[gardeners] Not Hardy In My Zone
Cheryl & Erich Schaefer (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 9 Oct 1997 10:19:46 -0400
Prompted by what Margaret said, I thought an interesting thread would be
the success you may or may not have had with plants not supposed to be
hardy in your particular zone.
This year I'm trying a hydrangea hardy to zone 6; I think it's Nikko Blue,
taken from my brother's garden downstate. I've had a truly black grass in
the garden for several years now, very low growing, which isn't suppposed
to live here (whose botanical name escapes me at the moment,) yet I have a
hard time keeping chrysanthemums - what is the new "proper" name? - alive
from one year to the next even though they are deemed hardy here. The
buddleias which are iffy in zone 5 are so far returning (after 3 tries)
but, of course, are cut back to the ground each season in this area. My
next challenge will be the new hardier camellias (zones 6 & 7) but I'm not
reckless enough to do it with expensive shrubs until we prepare the
sheltered spot behind and immediately adjacent to the east side of our
concrete block barn.
Re the buddleia/vitex from seed info, thanks, Margaret. If your vitex has
seed, I'd appreciate some. I love growing things that supposedly won't grow
in my zone, even if I have nothing to do with its success beyond a little
mulch and pleading.
Cheryl Schaefer, Schaefer Yarns
Beautiful hand painted fibers
schaefer@epix.net
Zone 5 in the fabulous Finger Lakes of NY