Remembering the plants that have come and gone

Our Port garden reached maturity as the century turned, and as 2020 approaches I’ve been thinking about all of the plants that have come and gone through the years. Some disappeared because I couldn’t grow them. Others haven’t fit our style. A couple were passing infatuations, disappearing as quickly as they arrived.

‘Caramel’ Heuchera is a plant I admire in my neighbor’s yard, but I can’t grow it or its other exotic brethren. I’m good with purple and silver-leafed varieties and that’s it. Cut worms, root rot and, I suspect, suicidal thoughts kill my exotic Heuchera as soon as I put them in the ground. The same happens to Heucherella and Tiarella.

Astrantia, or masterwort, is another plant I’ve failed to grow. I’ve tried every color from white to pink to red. All but one lonely plant died despite pampering, rabbit deterrents and six different locations.

Anterrhinum, perennial snapdragon, is another plant I’ve tried and tried — and killed each time. Primula of many varieties have also come and gone. I’ve only had one Delphinium survive for longer than a year. It was a dark blue flower with dark bees and I loved it. It survived for a decade, long after all of its fellows died. I tried to move it when it was in deep shade and it promptly croaked.

I’ve done better with shrubs, although Bluebeard (Caryopteris) has never survived here for more than two years. Our Daphne ‘Carol Mackie’ was beautiful for a decade until crushed by snow slides, but I killed Daphne ‘Briggs Moonlight’ every time I tried it.

Brilliant red Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ never survived in the ground for me, although ‘Limpopo,’ a shorter orange Crocosmia, did wonderfully until we expanded the patio and lost it. Now a pot of ‘Lucifer’ occupies its spot.

Artemesia and spiderworts of all kinds have been banished from our garden because they spread out of control. I’m working to kill out our remaining mountain bluets and gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides) for the same reason. All are beautiful but aggressive plants, and I’m tired of trying to control them.

I’m also tired of floppers — plants that are fabulous until they collapse all over their neighbors. Every Veronica I’ve planted, large-leafed Coreopsis, Geranium ‘Brookside’ and ‘Johnson’s Blue’ and ‘Moonshine’ Yarrow have all flopped for me and are banned. Tall ‘Shasta Daisies’ are in this group along with Allium caeruleum.

Ornamental grasses, Bergenia, Agastache and Penstemon have also disappeared over the years. I still have three ‘Blue Clips’ Campanula, but the rest of the clan is banished for aggression.

Ferns of all kinds, Brunnera and wild flowers have replaced them. Our trees have grown, and there’s far more shade than there was 20 years ago. We pay more attention to the plants the native pollinators and insects require. Perennials like Clematis that don’t need dividing are also favorites.

At some point we’ll go the way of all the lost selections and other hands with their own favorite plants will garden here. Let them have the success and great pleasure we’ve had as their garden grows along with the 21st century.