Thursday, April 22, 2010

I didn’t need that $16 Rodgersia after all!

At the Hardy Plant Society sale last weekend I stared at a beautiful chocolate Rodersia for quite awhile. I finally managed to tear myself away when I realized I was making the owner a little nervous. Of course I had to come back and visit again before I left, one last chance to buy. But I walked away, without it.

Such fabulous foliage, so dark and sexy. My Rodgersia pinnata ‘Chocolate Wings’ was M.I.A. and I couldn’t bear the thought of going without. But there was a little voice inside me saying “wait”…give it a few more days. And guess what I discovered yesterday afternoon, mine’s coming back! I think it tried to make an appearance earlier, I thought I saw it a few weeks back but then when I looked again it was gone. Either I imagined it or the slugs found a tasty snack and nibbled it away. Not this time! I'm protecting it.

Buoyed by that discovery I decided to see if there was other good news lurking around the corner…sure enough! Looks like the Umbrella Palm (Cyperus involucratus) was hardy after all, there are little shoots peaking out of the gravel.And there’s more…my Eucomis ‘Pole-Evansii’ is alive!And (this is the happiest news of all!)…I finally found a little Eucomis ‘Oakhurst’ just starting to peak out of the gravel. I was worried about this one. The front garden had lost so many plants already, if these were gone too summer would be very bare. As an extra bonus turns out the twice dead (winter ’08 and winter ’09) Cordylines are making another appearance! They won’t regain the 7ft+ height they once had but they will be a nice low green spiky shape in the front garden. So don’t give up on your no-show plant quite yet, when you least expect it nature just might reward you!

11 comments:

  1. something about the weather, but in the last few days my dead looking acacia, ginger, and abutilons all are showing life.

    can we please have a normal winter this year?

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  2. What great news! I think our cold spring was responsible for holding things back later than usual. I'm so glad you're finding new shoots...now I'll go home and look for my e. Oakhurst, too!

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  3. There definitely is something to be said about intuition.

    My first Rodgersia was so slow I accidentally killed it trying to plant something else in the spring. The one I have now is much faster to show itself. I suspect that it heard what happened to the first one...

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  4. wow...I'm going to have another poke around ...though last time I think I trampled my May apple...

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  5. Hooray! I tend to wait almost too long, and then have bare spots when things really are dead. I just keep hoping... glad your little (or big, in the Rodgeria's case) friends are coming through!

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  6. Nicole, isn't it!?

    eeldip, congrats on your acacia, ginger, and abutilons! My ginger are still MIA but they usually require a little more warmth to show themselves. God we deserve it! (a normal winter).

    MulchMaid, I hope to hear that you saw signs of life. It's a weird spring because many things are ahead of schedule but then you have the oddities that are behind. Dunno.

    Sylvana, I agree, not that I wouldn't have enjoyed a second plant but I'm trying to be good on the account of the unemployment situation.

    linda, no trampling! Sounds like something I would do...

    Karen, bare spots! But that's what trips to the nursery are for....

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  7. Follow-up: no sign of my Oakhurst. Makes me glad I got three eucomus bulbs from the Rare Plant Research table at HPSO last weekend. But I can't believe I didn't write down the variety!!!

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  8. Hi Loree~~ Hooray! I'm so glad your babies are coming back. It has been my experience that Rogersias seem a bit shy waking up in spring. I thought it was just mine. Since I've begun keeping mine in a pot it's a lot more perky. Congrats on your Eucomis too. Despite all hopes for a better outcome, mine is definitely mush. However like Jane, I've got new bulbs planted. No luck with my Cyperus either, darn it. I found a cool variegated one at Fry Road so I suppose I'll survive. Ha, ha.

    Your Cordy baby is a real surprise, isn't it? How nice that you'll have another go of it with all of these survivors. I bet your gravel topdressing and good drainage made the difference. And of course, your love and encouragement.

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  9. I am as confused by our weather as the plants apparently are. Still holding out hope for some of the crispy critters to snap out of it. This post bolsters my flagging patience. Thanks.

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  10. MulchMaid, that way they will be a surprise! Still only the one tip showing for me...there should be more, I'm trying not to start worrying again.

    Grace, thanks...I will remember that about the Rogersias! I hope you will be sharing pics of your variegated Cyperus!

    ricki, glad I could help!

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