Comments on: Midsummer Gems from Linden Hill

By: Sue

Sue — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:49:37 +0000

Hi Nan,
I’m still exploring blotanical blogs. There were so many cool plants in this post, I hope I can remember which ones I wanted to comment on. I have grown the clary type of salvia you have the different colors of before, but think I had them too far apart. I love how you have different colors growing with the nigella. Nigella doesn’t always reseed for me, but it did last year, and I’m hoping I’ll have even more next year.

Foxgloves haven’t lived many seasons for me, either, but I was pleased with the ones that came back and bloomed again this year. I may plant some more just in case.

I’ve grown an annual balsam before, but have forgotten about it lately. I’ll have to check on it before trying it again. I’m not sure if it was the kind you have there. I do try to avoid invasive plants.

Thanks, Sue! I’ll bet that you were growing garden balsam (Impatiens balsamina), which is a generous self-sower but apparently nowhere near as serious a problem as the Himalayan balsam can be in some areas.
-Nan

By: Blackswampgirl Kim

Blackswampgirl Kim — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 03:47:37 +0000

Gorgeous as always, Nan! I have that same fruit-loop-colored coleus, but mine had a different cultivar name on it–I’ll have to dig up the tag and see what it said. I really adore that millet (now that I know it starts out chartreuse and ends up black, anyway!) and the ‘African Bride’ nigella are pretty, too.

I assume those are nigella seedpods mixed in with your clary sage mix, too, correct? If so, which one–I didn’t realize that the seed pods were such a cool shade of wine/red, but now that I know… :)

If you check back, Kim, do let me know about the coleus. I’m hoping maybe it’s the same thing but with a new, zippier cultivar name. And yes, the purple pods are nigella, from a strain called ‘Cramer’s Plum’ (white flowers but solid purple pods instead of striped ones). Let me know if you want some seed!
-Nan

By: Rob B

Rob B — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:51:37 +0000

Isn’t the African Bride nigella fun? I’m growing it for the first time this year too, and have been having fun documenting the flowers’ various stages. As for the ceratotheca self-seeding – it does for me, nowadays. The first couple times I grew it, nary a volunteer the following year. So I guess it depends on where they’re planted.

We have similar tastes in cool plants, Rob. Thanks for your observation about the ceratotheca. The white one seeded both here and at work, and I hope the purple will do the same.
-Nan