Flopping Calla Lillies

[ninnymary]

For some reason my calla lillies flop. Especially these that get a lot of sun. The ones in the shady garden seem to do better. Do yours flop? Why do mine?

I'd like to keep them there since they soften the fountain but I'm getting tired of them flopping. In the past I've tried tying them but all they do is lean forward on the string and don't look that great. They seem to do this as they age.

If I decide to move them, what do you suggest I plant there? I think I need something around 3 feet tall. They would be planted between my 2 semi-dwarf fruit trees. I don't want something wide since I need to leave about a foot by the iron fence to be able to get in there.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Mary, I would do a mixed planting of polemonium (Jacobs Ladder), hostas and some heucherella (check out the "Sweet Tea" heucherella). That would be a nice mix of textures and blooms. These will all do nicely in that spot, and in your climate can take full sun. There are lots of variations in each of those plant families so it would be fun to combine the perfect set!

 

[Nyboy]

Looks like the prefect spot to relax after work.

 

[lesa]

What about those plant cages? I have one around my peonies. Do you think that would work? You would need to put it on, before they got too tall.

 

[Smart Red]

Never planted calla lilies so I can't help. Just wanted to say how lovely that spot looks!

 

[Nyboy]

I was just given a pot of them, they have a plastic cage around them. I like the leaves on this one, yellow spots all over like they where spattered in pant.

 

[Smart Red]

I was just given a pot of them, they have a plastic cage around them. I like the leaves on this one, yellow spots all over like they where spattered in pant.

Oh for goodness sake, Nyboy! "I like the leaves on this one" with no picture to see what "this one" looks like? I kept waiting for the photo to load. . . . and waiting and waiting. Sigh!

On the other hand, I should have pics soon of some pink daffies I received last fall from some wonderful TEG member. Just saying.

 

[Carol Dee]

I never managed to grow any calla lily. But think the supports they sell for peonies would work great. Set them over the lily and ley the grow through the grid.

 

[ninnymary]

Lesa, I don't think that would work. They flop because they have finished blooming. In a couple months they will start growing again and bloom later on. I like them because I can have something there 10 months of the year.

Smart Red, you are no help.

Nyboy, same as Smart Red. I got the one your talking about last year but this year I saw only one leaf. It got smothered by the older ones.

thistle, those choral bells are beautiful but they are too short. I want something to reach the top of the water basin.

I just cut them down and the area looks much neater. I really like them when full and in bloom. Maybe I'll just put a tall recangular pot in front of them of some of thistle's suggestions.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Well the idea was something like a few of those tall hostas in the background, with a polemonium nearby and the heucherella in the foreground. Of course it's not easy to tell the size of the area you're planting from the photo. It may look bigger than it is.