Try, Try, Try Again

Gardeners are eternal optimists. No matter what the weather throws at us, oil delivery trucks that drive through our flower beds or telephone pole installation crews stomping through our gardens, we persevere.

If a plant doesn't grow for me I take it as a personal challenge. Many times it's because I didn't research the plant well and put it in the wrong kind of conditions.

At my last house I tried Bergenia, I don't remember it doing anything special there. About 10 years ago I bought Bergenia again and planted it out front in one of my shade beds. It languished, still throwing up one or two leaves a year but never blooming. I've read about this plant thriving in other gardens but still walked past it every time I saw it for sale.

So what changed my mind this year? I've started to read the tags on the pots, not just scan them but really read them. By looking at all the information I saw that this plant was grown right here on Long Island out on the north fork. If it can grow there it should certainly be able to grow in my garden. So try, try again, this time with more sun, less tree roots and lots of nice rotted compost. By the way, the nick name of this plant is "Pig Squeek" and if you rub the leaves together they really do sound like a pig.

Podophyllum hexandrum are easier to remember as "May Apples". About 5 years ago I planted a pot of these in the wooded lot along the side of my house. It was a lousy spot, no water during dry spells, maple tree root competition and no sun what so ever when those Maples leafed out.

I decided to take out the small struggling pieces and move them to the back to my larger shade bed. Grow baby, grow!

Last year I did the same with a small piece of my Sanguinaria canadensis (double bloodroot). In one year it has increased more than the entire "clump" grew out front. I can't wait to see what's there next year now!

I'm off to rent a truck so I can go pick up pots and potting soil being donated for our plant sale. Since I've never driven a truck before I'd appreciate it if everybody decided not to drive on Long Island today. Thank you.