As I have been systematically weeding, cleaning, and thinning my beds I have had quite a bit of time to contemplate my selection of perennials. Some have driven me mad by "overly thriving". I am having to make decisions on what to keep and what to jettison.
Last year I removed all my clumps of ruella humulis. It was pretty but I did not care for how it flopped all over AND it was a horrible reseeder. I still find seedlings coming up all over. Brazilian verbena is the same. I had just two single stalks of it last year and I have MILLIONS of seedlings coming up. Never again. I'm done with it!
This past week I made the decision to remove my last stand of sedum acre. I love it. But it just is too invasive. I also removed another NOID sedum. I liked it (except the yellow blooms). I knew it would spread easily and it filled in some spaces nicely. But I did not know that it would RESEED all over!! I guess that would have be just ok if it were fancy in color but it was just plain green. Now I have some space for some more colorful ground covers.
Last year I winter sowed tall Sweet William. I put it in two beds last fall in a hurry. Well this year it is big and both are in the wrong place. Also, it was a mix and some of the colors clashed. After a bit of debating I pulled out one stand. And I think the other stand will come out when it comes time to plant other things. My real estate is just too valuable.
Helliopsis, Agastache Golden Jubilee and Agastache Globetrotter are three other things that reseed like crazy. But they get to stay. I like all of them too much and the seedlings are easy enough to pull.
I used to love day lilies and was in danger of becoming a collector. But it did not take very long for my first round of stands to mature and become too much to handle with the space I have. So I keep thinning the ones I have but no longer am tempted to add new varieties. Plus, they just don't bloom long enough for me.
And finally iris. Ah iris! Again, I am in danger of becoming a collector. Again, something that multiplies quickly for me. Again, something that just does not bloom for very long in the season. But I love them! They seem to thrive anywhere I toss them. I never buy iris. There are plenty of people willing to giving away their thinnings.
What are your perennial love hate relationships?
