How to plant with early blooming summer plants..

[SarahFair]

I just bought some Canterbury Bells and I have some Bellflower Complete.

They bloom early summer. I dont know what to do about that..

After they bloom are they just going to be a tall green back border, are they going to die off leaving me a big bare spot? What could I plant infront of them?

Will they take morning shade and afternoon sun?

 

[digitS']

Sarah, I really enjoy having Canterbury Bells and they do bloom early - with the Sweet Williams and Shasta Daisies, here.

Shade? They will take a good deal of shade but you will probably have to provide them with some supports as they stretch to find the light. Better to have morning sun and afternoon shade than the other way around, for just about anything.

Canterbury Bells have very large flowers and when they "go" - they leave large "brown" flowers. Dead-heading will help but you gotta look at them and be willing to just step in and snap them right off to where they aren't an ugly distraction rather than a bright beauty.

Self-seeding is a possibility but you gotta put up with ugly, brown flowers. Also, in my garden, Canterbury Bells will develop some "babies" that can survive and flower again. They will probably benefit from thinning.

I find it better to sow purchased seeds each year for next year's blooms. They are really quite easy to start, indoors early or outdoors, in a quiet corner of the garden. They can be transplanted late in the growing season to where you want them to bloom during the following year.

Pulling the plant out after it blooms makes sense, even if it is just to give the neighbors some room. If you don't want to do that, cutting it near the ground level should encourage it to produce a cushion of babies which will, at least, give you some green there amongst your other ornamentals.

Steve

 

[SarahFair]

Will they work behind lilies?
They are close to the same size but since lilies bloom later would the lilies grow slower giving the bellflower plenty of time to show its flowers?

 

[digitS']

Lots of different kinds of lilies, Sarah. Some are tall, some not so tall.

I always get the names mixed up - Asiatic/Oriental. Let's see if I've got this right:

Asiatic lilies will probably bloom before your Canterbury Bells. Oriental lilies will bloom later and on into August.

I don't really have anything "in front of" the bells. Foxglove grows beside. Some Gaillardia grows across the way and may be a good choice to fill in and provide blooms for the rest of the season.

Steve

 

[SarahFair]

I was planning on planting foxglove actually. I was planning on putting them behind some coneflowers.

Could I mix the bellflowers in there somewhere?

I have the lilies that bloom July-aug

 

[vfem]

I was planning on planting foxglove actually. I was planning on putting them behind some coneflowers.

Could I mix the bellflowers in there somewhere?

I have the lilies that bloom July-aug

I have foxglove next to my coneflower... my coneflower is actually overwhelming large compared to my foxglove. But I have 3 lobe-coneflower which really bush out.

Remember foxglove is biennial and will need to be replanted if they don't self-sow each 2 years.

 

[SarahFair]

If I were to mix the Canterbury (the early bloomer) with Zinnias (midsummer on bloomers) how would I do that?

Could I plant one row of canterbury one row of Zinnias or do I put Zinnias on the left and Canterbury on the right or do I do all Canterbury in the back and all Zinnias in front?


Since Zinnias are later bloomers does that mean they will grow slower giving the Canterbury time for a nice display??

 

[lesa]

I personally do not like "rows" in the flower garden. I prefer a few little groups of flower and plants. Try to put the taller plants in the back and shorter in the front. Have you ever seen a flower garden that was ugly? I do my best to make a plan, but I am always amazed at the way nature rearranges my ideas. I say give your ideas a try, see how you like it- make a note, if you want to change it next year! The very plant you are planning on being the centerpiece of your garden, may not make you happy. For me, gardening is an ongoing experiment! Enjoy!

 

[SarahFair]

I personally do not like "rows" in the flower garden. I prefer a few little groups of flower and plants. Try to put the taller plants in the back and shorter in the front. Have you ever seen a flower garden that was ugly? I do my best to make a plan, but I am always amazed at the way nature rearranges my ideas. I say give your ideas a try, see how you like it- make a note, if you want to change it next year! The very plant you are planning on being the centerpiece of your garden, may not make you happy. For me, gardening is an ongoing experiment! Enjoy!

I have actually grown and ugly flower garden...
I dont know what happend... I just turned out so ugly I ended pulling all of it up well before fall even began to think about starting...

 

[lesa]

I don't believe it!! How ugly can a flower be?? Try not to over think this. I still say, start with something easy for the "bones" of your bed. Maybe, grasses, daylilies, iris, daisys, black-eyed susans...then add your special stuff. This way, even if everything does not go as planned, you'll still have color and interest...