Tag Archives: Echinacea

Right plant right place

Right plant right place?

Right plant right place
You’ve heard the adage before. You may have the RHS tome that describes what plants will grow in what conditions.  Right plant, right place makes it sound like any given plant will only grow when the conditions are perfect.

And there are some that are just like that. But there are many more that are extremely tolerant and can be put virtually anywhere.

You can try some plants in lots places, and they might just grow. Don’t be slave to convention, try moving a few around. Repeating a plant in design helps link it together, regardless of soil condition.

I happen to have three plants in my garden that are “fillers”. They grow everywhere, and I use them to fill gaps until I have the plants and the plan to create the bed properly.

These fillers are Crocosmia Masoniorum – montbretia -; a prolific pink flowered cranesbill – Geranium; and a knee-high yellow Hemerocallis – day lilly.

As an experiment I have tried them out in every condition I have. From full shade – wet or dry – to full sun damp next to the pond or dry under the umbrella of a conifer. And to varying extents they all work.

And its not just limited to these three. Many others work well in three or four places. They do need support to get established in the drier areas though.

Right plant, only place

Those that I can only get to survive in one place include Echinacea. I have grown hundreds from seed, only to be disappointed year after year when they fail to reappear. I have therefore This has forced me to condition the soil quite precisely before planting them. This year I will try to get them into more places, making sure the drainage is sharp. And that there is some protection from frost. And I will stick to the tried and trusted standard purple and white flowered varieties. Not one of the other yellow, red or orange ones has ever survived wherever I have planted them.

Right plant right place
I stick to the purple and white varieties now

So don’t be put off if your garden conditions don’t meet what the Right plant, right place book says they must be for a plant to grow.

As long as they have some decent soil that meets gardeners paradox No1 – well drained, moisture retaining – try them anywhere. So long as the soil has some life in it there is a good chance plants will grow in it.