Hallson Gardens

I'm planning to order some coneflowers in many colors. What should I plant behind them?

To be specific:



Sunrise, Sunset, and Twilight from Wayside Gardens



Summer Sky from Wayside Gardens

How about something in the blue color range to tie together those wonderful new Echinacea colors...

Like Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Caryopteris or Perovskia? Buddleia would be my first choice.

You're confirming my original thoughts. I'll see if others are in agreement with us.

Mid, I don't have any pictures of my Sunset and Sunrise. I got them in a co-op last year. I had ordered Twilight, but it didn't make it. Most of twilight from the co-op did not survive so baby that one!

They did not grow real tall their first year, I'm hoping they will take off this year. I planted Ageratum leilani blue around them last summer. It is an annual and is a taller floss flower. It is about 15 inches. It really did look nice. So I think your idea of putting them next to 'blue' is perfect.

Not sure if Wayside has it or not, but I prefer the Harvest Moon echinacea over the Twilight and the Sunset. A very unique color!

mooie

mooie wrote:Not sure if Wayside has it or not, but I prefer the Harvest Moon echinacea over the Twilight and the Sunset. A very unique color!

mooie

Thanks. I might have to get Harvest Moon, too.

toomanyanimals wrote:Mid, I don't have any pictures of my Sunset and Sunrise. I got them in a co-op last year. I had ordered Twilight, but it didn't make it. Most of twilight from the co-op did not survive so baby that one!

They did not grow real tall their first year, I'm hoping they will take off this year. I planted Ageratum leilani blue around them last summer. It is an annual and is a taller floss flower. It is about 15 inches. It really did look nice. So I think your idea of putting them next to 'blue' is perfect.

Oh, yes, I've planted that ageratum before. And I'm sorry to hear about Twilight. I wonder if anyone else has had any success with it in the north.

I don't know that Twilight has trouble surving in the north, just didn't like being shipped.

I think I might have gotten Harvest Moon in that co-op too. I know I got one of each they were offering. I also got 'Kim's Kneehigh'. That one is just cute.

Enjoy them!

Twilight seems to struggle. I got mine from Gardencrossings last spring and it did get a few blooms but did not grow alot.

In fact, I was not sure it would survive the winter. I posted these feeling on Garden Watchdog and they contacted me and sent me another plant. I potted this one to bring with me to new house. It is in the garage and still seems to be alive though dormant.

I just don't think it is as vigorous as the others and slow growing.

Claudia

Claudai, thanks for letting us know how Twilight has done for you. I will think twice about trying it again.

I'm grateful for that information, too, Claudia.

I only have one of the new hybrids so far. I planted mine in front of a Quickfire hydrangea. The color echo there was good, though it was the first year for both plants. In the immediate area are several blues...nepeta, salvia, and later the carypoteris picks up the blue. I also have some asiatic lilies in the same color family as the echinacea, and some good ol' Stella d'Oro daylilies.
A friend has all the new hybrids she could find, and has them planted with grasses and native plants. It's a wonderful sight!
Linda P

Midnight... whatever you choose to plant behind them, make certain that plant is tall enough. Many of my cone flowers that I have grown from seed are significantly taller than what was stated on the seed packaging.

Oh, my. I think I'll have to stick with the butterfly bush. That's the tallest plant I can think of.

Linda P wrote:I only have one of the new hybrids so far. I planted mine in front of a Quickfire hydrangea. Linda P

I've never heard of the Quickfire hydrangea; I'll have to look that up.

Well, I've gone and ordered another Echinacea ... 'Coconut Lime'. White double-flowering Echinacea, blooms should get to 30" ht. Sure hope it does well here.

If you're ordering the plants as opposed to seed they should be from tissue culture, otherwise sellers couldn't use those names. If they are the Saul's plants they will likely be from a lab in Forida or somewhere and then bought as little plugs later to be sold by one of their wholesalers.

I'd recommend Salvia guaranitica (you would likely have to lift it or heavily mulch to survive your winters, but they are hardier than advertised as is most everything with good drainage). It would be plenty tall and meet your color scheme. Also it is one of the best (if not the best) hummingbird plants around. You'd have hummers and butterflies galore in that mix. They're very easy to overwinter, very attractive, and readily available. It would look fabulous.

I worked in my beds yesterday for the first time this year. My Harvest Moon I planted last year has alot of new growth already! So does the Orange Meadowbrite. Amazing to me since even my regular purple, and Magnus are showing nothing yet. It is still very early here, so I was surprised to see anything! But it looks like Harvest Moon has at least doubled in size, if not more. I planted a Twilight last year, too, so I am curious to see. I had a few in pots for longer than I liked last year and they seem to be especially sensitive to the crowns being too deep.

toomanyanimals wrote:Well, I've gone and ordered another Echinacea ... 'Coconut Lime'. White double-flowering Echinacea, blooms should get to 30" ht. Sure hope it does well here.

WOW! That one is BEAUTIFUL!