agree it seems pricey, but at once a year and not losing all my plants, and not doing any harm to any wildlife, I now consider them to be a bargain.

When you look at it that way it is really a no brainer. Do you buy from the company or Amazon? I think I want the small size. When you do a large plant do you use more than 1 tablet?

I buy mine locally at a place called Bachman's. If looking online, I would just find the best deal with free shipping

The directions will tell you how many tablets to use - yes, if a larger plant, more than one. Certainly buy the smallest quantity and make sure they work to your satisfaction. Just remember it won't keep the wascally wabbits from shearing things off now and then, but should keep them from eating the whole plant. I lost every single asiatic lily I had before I discovered these. Supposedly the bunnies may decide your garden doesn't taste that good and go somewhere else, but I can see this year that I still have a healthy crop of the varmints. They have eaten some hosta leaves (and I don't put Repellex under my hostas - too many of them) but have left my lilies and coneflowers alone.

Thank You!

I hope it works for you. No telling if bunnies in different states have different tastes!

Anyone have issues with tiarella fading away after a few years, similar to brunnera? I had several beautiful Iron Butterfly tiarellas, and they were just plain puny last year and even punier this year. So disappointed, because they are really pretty plants.

Iron Butterfly took a trip to the dump in the last hour. It just never gave a good performance.

I always give my plants two years, and once in awhile a third, but after that out they go. The only problem doing that is once in awhile just moving something a few feet will make it take off. My Old Barnyard Rooster daylily was in the lower garden for three years and did very little. For some reason, I moved it to the upper garden and it took off like a jet. It is so beautiful and I'm so glad I didn't toss it

Many of my perennials will not do a whole lot for the first two years, and in the third they really take off. The brunnera and tiarella sort of work the opposite way. Admittedly some perennials are short-lived; maybe that's the case with these. And I agree, Karen, that sometimes you just have to move them to the right spot. That happened to me with astrantia.

Arlene, have you other varieties of tiarella that do better? Maybe it's just the cultivar?

I had three colors of astrantia and they all ended up in the compost pile after three years. Whenever it got too warm or they got a tad dry, they would flatten right down on the ground and look really unattractive. I got tired of looking at them even though I loved the flowers.

Good to know about Iron Butterfly - I've had mine since 2003, but it has been really puny for the past couple years.

I do have others but they were all so much better than Iron Butterfly. Sometimes I do wonder if plants are tested in enough climates before they're put on the market. I won't buy it again.

But such a great name, pity it isn't more vigorous.

Iron Butterfly? Yes, you would expect it to be very robust and hardy.
Karen, I had an Abbey Riad astrantia that never did anything till I moved it to, of all places, near my black walnut trees and under the giant double trunked cedar that sucks up all the water and nutrients you can throw at it. I do absolutely nothing to it, and it grows bigger and better every year. I now have several others of different varieties on the east side of the house and they are doing well there also. They are all in part shade. They are the longest blooming perennials I have with the possible exception of Black Adder agastache.
What experiece do you have with Sugar and Spice or Crow Feather tiarella?

Part of my problem with them is they were in all day sun, and I think they should have had part shade. They also needed constant watering which I was lax in doing, plus if I was honest, I wanted the space for something more desirable. It never bothers me to give a plant the "boot" if it's not something that I am really thrilled with. In my own defense, I did gift them to another gardener!!

I'm disappointed in the weeds that keep coming up by the mailbox! It seems that no matter how many times I pull them, they always return!

You're so right, Deb. Iron Butterfly does imply strength but my plant was no proof of it.

Karen - I've been known to give a plant the boot when I have a great replacement so you're not alone.

Clint - try digging out the weeds (not pulling them out), be sure they're all gone, then mulch heavily. Some Preen before you mulch could help.

Arlene - The problem is I have so many flowers there that there is not room for mulch. I'm bad about cramming too much together. I like the look of it for some reason. I don't like to see the ground. I can't help it. Are any of you that way? I think these weeds are coming up from seeds. I know I should give the plants more room, but I try to make them look like a flower arrangement. It only takes about ten minutes to pull the weeds though. I think I'm just getting lazy. LOL.

Stop the pulling and get in there with some tool so you get the roots. Cut up some really thick cardboard to fit the spot, then add the mulch even if it's a cup at a time.

Yes, I've been known to cram: that's how you fit in 3,000 daylilies into 3' x 150'!

Not much bare space in this garden either!