Wet and Dry - Liatris Spicata

I have just been reading a book by Beth Chatto, in which she talks about Liatris Spicata as a choice plant for growing in her dry garden. And I am sure she is right! But it is also described in other places as a bog garden plant. Does anyone know it it really will tolerate both extremes?

Are there any other plants that are both dry garden and bog garden plants at the same time. I have a feeling Hemerocallis is.

 

I used to have kniphofia in a very dry part of the garden, and they thrived. I had to dig some of them out and dumped them in a barrel until I could think of something better. The barrel gradually filled up with rainwater and they survived and bloomed quite happily.

 

I have found Liatris liable to crown rot in wet ground. Mind you I haven't had a heap of luck with them anywhere. Good luck!

 

Thanks Liz and Jazid. That's interesting about the Kniphofia. I suspect it will be difficult to get examples of this as no one in their right mind is going to try a bog garden plant in very dry soil or vice versa. But there are obviously some plants that can take both.

 

Must admit I haven't had my Liaris here in Portugal, thrived like nobody's business in Bucks but the Knipiofia I had in Bucks and was a beaut every every. Planted three here about three years ago, must admit under the almond tree, and they just thrive and bloom. I rarely think to water them so they take what they can get from the earth .. outside my garden walls. Only thing here is with the heat they don't bloom as long.

 

I've grown both white (Liatris pycnostachya 'Alba') and the purple variety (spicta). Don't know about bog or drought but I do know they are hardy. No problems with last winter. Left them in the ground and some are just begining to show white and purple tips.

 

Frogesque, thats way behind mine, which are already 10 inches high and I can feel flower buds, which is on the same timetable as last year. But I lifted mine over winter and kept them in a summerhouse, as I understood that they were not that hardy and we were expecting a bad winter. That may have given them a boost, as many things seem to be later this year. They are obviously hardier than I gave them credit for.

Edit: I read your post as implying the tips were only just emerging from the ground. On re-reading I think you are talking of flower tips - so ignore above comments. My apologies.

[ 16. June 2006, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: PeterS ]

 

Yep it's the flower spikes that are begining to show colour. Probably about 5" tall just now. When I planted them in spring last year they took forever to show and it was late autumn before they showed their true worth. This year they're much further forward so maybe they don't like disturbance.