My neighbor gave me some large snapdragons that are bright yellow. She told me they are going to be tall, and I want to plant them in a pot that I’ll keep on the front step. I don’t know what to plant with it, since it is a large barrel-type pot, and I would like it to continue to look nice all summer.
My new Fine Gardening magazine just came in the mail this week. A headline story is “Everything Goes With Peach.” I can just see some huge peach canna lilies — yellow and peach, doesn’t that sounds sunny and summery? At the garden center, place a few colorful things in your basket, see how they look together, change plants around until you find your own pleasing combination. Pay attention to the growing needs of each. I can see something green and spiky; I like to use the leaves of daylilies. I’m not too fond of the bloom, but frequently dig up a clump of leaves and place it in a pot with soil; they usually stay nice all summer. I can move it around the garden to where I need something green and spiky as a filler. Now I’m picturing some in your barrel, adding greenery, and maybe some peach miniature roses near the bottom along with some peachy bacopa and asparagus fern. Cute, huh?
Scotch broom. There is a green plant we’ve seen growing in town that we thought was so nice. I thought I would like to have some in our rock garden until the garden worker told me it’s a broom plant. I was shocked — my dad has been fighting Scotch broom forever. I’m sure he won’t want any of that in his new rock garden.
Scotch broom is just one species of the Cytisus genus of brooms. It is C. scoparius that has given broom plants the bad name. Actually, there are some fine brooms and what we might call members of the genus Genista better-behaved. These brooms are of a clan that are more welcome in gardens. They are less aggressive and are not invasive. They require good drainage, tolerate rocky or infertile soil and require little water and care after becoming established. They are considered fine candidates for rock gardens. I can well imagine your family’s being pleased with a selection from the Genista broom clan in the new rock garden.
Celeste Lindsay is a WSU-certified master gardener. Send questions to mslindsay8@gmail.com.
