New echinaceas - 1

re: New echinaceas - 1

Graham Rice — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:49:16 GMT

Art's Pride is notoriously difficult to keep going, I'd say 'Harvest Moon' is more robust than most. It will be interesting to see how these seed-raised forms overwinter - be sure to keep and divide any that sail through the winter without problems.

re: New echinaceas - 1

Martin Blow — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:09:41 GMT

We garden in Cheshire on very sandy loam - so yes well drained. However we do very well with Heleniums and other moisure loving daisies. We've tried and lost Art's Pride on a number of occasions. Echinacea Sunrise has survived 3 years now and is only just making a good plant. The answer seems to be lots of compost and not overcrowding.

re: New echinaceas - 1

Graham Rice — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:48:18 GMT

What part of the country are you in, Martin? Is your soil well-drained?

re: New echinaceas - 1

Martin Blow — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:08:53 GMT

To be honest the newer Echinacea varieties available in Britain don't perform very well for us - slow to establish, shy to flower and not very hardy. Added to this Razzamatazz is a really dirty pink - not very desirable! In our part of the country you can't beat the old varieties Rubinstern and White Swan for performance.

re: New echinaceas - 1

Graham Rice — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:41:32 GMT

One thing to keep in mind, sue-chan, is that the newer colours - yellow, orange, scarlet etc - tend to insist on good winter drainage.

re: New echinaceas - 1

sue-chan — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:31:34 GMT

Hi Graham - Yes, I really fell for this particular echinicea variety. Not so happy with the razzamtazz - it's a bit much, if you ask me. :) But this dreamcoat has lovely colours....

I'm a huge echnicea fan, partially because they are perennials and that they are fairly easy to grow once you drive the slugs away. I'll let you know how the dreamcoat does - a packet is already sitting on my kitchen table...

re: New echinaceas - 1

Graham Rice — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:06:50 GMT

You're right, Dermot, 'Razzmatazz' in particular grows tall and the stems often fail to support the flowers. The similar 'Pink Double Delight' is both shorter and sturdier and more recent doubles like 'Hot Papaya' and 'Pink Poodle' are also a little shorter.

In fact. they key to ensuring that the stems support the heavy double flowers is not so much the thickness and strength of the stem itself but the strength of the junction between the stem and the crown of the plant.

re: New echinaceas - 1

Foxnfirefly — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:23:02 GMT

Thanks, Mr. Rice!!

re: New echinaceas - 1

Dermot — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:42:26 GMT

Yes, but don't they just get too tall and fall over? Especially the double flowered varieties.

re: New echinaceas - 1

Graham Rice — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:32:04 GMT

Over here in Britain, Cameron, echinaceas have not been in the top ten of perennials until the last few years when the many new varieties have captured everyone's attention. Unfortunately, Mr Fothergill's Seeds are not available in the USA, although a limited selection from their range is availabvle in Canada at http://www.fothergills.ca

As to the red ones, Foxnfirefly, seed is not available but 'Tomato Soup', an excellent new scarlet variety from the USA, will be available from plants next year - at present the only supplier I can confirm is FuturePrimitive Plants (www.futureprimitiveplants.co.uk.

re: New echinaceas - 1

Foxnfirefly — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:34:22 GMT

Wow--a rainbow in a seed packet!! "Dreamcoat" is amazing, but how bad do we want to go? It's an "Alice in Wonderland" effect. Are the red ones actually available separately?? I am eagerly awaiting to see the next new ones!!! Thanks for posting!!

re: New echinaceas - 1

DefiningYourHome — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:30:31 GMT

I know what you mean about the popularity of echinacea! My stories are also the most visited (along with deer resistant gardening).

Thank you for listing the source and planting information, too.

Being in the USA, I thoroughly enjoying visiting your blog to see what's happening in the UK. My son has an archaeology graduate school degree from UCL in London.

Cameron

Defining Your Home Garden

Chapel Hill, NC USA