When the slowpokes become the stars


This is the other thing I like about mail order. Many of the plants I've been getting from Bluestone and Select Seed are very small when they arrive in May-much smaller than anything you'd see in a nursery. (In fact, most shoppers would be appalled at the thought of paying for these.)

In the case of Bluestone, I might not really see any action until next year, as is happening with the rudbeckia maxima. But with some of the plants, including this Prairie Glow from Select Seeds, they are just beginning to show their stuff now, when, believe me, I could really use the color.

And thank you, whomever is creating new rudbeckia, for giving us these softer colors and taller plants. (The Prairie Glow is easily 4'.) I would never consider bringing another Goldsturm into my garden, but these mingle well with tall purple and white flowers.

Comments

firefly said…
I like smaller plants too -- it's a lot easier to dig a shallow hole for a seedling than a huge crater for a 3-gallon shrub, especially with all the tree roots in the yard.

I've been very pleasantly surprised by both Bluestone's and Select Seeds' plants -- a lot of them do manage at least a little bloom their first year, even some of the perennials started from seed.
Unknown said…
Very nice rudbeckia--I haven't seen it before. My favourite is the towering Herbstsonne (currently about 6 1/2 feet tall in my garden, and just forming flowerheads) but I also like one called Prairie Sun. And I have a neat double one that I must find the name of (possibly Cherokee Sunset)--coneflowers, rudbeckia and ratibida are all welcome here, because the butterflies and birds seem to find them irresistable.
Carol Michel said…
Good things comes to those who wait, right? That is an unusual flower, I'll have add it to "my list".
Kylee Baumle said…
I'll have to check out 'Prairie Glow.' That's a nice one that will go great with many of the other flowers in my garden.
lisa said…
I've been really happy with my Select Seeds annuals, and they were actually bigger than local-bought. But the perennials can be very slow to get going...very nice plant you have there, worth waiting for to be sure!

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