I can't believe in this cold weather I can look out my kitchen window and still enjoy a big Clematis 'Henryii' bloom

Lovely ... and good to know.

My ligularia Britt Marie Crawford is planted in the natural clay soil, in a slightly elevated soil. The soil in that area was amended over 20 years ago with mulch and compost. Nothing done to it since. We had a really wet spring, and then a really dry summer. I have never watered it in the years I have grown it (except when newly, planted of course). I did notice that it was a bit stressed this year, was smaller than normal and bloomed a month earlier than usual. Mine is in mostly full shade, with part of it growing out where it gets full sun. It's on the north side of my house, and the house shades almost all of it. The plant has grown large enough though, that a few leaves stick out in the sun.

Last spring, I planted another one on the back side of my house, but it was the plain green one. It is south facing, but has a mature cornus mas and a magnolia over top of it. So it will be shaded. But it is pretty dry in there. It made it until fall ok. Sounds like I may want to move it to an area with better soil and more moisture. Not easy to just "tuck in" a plant that takes up 4 feet by 4 feet !!

I'll have to give BMC another try. The foliage and size are just amazing. My guess is I didn't help it enough in getting properly established.

I almost forgot to make mention of Oenothera speciosa hardy in zones 5-9. Pink Evening primroses are useful in a wide variety of semi-wild garden settings: in rock gardens, wildflower meadows, and naturalistic borders and along the edges of roads and trails. These flowers are best planted where you don't mind them spreading around a bit. In my garden they are almost like a weed. It has thrived in my garden for 20 years. They always reappear somewhere in my garden and are easy to pull and relocate if need be.

Yes, I like these and they do spread all over the place here too.

Pink evening primrose look good in mass



also good with catmint and neither need much care

Very nice combination, Cinda. I love the way the Evening Primrose spreads. It's one of my faves too.

Thanks for the pix Cinda. Really does look pretty with the purple.

Your welcome, kinda missing the garden about now suppose to be 11 degrees tonight.

18º here. It won't get but a degree or so above freezing today and then back down tonight. But warming later in the week. I guess we'll just appreciate our yards and gardens that much more come Spring.

Just checked the weather here high of 22 with flurries and now a low of 4. Every time I check they keep dropping it. Do not think walk with dog will be fun tonight , morning walk was cold enough.

14 today and 60 on Saturday. I will need to walk the garden and check for heaving. Perennials need dormancy and tend to heave here when we have freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw.

That's something I always have to check the Heuchera for , they do not have large root systems and heave easily.

I think my Heuchera is the worst plant for heaving ,especially the first year.
I have already noticed some , hate to disturb them so late, I just add some dirt and a bit more mulch .
What do you do ?

I've had a few plants heave out of the ground. I stepped on them. It worked. I'm not much for coddling plants, especially in cold weather. I don't do cold very well.

Karen

I just step on them too although I hate to compact the soil.

I step all around it trying not step on plant itself. Also before deep freeze I put heavy mulch around each plant trying to keep it off of the crowns . But you need to pull it back before spring growth to avoid crown rot .In the spring I replant the ones that heaved during winter. I find most Heuchera do better if you dig up and divide every 3rd spring.

I haven't had any long enough to divide them!

They seem to be pretty tough.