| Author | Content |
dave
Jacksonville, TX
(Zone 8a)
 April 20, 2009
05:45 AM Post #6435761
| There are a total of 375 votes:
| I like being the first in the neighborhood with something new.
(22 votes, 5%) |  |
| My climate or zone is an important factor in what I choose to grow. (why?)
(109 votes, 29%) | |
| I love unusual plants with unique characteristics. (like what?)
(133 votes, 35%) | |
| I grow whatever they sell at the local garden center.
(15 votes, 4%) | |
| I can only grow what is on my HOA approved list.
(0 votes, 0%) | |
| I'm not picky. I grow whatever I can trade for here at DG!
(12 votes, 3%) | |
| I have another reason for choosing the plants and seeds that I do. (tell us!)
(84 votes, 22%) | |
|
Previous Polls |
sempervirens
Northern, NJ
(Zone 6b)
April 20, 2009
06:05 AM Post #6435788
| I choose only plants that are native to my area and am gradually removing all non natives. I also seek out native plant nurseries that are committed to growing native plants.
After reading Doug Tallamys wonderful book "Bringing Nature Home" and hearing him speak at Lehigh University I realized it was critical to use mostly natives to support the local insect population who in turn would support all the other creatures, birds, butterflies, snakes, etc..
It was exciting to see how much difference all the small suburban gardens can make after the birds migrate back in the spring if natives are planted. Some trees, like the oak, support over 400 species of insects compared to the handful supported by non natives. This was a real eye opener for me to see the green movement change the garden too.
|
Hemophobic
Kannapolis, NC
April 20, 2009
07:47 AM Post #6436006
| My reason for choosing the plants I do is simply to try to grow plants I like, including some that might push the limits for my zone, and to grow more different species and cultivars than I have tried in the past. I want to grow as a gardener and experience as many plants as I can. I'm lucky to be in zone 7 which seems to be on the edge for both northern and some southern plants, although my experience with lupines has been frustrating. They simply don't like our heat and humidity.
The gardeners here on DG have been most instrumental in my broadening horizons as a plantswoman! |
plantladyhou
Katy, TX
(Zone 8b)
April 20, 2009
08:22 AM Post #6436092
| Moving into a house that has long been landscaped the way I liked it from the beginning, I have to get plants in that go with what is here and throw in a few different ones, too, that compliment the landscape.
Ann |
Marylyn_TX
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 20, 2009
09:02 AM Post #6436228
| I choose plants that won't mind our heat & humidity and will grow in partial/full shade since we have lots of trees. |
podster
Deep East Texas, TX
(Zone 8a)
April 20, 2009
09:17 AM Post #6436273
| A blend of the above reasons for me...
The "climate & zone" factor for vegetables due to our growing season. Although we can have a spring and a fall garden, I've learned the growing season for both are actually short. I have a few citrus trees also that are affected by the zone.
The "unusual plants with unique characteristics" for the oddity potted plants and bloomers I like to grow. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
postmandug
Bardstown, KY
(Zone 6a)
April 20, 2009
10:15 AM Post #6436529
| Other, light or lack of light is a lot of what I base my purchases and/or trades on. Mostly natives though.
Doug |
woofie
Chewelah, WA
(Zone 5a)
April 20, 2009
10:39 AM Post #6436627
| Since my garden is largely in containers, I look for things that will do well in containers. And I'll TRY just about anything that strikes my fancy! |
LariAnn
Miami, FL
(Zone 10a)
April 20, 2009
10:56 AM Post #6436721
| I grow plants both for enjoyment and for my hybridization work. For enjoyment I choose from a wide variety of colorful plants, with an emphasis on unusual. For my work I choose Alocasias, Philodendrons, Anthuriums and a few other aroids. |
Tallulah_B
(Susan) Calgary, AB
(Zone 3b)
April 20, 2009
11:20 AM Post #6436820
| As well as unusual characteristics, I also like to plant something that no one else has, but of course that wasn't an option LOL
I planted some datura in my front flower garden and had great success with it.
No one else had seen it before, and it's very difficult to find.
I put them at the back of the garden, as they're very large, then plant native plants everywhere else - Daturas are my only non-native ones now. I am going to try a Brugmansia this year, but otherwise I try to do xeroscaping. Luckily these 2 flowers are not only drought resistant, but Dats are self-seeding, and Brugs root from cuttings, so I can always have them grow from year to year.
Neither of them would survive, as plants, in our climate - but they're lovely as annuals! |
Katye
Sammamish, WA
(Zone 7b)
April 20, 2009
12:06 PM Post #6437000
| I like to grow things that I have not grown before. I find it interesting to watch the plant progress through its various stages - gives me a deeper understanding of the plant & its family.
I also like to try things that stretch the flowering season, or food for us & the critters that visit my place.
Mainly, I want to grow it all. |
holeth
Lehigh Valley, PA
(Zone 6a)
April 20, 2009
01:30 PM Post #6437331
| I'm a combo of what sempervirens & woofie said. Luckily, there are natives that can tolerate my containers. ;-) |
zonkel
Florence, MS
(Zone 7b)
April 20, 2009
01:43 PM Post #6437404
| I planted for other reasons, for use, all within zone 7b/8a:
1) fruits and nuts, and some vegetables, for food;
2) native species for wildlife of all types;
3) non--native species for butterflies and hummingbirds;
4) other ornamentals for landscaping;
5) some flowers marginally useful for #3 just because they're fun! |
Katlian
Carson City, NV
(Zone 6b)
April 20, 2009
01:49 PM Post #6437443
| Most of my seed grown plants are veggies except for the few self-sowing annuals in the flower beds. I like unusual flavors, colors, and types of veggies. This spring I planted five colors of carrots, seven types of radishes, and four types of lettuce including green with purple flecks. I think the only color of veggies I don't have is blue but I haven't found any true blue veggies yet.
BTW, I never plant summer squash because we know so many people who always have more than enough and share with us :) |
Resin
Northumberland
United Kingdom
(Zone 9a)
April 20, 2009
02:29 PM Post #6437613
| "I have another reason for choosing the plants and seeds that I do. (tell us!)" – Endangered conifers
Resin
|
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
April 20, 2009
03:52 PM Post #6437989
| I voted 'another reason' as well.
I maintain several heirloom vegetables that are not available commercially. Without the care that I give them to produce pure, viable seed, they might become extinct. |
diamond123
Toledo, OH
(Zone 5b)
April 20, 2009
03:53 PM Post #6437999
| I started with tropicals and really love them and will alway's have some, but my zone is not tropical and that means alot of work for me every year. So I will be downsizing considerably over the next couple of years and adding plants that require not quite so much work and are zone friendly. I say that now, but you know how it is. |
momcat
northeast, IL
(Zone 5a)
April 20, 2009
04:02 PM Post #6438049
| I grow whatever strikes my fancy. Either something I see at a nursery I can't live without, or a pretty picture in a seed catalog. |
artemiss
Toledo, OH
(Zone 5b)
April 20, 2009
04:20 PM Post #6438136
| I have been trying to incorporate edibles into everything, including things that serve as both edible AND ornamental.
Of course, there will always be things I grow because I like them, but I have been pleasantly surprised how pretty some veggies and fruits can be. |
DMgardener
Mount Orab, OH
(Zone 6b)
April 20, 2009
04:35 PM Post #6438215
| I grow pretty much anything I can. But, my first and foremost rule is: If it has ANY unusual characteristic(s), I MUST have it. I also have recently started collecting Ipomoeas, so I am always on the lookout for a 'new' one or an interesting species. |
araness
Orange, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 20, 2009
04:40 PM Post #6438247
| I could care a fig about the landscape so I just plop down whatever I get for the yard but where I buy seeds is for my veggies and that's all about the taste. Second would be productivity and how well it handled the climate. |
gessiegail
Taft, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 20, 2009
05:19 PM Post #6438463
| I grow outside whatever will tolerate our heat and wind. Most of my hoyas will not bloom until I get them off the front porch and into some sun. Today we didn't have any wind, so maybe the spring winds are almost over with.
Any colored or variegated foliage gets me anytime plus I love orchids, too. The orchids love my front porch and continuously bloom year around.
Inside I get to grow on gro light stands and here is where I spend my time...in the house!
I would never have the collection of plants I have if I hadn't joined DG and met so many wonderful trading partners. I just received over 50 new leaves of streps and in return, I am sending her a big basket of Hoya Imperialis...which are readily available here. |
mrsnstarr
Buffalo, NY
(Zone 5a)
April 20, 2009
05:21 PM Post #6438470
| Climate is always the first consideration here in Western NY State (think blizzard of 77) but other factors are important too. Plants must do well without chemicals (no finicky ones) and, as I am getting older and a bit less able, easy care is becoming more important. |
LindaTX8
NE Medina Co., TX
(Zone 8a)
April 20, 2009
05:24 PM Post #6438481
| I like natives the best and that's most of my plants. I also like butterfly host and nectar plant...and if it's native also, that's a plus. Then there are herbs, veggies and fruits that have practical uses. |
irisMA
South Hamilton, MA
April 20, 2009
07:28 PM Post #6439106
| We hybridize irises, especially dwarfs etc.Add plants which look good at other seasons, childhood favorites like lillies of the valley in our deep shade. We try other things, but if there is sun, we put an iris in it. |
Artwestallis
Milwaukee, WI
April 20, 2009
07:33 PM Post #6439134
| I buy what stikes my fancy or looks a little unusuallove walking the nieghbors through and showing whats new. They all think I'm crazy lol |
roybird
Santa Fe, NM
April 20, 2009
07:46 PM Post #6439210
| Climate and zone matter to me because I hate to waste time and money on plants that are unlikely to do well. Sometimes I push it a little bit in one direction or another. Xeric plants are important in my area. |
margaran
(Maggie) Jacksonvill, FL
(Zone 9a)
April 20, 2009
08:11 PM Post #6439353
| I garden for hummingbirds and butterflies and fragrance primarily. I also give consideration to plants that will feed no-hummers. Just today we discovered a Cardinal nesting in our Buddleia bush. i couldn't see them but DH (who is taller) says they're still embryo-ish looking so we're going to wait a while before we try to get any pics. I also like unique plants and it helps if they're in my zone but I do push it @ times. Humidity is more of a limiting factor than anything else.
Maggie |
Planter56
Buffalo, NY
April 20, 2009
08:41 PM Post #6439539
| I grow what I can afford for that year and this year it's looking very slim. I'll plant what I can and mulch what I can't. I usually love to try growing anything I can in zone 5, either in pots or in the ground, colorful or just green texture.
|
missingrosie
Hillsborough, NC
April 20, 2009
10:22 PM Post #6440183
| I chose 'other'
the deer, rabbits, voles, squirrels, possums...influence my choices...
Sometimes I run across something that I (think) have to have --the color--the foliage --- the shape... and I make a leap of faith that I can protect it... I am usually regretful... But what do 'they' say "hope springs eternal!!" |
WillowWasp
Jones Creek, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 21, 2009
06:52 AM Post #6441209
| If it was up to me I would plant most anything that would grow. Not Kudza or anything that is really invasive but I would have a yard full. But since I live on the Coast and subjected to some damage from Salt Water, mist could be from fog, rain or any other way of getting to me. This is not a really big problem but I do keep it in mind, plus we have an awful lot of insects that love to eat so I have to think what can do well with some of these things in mind. Last I have to consider my space and what I have room for. That is probably the biggest deciding factor when I plant something. Many things that say will not grow well here or it would need cooler climates has done wonderfully and some things that were for this region have done poorly so I just kinda try new things as they come along...and throw all the expert opinions out the window...lol |
Kristi_L
Warren, MI
April 21, 2009
08:29 AM Post #6441448
| I like growing flowers that provide nectar and seeds and color.
What's HOA? |
Marylyn_TX
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 21, 2009
08:52 AM Post #6441548
| An HOA is a home owners association. Some of them have very strict rules about what you can and can't plant, and what colors you can paint your house, and... |
Nasturtium28
Sacramento, CA
(Zone 9b)
April 21, 2009
09:28 AM Post #6441674
| I chose 'other'. The amount of sun a particular location gets is one of the most important - I have shady areas around my patio and blasting sun along the south side of the house. One of my other main considerations is mature size and height of a plant - I have a small garden and proportion is important. I love plants and don't have nearly enough room to grow everything that I would like, so I try to choose the variety or cultivar of the plants I like that make a variety of textures and colors (foliage and/or flowers) that look good growing together and are the right proportion to the size of my beds. I pay attention to bloom time and try to have something blooming all the time, year round (lucky in zone 9 that I can do that). I mix in things for the butterflies and hummingbirds. I select for fragrance. And I have to indulge myself with certain things, like roses, so I also design around them. If you only had room for 6 roses in your mixed border, which ones would you pick? I am still working on that one! I also choose plants for sentimental reasons. Certain plants I have I chose to remind me of my mother or my great aunt, each of whom kept a garden that I loved. |
cgarvin
Cottage Grove, OR
(Zone 8a)
April 21, 2009
10:01 AM Post #6441815
| my most important selection is oddity, I love the unusual. Secondary is climate, we have very late springs but a medium long growing season, so its sometimes a challenge to get stuff to come back. my favorites are tropical in appearance, but most come from temperate zones.
I was excited to see about a hundred Gunnera manicata sprouting from my seed trays along with some Kalopanax seedlings I planted last year. As well as the thousands of palm seeds I plant yearly. Oh yeah the veggies are growing nicely too.
Caleb
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
flowerfantasy
Washington, IN
(Zone 6a)
April 21, 2009
10:06 AM Post #6441840
| I chose other reasons.
I like just about anything and everything as far as plants go. I plant for my own pleasure as to what I want to see in my gardens. I do have to be careful as some don't survive our winters but those can always be overwintered. |
lakesidecallas
Dandridge, TN
(Zone 6a)
April 21, 2009
11:55 AM Post #6442350
| I've always liked unusual plants- when I was about 5 years old, I ate an Arisaema (Jack-in-the-pulpit). Not recommended as an appetizer!
In my teens my parents went to Arizona and brought home some cactus for me, it didn't take long to kill them- watering through the winter.
Soon afterwards I discovered catalogs and was a lost soul!
With eBay and online nursery sales, I've spent most of my money on plants. Luckily 2 years ago I finally got my greenhouse to keep them in. Unfortunately we are now retired, so I have very little to spend on plants- unless I sell some of my own.
My husband poo-poos my hobby, he prefers to grow only vegetables- things he can eat. Considers every other plant a waste of space. We have very poor soil here (rocky shale and clay) but he works very hard at it. He's had kale, collards, and cilantro all winter. Yesterday he harvested his first radishes and was so excited. Poor guy, I've always hated veggies, even tomatoes! and won't eat any of it.
He sure does seem to like the flowers and fruit that I grow though, maybe someday I'll turn him to the dark side.
My latest favorite plant is a Corokia cotoneaster. No, it's not a cotoneaster, it's a Corokia! It has crooked litle branches that go every which way. The small leaves are awesome, they are green on one side and pure white on the other. The common name is skeleton bush.
I have other rare stuff like AeAe banana, Amorphophallus titanum, Rainbow Eucalyptus trees, and Worsleya procera, but as I get older I don't want the stress of trying to keep the super-rare stuff alive. I suppose I'll always be trying to push the zone, since getting one of my first plants on eBay back in '98 or '99- a Chorisa speciosa, or Silk Floss Tree. It's been in a pot growing in the house all that time, and I just love it! The worlds largest bonsai, LOL!
Here is a photo of it outdoors one summer. In Florida they grow to be enormous trees.
One note, nothing I grow is potentially invasive, as far as I know. Everything is in pots because of our poor soil. Friends are always surprised to see our yard, they expect it to be like a botanical garden due to my love of plants- but all they see is a mish-mash of pots! Maybe someday...
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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TexasTam
Plano, TX
(Zone 8a)
April 21, 2009
12:57 PM Post #6442707
| I seem to have a penchant for weird varieties of vegetables. Like the orange cauliflower, purple carrots, red lettuces, black tomatoes, variegated peppers, etc. Probably a reflection of my personal individuality. ☺ |
Wulfsden
Riverdale, NJ
(Zone 6a)
April 21, 2009
07:15 PM Post #6444356
| My garden here in NJ (6a) is split into two parts.
My veggie garden, I plant following organic guidelines. Naturally, I chose things I like to eat. I pick veggies that will grow well, based on the season and planting time. I try to keep my raised beds and pots full from March to November, with a succession of plantings through the year. So, a typical year for an 8 inch half-height pot may be co-planted radishes and buttercrunch lettuce in the spring, followed by summer basil, followed by autumn radishes. Four crops a season from 2 scoops of soil is not too bad, and they are relatively pest free in the seasons I am growing them. I do plant some flowers, like borage and marigolds, as part of companion planting/pest suppression and to encourage bees.
The rest of my garden is volunteer, and I spend most of my time un-planting the stuff I don’t want, like Boston ivy, English ivy, poison ivy, bittersweet and Asian honeysuckle. (Actually, I love the smell of the honeysuckle, but it is strangling my Rose of Sharon, which incidentally, also volunteered.) I plant wildflower mixes in some areas to suppress weeds, and attract bees and butterflies.
The biggest "pest" in my garden is a 70 foot tall sugar maple the size of a city block. It throws about 1/3 of my property into heavy shade, and seeds about 2000 kids a year in my garden alone. Killing all the baby maples makes me feel bad, so I gather its samara by the by the bucket load, and scatter them through the woods and hills of Northern, NJ. One day there will be a vast maple forest all descended from one tree and scientists will wonder why. Shhhh! Don't tell.
|
cue_chik
Palm Coast, FL
(Zone 9a)
April 21, 2009
07:36 PM Post #6444441
| I choose the plants that I do for several reasons.
1) Attracting Wildlife like Hummingbirds, Butterflies and Wintering birds.
2) I love color, and anything that flowers and will survive in my zone (and not known to be invasive) is game.
3) I like being the envy of my neighbors with the colorful show in my front and back yard.
4) to get my 10 year old son outdoors once in awhile, I'll let him choose plants which he likes and we plant and tend them together. an occasional shopping spree ( he has a little budget for plants) to the local Garden center is an activity that gets us out and about and spending time together. |
lars1angel
Portland, TN
(Zone 7a)
April 21, 2009
07:42 PM Post #6444468
| I choose the ones my little girl love! |
Cajun2
Cleveland, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 21, 2009
09:48 PM Post #6445098
| I choose what I'll grow based on several things, but mostly I like the unique characteristics of plants, like Cassia alata (candle bush), Shrimp Plant, Hens & Chicks, Salvia 'hot lips', Rootbeer Plant, Pink & White 4 o'clocks (because they're pink & white on the same bloom), Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow (love the idea it's purple one day and white 2 days later), Chinese Lanterns, Bells of Ireland, Coral Bean, Money Plant, Monarda punctata (Horsemint), Peruvian Daffodil, Rabbits Foot Fern.
I also love scented plants and flowers - Yarrow, Rosemary, Sage, Basil, Gardenia, Honeysuckle, Lavender, Rootbeer Plant, and Lilac.
Alot of what I grow is also Xeriscaping so I can conserve water.
And nothing can compare to watching the hummingbirds and butterflies flock to my garden ;-)
This message was edited Apr 22, 2009 2:02 PM |
dahlianut
Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a)
April 21, 2009
11:02 PM Post #6445460
| I chose climate and zone partly because I'm in a less hardy zone but also because we've been in drought and I'm trying to be a waterwise as well as an organic gardener. Most of the perennials in my garden I have grown from seed and I feature alot of native plants. My love of dahlias and other tender bulbs/tubers fits in with my goal because if started in peat and/or a mix with polymer crystals they are quite drought tolerant so I can have my cake and eat it too. I also focus on self seeders and ever blooming perennials and I have many berry producers so I have a huge bird and bee population in my garden. I am awed by Resin and Melody choosing endangered and rare heirloom plants. BRAVO! BRAVA! |
skaz421
Wesley Chapel, FL
(Zone 9a)
April 21, 2009
11:19 PM Post #6445542
| I grow tropicals because I can, where I live.
Elephant Ears, cannas, heliconias, vines, etc
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
carolyn_haack
Saint Petersburg, FL
April 22, 2009
07:13 AM Post #6446327
| I chose unusual
I have a yard full of exotic fruit trees, some of which I've never tasted, as they're still too small to bear fruit. The shapes, colors and tastes of different fruits intrigue me. Every time one blooms I feel like a proud parent! |
detheo
Macomb, MI
(Zone 5b)
April 22, 2009
09:22 AM Post #6446795
| I particularly have to pay attention to climate and zone as well...I spend to much money on new plants that will not adapt that I end up giving away AND...I get bored so I change & rearrange way to much...
Hi Kristi...we have a HOA here "yuck" "ughhh" "arghhh"
but I've never had any problems with them telling me what I can plant...
it's not in there "bylaws" but they still can go fly a kite! LOL :) |
mizar5
Merritt Island, FL
(Zone 9b)
April 22, 2009
09:27 AM Post #6446813
| I chose "other reason." I am creating an English-style garden (yes, in a tropical zone, it CAN be done) because that's just what I love the look of and it goes well with our house as well. We have a Tudor.
So, I use lots of perennials that do well here and DON'T look "tropical." Salvias, pentas, angelonia, antique roses, evergreen trees like the Leyland Pine, herbs (African blue basil, chamomile, rosemary, marjoram), gaura, diamond frost, impatiens here and there (not too much; not a big fan of these). There are some really great varieties of verbena that do well here now too ("verbena on a stick," for example).
The overall look I go for is the long perennial borders but I also have a rose garden and areas of "Cottage Garden" style.
Everything I plant also attracts butterflies like crazy. Add a couple of fountains, and voila!
I don't do annuals at all.
|
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 22, 2009
09:32 AM Post #6446828
| The first consideration always has to be "will it grow here?" A California zone 9 is very different from a coastal Texas zone 9, so I rely on what others in my area say about a plant. That why DG is so important especially since most of the gardening magazines focus on plants that grow in the north but can't tolerate the heat, humidity and high night temperatures down here.
Also, I'm not going to waste time or pollute the earth with chemicals, so it has to be self-sufficient in disease and pest defense.
I voted for "other" though because after making sure it will grow here, the biggest factor that will motivate me to buy a plant is whether it will attract wildlife like birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, and beneficial insects.
I will admit that the other factors get me sometimes too like unusual color. Fragrance is a big motivator, and I'm also always looking for things that will be green and will bloom in the winter.
Shoot, I'm hard pressed to find reasons not to buy plants! |
Kathleen
Panama, NY
(Zone 5a)
April 22, 2009
09:37 AM Post #6446850
| Total insanity. |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 22, 2009
10:04 AM Post #6446962
| LOL! I think Kathleen has hit the nail on the head.
I too am awed by Resin and Melody's work to save endangered plants. I wanted to put an idea out there for those of you who could make it happen. I was reading a book about wild orchids in Texas. A lot of them are listed but have a picture of the orchid from another state because it hasn't been seen in Texas in years. One of the reasons wild orchids have disappeared is that people took them home and killed them. I wonder though if a concerted, professional effort could successfully transplant orchids from one state to another and reintroduce some of these orchids that are disappearing. Maybe that's already happening. If so, I'd would love to know more about it. |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
April 22, 2009
10:33 AM Post #6447108
| You might check with the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. They might have information about this. |
blueflower19
Lufkin, TX
(Zone 8b)
April 22, 2009
01:13 PM Post #6447878
| Climate and zone. I am definitely moving more toward natives so as not to have to water as much and to provide support to local fauna and pollinators. I keep a few tropicals around the deck bc my DH loves them and they give such a lush look to the area. For veggies I go by what our local extension office advises so far as varieties - what can handle our heat - although I am very interested in heirloom vegetable gardening...now if I can just get moving early enough in the year to actually sow seed :P We have humid heat (with droughts and occasional downpours) so everything I plant needs to be able to withstand it. Luckily I have every lighting condition imaginable from deep shade to 10+ hours sun, so there is a place for everything. I would love, love, love to have my lawn taken up and seeded with native grasses so I would not have to mow often - I don't water it anyway...it's too big and I think water is wasted on lawn. |
greenbrain
Madison, IL
(Zone 6a)
April 22, 2009
09:03 PM Post #6449896
| I grow mostly veggies, so I grow what I like to eat. |
RosemaryA
Toronto, ON
(Zone 5b)
April 22, 2009
10:16 PM Post #6450283
| I favour natives, plants that attract butterflies (whether flowers for adults or foliage for larvae), and fragrant plants. |
KarenB61
Long Island, NY
(Zone 7a)
April 23, 2009
01:09 AM Post #6450927
| Light is the determining factor for me. I'm limited in terms of areas that get full sun. So I've had to learn more about shade gardening, or plants that thrive in part-sun.
Another factor is how vigorous a plant is. I try to stay away from delicate, difficult, or slow growing plants, or those that are prone to disease/insects.
|
greenhouse_gal
Port Elizabeth, NJ
(Zone 7a)
April 23, 2009
07:22 AM Post #6451264
| Aside from trying to focus on what we like to eat and what does well in our climate, I've been playing around with growing European vegetable varieties, mostly French, because it's fun to see what they're like and to try something different for a change. We have also really admired the little potagers we see in rural France, so we have been attempting to duplicate that look at home. We grow organically, so some types are more challenging than others. I have given up on potatoes, for instance, and squash is a struggle!
For ornamentals we also try to include native plants, or those that attract birds and butterflies. |
ZenSojourner
Fairborn, OH
(Zone 8a)
April 23, 2009
09:30 AM Post #6451679
| I grow so I can COOK. So I grow things I can't find in the grocery store easily, such as oriental style eggplants, fingerling potatoes, tasty tomatoes (as opposed to the ones in the store that have the taste and consistency of Styrofoam). Chilis. Peppers. Cilantro. Asian herbs. Korean cucumbers. Lemon grass. Several different varieties of basil.
Etc etc ad infinitum, whatever I can fit in the garden. |
drivenbonkers
Perth,, ON
(Zone 5a)
April 23, 2009
09:43 AM Post #6451735
| I voted 'I love unusual plants with unique characteristics' leaf shapes/textures, bloom shape and/or fragrance, colour or taste.
I like the stuff that can be used as cut flowers for the vase on my desk at work during the summer. From the tiny viola in a salt shaker in the spring, the first tulips and daffodils, columbine thru the large colourful sunflowers late in the summer, there's always something in bloom suitable for cutting.
I have a little colony of opuntia cactus that had a total of 34 blooms last summer. There's also a little colony of little ball shaped cactus that have yet to bloom for me. there's always this year...
There's also a little colony of species orchids that made their appearance in our front lawn a few years ago, and have come back every June... they're marked with little stake, and DH is to avoid them when he cuts the lawn...
I love to grow from seed, and enjoy trying out the different things not readily available as plants in the garden centres and nurseries. Besides, for me, growing from seed is a lot less expensive.
This year, among the 'new things' for me I've started Iris versicolor "Kermesina', Opuntia - polyacantha 'Almost Red', Ratibida pinnata and columnifera pulcherimma, Sempervivum (species and hybrid mix) Telekia - speciosa and Orostachys - spinosa.
I love the flower shapes of Canturbury Bells, sweet woodruff, lilacs ... Tiger Paw asters...
Purple potatoes and purple carrots are a MUST in my garden! |
gk1153
Paris, IL
(Zone 6a)
April 23, 2009
10:24 AM Post #6451929
| I voted climate and zone since I plant perennials. A successful day of gardening for me is to walk among my flower beds pulling a few weeds that have sprouted in the early morning and sitting on my porch breathing in the delightful aromas and enjoying the colorful hues in the afternoon and early evening. I am not as aware of what is planted as I am what color it is. Sitting on the porch I think I need more blue in the front bed to offset the orange or some yellow in another bed to compliment the red and lavender there.
If a plant is weak, in need of nurturing, after the first season it is history. When it "hops the twig" I buy a different plant with a bloom the same color (if that's what I want) and have a new specimen to admire from the porch.
I worked hard all my life to retire early and do what I wanted. I was "retired" earlier than hoped due to health reasons. I'll be danged if my hobbies dictate when and where I have to work if I don't feel like it. |
pottingmixer
Council, ID
April 23, 2009
12:08 PM Post #6452356
| Moving from Santa Barbara, Ca. to Idaho 2 years ago, I had my "ups and downs" as to what I could and could not grow. Mother Nature has a way of letting me know what she will tolerate under 7 feet of snow. Now, 24 months later, I am slowly choosing natives that will return year after year and I am finding that there are truly some fascinating flowering plants that are not dull in the least. Anyone out there that can suggest plants of the 4/5 zone nature? I am up for learning a new way of thinking... |
dahlianut
Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a)
April 23, 2009
12:16 PM Post #6452385
| Come on over to the Cool Climate Forum pottingmixer for discussion on the lower zones  http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/coolclimates/all/ |
newhobby
Tolleson, AZ
(Zone 9a)
April 23, 2009
03:39 PM Post #6453257
| We get so hot here in the summer that I stick to things like snapdragons that I know will survive the heat and full sun. |
montsho
Elk Grove, CA
(Zone 9b)
April 23, 2009
11:45 PM Post #6455276
| Relaxation and wonder. |
McCool
Millbury, MA
(Zone 5a)
April 24, 2009
10:16 AM Post #6456587
| Climate and zone (and why not throw in "lots of shade" and "poor soil"). I mostly grow veggies and herbs with a few wildflowers that can fend for themselves. I have neither the time nor the inclination to deal with things that have to be babied, dug up and stored for the Winter, etc. |
DMurray407
Buffalo, MN
(Zone 4a)
April 24, 2009
10:28 AM Post #6456645
| I agree with Momcat-"whatever suits my fancy!". Part of the fun of gardening for me is looking through seed catalogs and magazines during the winter months and picking out things I would like to try-usually there is no rhyme or reason. Once something catches my eye, I look for it locally, if I can't (or don't think that I will) find it, I grow it from seed or purchase it online. The pursuit is almost always part of the fun. I often think that I enjoy spring planning and planting more than I enjoy the end result. Reading about plants here on DG has been responsible for the purchase of many a plant!
Climate and zone often do have a hand in what I end up trying-zone 4 can be a challenge at times. I also have mostly shade in my yard which limits me, but creating work arounds to these problems is all part of the game.
Hmmm . . .cool climate forum, I didn't know about that one! I'll have to check it out. |
hopflower
Santa Rosa, CA
(Zone 9a)
April 24, 2009
10:33 AM Post #6456670
| I, too, voted "another reason" in that I grow what I absolutely love; or think I will love anyway! |
Rosiegardener
Hillsboro, OR
April 24, 2009
10:34 AM Post #6456674
| I try to keep natives in the garden, but some spots of short lived, unusual annuals add a nice punch of color. I wouldn't use anything invasive (learned my lesson - who likes that much hand weeding?). |
LindaCA
Concord, CA
(Zone 9a)
April 24, 2009
10:40 AM Post #6456710
| When I discovered I could grow lots of plants from seeds I went nuts. I started every seed I could get my hands on. Lots of them won't grow in my zone but that didn't stop me. Its so much fun just to grow things from seeds. I have great successes and failures. I love growing unusual and odd plants. I love growing common plants. I have everything from Mango trees grown from grocery store mangos to tomatoes. Now what in the world am I going to do with giant Mango trees what won't grow in my area outside in the winter.lol
I am always on the look out for odd seeds. Its so much fun.
Linda
|
dahlianut
Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a)
April 24, 2009
11:23 AM Post #6456936
| "Lots of them won't grow in my zone but that didn't stop me". LindaCA I lie to those seedlings and tell them that they are the zone they prefer. Singing to them also helps. |
locakelly
Phoenix, AZ
(Zone 9a)
April 24, 2009
11:33 AM Post #6456969
| I voted for "another reason". I try to choose natives for landscaping purposes. Living in the low desert, there are a lot of things that just won't grow here, or won't grow here without a lot of work on my part. I want gardening to be fun, not too much work. Growing natives also helps to preserve native pollinators, which is a good thing, no?
For edibles, I choose to grow only heirloom varieties. My goal from the beginning was to be able to grow food and save the seeds for future gardens. Plus, I can't imagine being limited to what the nurseries or big box stores carry for varieties. I love the quirkiness of the heirlooms which I think adds to their attraction to me - lol. I love the look on people's faces when they look at my funny looking tomatoes and give me that look like "you want me to eat THAT"? It's not nearly as priceless as the look on their face when they actually taste it, though - lol.
Kelly
Edited because I just can't seem to spell today . . .
This message was edited Apr 24, 2009 8:35 AM |
dparsons01
Albuquerque, NM
(Zone 7b)
April 24, 2009
01:13 PM Post #6457394
| Much of my garden/lanscape is with plants that grow well in the environment that exists here. (Mostly I don't see trying to grow swamp plants in the dessert.) Given that range I pick things I think are interesting. Unusual verses common doesn't matter: I have both.
I take the definition of "native" plants very loosely. People, animals, and winds have been carrying seeds around the globe for centuries. Many of our "natives" started somewhere else and just arrived before we showed up to catalog them.
LindaCA, you need to build a glass house for that Mango tree. |
KaylyRed
Watertown, WI
(Zone 5a)
April 24, 2009
01:26 PM Post #6457470
| I grow what I love and what's right for my zone and soil/light conditions--it's as simple as that. I've also earned to appreciate some plants that I wouldn't have naturally been drawn to just because of light or soil limitations. |
patgeorge
Nurmo
Finland
(Zone 4b)
April 24, 2009
02:00 PM Post #6457603
| I voted for zone and climate. My passion is vegetables, and my chief criterion is TASTE. For flowers I make a dreadful confession. What will impress the neighbours. |
cindylove
Lewisville, TX
(Zone 7b)
April 24, 2009
05:13 PM Post #6458462
| I am trying to attract butterflies to my garden/ area so there are certain plants better for that than others. |
scutler
Charleston, SC
(Zone 8b)
April 24, 2009
06:10 PM Post #6458672
| I grow the things that I love. If I see it and it moves me, I buy it and plant it somewhere if I can possibly find a space. But I chose the option for rare and unusual plants because that's what seems to catch my attention most. |
hellnzn11
Rosamond, CA
(Zone 8b)
April 25, 2009
12:50 AM Post #6460118
| Honestly out of frustration and a large yard, in a tough area, I have gone to a front yard xeriscape more lately with a few roses and some wild flowers for color, but in the back I have a great lasagna garden in a more sheltered area that is much easier to experiment in, with more fussy, marginal plants and seeds. I voted zonal though, since that is the part I must work most on and water rationing is upon us. |
tincin318
Cottonport, LA
April 25, 2009
09:57 AM Post #6460989
| My Dad works for a place that experiments with yet to be patented plants to improve insect resistance and 100's of roses and shrubs and trees so every now and them I get the pick of the litter and you can find the most beautiful plants growing wild just dig them up while dormant take the time and you have plants that are everywhere but no where. current we have 3 types of saucer size roses and 15 non-patent rose bushes. |
islandgirl62
Griffin, GA
(Zone 8b)
April 25, 2009
10:55 AM Post #6461166
| I grow as much and as many plants that I can, I LOVE COLOR! I love anything that is different, and my one dream is to one day have a entire yard full of all of the Beauty that God has Blessed Us All With in this world! |
jcoakley
Chicago, IL
(Zone 5b)
April 25, 2009
10:05 PM Post #6463527
| I voted zone/climate. I'm a "newbie" but I'm only doing perennials hardy to my zone (and and many natives as possible) with a few annuals in containers for extra color (especially until my perennials take off). I want to garden with as few chemicals as possible. I hope eventually to achieve a kind of prairie/cottage look! |
TexasPuddyPrint
Edinburg, TX
April 26, 2009
10:22 AM Post #6465008
| Howdy! I choose plants that will serve as a larval host or is a good nectar plant as I raise and release butterflies and large moths. I try to stick to the native plants but if there is a plant that is used by the rare butterflies we get here or that have a chance of straying to our area I'll try to add that to my yard in the hopes of attracting those rarities too!
The city I live in is part of a tri-county area that has about 325 recorded species of butterflies :o)
~ Cat
This message was edited Apr 26, 2009 9:24 AM |
dmac085
Greensboro, NC
(Zone 7a)
April 26, 2009
11:56 AM Post #6465426
| I chose the last answer--other reasons. I just seem to like what I like and try to deal with it as it grows. I had to have a bougainvillea one season so I got one and enjoyed it throughout the summer--just had to treat it as an annual. I also love the light bright blue plumbago plant but it isn't hardy here so I got one and potted it in a giant container at the front door. I was prepared to buy a new one the following spring but it actually came back! Don't think it will this season but that is fine. I may not be in the right zone for some things but I enjoy them while they are here:) |
katharita
Kerrville, TX
(Zone 8a)
April 26, 2009
07:58 PM Post #6467366
| I have to choose deer-resistant plants only for about 90% of my yard and garden and for drought resistance for about 50% of my yard. It's pretty limiting. |
ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 26, 2009
08:52 PM Post #6467703
| I chose other.
Q - "What prompts you to choose the seeds and plants that you grow"?
A - Because they are there.
I am a plant plopper, and if I see a plant that is interesting, and if I don't have it, I have to get it and try it. Actually, I usually get three and try them in three different locations to see how they do. If one location is better, I move them all together there. If they all die, I don't try that plant again. I push zones.
But I'm running out of room!! |
kudzu1
Midland City, AL
April 27, 2009
12:42 AM Post #6468677
| My zone is an important factor because the summers are too hot and humid for many "temperate" climate plants to do well, but there are too many cold snaps in winter for most "tropicals" to survive. |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 28, 2009
12:11 PM Post #6474910
| Well, I have a ton of things to do today and I don't feel like doing any of them, so I decided to breakdown the "other" votes. Sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me! If someone voted "other" and then gave numerous reasons for buying plants, each reason got a vote.
The top "other" reason was planting for 'wildlife' with 19 votes. I included growing plants for butterflies, pollinators, hummingbirds, and birds in this category. I think most people who grow for butterflies are thrilled if their flowers also attract a hummer, and if a hummer likes the flowers of a fruit producer that other birds like, that's great too. I once bought a tree that I didn't need b/c the tag said that it attracted 37 kinds of birds and repelled fleas.
Now, there were two votes for 'animal resistant' plants, so maybe those should be subtracted from the wildlife category!
Second place goes to the 'xeriscaping/native' plants category with 14 votes.
'Food/Veggies' is a close third with 13 votes.
Fourth place was a tie between 'fragrance' and 'low maintenance/pest-free.' Each category had 5 votes.
I didn't mention 'sentimental' reasons in my response, but I realized that I have a lot of plants purchased for sentimental reasons. I bet a lot of us do. If I combined the kids category with the sentimental it would tie for fourth place.
Fifth place with three votes each 'growing endangered/heirloom' plants and 'flower' gardening. All the other categories had two votes. Yes, I know, I need to get to work now! |
dahlianut
Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a)
April 28, 2009
01:52 PM Post #6475422
| Thanks for doing the stats Elpha. I was surprised there was no option for attracting wildlife/birds/insects in the poll as so many garden for this reason, but then Dave and Admin often leave intentional blanks in the polls to foster the discussion. Dave and Admin are smarties |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
April 28, 2009
02:12 PM Post #6475508
| Heh, heh...see what we prompted you do??? |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 28, 2009
02:14 PM Post #6475515
| I figured as much, but I still had to do the count! There was some other count a while ago where very few people voted for growing veggies. It was good to see the veggie people out in force on this count. I'm growing tomatoes for the first time and I already have little tomatoes. It may become a new obsession! |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
April 28, 2009
02:21 PM Post #6475536
| "Resistance is futile...you have been assimilated..." (the 'tomato Borg') |
dahlianut
Calgary, AB
(Zone 3a)
April 28, 2009
02:30 PM Post #6475576
| Tee hee melody |
Elphaba
Houston, TX
(Zone 9a)
April 28, 2009
02:38 PM Post #6475600
| LOL!!! I'm a trekky too! Forget about Big Brother; DG is watching you! |
holeth
Lehigh Valley, PA
(Zone 6a)
April 29, 2009
11:12 PM Post #6482592
| we are Hugh?
|
holeth
Lehigh Valley, PA
(Zone 6a)
April 29, 2009
11:16 PM Post #6482605
| tribble? 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
mekos
Fair Play, SC
(Zone 7b)
June 10, 2009
05:16 PM Post #6669837
| I like unusual varietys that other neighbors and community doesn't have. |
ToucanOasis
Tilaran
Costa Rica
July 16, 2009
09:15 AM Post #6826007
| I choose my plants specifically for the animals in the jungle to use as food, nesting, shelter and pollination.
I'm insane about orchids and heliconias and the bonus is hummingbirds and butterflies. |
