nobleheart: they are very subtle

WatfordFC: How's your plant doing? I did get my Wavy Petunia replaced.There was know saving the other plant it was too root bound.I never thought of splitting it in half and making two plants.

Foxy Lady: well it looks ok its still got colour to it, so i suppose thats a good sign lol. Just abit disgruntled as to why my hydrainga (sp) has started flowering yet

WatfordFC: Hmmmmmm when it doubt i look it up.I had to look up about my blueberry bush it needed acidic soil,now it's doing great i give it my left over coffee grounds and water it.

Foxy Lady: Last year when it flowered it was abolutely gorgeous, but this year i think bugs have been attacking it.

WatfordFC:Hydrangeas need to be cut back fairly ruthlessly after flowering to give a good display next year.Could this be your problem?

skipinnz: Thanks for the tidbit on Hydrangeas. This is year two for me trying them ( taking them from old mothers day potted plants an putting them in the ground) had beautiful purple blooms last year an just learning now about acid soil and now that affects the colour of the blooms. Ive got 4 now in my flower bed, only one is showing the start of flower buds. So when you say to cut them back ruthlessly, can you elaborate? These are only about 6 to 9 inches high in my flower beds now

Rose:Once the flowers have gone all brown and ugly, I cut that flower stalk back to the last leaf and thats where the new growth will come away from next season

skipinnz: Thanks for that! I love the flowers on them. Very pretty and I had no idea until last year that we could even grow them here with out rough winters!
I'm going all perennial now so am learning tons about different plants from poppy to hollyhocks and even lavender. Lots of fun!

Rose: Well I hope your seasons don't turn upside down like ours are at present. I've got Daffs coming out and it's winter, they won't last long it's getting mighty cold at nights.

skipinnz: Your into Winter where are you from.Were just getting into Summer and our veggie gardens are behind due to our weather.

Foxy Lady:Other side of the world New Zealand. Though we don't get as severe a winter as you get over there. My vegie garden produces all year round, just limited a bit during winter.

skipinnz: Where i live its a very short Summer and our growing time is less than 3 months.

Skipinnz:
You are absolutely right about the fact that one should never prune hydrangea until their blooms have died.  I prefer to wait until the following fall. The flowers buds are only produced on last years growth. To cut any hydrangea back  limits it's  potential, especially if they are newly planted.

Therefore
 Rose:P Be patient. I have seen some Easter Lilies and Mother's Day Hydrangeas turn into beautiful monstrous shrubs any gardener would be proud to own.

skipinnz: No i dont think so, the guy that does my garden cut it right back at the end of flowering season last year, the leaves have litle holes in them, so definately been attacked by some bugs. I have put some pellets around the base of the bush and saturated it in Miraclegro, so hopefully that will help.

WatfordFC:Sorry to hear that I can only assume they were cut back to soon. It works for us each year, but the plants do look really tatty when we prune them.

skipinnz: Yes mine looked tatty as well once they had been pruned back. I will keep at it anyway, and feed them once a fortnight and jsut hope soon it will flower. Last year i had the most amazing colours from them.

WatfordFC: Rose posted a product called Neem that is safe to use.It's back a few pages.Be careful with that MiracleGro i got carried away once and burnt my plant.

Foxy Lady: I did too with miracleGro.
I use a similar product now but very diluted every few weeks to the plants that are in pots as they dont get the natural minerals from the soil
NEEM. is by far the best all natrual product Ive ever used. kills bugs somehow by cutting off their air, doesnt harm birds or cats. I just neemed my hedge and have totally gotten rid of the red lily beetle by using it.
You can buy it at all good nuseries and online

Rose: I had posted a comment right after you posted about the Neem,that was deleted.I'll post it again .I bought the Neem but never got to use it my hubby is very funny,were now using black and red pepper .So far i gotta say the rabbits are leaveing the garden alone.

Foxy Lady: Miracle Grow doesn't work on bald heads though so it's a bit of false advertising.

Groucho:

Foxy Lady: Yeah, yeah. ;) I knew that. Ok, for a legitimate question: What are some of the best plants that do will in shade and partial shade (is there a difference between partial shade and partial sunlight??)

;)

Groucho: I know i'm going to spell this wrong but i find impatience's do well in the shade.All living things need light but some flowers will wilt in sunlight.

Groucho:

Are you looking for annuals or perennials for your shady spot?  Any type of fern would be lovely although they do not flower.
 

Spicieangel:

are you going to keep them inside or outside?  What is the climate etc? Orchids can attach themselves to driftwood but need a little special care

ajtgirl: my drift wood is very large and it provides a border for my yucca plants, i live in Virginia near the chesapeake bay its 1 pm and 91 right so thats an idea of our temps im looking for something simple to care for

spicieangel:
.Do those yuccas survive the winters there?

If so you might be able to add a lot of tropicals around them

ajtgirl: what winter?? lol no it doesnt get to cold and we hardly ever have any snow being so close to the bay. So my yuccas survive very well.

spicieangel:

I wonder if you could plant some orchids on your driftwood, if your winters are so mild.  You don't really plant them, more like attach them with some moss and wire or string and the roots grow into the crevases.

ajtgirl: I'm looking for low maintanence ;)

Groucho:

Ferns, daylillies, astilbe, hosta

ajtgirl: hehe Those are NO maintenance not low maintenance! hehe. I have 4 astilibe's that just go nuts every year and get bigger and bigger. They are sooo pretty!

Rose: I'm on board with that!! ;)

Groucho: You cant go wrong with astilbe's and hostas. I call hostas, elephant ear plants! And so many varieties with whites and greens thru them.
No matter what type of weather you have they grow well, even up north here!

Rose: thanks ;)